Claude Thibodeau

Hi Ludwig! Great built! I had one of those in 1974, and your interior is so "real", it brought back memories of my time behind the wheel. Bravo! CT

Hi! Had no source for a "snorkel" type air intake to put on a Pro-Mod. So, I built one out of 3 sections of angled sprues, with round tubes and butterlies. throttle shafts, barrel valve, distribution block & al. Even the AN connectors and braided lines are scratch. As you can tell, most of the car is also scratchbuilt: chassis, roll cage, interior, seat, etc. Hours of fun with styrene! CT

Hi! If you are positive they are promos, I suppose they are made of the same "mystery" material. Of course, the Johan glue kits were styrene, as I can testify, because like many of us, I've built my share, both back then (early 60's) and nowaday. CT

Hi Snake! That, I haven't tried. Who knows? Is there a chemist in the room to guide us? On a side note, that Javelin you mention is the exact same car I made into a Pro-Touring. See the before and after pix below. Good luck with your project! CT

Gentlemen... If I may... Since I happen to have seen many of Francis' exquisite creations firsthand, and having discussed with him about his "production pace", may I suggest we settle for the term METICULOUS ? Time is not of the essence in those circumstances, isn't it? CT

Hi Christopher! Yes I did, both acetone and MEK... But to no avail. Still a mystery to mer! CT

Hi Snake! Thanks for the supplemental infos. Much appreciated. A few relections based on you latest posts: Yous are right, most promos are NOT styrene. I built a Pro=Touring out of a 68 Johan Javelin promo, and upon opening the hood by cutting with a scriber in the "seams", I broke the cowling at the base of the driver's pillar. NOTHING could glue it back! NOTHING: styrene, super glue, epoxy, whatever: dud. I finished my built, and decided to mount an exterior shift light (scratchbuilt) to hide the hairline crack. It worked, judges commented on the "nice shift light", and never saw the crack. Go figure... Yoy may see it in this pic, if you look closely... Finally, Molotow is not a PAINT, it's technically an INK. That explains why it remains fragile and easy to mar later on. CT

Hi! Your idea of the flares is great! It will make it even more distinctive of the Deora... If not already! Did-you use a second kit, or more likely upon looking at the pix, with simple styrene sheet forming? CT

Hi! Thanks for the infos. You stated you used it without any primer. However, many kit manufacturers spray a "clear" coating on their parts about to be vacuum plated. It shows when you remove chrome with, say, Easy Off. It is the yellowish stuff that remains in some corners of the parts after the removal chemical is done with the shine. I read somewhere that they go to the expense of doing that clear coating to provide a "smoother" surface for the vacuum chrome to "flash" on. Therefore, my question: would your excellent results be even more chrome-like if you first "cleared" the parts with a light coat of a clear compatible with Krylon Foil? Presumably Krylon glossy clear? Curious... CT

Hi Joseph! Thanks for the comment. Actually, the fuel system almost drove me insane while building the car. But I survived! CT

Hi Snake! That Krylon Foil seems very convincing. How many coats would you say you put on those bumpers? Light dusting or medium or heavy coats? Just curious... CT

Hi! Speaking of moving things around... tried it on a Stude Avanti, I called Avanti INVERSO. Hours of fun! CT

Hi Mark! Having been an advertiser for a few years in some street-rod magazines, I was always puzzled by their sales "tactics". Every year saw a reduction in pressed copies (net press run), and SOLD copies. However, to be able to INCREASE their advertising rates and hopefully maintain their revenues, most editors claimed that "yes, we are selling fewer copies of each issue, BUT, we estimate (?!?) that each copy is read by MUCH MORE DISTINCT READERS... ". Therefore, they claimed that it was logical to increase rates for advertisers. Now, I want to be a "faithful believer" in the strenght of certain brand names (let's say Hot Rod, for example)... But to claim each issue is read, ON AVERAGE, by many HUNDRED of readers simply defy intelligence. So, in the face of declining copy sales, hence readership, and ever increasing ad rates, it is not surprising that many household names advertisers put their ad budget elsewhere. Faced with shrinking markets, editors do some research, and determine that SOME of their titles still enjoy enviable "brand recognition". Hot Rod is more of an icon than say, Custom trucks. That explains why they put their bets and promotion money on the remaining titles they deem the most likely to "survive" in the current environment. Like it or not, it's the world we live in... CT

Hi! An acquaintance of mine told me that he simplifed his finishing or "smoothening" af 3D printed parts by lightly (emphasis on LIGHTLY) air-brushed them with pure acetone in numerous successive light coats, and that it "melted" or "flooded-leveled" the surface ridges in a very efficient way. Now, I've never experienced those printed parts, much less the acetone "surfacing". Anyone in the room had any experience with that technique? Just curious... CT

Hi Mike! Elapsed Time was a gold mine of references for those of us who replicated older race cars. Having been in the media biz all of my professionnal life, I saw that it was a "low cost-high return" approach to recycle years of photo archives from Hot-Rod & al. albeit very interesting Even at that, it lasted only a couple of years. I cherish my copies, and frequently refer to them for research. In the age of 3D printing and technology, colateral damage to the publishing industry appears to be terminal, I'm afraid... CT

Hi! I buy the Rodders'Journal at my local newstand at every issue. Unique product, very focused editorial policy, masterful writing and photography. And lately, they returned to printing in USA. The only reason I don't SUBSCRIBE is the long delay to get most publications trough mail, which is frustrating to say the least. I remember dropping at their offices in south San-Francisco many years ago. They were located close to the airport, in an industrial park. I think they were sharing a building with a header company, or was-it Roy Brizio street-rod? That's the price of getting older, isn't it? You forget stuff. Anyway, I wish them a long and fruitful continuity. Reading their fine publication is good for the soul. CT

Hi Ron! Thanks for the comments. Your point is well taken. I must say, however, that I've seen some fairly expensive wings on some regionnal race cars (north-east). Maybe the wings are then simply too heavy, and slow down these cars, therefore stopping their raise to higher "planes" (pun intended)?. Who knows... I'm currently finishing a totally scratchbuilt streamlined 32 Ford Bonneville car, and you will be happy to see a slightly more discreet wing of the same design on it. More pix whwn said car is completed (a month or so, I hope!) CT

Hi Eric! Well, I'm certain that wherever he is right now, Mr. Roth is watching with a smile on his face. And so am-I! CT

Hi! We here in the Great White North have seen many extraordinary builts by Francis over the years, but I, for one, always felt that his masterful work was, alas, a "well kept local secret", and would be deserving of a broader "platform"!. I am proud to see that Francis now shares his passion with the participants of a forum that reaches far and away, to many passionnate scale builders. In the end, isn't it the point: that we share our passion and stimulate each other to aim higher? Fun with styrene (and some other machined parts as well!). CT

Hi Francis! Now I get it: You were a watchmaker in a previous life! It explains everything... CT

Hi again! The iteration of your kit issued in the "Street Rod" themed series has a roll-pan (with licence indentation) in the list of "custom options". It also features chromed bumberettes, or abbreviated split bumpers. Might interest you. I just used it, and it fit the body surprisingly well... CT

Hi Jim! When I returned to the hobby in 2014, I built a car using Tamiya putty, non-catalized. Since it hardens by evaporation, I was not on top of the curing and waiting game that ensued. Since I built real hot-rods for customers for a living, I immediately switched to catalized putty. In my great Wisdom (!), I was convinced that I was in the clear. Alas, as described above, it was without accounting for the glue drying (or more truthfully "evaporation"). Now, I've got my lesson! CT

Hi! Interesting progress on you project! To your point about Bondo "shrinkage", allow me to expose my personnal experience. If you are using CATALIZED bondo (with hardener), the shrinkage phenomenon is almost non-existent, provided you use a "serious" pro stuff. I do, and I also experienced some "after-effect" on a severely mashed-up car, namely the blue 49 Ford featured prior on your thread. I too felt it was BONDO shrinkage. But upon making the repair, I could verify that it was actually the styrene substrate, in the "joint", that was still soft. Obviously, the plastic glue was not fully evaporated. Lesson learned! Now, when I conduct extensive bodywork/mashing/cutting and joining of parts... I use exclusively "Super Glue Gel", with an accellerant. Even on severely cut-up cars, with extensively rubbed paints, never a trace of the joint telegraphing tru the finish. Same substrate (styrene), same putty, primer & paints. but NO styrene (acetone based) glue anymore. I'm no chemistry expert... but I sure solved that damning problem that plagued some of my projects. My two cents, for what it's worth... CT

Hi! Just curious: did-you keep working on your Salt-Shaker car? CT

Hi! Thanks for the comments! I'm always impressed by the passionnate modelers who populate this forum, even more so when I pay attention to your countries of origin... Wow, this is really the United Nations of Styrene! Model-on in 2020! CT