Frank Steffens

That is really awesome!

If you have CAD drawings, you should look into 3D printing for the prototyping. Check out dimensionprinting.com as a start. In a recent issue of FSM, they did an article on it. You'd be surpised how much quicker you can get sponsors or generate interest when you have a prototype. I'm not an expert on the process, but I believe the most time consuming part of it is drawing the CAD. You said you already had a CAD file for your subject, so you may be ahead of the game. If you aren't the author of the CAD drawings, or don't have a license from the author, the 3d printing service may not touch the project. I would suggest consulting with a lawyer before trying to reproduce and sell a product that may be based on someone else's work (whether that work is the CAD, or the designer of the original boat itself). As far as the product, I think you can see by the reaction to this post that you may not have a really good market for this model. As others have stated, 1/16th scale may not be best scale to produce this in. Many, if not most, car modelers build exclusively in 1/24 1/25 (some will not even mix 1/24 with 1/25!). You're cutting yourself off from the largest cross section of this hobby's market just by not building in this scale. You may like 1/16th scale, but take a look around just on this site, or on the website's of the biggest hobby sellers: there really just isn't that much 1/16th scale stuff out there. If its you who really wants a model of this drag boat, then you can still take the 3d drawings to the 3d printing service, have them run off a one of a kind prototype, detail it to your liking, and display it proudly. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Good info, thanks! By the way, thats one of the scariest avatars I've ever seen!

I know someone on here will be able to help. Where can I find the greenish/blue/turquoise color used on some Mopar engines?

I think I saw that car in Saturday's LIARS Show, right? If it is, it looks even better in person! Great work!

Beautiful work!

1970 Hemi Cuda, and the owner is selling it for $250.00 because it won't start. He seems to think the battery is dead. Then he mentions that there's a scratch on the right fender that's about 1/4 inch long. Being a decent, honest man, I inform the owner that the car is worth WAY more than what he's selling it for.... ...So I offer him $300.00 Then I wake up.

Nice work Jason! And as for the '29....CHOP IT!!!!!!!!

Another outstanding model Uwe!

That's your second car kit ever? That's it, I quit! Seriously, that's beautiful work!

I knew this one would turn out fantastic! Awesome job Uwe!

I gotta say Virgil, this is absolutely amazing! I was looking at the lines of the car, and I noticed that the rake of the body and bed match, but the height of the nose/grill is above the line created by the rake of the body/bed...but then I realized that I'm looking at it without the engine. I saw in previous posts that you're going to use a 409 with fab'd intake pipes....this will really reconcile the difference between the nose height and the body/bed. Its going to look awesome when its done. I can't wait to see it finished!

That's going to be awesome! Whatever you do, maintain the stance that it has in the last picture. That stance looks perfect!

Use Microsol to apply to the area where the decals will be placed before you place it. Once it is placed in its final location, burnish it LIGHTLY with a cotton swab, then use the corner of a napkin or paper towel to wick away excess moisture. Before applying Solvaset, make absolutely sure thats where the decal will be staying. Once applied, Solvaset will make the decal rather brittle and VERY difficult, if not impossible, to move without shattering it. It WILL help the decal conform to compound curves and over any raised detail/crevices underneath. Also, after applying Solvaset, you may notice that the decal wrinkles. Don't worry about that, that shriveling will eventually straighten itself out. Resist the urge to touch it! If you are applying the decal to a flat surface (flat, as in the opposite of gloss), instead of Microsol, try to use a very small bit of Future Floor polish underneath the decal. It will give the decal a nice smooth surface to adhere to and prevent "silvering". As before, try to wick away any excess Future. Later, you can spray flat clear onto the area and the decal will look painted on. Every manufacturer's decals are different and respond to these setting solutions differently. If there is a decal on the sheet that you wont be using, test the reaction to the solution on that decal. If you're going to use all of them, most companies will have their name on the decal, along with the name of the model you are building, use that to test.

Thanks Bob, I'm going to repair the area where the gloss black crazed. The silver didn't come out too bad, so I'll keep it as is. As for the BMF, I'm going to start using it again. I like the way the Alclad looks, but like you said, all that masking is tedious. Thanks again!

I really stink at painting bodies and clearcoating them. BAD. Its probably why I haven't posted pictures of my finished cars. Anyhoo, my latest debacle happened when I clearcoated my AMT '69 GTX. I had used Alclad's Gloss Black as a base coat for the chrome trim, then painted Alclad Chrome over it. I also used the Gloss Black for the lower panels of the GTX body. Today, when I clearcoated using CobraColors Ultra Gloss Clear, the Black and the Alclad crazed. The crazing on the chrome is only in one small 1mm spot around the rear window. The crazing on the black is only on the left bottom side. Should I strip and repaint the whole thing, or mask off the left side, sand down the crazed areas and repaint them?

Another masterpiece David!

Ditto, I can't wait to see this one progress

Lookin' good Bob!

That's going to look awesome!

Very clean and well detailed. Great work!

Wow, the combination of suede and scallops looks fantastic....well done!

That is awesome!

Nice work!

Looks awesome Jerry!