tedd60

Very, very nice.

What a pretty car! Nice job.

Brass builders use them to clean solder joints. This one's expensive. There are cheaper ones out there, Badger, Harbor Freight, etc.

WOW!!! Great detail. Just beautiful, Geoff.

I love those stock builds, and this one is very good. What it like under the hood?

Great job. It looks terrific.

Gotta be the first time I ever heard the FIAT 500 described as having plenty of power! Thank Heaven for Carl Abarth ... Wonderful job!

Times Three! Great subject ... terrific job.

Looking good!

I have bought some signed and number prints of military aircraft and also military rifles for the very same reason. I LIKE them and don't care a fig if they go up ... or down in value. AS for diecast rot ... I don't want to speak too loudly ... I do have some paint issues in my stuff, but, so far, no rot. But that is just another argument for a switch to plastic or resin bodies.

Thanks. I just found and bought a NIB 1/18 scale 55 Vette for just this purpose.

Look at them wipers, hood and door handles, light and elegant ... not big old clumps of plastic. And that dash ... and the LOWER dash. Beautiful. Very, VERY nice. These things are NOT labor intensive ... like diecast bodies. I can't understand why this level of accuracy is not offered on ALL 1/18th scale cars. What's it like under the hood? What's the chassis like? Thanks for the pictures of this beautiful model. T

Yep ... newer Indy and F1 cars as well. Worse? Most of those cars had ZERO detail under the body shell ... mostly all you got was 4 tires and a paint job. Talk about beanie babies. And I know that size is a problem for a lot of folks. Nonetheless, I do love the scale. If the manufactures switched to plastic or resin AND sold them un-assembled as kits to knock prices down, I sure would buy more of them. Apart from the size, if the manufacturers switched to plastic or resin bodies, would you still buy them? How about 1/18th kits?

Here's a nice bunch of pictures: https://hiveminer.com/Tags/corvette,duntovmule/Interesting I don't think it would be real hard to scratch build the fin or the tonneau cover. I agree, from the pictures it looks like these things were just made of fiberglass and screwed on, rather than molded in. Interesting car AND it's one that can be done in 1/18th scale pretty easily. Just out of curiosity, why would you use a 1957 chassis? Does anybody know what the holes under the grill were for? Thanks, T

Good looking Ford.

Very nice model ... thanks for sharing this!

This month's Diecast Magazine had a pretty big opinion piece saying that 1/18th Diecast models are about dead. The article cites a combination rising labor costs in China and the amount of time it takes to prep the car bodies after they've been cast. Anyone who has built one of the old Hubley kits, or has done any work trying to spruce up a diecast body knows how much work goes into removing flash and molding marks. It is true that prices have risen from the time I started to collect 1/18 diecast, with prices for "better" models now going $200, $300, $400 and much, much more. It seems the higher prices go, less folks are buying. The only alternative that the article offered was manufacturers switching to resin cast bodies, but I only see very negative reactions to resin I see on various 1/18th scale sites I go to. I do not know all the reasons people wouldn't like resin, or other plastics for the matter. I DO see collectors talking about the "good, solid feel of a metal car", as if weight was a sign of quality. I love 1/18th scale models, I like the size and the amount of detail this scale is capable of having. I agree with the writers observation that door, hood and trunk openings appear more in-scale than on other size models. That being said, I think a LOT of these models simply are not very good ... and sale price doesn't have much to do with accuracy or quality ... some of the Maisto that is bought at big box retailers are pretty nice models and are priced very reasonably. I would welcome a switch to resin or plastic, if it would serve to bring prices down and increase the quality. Also, working with diecast metal is very difficult compared with working with resin or plastic to chop a top or doing other customizing or modification. This might also increase the numbers of customers buying these things. An alternative not discussed by Diecast magazine would be manufacturers of these models selling them as KITS ... just like the old Hubley kits. I know it's been done before but i don't know what sales were like for these things. Your thoughts ...

Great idea ... it should keep the (1/24th) raccoons out.

GREAT JOB!!!!

My first New car was a 1979 320I (Fjord Blue, blue gut). Made several NJ to FLA runs with the kids in the back ... very comfortable, at any speed. Nice first model. T

Actually, there are 2. Any front engined roadster and Jim Clark's Lotus.

Hey ... thanks Alan! I knew another way to do this, but your trick sounds a bit easier. I LIKE easier!

I just did a quick search ... 3D scanners are out there and range in price form $130 to OMG!!!! I imagine that scaling up or down would be a function of the computer program running the printer. I'm guessing you can scan the desires of your heart, or the needs of your model, and email the data to an outfit like Shapeways, just hit a button on Paypal and wait for the merry mailman! I am hoping within the next year or so the prices on this stuff is going to drop to the point we'll have to plow some of the clutter off our workbench to make room for this brave new world.

BIG fan of Mark Donohue. I bought Unfair Advantage when it came out and read and re-read the covers off of it. I seem to recall this car gets a mention in the AMC chapter.

Thanks Alan, yeah ... I was going to start with a belly tank Lakester ... in 1/18th scale. I'm guessing everybody who builds a vac former trys that one first. If that works out, I would REALLY like to build a Formula Vee in 1/18. I bought a couple Maisto VW's for the engine, trans and front suspension. I guess I'm letting the cat outta the bag, but I've been putting the parts together to build what you see below ... in 1/18th. The only way I can figure out to build the body (fuselage) is by vac forming. Carve a form, split for L & R halves. The engine and rear suspension will come from a Honda Valkyrie, the f/e will be VW ... and probably VW front fenders. Something like an Elio ... except I really think this one would get built. ... and this one with a traditional hot rod approach. Both in 1/18 scale. T