Blackkat13

About 15 20 miles north of Flint

I was on a tight time limit, so I wasn't going to do up a kit bash on the kit. Plus I didn't know what kits would work or not. I still have the coupe and chevy by Revell to build as well. Think that one has the right seat and motor.

I got the body/decals from Southern Hobby but the decals sucked. I had to learn how to make my own decals. Testors White Decal Paper, Testors Bonding Spray, and Testors Clear Spray. Then after a few coats they worked out nice. I have a HP Inkjet printer, and it all worked out really good. Best to make your own, and do test prints before your final print. This way you'll save the decal paper for the end, and not waste it. Clear paper works but the colors will be darker on the yellow. I had to turn the Testors paper sideways to get my flames to turn out for me, and the same with the old decal sheet. All I can say is test prints, and resize your prints. That's how I was able to get the plates on the coupe to the right size. http://stores.smhracing.com/john-milners-american-graffitti-dragster/

The original decal sheet sheet might also help you out as well. I think the angle on the body from what the protractor read was a 38 degree or 39 angle I can't remember which angle it was unless I pull out my drafting supplies. I matched it up with the photo that looks the most straightest of the car.

Hope these help out another builder

These are what helped me alot on my build. Most are what I capped myself from the movie. A few came from Jeff over at http://jeffsallgraffitiallthetime.blogspot.com/. Nice guy, hooked me up with the one of Milner on the front of the car and the one of the car with the tool kit on the motor. I even asked Paul Le Mat a few questions on some of the detail and colors. He couldn't really remember to much about the dragster, but he's a nice guy to chat with.

Here's my AG Coupe http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/122076-american-graffiti-deuce-coupe/

I have the original Coupe and the one I built was the re-issue 2003 coupe. On the Dragster this is how I have Ebay email me about them. I used search on Ebay as MPC John Milner Dragster and another one as MPC American Graffiti Dragster. I saved my searches so any new ones that pop up they email me about them. Hope this helps you out.

Bought a used Drag-U-La model on Ebay. The kits all there except the exhaust manifold. Without the part I know I can't finish the model. On my Gundams Blu-Fin has a replacement parts program. Does AMT models have the same thing? Does anyone know if AMT has a replacement parts program? Links? Anything will help.

I built the truck so if I needed to remove them I can take them off at anytime. This way it made boxing this up and traveling pretty easy. The tires are glued/jb welded on one side. This way the axle stays nice and straight. The other side just comes off, and other side slides out. I have to watch it since it moves very soothly it can be mistook for a monster truck toy. The tires are on the truck the correct way in the display at the moment.

Here's my 1994 Snake Bite Monster Truck. I started this when I was a kid over 20 years ago. I stopped after I glued up the engine, and after some of the body was painted. I decided to finish the kit for a model contest. Sadly, Snake Bite didn't win, but it took 3 months to build and detail it. I built it with the body able to come off. So I can remove the hood/cab or just the box. The hood has all the scales/ridges outlined black to show thru the transparent red paint.I also switched out the metal axles since they were short and couldn't hold the weight of the tires. I used a coat hanger and that works just right to support the tires weight and is now long enough to work. I ended using the one of the axles on my Graffiti coupe since the plastic bars couldn't fit since they were too short over the motor. I filled in the gap for the grill with a cut piece of the spare hood for the Graffiti coupe. This is probably going to be my last monster truck since I forgot how much I hate kits with frames. Monster trucks now fail in the pain in the kits to build with dragsters, and NASCAR cars. .

It took many hours. I would suggest if you build it glue the fenders, and top on first. I used blue painter tape to hold mine together pushing out the glue. This help fill in those nasty cracks. Also there is a small gap between the gauges and body. I used small piece of used sandpaper painted to fill it in. Thanks guys

Hello all, I started building back when I was a kid maybe around 10 years old. Seen my dad building a model, and he asked me if I would like to build one. My first kit was Batmobile from the 80's movie. Me and him built a few together and he thought me his skills from the 70's. I got into it, but when my teen years hit I got out of the hobby. I took up art, drawing, painting, drafting, anything creative. About 5 years ago I was at Riders and seen a Gundam Wing 0. I loved the gundam series and thought it was a cool looking kit. I jumped back into building with gundams. Then I noticed Riders was doing their annual build off. I decided to enter my Snake Bite kit that I never finished when I was a kid. I glued the engine together and walked away from the model. I bought a AMT American Graffiti deuce coupe, and a Jaw Breaker MPC which I turned into a MAG John Milner dragster. None of my kits won any awards. I built 3 vehicles, that I haven't built a car model in 20 years. What I learned as a kid, what I learned from gundam building, and all my art tricks helped me out alot. I'm trying to get the The Munster Drag-U-La and Koach and build them this year. I think I'm going to balance out both model hobbies I love.

This is my American Graffiti 2003 AMT deuce coupe model. It took over a month to build. I added plug wires, radiator hose, sanded the tires, painted the gauges, washed the rims, etc. I even added real metal bars above the motor from my Snake Bite monster truck. This kits has a lot of flaws, and many areas that needed a bunch of work. If you go the extra mile, and finish this model. It will turn out to be a nice kit. It just takes a boatload of patience though. This kit is a Skill 2 but felt like it was more like Skill 666.

This is my More American Graffiti replica dragster model I built. This is not the original model from 1979, it is a replica. I turned a Jaw Breaker model into John Milners dragster. I cut, reshaped, trimmed. and angled the body corners just like the real car. I made my own decals, lines, plug wires, and even detailed the parachute. I made my own decals from a original scan of the decals I found online. I used from that set the red John Milner and blue tail piece. I printed them out using Testors paper, and made my own set of flames. I tried to make the flames as movie accurate in the shape and style. If the flames, didn't look right, neither does the model. I gave the car a modern line, and cut it where it should be orange. This was a replica body, Jaw Breaker model kit, and replica decals with many hours of work. This is my first custom model I have ever built. This goes for building a driver that fits in the car. This model looks like what the fans should have always been sold in the first place. I hope, I didn't disappoint any Graffiti fans out there. One more thing I will point out Jawbreaker's kit has many flaws, and needs a bunch of work. You have to sand, drill out areas, and the frame is constantly coming apart on you. I put a rod into the motor, and used JB Weld in the transmission. This way it is well hidden but gives the motor extra support to stay in place. On the angled areas of the body, I used JB Water Weld to give them a nicer rounded look. This build took me 3 months to do in the winter months for a model contest. Only thing that gets on my nerves is the flash made the colors look lighter than what they really are. I even built the 2003 AMT American Graffiti/reissue of the More American Graffiti Deuce Coupe. Still love how the builds look with the original box art. issue