Bills72sj

I have built the '66 Bonneville. If you put in some effort, it turns out pretty nice. Keep in mind it is a curbside and the interior is lame. https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/176907-big-girls-1966-bonneville/#comment-2659123 https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/187446-i-present-to-you-ruby-a-1966-pontiac-bonneville-with-a-356hp-421-tri-power-and-a-4-speed-in-testors-stop-light-red/#comment-2821067

Seeing your floor pans makes me SO glad my 72 Grand Prix is so solid.

Here are a couple of examples from my visit to the Brothers Museum.

I just make them myself using my inkjet printer.

Way cool diorama. I agree that they make great backdrops for taking photos of models. Be careful, they can get out of hand. The $100 budget for mine blew past $300 by the time I was "done".

My coolest job was joining the US Navy. I went from Nebraska in frigid February to Boot Camp in Orlando, FL. I stayed for my 1st electronics school. Next was Chicago for my Electronics "A" school. Next was back to Orlando for Nuclear Power School, Next was upstate NY for Nuclear Prototype school. (2.5 years of taxpayer funded training before hitting my 1st real duty station.) Next was Norfolk Virginia to crew on the USS California. Next was a brief stop in Jamaica. Next was going through the Panama Canal. Next was being stationed in Alemeda, CA (San Francisco Bay). 2 years later, next ship was the USS Vincennes stationed on Coronado Island (San Diego). Between the two of them I got to see Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan twice, Australia twice, Pakistan, Diego Garcia, South Korea, the Philippines at least twice, Hawaii 6-7 times and obviously southern California. I am glad I joined and I am glad I got out. If I had to do it all over again, I would. (Both in and out) I had fun, got respect, and obtained skills and benefits that have carried me throughout my life.

I am nowhere as talented as you all but Here is my best effort. I started with a 75 Olds Cutlass PROMO. I had to make an engine and engine compartment. This required a serious amount of kitbashing from 7 kits. I had to make my own decals too.

Cool Heavy Chevy. My best friend has a 1:1 72 Heavy Chevy. It was born with a 402 BBC and a 4-speed. It now has a WICKED 454 in it. It has been back burnered for a few years getting all kinds of aftermarket suspension upgrades. I built a model of it for him. I told him he can have it when he takes his 1:1 to its first car show.

I agree that today's "Transportation Appliances" seem to be mostly white grey/silver or black. The one notable exception is the pretty red on some of the Mazdas. Our household has a Flame Red '03 Durango and my black and gold two-tone '72 Grand Prix. I will NEVER own a grey/silver 4 door ANYTHING!

I would use a silver Shrapie. You'll be done in less than a minute.

Never for profit. Mostly because there isn't any. Building as gifts on occassion because you love them. This is one of those hobbies that completely fails the "Value added" approach. Sealed unbuilt kits have almost always been worth MORE than a built up kit. Now 1:1 cars, there is money to be had if the subject is desirable and the quality of work is high enough.

Very impressive. I love the orange windows and the wheel choice.

I'll admit it, I would make a bad judge as I am too biased based on subject matter. However, I do see and notice great executions of detail when my eye catches them. I would go for the '30 Ford for that reason. While I do appreciate the efforts some put into their patina, I work on old equipment daily. I am much more enamored with new and clean stuff.

It looks like the contrast has been amplified artificially.

Looking forward to seeing it.

Very nicely done. I really enjoyed building my two Freightliners a few years ago.

Very nice work. 73 GTOs are pretty rare. I do not think I have ever seen one in real life. (I have experienced a couple of 74s)

Mmmm.... SHINY!

Very nicely done. I have one of those kits somewhere in the stash.

Way cool ride. I vote for NO hood.

That is one sweet ride. My Best Man Steve had a silver 1:1 with those stripes. He did not keep it very long.

That turned out very nice. I love the 70's vibe.

You may be able to save them. Cut out any decals that are not to be used. AIRBRUSH Clear Gloss ENAMEL over the decals taped to a piece of paper or cardboard. Spray a mist coat. Wait 5 minutes. Spray the thinnest "wet" coat for full coverage/gloss. Let them sit for two days. Then test them to check for wrinkling and adhesion. The new clear should give them the flexibility and strength if they do not have a reaction to whatever clear was used back in the day. I have "saved" some pretty old decals with this method.

Your rear seat passengers better have some VERY skinny legs. LOL

I went hunting on Craigslist for a glass china cabinet. I found this one for $90. It has glass doors and side panels. I added 4 more glass shelves for $53. It holds all these cars and 4 semi trucks (2 car haulers and 2 flatbeds). I built my diorama to barely fit on one of the shelves. I still have space for more models. I bought some clear rectangular trays and use them as risers. Years ago, the single model display boxes were on sale for $4 each. I bought 10 as that was all I could afford at the time.