FASTBACK340

My brother in law lives in the S.F. Bay Area and we come out once a year. As for southern Cali, we spent 11 days between L.A. & San Diego blasting around in a drop-top in `07. Awesome memories and I hound Amy on a regular basis to go back. Believe me, you'll get a PM if we come out!

I owned a `65 21 window micro-bus in the 80's. I wish I had it today... it was Yellow under White and rust free. Your weathering is superb. You obviously know VW's as you have the rust-through at all the panel seams correct! The rust-imaging down the sides at the beams is a nice touch too. Quick question: the drip rains around the roof. Is the kit cast with the drain dips in the corners, or did you add them? For some reason, they stand out in my eye. All the details are really nice. But..... As an unsolicited opinion, I think the wheels/tires are a bit too "tidy". A few rust scrapes and dis-coloration maybe? Beautiful build!

Now, back to the present. After catching up with the last 4 pages I missed all I can say is wow.... your workmanship and attention to detail is flat out awe inspiring. Hopefully on a future visit to the west coast I can time it with a show. I'd love to see your work in person and shake your hand. The skills your sharing is amazing... Not to single out people, but there's a handful of you guys here on the forum that build like machines. And build impressively. Thanks for sharing with us all.

Dude. When I see a "name" modeler mount safety harnesses to ALUMINUM WHEEL TUBS as anchor points......I feel justified pointing it out.But not you my internet-friend. Your attention to CORRECT detail is impressive. I've been wrenching for over 35 yrs. and know how a car operates and is assembled. What your building is RIGHT.

In another post I was ripping on modelers that get it blatantly wrong. Not you Dude.... THIS is how to build an ACCURATE, well detailed replica. THANK YOU for blow-by-blow updates as this type of posting is priceless. Saying this is an awesome build is becoming redundant. Now for paint.

My biggest Pet Peeve is when people swoon all over a "name" builder with cover shots and features, but if you REALLY look at their builds, you have to laugh. Gluing on 8 lbs' of photo-etech and paint so thick panel lines disappear does NOT make a "professional" build. But I see it repeatedly... Name names? Never.... But when ever I see these builds, I laugh to myself. Why would you glue Dzus fasteners on the ROOF of a full bodied car? Or mount vents on trunk lids?!?! How about coil wires coming out of the TOP of an MSD ignition module?!? But boy-oh-boy... that glob paint job sure is shiny! Just bugs me that we have forums for help on getting it right, but what's touted as being feature-worthy in print or on-line is all wrong.

On the home page there's the January issue w/ the Peters Freight Train on the cover. When was this issue shipped out? It's the middle of March and it never showed up.... This is why I let 6 magazine subscription slip away. I hate the ###### Post Office.... at one time I had 8 subscriptions a month and I was lucky to see 3 on average. Complained to the local P.O. and their suggestion was to get a P.O. box.... on MY DIME because of their incompetence I have to pay?!?! But I'll be damned if the credit card offers and junk mail don't make it here daily.... This is why our society is in the crapper. No one cares, but everyone wants top dollar for their poor skills and services.

Wow... some people will be offended, but I just passed coffee through my nose. Thanks for &^%$%^& up my laptop! I've done both and to be honest, ONCE YOUR SET UP AND PREPARED, air brushing is the way to go, especially for those small parts that can become ruined with a heavy coat of rattle can/brush painting. I keep clean-up jars ready to go and have the luxury of a dedicated spray booth. Like anything else, once you incorporate it into your building, it's easier.

Solder for linkage.... wow. Great use & idea! Incredible build....incredible.

Hmmm... the link was supposed to go to the video trailer for Alcatraz with a re-creation of the Bullitt chase scene. With a black Charger & a Mustang.

Does NO ONE have an original idea anymore!?!?!? http://www.ktvu.com/news/entertainment/alcatraz-chase/nLNZg/

That's a good one.... Ever see the video where the guy in the Honda miss's a shift and hits first instead of third and he pulls the REAR wheel off the ground about a foot as the car nose-dives?

ANOTHER lame attempt at re-capturing a time when cars were exciting?!? COPO's were a little-known loop hole that allowed the average guy (with deep pockets....) to step up and order a nasty street-piece. I know that Chevy is trying to keep up with the Drag Pak cars from the others, but WHY can't the product engineers create something new, instead of hanging unto the past? And don't get me started on Dodge pick-up trucks running around with baby wings and the word DAYTONA on the flanks....

That's the sad part of moving to better locales....eventually all the people you moved away from follow you and your neighbors again! I moved from the NYC area into a semi-rural area of Pennsylvania back in the 90's and loved it. But it was still cold as heck... I've been to the southwest several times and if I was to move again, it would be some place WARM....without snow & ice. Preferably San Diego or Phoenix. The real problem is that this countries problems are spreading like a disease and everywhere is going to be tainted. Greed and cut-back's are a way of life. Never mind your 401K... start saving ammunition.

I did the LED upgrade in one of my cars and I had to use an electronic flasher relay instead of the the standard piece. You never mentioned the year or model of bike, but I would start there.... And you can't mix & match LED's in the rear and a bulb up front. Never work right.

....eh, not bad. Just kidding. I'll parrot everyone else since there are no original superlatives left... Great job!

Under the end table in the corner of my living room is a Fender side-kick Bass amp. There's ALWAY'S a bass on the stand next to it as I play several times a day. In the morning before work watching news/weather, before dinner, and sometimes while watching the tube at night...always playing. This is my Epiphone copy of the 60's Gibson EB3-L in black.

I seem to remember bags way back in the begining, but I just received the latest Shelby issue totally unmolested.

On a different note, same topic.... Why is it all the junk-mail arrives in perfect condition? I regularly receive booklet flyers from guitar center that are taped at the top & bottom. Always arrive in mint condition. Same with everything else I re-cycle when it arrives.... But to be honest Gregg, mine always arrives with some damage too. Just not worth complaining about something once it leaves your possession. That is without bagging everything and raising subscriptions to $8 an issue. There's an old saying about having your cake...

LOL! Been there... Done that! I know the feeling....Tucker sounds like good ol' boy. Mine is a great watchdog too. Knows the difference between a neighbor and a stranger...

BTW: Obligatory model reference: If you peel back the outer windings exposing the inner wire, you have an incredibly realistic emergency brake cable. An actual cable has a coiled outer casing for a flexible sleeve with a solid cable operating the mechanical e-brake. A guitar string is an exact dead ringer.... Go to Guitard Center and buy the cheapest Ernie-Ball ###### they have and for a few bucks you'll have a stock pile of material. Including antenna's like Rich mentioned. C R * P is edited?

I just Google`d Gang Busters and I found this.... http://public.fotki.com/DWDarby/model_cars/vintage_model_kits/mpc-gangbusters-lin/

No matter how hard you try and do a good job, it comes across to us as it being effortless for you. You are a talent. Thank you for sharing.

Throw down! Love it...

I just thought of another source. The MPC Gang Buster's series had scale guns & rifles, plus other extras IIRC. I think there were 3-4 different cars in the series of old school gangsters.