Claude Thibodeau

HI! In the last year, I've built three Johan kits that I was lucky to find at "reasonable" prices: A 70 Challenger FC, a 72 Torino, and a 64 Caddy convertible. I agree that the standard cars platform and interiors are just "typical" of model technology of the 60's, but the bodies are first rate. Past experience with a 68 Javelin , a 68 Chrysler 300 hardtop and a 70 Eldorado confirm that opinion. I still have a few waiting for their turn on my bench: two 68 Javelin (a promo and a FC kit), a Pinto FC, a 70 Eldo and a 35 Mercedes coupe. The kits among those confirm the "great bodies - average remaining components" opinion. The plastic used under the Seville management does NOT seems the utmost quality. And the tires are "poor" on average. Even the more reasons to "mash-up" those, without guilt I might add... CT

Hi Jim! Great design, and the body mods make it truly contemporary. Bravo! CT

HI! To Roger's point about Tamya's PS series... Try as I may, with all sorts of precautions, I never got a smooth laying uniform coat, Always "eating" into the subcoats, be they Tamya's or 1/1 automotive products. I suppose their "etching" chemistry is the reason. Too bad, since the color selection would be interesting. I would stay away from them, unless for their specified use (polycarbonate bodies). CT

Hi RRR! The stance and strech are spot-on. Brutal beauty... CT

Hi Steve! I had an absolutely busy spring, and somehow, I missed on this built... I'm the most sorry for it! Great project, and your attention to details shows again. Masterfull. I like your "color-coordination" efforts. They are effective in all your cars, and this one will be a magnum opus. The interior is world-class. My two cents: the second set of wheels makes it more contemporary than the Pegasus. And the lighter base coat for the green would get my vote. Just MHO. Keep on! CT

Hi Roberto! Great truck, the custom touches improve the basic design a lot. Bravo! The Sidewinder from which you sourced the frame is a goldmine of parts for kitbashers. I guess the rest of the kit ended up in other creations in your collection? CT

Hi Roger! The term that comes to mind is... sanitary! Very tasty mash-up. Bravo! CT

Hi David! Very clever, rne Merc variation seems like a "natural", bravo! I have both kits in my stash, and for years, tried all kind of mash-up concepts with them, but never by marrying those 2. Now, you make me thing of more variations... CT

HI Joseph! What a great discovery, thank you for sharing it. My house will get new roofing this september, so I'll stock a few choice sheets. CT

Hi RRR! Well, this thing will be "a handfull to drive down the quarter-mile", as Wild Willy used to say. Wheelstands will be daily occurances. Fun! CT

Hi! Actually, the whole line-up of 33 and 34 Fords cars (excluding the light trucks) had suicide doors, Vicky included. They reverted to "regular" doors in 35. As to your question about any "3W Vicky"... Ford did not offer that, but some imaginative rodders came up with what they called a "town coupe", which was a cross between a 5W and a Vicky "semi-bustle" back. I know famed modelist Jack Davis reproduced at least one about 25 years ago, and it was widely seen in model mags, presented as part of his collection of "Phantom" rods. You might be able to Google it and find some pics... CT

Hi! The 32 Vick also had a roof that was a smidge lower than the sedan. Already chopped, so to speak... CT

Hi Greg! I believe only the 3W body style had suicide doors in 32. The other models had standard doors. CT

Hi Roger! Surprisingly "current" for a model built 20 years ago! The wheels, the stance, the powertrain... The only detail a 1/1 builder would probably discard today would be the side vent glass. Other than that... Bravo! CT

Hi Clifford! Great fleet. And you certainly master the "glossy" part of model car painting! Bravo! CT

Hi Gary! Ae usual, world-class painting and a perfect shading job, ever more impressive at that small scale. Bravo! And to top it off, your silver flake top is in the perfect "scale" with the model size, perfectly replicating the ultra-flake many lowriders use on their contrasting tops... CT

Hi Ray! Don't be too hard on yourself. This is a finnicky kit, and don't ask me how I know. What is the saying, already? "Let's have fun"... Just one more to add to your lurning curve! CT

Hi Gentlemen! Nice collection, even after just 2 posts! 3 years ago, I restored a 1/1 64 Mercury Marauder BreezeAway (with the notchback roof and roll-down rear window) for a client. But I've nerver seen that body style in scale... Regular "fastback" Marauder, of course. But the BreezeAway? Wonder if a styrene version was ever offered, or maybe just a resin version? CT

Hi RRR! Well, I don't know about your age... but I'm 66, and as the years pile on, one constant is that whenever a product satisfies me... it usually gets discontinued or so much altered that it becomes useless to me. Go figure! One of the privilege of getting older, I guess? CT

Hi Gary! Wow, that is sweet. It is absolutely period-correct, bravo! Now, all that's missing is the angel hair show display, and it's back to the good old days! CT

Hi RRR! Thanks you for your "recipe". I'm always interested in other builder's experiences, as I've learned a lot that way! My go-to clear was Testor's WEt Look 1 coat lacquer. Here in Canada, it's been discontinued, and I suspect it is on your side of the border too? I tried to stock on it as much as I could, but my stash won't last for years, alas, as I build about 10 projects per year. Therefore, I tried all kind of options. Since Testor's was part of the Rustoleum empire, I wondered if any one of their clear lacquers would happen to be of the same consistence, or thickness, if you will. My view is that said sirupy texture was key to it flowing so well, and resist vigourous rubbing once dried. As you may know, Testors also had "regular" clear lacquer (the blue label cans), but it is much thinner, and more hot... So much so that it would sometimes get settled bodywork to ultimately telegraph to the surface later. Cautious use is my take on it. Actually, the shiniest Rustoleum spray-can lacquer I found was the glossy "furniture" variety, sold along black furniture lacquer at big box stores. Good thickness, not prone to runs, but... REALLY HOT. So much that it got my test panels of Tamya's lacquer to MELT & RUN before it settled and dried. SO, here again, caution! I tried the new Revell lacquer clear in spray cans, found it fine, but a bit on the thin side, much like TS-13 from Tamya. I had to pile-on many coats, which of course caused some orange peel once cured, and in turn, required more color-sanding to get it smooth as I wanted. Back to square one, I guess? So, while I watch my WetLook clear reserve dwindle, I entertain using House of Kolor urethane 2-part Show clear on a Bonneville Streamliner I'm completing. I have much experience with this HOK clear, as I use it on 1/1 cars and rods I build for customers. But once fully dried, it is so hard that the vigorous sanding and rubbing required to fully "flash it" have me concerned with the fragile bodywork that my mash-up building style propose. I will experiment with various viscosity reduction, to see if I can attain that sweet spot of perfect flow and lesser polishing that Wet Look got me accustomed to. We'll see soon enough! Finally, I know there is a debate going on about recipe changes at Testor's regarding the Wet Look clear, dating back about 18 monts or so. I never had any adverse effect in my use, so to me, it was and is a "non-issue". You'll be the judge when I post an upcoming streamliner on this site, hopefully before the end of the summer. Regards, CT

Hi David! Very clever scratchbuilt! Bravo! CT

Hi RRR! Very nice. The dark solid color suits this style of car very well. Bravo! I heard mixed comments about the Minwax clear... Some love it, others claim it is very thin, and prone to runs? And what about drying time? Your take? CT

HI! Great selection, sharp pics. Thanks! CT

Hi Steve! I worked on a Johan 68 Javelin promo a couple of years ago. While opening the hood, a small crack happened at the base of the cowl/windshield. Believe it or not, NOTHING would glue it back! Superglue, styrene, epoxy, even pure acetone... I had to live with the tiny crack, and hide it with a scratchbuilt shift light. A friend told me it was because some promos back then were molded in acetate. Just a guess. Good luck with your project! CT