Custom Mike

Earle, we live in a high-humidity area, and if you're using lacquer paints (Like Dupli-Color), what you have is "blushing". I get around it by warming the paint, and having a space heater handy when I paint. Paint like normal (After warming up the paint), then get to the space heater and rotate the part so all surfaces get warmed up, hopefully burning the "blushing" out of the paint. I've been painting down here near the coast for 17 years, and it's worked great for me, even in the summer when our humidity is in the 80% range and up! Another fresh coat of paint will cover the blushing, as long as you can get it near a heater to prevent it from happening again.

Earle, look in the "Stamping" section of either Hobby Lobby, AC Moore or Michaels and you should find it. As far as kit selection, good luck with Hobby Lobby there in Fayetteville, their selection has always been light. If you want a good selection, try Hayes Hobby House on Elm Street (In the Eutaw Shopping Center on Bragg Blvd). Talk to Mike Starling, he's the model guru, and a heck of a good guy. Tell him Mike sent ya and see if he gives you my 10% off discount!

Great work, I love the Olive Drab!

Manuel, this should be a cool one! I love the idea of lighting the engine bay, that should look really cool once it's all done! Any ideas on paint yet?

Great work so far Jay, what's the plan for color?

Should be different Brett, bring it on!

Shawn, you've done an incredible job on the body and the door panels! It's been so long since I've seen a '62 Impala's bench seat I can't recall if that one is accurate or not, but it looks great as-is. Do you plan on having this cast, because I'm sure there are some people who want a 4-door '62 out there!

Don, this is going to be one of the coolest '57's out there! I was wanting to see the fastback (Because I have no doubt you would have nailed it!), but this roofline should look just as cool. The section job is absolutely beautiful work, now you're gonna have me go out and but a wood-burning set!

I had the same issues with my tailgate, I added a piece of steel to the bottom edge of the tailgate, and a few earth magnets under the floor board, did the trick for me! Beautiful paint BTW, Black is always one of the hardest colors to get looking really good!

Cesar, who cares if it's been a year, for this level of detail and quality, take as much time as you need! That engine bay looks spectacular, and the front fascia is beautiful!

Just beautiful work Alyn, that battery itself is enough to get me drooling. Throw in the nearly completed engine compartment and chassis, and you owe me a keyboard buddy!

Very ambitious Rick, and it looks like you're off to a great start! I can't wait to watch this one come together!

Bart, this is ridiculously cool! Your work on this is nothing short of phenomenal! I can't wait to see the end results...it's gonna be a reference for any future build like this for sure!

Man, that is a pretty truck! Hurry up and finish it off!

I've only got three, first up is the oldest one, the Momad. Still trying to get the tail lights to look like I want... Next, a '68 Plymouth Satellite, waiting on it's stock hood to be resin-cast and returned so it can be wrapped up... And finally, one that hasn't been posted yet, an AMT '50 Chevy Pickup. A real-wood bed is just the start, I'm going to go slightly crazy with the detail and added stuff on this one...

That's gotta be the Revell 1/12th kit...

Great work Frank, but I've gotta ask, where did you find this baby?

You must have an Ollie's nearby...I snagged most of those kits myself!

Great work on that gap, your bodywork is pretty solid! What is the name/manufacturer of that nail polish, I want some of it!

This should be different, I'm watching!

Here's my only built '69 Camaro, Revell's SS/RS 396 kit, IMHO one of the best ever produced. Rims and tires are from Revell's Acura Integra, engine is wired, fuel line and filter added, air filter snorkel drilled out. Paint is Dupli-Color's Silver/Green Mirage paint (More like a Purple/Green), houndstooth seat decals stolen from Revell's '69 Camaro Convertible.

Steve, that is the best '67 Camaro kit I've ever seen built, outstanding work, I'm sure the guy you built it for loved it! Sven, this baby looks absolutely real, you sure you're not trying to pass off a 1:1 Camaro on us?

Jim, you're no fun! I need to be more like you, my problem is I get an idea, and my skills just can't quite pull it off yet...so back in the box it goes. My wife is wonderful at that, she's forced me to complete more projects than I ever have. Now if she could keep me from coming up with new ideas....

This one is my "youngest" stalled project, AMT's '57 Chevy, I can't get the hood and trunk to match the body color. So after 3 attempts, it got boxed up... This one has been around since 1996 or so...I really need to get it back out now that my skills have caught up to my imagination... There are a few more, but I don't have any pics available...one of them dates back to 1995, so my oldest is only 16, I better slow down a bit!

Kirk, if you can let me know when any contests are going on in SC, I'd love to go, especially Sumter and Spartanburg. They may be long drives for me, but they're great contests!