Raul_Perez

No, that's the one GoodGuys show each year that I usually can't make it to. That's usually the weekend that we celebrate my wife's birthday. I'm pretty sure that Curt said he can't make it that weekend either. But, I'd bet that Jerry Cardinal will be there!

Good job, Milt!! Remember, building great models is like having a fast car, the more time and $$ you spend, the faster you get to go! Keep up the good work and we'll be taking lessons from you pretty soon!

Here you go... It's always good to keep a sharp one handy!

The two I have are made from MSB plastic. (Yes, that's Monkey S*** Brown). I'll second that!! Keep up the good work, Mike! These things are just too much fun to build.

Bill, I think that you and I are twins separated at birth! That's EXACTLY how I build! being an ex-bodyman, my favorite part of any build is doing custom bodywork. My second favorite is the engine and the chassis. My least favorite part, but one that I'm getting better at, is the interior. Unless it's a convertible, I just don't get that excited about it. How's mom and dad?

Hey Aaron, Would you be interested in a monthly get together in Tracy? Jerry and I have been talking to the owner of our LHS about sponsoring a monthly meeting in his store, probably a Saturday or Sunday thing...

Yeah Ron, we've been there. You're right, it's sad to see how much they've shrunken the model selection. The "other guy" who everyone went to for many years to get answers and advice about modeling is Al Airnat (not sure of the spelling). The other hobby shop "in the area" that closed just before Christmas last year was Wold's in Dublin. We've now got a Hobbytown USA where I live in Tracy, but they're struggling as well. I buy as much as I can from them, even though it costs a bit more, just to help them stay in business. Anyway...we'll get Milt to setup the meeting for sometime in the next few weeks.

Cool! I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Oops! The Chevy II Rat Packer came with a 427 BBC, not a SBC. (I already informed Bernard of my mistake, this note is for anyone else who is looking for a SBC setup with Hillborn injection). The kit that has the requisite parts is the '51 Anglia. Regards,

It's nothing that a big fat set of wide rally stripes couldn't fix!! (if you don't want to attract the blue hairs ) Sorry, I couldn't help myself...

Hey Bill...come on down!! Yeah, it'll have to be on a weekend for Curt, Jerry and myself as well. If you want, you can meet up with me and Jerry in Tracy. That way we can save a bit on the gas tab. If you're coming, maybe we can even get Hossain to join in on the fun. He lives somewhat near you in Folsom. We'll make a day of it, including the always requisite trip to D&J Hobby just to see what they have that needs to follow us home. Hey Milt, it's time to start plannin' the party!

Hey, Jerry, Curt and myself like hanging out together talking about modeling stuff whenever we can. We'll add you to the mix and the four of us will have a great time. If anyone else want to join in, all the better...

Ken, Try using the pastel weathering powders, (that the train guys use), for the camo work. The stuff works great and is a lot easier than trying to airbrush it on if you're looking for sharp-edged patterns. Send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you some pics of what I've done and the info for buying the powder online. Later,

No, John, I'm thinking about entering the “fray†as well. My friend Curt Raitz gave me one of the bike kits when they first came out, but I've been busy finishing some other "stuff" before I get into it. Your bikes have definately inspired me to do more than just build it straight from the box as I had planned. Ken, That's coming along nicely! Don't stop now...you're on a roll!!

Nice Ken, very nice!! I too build military models, mostly WWII and typically in the winter when trying to paint "shiney" models just doesn't work well. Yep, NO ONE, not even Tamiya, can beat Dragon when it comes to the detail and accuracy of their military models...especially their new Gen II stuff with all the PE goodies and exchangable faces and limbs.

Cal, The BMF looks pretty good! That stuff can be such a beast to work with, especially if you have a sheet that's going bad...

Bernard, Competition Resins offers this SBC manifold with short injector stacks. You can get it through SMBC for $4.50 plus S/H. Also, the AMT Rat Packer came with a SBC and Hillborn injection: I have the Hillborn injection resin bits from this engine that were leftover from the '55 Nomad gasser that I built. (The 55 Nomad chassis and engine was mastered from this kit). I don't need them because I used the blower assembly on gasser. You're welcome to the parts if you want them. The tubes are also resin, so you'll need to paint or replace them. The chassis is really coming along nicely!!

Yep, count me in! I'm sure that Jerry Cardinal will come too, providing he's available that day.

Be happy that the part is still in the box...

Clay, That a nice, clean looking build! I would hold off from finishing it until next week when you've had a chance to work with using the new acrylic paints as washes on the suspension and engine components. That'll really help set off the details of those parts. Keep up the good work, and yes, you're right, this was post number 1,000 for me. Now I know why it takes me so long to finish anything.

Neal, The tubs look good! It also looks from the picture that you pulled the sides of the bed in at the front to close that HUGE gap between the bed and the cab. I know that you don't want to "clone" my truck, but you might want to add a small strip of plastic to fill in the top edge of the bed where the sides are attached. That really cleans up that whole part of the bed, making the sides look more integrated instead of "bolted on" as they were. If you're still considering using the early Vette waterfall interior, I'd give serious thought to making this one a roadster pickup. That way you could easily resolve the issues with fitting the Vette seats into the truck interior tub...and then carry the waterfall shape back into a stylized bed cover. As a roadster pickup, the waterfall interior would be really well seen...and you wouldn't have to deal with the fact that the windshield in the kit is too small for the opening. You might even try to see if the custom roadster windshield from the Vette kit will fit onto the truck. I think that it has a pretty interesting shape with the driver's side being slightly higher than the passenger's side. Yes, customizing models can really be a pain in the a**, but it's really rewarding when it works well. Good luck and don't give up, my friend. You'll get there. Regards,

Brendan, That's continuing to come along really nicely!! Keep up the great work!!

Thanks for the prompt response and the information, Chris!!

Except for you paying the first $100, it sounds GREAT! Count me in! I'd rather go for everyone paying their own fair share. After all, we'll all learn from each other and have a great time. Let me know when and where. As long as we're available, I know that we can count on Curt Raitz and Jerry Cardinal coming with me. Later,

Very nice BMF work, Marcos, very nice indeed!! I don't know about you, but I've never been able to get through adding BMF to a model and get it all right the first time. Maybe that's why I removed so much of the chrome trim from my '58! Keep up the GREAT work and the posts! I really like the way this one is looking! Thanks for sharing,