tim boyd

Steve,,,my solid understanding is that the newly tooled body is based on the original annual kit body, but it is an entirely newly tooled part. The original annual kit tool was redone for the "Boss Nova" mid-engine drag kit in the late 1960's funny car kit series, and apparently the body changes were so extensive it was not feasible to return the tool to the original factory stock configuration. BTW, really enjoy and respect your replica stock vehicles builds! TIM

In elementary school, there was a series of biographies of many famous Americans of the 16th, 17th, and 18th century, focusing mostly on their childhoods. There musta been at least 20 or 30 of 'em in the Abbot Elementary Library, and I eventually cycled through all of them. I recall them being very interesting and engaging. Junior High, found the Henry Gregor Felson books in the library, and again, cycled through them all. I also liked Science Fiction, so I grabbed the Isaac Asimov Foundation Trilogy from my Dad's library, but just couldn't get going on it. But when I retired, the entire Foundation Trilogy was read front to back within three months. (The Speed Reading Course Ford made us take way back when sure helped me go through those expeditiously). Many years later, I found virtually all the Ian Fleming Bond paperbacks in an antique store for like a $ a copy; I bought them all and read through them about every five years. He was quite the writer.... TIM PS - what Tom said, but with magazines for me it was 1960's Car Craft. Car Model, and Model Car Science, then all the other usual suspects....TB

Moebius is having great success with their 1960's/early 1970's pickup kits; I expect you will see them expand on that market segment before doing any further car projects beyond the '64/'65 Novas. As for me, I've been encouraging Round 2 to go searching for the tool sets that would allow them to reissue the Gapp and Roush Pinto and the Don Nicholson Pinto Pro Stock kits....they were by some measure the best of the MPC Pro Stock kit series, and certainly more accurate Pro Stockers (in total) than the Jo-Han Mavericks and Comets. (Cheap plug) most all of these early Pro Stock kits are referenced (and many are pictured, too) in my new book on Drag Racing Model Kits....along with a Sidebar on an additional series of early-mid 1970's Pro Stock kits that were apparently discussed by another player but never actually tooled.... TIM

What Steve said above. To further clarify, the new Nova wagon body is NOT modification of the original c. 1963 tooling, it is an entirely newly tooled part. I was not specifically aware that there would be a full detail kit down the road, but there are additional kits planned that will use the same body, so that seems a logical next step. The 1964 Cutlass convertible kit to come is based on the same development approach. And re-read the second to last sentence in Steve's post.... TIM

Don't have one right now....I'll keep this in mind if I run across a suitable candidate....TIM

Richard....when I retired at the end of 2013 I put together a list of my partially finished projects. There were about 65 of 'em. Since then, a few have been crossed off the list, but a number of others have been added! However, I did get two projects done and off my list, dating from 50 and 51 years ago: the restoration (in 2019) of my 4th Nationwide finish in the 1968 Dodge/Car Model/MPC Funny Car Contest, and (earlier this year) the restoration of the original body from my 1970 'cuda funny car with the "HydraSlide" frame that won Best Detail at the MPC/Car Model "World's Largest Model Car Contest" at the 1970 Detroit Autorama. Those don't count here, I suppose, as they were once (in both cases, briefly) finished before each suffering catastrophic damage shortly thereafter.... For anyone interested, here are the in-depth details and tutorials showing how they were restored...and a few related pix.... https://public.fotki.com/funman1712/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/tim-boyds-car-model/ https://public.fotki.com/funman1712/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/tim-boyds-1970-mpc-/tim-boyds-1970-mpc-/ (it was in much worse condition than it appears above....) (Final resto with original paint finish and decals from Detroit Best of Show recreated) Thanks for looking....TIM

What Mark said. They are entirely different kits; they share no common parts and nothing fits between the two. The AMT '34 3W kit was widely rejected - even with the less demanding modeling expectations of the mid 1970's when it was released - due to its numerous inaccuracies and marginal fit/finish. It has never been reissued, and I don't expect it to be in the future, either. Also as Mark said, the AMT '33/'34 Sedan and '34 5W Coupe kits, however, do share a number of parts, including the entire engine/chassis layout. But again, the sedan was widely rejected when it was intro'ed in the late 1980's. The 5W Coupe kit was a far better effort. It has been issued in stock (along with a few hop-up parts) and Street Rod versions. It has also been reissued a number of times since it's initial mid 1990's introduction. TIM

Alan....I plead guilty as charged for my part in this.... Also, like the idea of a half-tarp over the rear seat....I did this on one of my other T-Tub builds.....with the leather source being some of my Mom's 1960's leather gloves..... And Jim, hope you don't mind the temporary deviation from your build stream....obviously I am a willing accomplice in getting any of you to build your own '27 T-Tubs in whatever style you deem cool! TIM

Phil....isn't that the truth! We need to remember that whenever we find that "one best part", no matter what happens to the rest of that (now) incomplete kit. Great advice! TIM

Phil....was already impressed with your project, even more so once I saw your chassis pictures. Your parts list reflects my original preference for building models....search all kits and find the very best individual parts to combine for an accurate replica. (Unfortunately, when I am doing projects for magazine articles, most readers prefer only a few kits be sourced, which inevitably causes compromises in the final product.) Your choice of subject was a classy hot rod, your parts list reflects a deep understanding of how hot rods are built, and your model is a compelling replica of the real thing. Congrats! TIM

Jim....been following your build but did not notice your comment copied above. Thanks for asking permission; you are welcome to post any pictures you like that you find on my Fotki pages. Excellent progress so far, and very much looking forward to seeing how your project progresses....TIM

Ray....really well done. Particularly like the added roll bar. I think your build does an excellent job of displaying just how good a kit this is, including your use of the interior upholstery decals (which look much better than I had surmised from looking at the decal sheet), and your choice of paint colors and finishes just adds to the realism. Big Congrats and thanks for posting! TIM

To anyone following this project, be sure to check out Randy Carlisle's model using the same basic kit. for a somewhat similar = though in other ways, very different = take on this type of hot rod model! TIM

Heh Randy,,,,great progress! You've pulled way ahead of me in terms of progress, too. Can't remember exactly how much of mine I showed, but my rear passenger compartment treatment looks very similar to yours. Cool! I had to finish two other projects, but pulled mine back out a few nights ago. The finish on the body was showing some cracks....very, very strange. A coat or two of The Treatment wax seemed to mostly take care of it, so I'll be back at the bench this week. Biggest remaining issue is sorting the suspensions to fit the super low stance and extreme Z'ed frame. Best wishes for bringing yours home and can't wait to see 'er done! TIM

Dennis....needless to say I am beyond honored that a model builder with your credentials would be looking to a project I did for inspiration and ideas. Thank you for the very big nod and needless to say I will be following this one with great interest. Particularly impressed with your work on the header flanges, and the old school intake/carb setup! Robert....also, needless to say, if I was doing that bad boy today that SBC would have been tossed and some type of Ford V8 would find its way under the hood! At the time, I thought the graphics of that engine (the TP! setup) were very cool and deserved a home in one of my models. Anyway, Good shot! :) Rodney....if you hadn't had detailed all the issues and repairs, yours would look just like a build from a year or two ago. Way cool to know the article inspired yours...and also way cool to see how yours turned out. Congrats! ************ Like Dennis, if I were doing the build today, I would be finding some different wheels, And along with implementing a Ford in a Ford, those squiggle graphics and bright pink paint would surely be replaced something more in tune with today's tastes. Still, fun to look at where the hobby was (1/1 and 1/25th) three decades ago... TIM

Guys....I'm pretty surprised by how many of you remember those old Street Rodder Modeler's Corner columns. Very, very cool to know that in their own way they inspired you all. Dennis....it really is cool to hear that you built your own Posies-style rod based on that article! And Kyle...here are some more recent pictures of that Street Rodder Sedan Delivery project, in case you have not already seen these updates. Thanks again everyone for your comments and memories! TIM

Russ....thanks much for the very kind words. Glad you enjoyed the Fotki album, too. Still working on additions to it; B-Body Mopars and Funny Cars are up next....TIM

I'm presuming if you bought the book from a US source (modelroundup.com, CarTechBooks.com, AutoWorld.com, Model Cave in Ypsi, MI), you'd have to pay an exorbitant customs fee, currency conversion fee, shipping fee, or the like? All these sources reportedly have the book in stock....not happy to hear you are having these troubles! TIM

When I made a suggestion to Revell several years ago to reissue the '71 kit with a tie-in to F&F, I included the recommendation to add the '72 parts as part of the F&F version. I believe this would have expanded the potential sales of the reissue. Oh well....at least we got a reissue, and with the new and stock (non-air grabber/4440 4bbl) parts....TIM

Misha....that bad boy rocks in every possible way! Congrats on your progress and looking forward to seeing it progress along.....TIM

Jesse,,,,that is really interesting. Doug Estabrook reported the exact same sequence of events to me. He finally got his book yesterday, also, a day later. Anyway, sure glad you (eventually) got the book in your hands. And thanks for ordering. You too, Richard! TIM .

Chris....thanks for taking the time to post your comments and thoughts. As for the interior, does anyone remember to old Accu-Pro hi-tech interior parts for this kit? Those are the ones I had set aside three decades ago to finish the model, but in the time since the original kit's 1960's era interior has come back in style, and in reviewing the project recently before I began the effort to finish it, I thought that kit interior actually fit the overall sty ling of the body better than the Accu-Pro parts, so that's the way I went. As for that tweed upholstery fad, sounds like we are in the same boat when it comes to that topic! And, obviously, I'd love to see your project if you ever decide to go ahead with it....! Cheers....TIM

Richard, interesting comments to be sure. Time sure does fly. I wonder how the troops would react to a hot rod with these types of extensive body changes, but otherwise done in pure traditional hot rod style (single 1950's paint color, tall n taller skinnies on steelies, Ford Y-Block, etc.) Hmmm....TIM

Patric, it was based on the Monogram 1/24th scale 1932 Ford Roadster kit, specifically the mid-1980's modest update of the tool. The orange/black car in some of the images is essentially that kit, albeit with different set of wheels and Posies-style two tone. In fact, the only part(S) I used from the all new c. 1996 Revell Ford Street Rod kits were the block-hugger headers. Everything else dates from 1989 or earlier, excepting the fog lights which are from the 2013 Revell kit of the 1970 Hemi-Cuda. Thx for the comments and question...TIM

I have for years and years pushed Revell to scan the exteriors of their kit projects (even to the point of providing exact contact info for proven automotive scanning suppliers); and for nearly as long they had resisted it for what I am told were primarily cost reasons (though I'm not sure that fully justified their decision). More recently, In addition to the Foose kits, I was told (not directly by Revell) that the 1975 Torino body was scanned and they were pleased with the result. Very, very glad to see that they have adopted this process for the new Mustang kit. In the last 12 years of my career I worked in the Design activity of my employer. I observed firsthand how many designs were massaged, week after week, month after month, to get to their final form. To think that any craftsman, no matter how good, could capture all this form in an exact miniature model body was, I think, almost impossible. Once the kitmakers no longer had manufacturer blueprints to work from, the process became more difficult, then even moreso when the people responsible for developing the tooling lived 12 hours away on the other side of the globe and were denied the opportunity to see the 1/1 scale product they were miniaturing. 3D scanning the bodies, then, becomes potentially the most accurate way to assure a correct scale replica. The scanning data must still be processed and manipulated, so it is not a 100% guarantee of accurate results, but for my book it greatly increases the chances of success. TIM