FASTBACK340

Said part arrived. Thanks Sean!!!! Now to warm up the Dremel!

The day I've been waiting for: COLOR! These are the first 2 base coats. I'm planning on a few more coats, the last being the heavy one. I'll let it gas-out and hopefully we'll have clear on it soon.

Awesome!

You have one of my builds……… I'm flattered! Thank you! Mine is the Black Chrysler Atlantic convertible in the first picture in the second post. And when ever I see it, I laugh thinking about how it came THIS CLOSE to being stepped on a few times. Thanks again. You really made me feel good.

I want to know about the Camaro crushing the 2 Fox bodies in the background. And yes, the 'Cuda is going to be killer!

I don't understand why you'd deliberately jump out of a perfectly functioning airplane, but that's just me. I think she'll learn to appreciate what your doing once you finish your project. Then start another and follow through again. No time for day-dreaming. If your Wife is questioning your involvement, show her your serious. I find my build-time so therapeutic I feel like I owe someone money. I get some vintage Jazz going…. tall glass of Seltzer…..and re-lax. FUNNY STORY ABOUT WIVES AND MODELING When I first met Amy (BTW: Tomorrow is 13 yrs. ago to the day…..) and she learned of my model building hobby she was cool with it in an amused sort of way. When she found out I had stuff in magazines she wanted to see. So when I came across a magazine I was in I'd show her. So after 2 or 3 times she says to me: "Build a car for me to put in the magazine". I explained it didn't work that way and told her the odds of being photographed and making it into the magazine are slim. The few times I was in I felt lucky. So now my then girlfriend wants me to build a car for her. She chose the Hasagawa `67 VW Sedan, Color (Tamiya sky blue) and which Pegasus wheels she wanted. So I built it. Amy is an avid skier so I added a ski rack on the back with a set of ski's & poles. I finish it and it turns out nice. I bring it to NNL East that spring. Gregg see's it. He likes it and photographs it. Me & Amy are laughing that it got photographed and we went home and forgot about it. About 3 months later I get an e-mail from our friend Rich Manson congratulating me on getting my VW in that months issue of Model Cars. Amy got her wish and was thrilled. I was golden in her eyes….. Swear this is true and Gregg can confirm. Two years ago at NNL East Amy, finally after all these years, had the chance to meet Gregg in person. She walked up to him, un-announced, and gave him a kiss and thanked him. He was a bit surprised…. and I walked over and he got a kick out of it. It was fun. But ever since getting Amy's VW in the magazine, especially after she asked me to, has given me 100% support as we both enjoy it. She still picks colors on some projects to be done…. The upcoming Pink `70 Hemi`Cuda is her doing. BTW: I'll dig out that VW and photograph it soon. It really is cute and should be photographed and posted.

Really, your doing great Bob. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. And as for the hobby involvement level escalating, I was going to try and say something sincere, like "at least your not spending it on a big one". Then I remembered your two Barracudas. Including the one with the Hemi…. Yeah. Your in deeep. But the one thing I want to know: What do you mean "jumping out of airplanes?!?"

This is the lid from a factory-shipped air bag container. They are shipped as explosives and must be inside a metal container. I take the lids and find other uses for them. Here I grabbed two lengths of steel rod I found in the scrap and bent them into "U"'s. I bent the tips outward and MIG welded them inside the lid. I then bent handles and welded them on either end. Now I have a new paint stand.

Sorry, but having had my car apart and re-assembling it gives me a certain familiarity that can be annoying…. I know how hard `68 annuals are to find on the cheap. I also know how many kits/resin pieces are incorrectly labeled as a 1968, when they are actually another year. The Judy Lilly Barracuda kit comes to mind. Every one I've seen has a `68 on the box, a `69 in the box. I know the differences, and …again, I can be a PIA about it. I'm a Cuda-Geek…..

Car #2 went to Ronnie

I work with a guy who's so skinny he has to run around in the shower to get wet. And OMG…. does he EAT! I hate that little SOB! Geeeez…. I can gain weight just by getting hungry.

Technically….. time to split hairs. The `68 Dart chassis is in-correct for the Hemi Barracuda "Mule" car. The mule was based on a `67, which has the single strap gas tank. Mopar geeks…. we suck.

Nice work! And yes, those tire decals look good.

Really nice work Randy. Clean and well executed. BTW: Those tire decals look so good, I gotta go order some………….. *

That's a `67 rear valance pictured. 1968 Barracuda's don't have the reverse lights on either side of the license plate….. and it's hard to see, but are there side marker lights? Might be a `67 casting all together….. As for the scale, the width of the MPC `Cuda is way narrower than the newly tooled Dart kit. I'll have to grab the tape measure and go out in the garage. As for the Duster chassis, when I run across that kit (where ever it is….) I'll test-fit.

For me it used to be big ideas, too little effort. I'd be like, "YEAH! An Allision V-12 in a Mini Cooper"! I'd collect parts from 9 kits, cut everything up, and realize it was a stupid idea. I got plenty of practice cutting and splicing, but finishing one? LOL! The material I've wasted over the years….. and time….. Now I try and set reasonable goals. Last year I didn't start build #2 until #1 was done. So far this year #1 is waiting for final paint, so I started on #2. Now I'm waiting on bits-n-pieces for #2. Do I start #3? No….. not falling into THAT rut! I got enough going on as it is! I'm gonna go play my Bass instead…….

If they have any cans of Hemi Orange grab 'me for me!

I needed some clear…. I needed some satin clear…. I needed Hemi Orange….. EIGHT dollars a can from my LHS (Willis Hobby on Long Island) I didn't want to "experiment" with generic stuff on my project. I bought what I needed.

$8 per can for paint X 3 2 packs of sandpaper assortment @ 3.00 ea. = $6 Tamiya putty = $6 Tax…. It was actually a little more than $36

OK….Tamiya Surfacer primer applied. Rough spots identified. Off to the workbench. Updates hopefully later….. I used Mr. Cruz' panel line tutorial and I must say, in primer it looks great! There's a few sins I have to address. Fortunately these are easy fixes But some areas are perfect….. A little clean-up and (hopefully….) color I'm so into seeing this done!

3 cans of Model Master spray paint, sandpaper, & putty…...$36. <sigh…..> I won't speak the things I'm thinking about as far as prices from my youth compared to today. I hear my Father laughing from the beyonds…...

BTW: Wasn't there a debate about red hockey stick stripes in `70? In another thread I found this beautiful Hemi `Cuda: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=82703

………….. …...

….maybe that's where the missing cylinder #8 plug terminal hole went? Sorry, I couldn't resist!

Im happy to hear my meager attempt is inspiring people I've admired. Can't wait to see what Bill & Ron do with they're project Barracudas! Today is shopping day. Food shopping… Pet store visit….. and hobby shop. Barracuda get's primed this afternoon and, hopefully…. some color. The weather is semi-cooperating.