coopdad

The Cookeville show as GREAT! I would say the automotive was 3/4 of the models entered. Check out Bobby's pix (I was having too much fun to take pix): click here. And another Tennessee show is coming up March 28 in Knoxville. Their website has not updated since 2008 so I uploaded their pdf to my site: click here I hope to make it but my son's Cub Scout Pinewood derby race is also Saturday. Lastly, here are two links to TN club listings : click here and here John

I think would have to mean more aggressive driving especially near the last race. I mean, when the season is nearing the end, drivers will need wins rather than just points to win the championship. I remember many years back when Bobby Rahal won the Indy Car championship by driving a very conservative season, winning only one race I think. It seemed like he came in third every race. Not very exciting in my mind. I have high hopes for the new season. The smaller rear wings will make for more passing (hopefully) plus this rule encouraging winning could make it really fun to watch again. Either that or it will be a gift to unlevel the playing field back to Ferrari to win the championship again....come on, someone had to mention the conspiracy theory...the rules bias to Ferrari didn't they? John

Agreed, awesome job. I like that you made the surfboard look like it is wood rather than brightly colored fiberglass. John

You gotta be kidding! I can see asking advertisers to pay, but not clubs! I will bet you don't ask them to promote your contest with them next year. In the 1:1 truck magazines I produce, not only do I not ask clubs to pay, I give the listing away to go in the mag and on website, I give them ad space, I even ask them to send us photos/text after the event that we print. I see clubs as the most enthusiastic members of the hobby and you don't want to "bite the hand that feeds you". Either they don't know that, or are hurting for money. John

Awesome job! The headers are as real as I have seen. John

Great job! Especially since my 6 year old son has the same kit... certainly doesn't look like yours. John

Hungry, You have got to visit "The Model Builders" forum. I select group of AWESOME diorama builders have gathered there with some of the most amazing work. And the work with just about any medium... one guy is building the most amazing building front using matt board. But don't let me scare you off, they are eager to help newbees like us. John

Cranky, another awesome project! Inspiring as usual! Got any interior photos you can post? Didn't see any on the link. John

For those of you living in or near East Tennessee, March has two shows: March 14 (Saturday), Cookeville, TN 25th Annual MTMA Scale Plastic Model Show and Contest Tennessee Tech Roaden University Center, 1000 N. Dixie Ave., Cookeville. Info: Glenn Rice: 931-432-4513, mtmacookeville@yahoo.com March 28 (Saturday), Knoxville, TN Smoky Mountain Mini-Con, Civic Coliseum Auditorium. Info: Mike, 865-789-2368, kyofu@aol.com Hope to see ya'll there! John

Beautiful cars! I would love to see some close ups. John

Robbo, Could you repost the link? It is malformed. Thanks, John

I recently went though a drought and did as suggested... jumped out of my element for a build. And to avoid possible future droughts, I found a few builders whose work is so inspiring that there is no way it would happen again. So my suggestion is we post a link to someone's work that never fails to inspire. Billy, here are a few of my favorites: Hollywood Jim: http://public.fotki.com/shrimpee/ Dam Cranky: http://public.fotki.com/vsuarez666/ Clay Kemp: http://public.fotki.com/ClayK If you can't find inspiration on one of these links, hang up your Xacto! Why not post your favorite three builders here also? John

Does SPAM have a website? I would like to know more. John

Maybe the diesels will break down before the end of the race John

Awesome! Not sure how I feel about the Gulf livery... looks cool, then I remembered the British Racing Green... John

Great start... the first on a (hopefully) long road of improvement. Just remember, every single person on this site had a first build like yours. John

As a magazine editor myself I am constantly hearing from readers who did not get their magazine. Here is part of the reason... Postal Workers Caught Hoarding Undelivered Mail at their Homes Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Associated Press DETROIT — There were jokes and snickers at a Michigan post office when customers learned that an overwhelmed carrier had rented a storage unit to hide thousands of pieces of mail. "I heard a couple of people come in and say, 'Can I pick up my mail — or is it in storage?"' said Annette Koss, the postmaster in Howell, 50 miles northwest of Detroit. "We just didn't understand it. It's such a stupid thing to do." Jill Hull pleaded guilty Tuesday to deserting the mail, a misdemeanor. The case is rare but it happens: From North Carolina to North Dakota, carriers in recent months have been hauled to court for failing to fulfill their routes. Mail has been found in basements, garages and, in Hull's case, a self-storage unit in Michigan's Livingston County. In North Carolina, a mail carrier admitted to keeping junk mail buried in his backyard. In September, after she had failed to pay her bill, managers opened Hull's unit and discovered thousands of pieces of unopened mail, including 988 first-class letters. Some had postmarks from 2005. "I was unable to deliver all the mail," Hull, 34, said during a brief hearing in federal court in Detroit. Read the whole story...

You are welcome here in Tennessee! I have a dream too... a great Hobby Shop! Seriously, are there any many retails stores anymore that employee minimum wage kids who actually care? I have been in one lately. Ideally, I would rather do my product research at home on the web and pick the parts/kits up locally at a reasonable price. Hey, what you should do is cut out the lame employees altogether and make the whole store a big vending machine with every kit, part, paint, tool, available 24/7. Run out of Tamiya Black Gloss spray paint at 3am? Not a problem, slide in $3 the slot and out pops a can. No shoplifting either! John

Can't wait to see the new cars and how they take advantage of the new rules. John

Wow! Great work (as usual)! How exactly did you build the spider web? Wire and hours of work? John

I will throw my latest into the mix...a work truck that will be going into a diorama I am working on. It will be hidden under blackberry brambles and tree leaves: John

With a screen name like Bronco69 you should have more Broncos!!! Yea, I know... same problem here. I really wish the model companies would offer more (some) kits of the best 4x4 ever made! Nice work on your builds! John

Jeff, there was an extra "u" in the address: www.ipmsusa.org See ya'll there! John

Really great job! Another I kit I have got to find. What is the deal with the strange rear wing? Some sorta rules dodging tactic? I don't remember seeing that wing before. John

Here are a few VERY OLD links... no photos but good info about which kits did or did not work: Mid 90's (with a photo) the missing photos for that link 1991 Bronco Another John