Misha

Great rendition Jay! Really like your modifications, the exhaust wrap and sloped handlebars contribute to the café style. Cheers Misha

So, you’ve been at this modelling thing for awhile?. The Chevy is a great build, displaying the era it was built in. I’m in the process of taking shots of my DSC entries as well as we didn't make it down to AZ due to circumstances and as it turned out, it was a blessing. Stay safe and healthy Kurt, by the way is your daughter serving on the A/C carrier, wishing all good health. Cheers Miisha

Have a look at the Rat in the 37 Chev kit. The gasser version has over the frame headers exiting in the front wheel well. Cheers Misha

That’s looking really sharp Phil! Suspected this might have your WIP entry for the DSC. The green looks perfect with the wood treatment, very impressive. Cheers Misha

I have always liked this kit, from day one, molded in black. Great to see you choose this as your next build. Like all Deuces there are so many variations in build style, that nearly all are unique. Recently there have been a number of builds of the kit on the forum, good to see! Will follow your progress, cheers Misha

Really great build Manuel of this classic kit. It’s great to see all the recent Tub builds on the forum, each a unique rendition. Your added details and kit bashing worked out well, really like the Necker’s Knob on the wheel. The colour is right on for the traditional Hot Rod look. Thanks for posting, congrats Misha

Wow Kurt! Been away from your thread for a few days... amazing solutions and considerations. Hope you’re getting some rest between bench time! Stay well, Misha

What great mementos to discover! Hope your remodelling includes display cases... Thanks for sharing the “Bugs”. Wish someone would have kitted the last edition of the line. Cheers Misha

Great build Curt! That has really upped the threshold of Bronco builds with the Fireball details used and execution of paint and finish. The presentation with the base tops it all off. Glad to spot the DSC plates, plan on joining in. Cheers Misha

Welcome back John! Be following your build as usual, each is a neat adventure, full of surprises. Are you taking part in the “Virtual” DCS? Cheers Misha

Great addition to the stable David! A pleasure to see your French blue scheme, the red interior and tonneau really sets it off. I agree it’s time for a rerelease of both the 250 and the Borranni wheels, I missed out first time round. Cheers Misha

Congrats Snake on tackling this one after four years. Great job on the hood, the original kit one never made sense, just more work. I have this one sitting on the back burner, older WIP than yours, plus the Falcon as well. Learning more from the builds that are going on now. Those old kits seem to offer a certain fascination for detail builders, as they are such plain canvases with tons of enhancements possible! I’m currently working on the rear engine Corvair as my isolation project ? Carry on! I’ll be following, cheers Misha

Thanks for all the comments! Quite gung-ho with this Bow-tie! Been working on getting the chassis and stance fitted and nailed down. Using Aleene’s Tacky Glue I mocked up the engine and its cradle, then fitted it to the chassis. It was obvious that the wheelbase was a bit too short, plus an issue with fitting the meats under the rear wheel wells. Best solution was increasing the radius of the opening. Penciled it in freehand and with X-Acto in hand began scraping out the unwanted material, just like opening a door or trunk with the backside of a #1 blade. Finished it off by sanding the cut smooth. The engine cradle also required some modification to fit the BBC, with more detail to follow including front engine mounts. Everything still in bare white plastic! Next step is replacing the front axle... Cheers Misha

Looking over the stash, searching for the perfect isolation project, just the right kit to be built straight-outta-box (SOB). Something of a slump buster as most of my WIPs are struggling at the mid point of their builds. A simple build is the goal. Bingo! The CheZoom Corvair F/C! The added bonus would be to build a box art version, as I find it a very cool depiction. I must admit that I have been completely unable to build anything SOB for a number of decades now. Looking over the instruction sheet and sprues it appeared quite an easy project... but wait, it didn’t take long to yank out the Mopar and swap in a Rat from the 37 Chevy... from there the complexity grew. Seeing how much of the interior is on view, including the engine through the bubble top rear window, that a few more details wouldn’t hurt. Shortening and narrowing the chassis in the rear to fit the body, positioned the engine/trunk opening to feature the axle and empty space to the rear. (Originally the chassis fit the first Barracudas, particularly the Tom McKuen 65). The missing frame members were easily fabricated to complete the rear. The trunk will house the Moon gas tank and a small battery for accessories, as the engine will have a magneto ignition system. As a result the frame will also have a push bar and chute structure added. Body modifications so far have included de-badging, re-contouring wheel openings, removing the rear lower valence panel, eliminating the molded in wipers, and adding a front splitter plate. The last item has been to draw up templates for the inner trunk lip and deck lid detail underneath to be built from sheet plastic. Overall the recently re-issued kit is well formed with faint mold lines that required minimal clean up. Examining the interior offered another diversion for added realism. The kit provides a simple tub to contain the seat, dash wheel, Moon pedal and shifter stalk. As these were the early days of Funny Cars, before the glass floppers, the Corvairs were, for the most part stock unibodies with a custom frame. In this case the body from the cowl back is steel, with operating doors and the front is fiber glass. In this kit that detail is completely absent, so out with the X-Acto and saw! The plan is to build inner panels for the interior, showing the entire door rather than the existing tub interior. The sides were removed from the tub while the supports for the dash remained. This will also allow for greater detailing. Need to add a clutch and brake pedal, hand brake for front discs, shifter with hardware to rear, and fire suppression system. Plus added switches and wiring to the dash. The doors will have simple upholstered panels matching the headliner. The frame will also come in for greater detail with hardware bits. To fit the Corvair wheelbase the front axle will move one step forward on its spring perch. This will also help lower the nose. A future mock up will indicate how much rake to put in by adjusting the coils on the rear subframe. Overall a simple project that eluded me once again - then again, time is what I have on my hands... Cheers Misha

The Story... For the twin’s birthday Grandpa had decided to give the boys a shoebox. He had bought the green Ford coupe brand new, being the newest post-war design. The fenders merged into the body lines to become one smooth, aerodynamic shape, or a “Shoebox!” It was 1949, the same year that Don and Jim were born, and now they were turning eighteen. Their Dad had spent most of the war in the Pacific servicing and maintaining naval aircraft aboard American carriers. Afterwards, returning to Tucson he continued to modify and race, an early Hot Rodder! The boys developed a gear-head mentality early with soap box derbies and later go-carts and motor- bikes. In high school Don excelled in auto mechanics while Jim was becoming quite a body man. Grandpa’s car was a treasure as its main uses were ceremonial or religious duties, as Gramps preferred his F-1 pick up as his ride - “What’s the use of it, if it can’t haul”. Don had already salvaged a Y-block out of a rear ended 57 Fairlane and Jim began smoothing out the body with plans for mild custom touches front and back. The local club had access to a paint booth where the final gold metalflake would be applied. While being built for “Go”, it was also for “Show”. A custom interior was the ticket and fortunately a number of Tucson upholstery shops had begun to specialize in leather car interiors. The next couple of years would be spent creating the “Inca Jewel” - a mild custom built by hand with part-time jobs funding it and help wrenching from friends and club members. Many evenings and weekends spent in the garage... Details to follow, cheers Misha

I also followed your work, the result looks fabulous! The colour suits the build, understated and beautiful finish. Congrats Misha

One of my WIPs is a 36 Ford Lakester for which I decided to chop with a distinct forward slope. Perhaps there shots will help. Cheers Misha

Been a pleasure to see your recent posts Russ, been enjoying them all! Only with these two recent ones did I realize that it was your avatar being you. Cheers Misha

So true Snake! The community on this forum offers a real bonus during this time of “Social Distancing” by maintaining contact with each other. Over the years I have had the good fortune to actually get together with many of you in person throughout the Pacific Nor’West, the South West States and across Canada. It has been a feature of our model work/hobby that the solitary nature generates such a strong and welcoming community. Stay safe and healthy, and to quote “Model On!” Cheers Misha

Not a race car...but a ? taxi...

Great idea! Count me in. As circumstances developed our travel plans to Scottsdale have been sidelined due to health and the Covid19. This is a very innovative idea, thinking out of the box, congrats. Stay healthy and cheers, Misha

If one were to attempt to scratch build a long roof, the Alexander Bros. used the tailgate window for their Deora windshield... that may go a long way in helping with a model. Cheers Misha

I tend to agree with most of the comments about how our hobby, in comparison to other endeavours, remains within the grasp of most adults. The issue with younger modelers, apart from screentimes, is that the kits are expensive for them compared to what else is available for $20-40. Growing up in the late 50s and 60s, average price in Canada was 2.50 to 3.50, certainly affordable on a typical weekly allowance. This has become an adult hobby now. Cheers Misha

That’s really good thinking Dominick! In a way a reward for finishing a build is to plan ahead... my first instinct is to go for yet another new project, I’ve already been perusing the stash. Yet, I really like the idea and it makes sense to continue being a part of the thread by choosing a stalled project instead. Yeah, now to review the choices... Perhaps from 2014 the Tall T Coupe... Thanks Misha

Great looking traditional rod, congrats! Was there much modification to fit the Monogram fenders to fit? Cheers Misha