Claude Thibodeau

Hi Aymer! This is a great build, bravo! I have this kit, and I can appreciate all the efforts you put into it. Thank you for sharing. CT

Hi Sir! I guess they conform to the "evolution of species" law... Adapt to the changing world or die? But it won't stop us from cherishing vintage FCs in the meantime... CT

HI Francis! Thank you. Your story about the popularity of vintage funny-cars is no surprise. WE LOVE THEM. Same for the "cacklefest" events where they start old dragsters in unisson. Francis Laflamme and Mopar in the same sentence? I'm shocked, really... My cabinet is almost full. Too much time on my hand I guess? Keep safe and press-on with your 64 Pick-Up! CT

Thank you Jerry! I forgot to mention that I added extended sills on the sides of the body, and did the same amount of extension on the front spoiler. The stock mock-up showed that the driver's platform was showing below the lower body, and I didn't like that. It just required a cut-out for the headers to clear the body once lowered in racing position. My apologies to Johan kit lovers who strive for OOB appearance... CT

Hi Mike! Thank you for the comments. I have Words on my computer, so i tweaked the picture I imported (the top art), streched it, and then printed it trought my HP Deskjet 3845 printer... an old unit (about 8 to 10 years I guess), but that still works well. The rest of the lettering was also made with Words, using the "lighting" feature (for the contrasting glow around the police) and the graded shade in the Acid Rush side lettering. I once experimented with letting my printed decals dry, and give them a second pass in the printer (not on this particular car, however). If you are lucky, it makes for a darker, more contrasting job (see Willys lakester below). But if the decal shifts while printing, it comes out fuzzy... CT

HI! I know... nostalgia exagerates the past. But to me. the 21st century funny-cars appearance pales in comparison to the era of more "similar" body styles, and creative colorfull liveries that bordered on art form, not vynil wrapped billboards. I also know that the sheer cost of running FCs leaves no choice to operators. But we can still celebrate the "groovy" era of the late 60s - early 70s, right? The Johan kit is a GREAT offering, even at 50+ years of age. Few glitches will slow you down. Tim Boyd comments favorably about the kit in his latest book, with reason. I found this one for 5$, because the seller was ashamed that the box, stored in his dirt-floor garage, was smelly because of mice dejections. One man's trash is... well you know this one! So: hosed, wired, detailed, painted Tamya's pure white with Testor's Hot Pink panels, and ficticious home-made decals added to recreate the era's vibe. The hood-top-trunk abstract artwork was a painting I found on the web, dowloaded, processed and trinted on clear decal sheet. Testor's Wetlook clear copiously soaks the whole thing. The frame is Testor's black enamel, and a variety of Alclad shades were used for the engine and accessories, They say that "if you remember the 60s, it means you weren't there", but I beg to differ. Long live nostalgia funny cars, even the ficticious ones! CT

Hi Mike! Great that you found a supplier. And that pink Old Master is absolutely a dead-ringer for the real car. Bravo! CT

Thank you Chris. Happy you like it. Low riding customs forever... CT

Hi Bernard! I concur: this kit a a gold mine of parts... even the Cobra engine fits nicely in many rods. I think I have never seen one FINISHED on a table at a show... I suppose our secret source of fine parts is no so secret, eh? To your point about paint removal, the only solution I found for removal of the apparently silk-screened checker motif on the body-side was 48 hours in a tub of brake oil, followed by a dip in Simple Green non-toxic degreaser. But it worked, ultimately. Note that the brake oil with silicone seems less effective. CT

Hi Bernard! Very "period correct", shall we say! The panel painting and wide whites are spot on. I agree with you: the Phantom Vicky frame is a very nice foundation for any 32 project. Most of those that I was able to put in my stash were the "pre-painted" units, that require a little more bit of work, but well wort it. Bravo! CT

Hi Fred! Great and unique project. Your treatment of the rear end is nice. Does the IRS come from the GT4, as the diffuser does? Your big rear tires will be a tight fit! Go on, very interesting. CT

Hi Jim! Fantastic built, bravo! Your wood structure seems even better fitted than real 1/1 woodie cars. It says a lot! CT

Thank you Carl! The Revell kit is a good starting point, even if fragile and prone to twisting... CT

Hi Kerry! I'll watch for your video, thanks! CT

Than you very much, David! CT

Hi Kerry! I look forward to it. Yesterday, Tom Woodruff send me personnal pictures he took last year of a spectacular 41 Lincoln custom, but a Zephyr coupe, not a Conti like mine. And it was a creation of famous modeler Ted Chopper Lear. Bad news is, Tom told me Mr. Lear had passed last year. Very sad. He was so creative and talented. Life is short, it appears... CT

Hi Mike! Interesting picture, indeed! The polished blower case was a rare occurance back then, mostly the privy of high-end "pro" racers, with BIG sponsors (ex: McEwen and al). Most blower were raw, with sometimes just the ribs polished, since they usually required deburring anyway. The front and rear rotor mounting plates were usually T-56 high end aluminium alloy, to securely locate and hold the bearings at the ends of the rotors. Hence the different "glow" or shade. Not mentionning that magnesium is highly inflamable! And most racers were always trading refurbished units with BDS and others, so, why bother with bling? Sorry to bring back Alclad, but they have a shade called AIRFRAME ALUMINIUM that looks the part of such an alloy. Keep on, and remember that you already master brass. Magnesium can wait... CT

You are right. I know Flinstone has a resin version available. Uses the Dodge Lil' Red Wagon as a donor kit, if I recall correctly... CT

Thank you, I'm flattered! CT

Hi Mike! Have you tried Alclad's MAGNESIUM for the blower case? It is fairly resistant to handling, and pretty close, as the pix of the 36 shows. But beware: don't clearcoat it, or it will get a yellowish hue, even with lacquer clear. Just my two cents... CT

Thank you! Who doesn't love a VW van, really? CT

Thanks Christian! To your point, that may explain why my friend gave me the kit upon receiving it as a door prize... Maybe this car is not a favorite of masses? After all, it was that generation of Camaro (built out of Montreal, Québec, Canada) that saw the demise of the Camaro at the turn of the century. Before the "retro-camaro" came back in 2009. Not unlike the Mustang 2, unloved by the enthusiasts, even in the face of record sales. Go figure... However. my experience shows that the Monogram kit is EXTREMELY well designed, with minute details all over. Certainly a great source of mash-up pieces, if nothing else... The only snafu seems to be textured molding outines for the window black surrounds molded on the OUTSIDE of the glass, CT

Hi Steve! Thank you. As indicated above to Mr. Woodruff... Might be what was in my ears more than what was in my coffee... Who knows? CT

Hi Sir! Thank you so much. I recently bought Mr. Gibbons' latest album, "Big Bad Blues". Pure ZZTop sounding stuff! Maybe I got influenced listening to it while building this car. Subliminal messages laced in his music? Hmmmmm..... What do you think? CT

Ooops... Styrene fever now has you laughing like Vincent Price at the end of Michael Jackson "Thriller" video... I.m getting worried! CT