tim boyd

Thanks for the pics Ken. Many cars I didn't get a chance to photograph. What an incredible and wide display of model building talent! TIM

Don't want to in any way contradict or minimize the a various comments and conclusions about the kit design above...but as far as the headlamp position goes....the kit position (as shown on Drew's model) matches up pretty nicely with vintage photography of 1950's and early 1960's rod builds. I agree that, for a more recent build style/design ethic, the headlamps are too high. TB

Drew...I think your nearly assembled '29A Bud Bryan style Roadster looks righteous....just as it sits. Just my view....TIM

Thanks again, guys! Cheers...TIM

At the NNL Nats earlier today, Dean Milano displayed what he called 1 of 4 existing assembled test shots of a Revell "1987 Cutlass Supreme". Dean worked at Revell from roughly 2002 to 2005, according to a senior Revell excec, which might give a timetable for when this tool would have been created. As to how it relates, if at all, to the future Olds G-Body kits rumored above in this thread, I have no idea. Here's one picture from the NNL Nats today,.. ..there are five more pictures from several other angles at this link Cheers...TIM

...including some new kit intros announced today, full photographic coverage, and a special folder on the NNL Nats "Traditional Hot Rods" Cult Theme. Don't miss coverage below from several attendees, including myself. .....TIM

We announced the 2015 NNL Nats Cult Theme, "Traditional Hot Rods", here on the MCM Forum a few weeks back. We really didn't know what to expect. Within 90 minutes of the doors opening, we had two full tables jammed with Traditional Hot Rod models, ultimately reaching a count of about 95 models! Here is a link to 70 images of models from this display, the largest-ever NNL Cult Theme event at an NNL Nationals. Use the "Roll" feature to look at all the images which are also identified with the Builder's name, such as this extreme chopped '34 Pickup with opening doors by Jim Casassa of Indiana. Thanks to all who participated!!! Cheers...TIM

Full coverage of the NNL Nats #36 Use the "Roll" feature to easily review all images along with their associated captions. Also included are images of new some new Moebius and AMT kit announcements revealed at the show. As a taste of the coverage at the link directly above...Tom Woodruff revealed his in-process 1/25th scale diorama of knocked-down Ford Model T's enroute to a dealership.... Thanks for looking, and thanks to all who participated along with the Cleveland Auto Modelers Society, for making this yet another successful NNL Nats event. Cheers...TIM

The Toy Show is much smaller than it used to be. The NNL takes place in the same room. There is not a dedicated diecast class, and to be honest, I can't recall seeing any significant number of these cars - NNL is still primarily a 1/24th'1/25th scale styrene and resin show. The NNL Nationals in Toledo is a major event, though not nearly the size of several other NNL events these days, including the NNL East and NNL West. It is still the original NNL event, now in its 36th year, so some people come only to this show and not the others. Well worth the trip, in my judgment. TIM

Other than the unique box art, you can put this version together with the Deora kit and the Chrysler Hemi engine from the reissued AMT Parts Packs (that's how this kit version was configured by AMT)....Obviously the builder was requested to do some kitbashing per the assembly instructions to get that big ol' first gen Hemi into and engine compartment designed for the much smaller "tower of power" Stant Six....Cheers....TIM

Here's the "custom" version of the AMT bonus Triumph....with the kit apehangers (note that AMT called these "Crazy Bars" in their instructions), different seat and custom tailamp, etc. These "Custom" version parts were in the '62 bonus parts series, plus the '63 Chevy pickup kits. And yes, Norm still offers these - he often features the Triumph in his ad in each issue of Model Cars magazine, as a matter of fact.. Another shot of the "stock" Triumph Bonneville 650 for direct comparison...(btw the paint colors and layout below were factory correct for a '62 650....) TB

Not only wash there the Triumph, there was a second set of bonus parts for a Go-Kart in other '62 AMT annual kits. All the Triumph parts reappeared in the '63 Chevy pickup kit, and the Go-Kart parts reappeared in their entirety in the '63 F100 pickup kit. Not only that, AMT added for '63 a Bonneville style envelope canopy for the Triumph, and a Bonnevelle streamliner style canopy for the Go Kart, in effect making both the cycle and the Kart "3 in 1" builders for '63. For those Forum members who also read Model Cars magazine, I did an extensive article on both of these subjects including buildups about 7 or 8 years ago (they were on the cover of the issue). If you like this subject, try to find the issue or by the back issue - there's more to the story. Best Regards...TIM

For anyone who might have missed the news.... Reminder: The NNL Nationals "Cult Theme" this year is "Traditional Hot Rods". If you have a 1/24th-1/25th scale hot rod model that is reminiscent of the cars shown in Rodder's Journal, please be sure to bring it along and display it at the "Cult Theme" table. Thanks! TIM

Dennis....it came out really, really well. I will abscond with several of your ideas on my future builds of this kit. (And try to remember to give you credit as well). I've enjoyed following your build of this model and it is great to see the final result now. Cheers....TIM

Thanks Drew. And I can identify with (and practice making myself) decisions that simplify efforts to complete model car projects! Cheers...TIM

Update....well I guess it isn't the newer car, as here are my pictures of it from the 2008 Cobo Autroama (the carb air cleaners, the red accents on the finned cylinder heads, and the differently-sized upholstery roll at the top of the seat back are all obvious difference between this and the car you are duplicating, which I am now guessing is indeed the original - now restored - Bud Bryan roadster...) This builder's display also had an incredible array of Ford Flathead hot rod intakes arranged around the border of the display... ...which given the number of 1/25th scale hot rod flathead intakes available now from Revell and AMT kits, not to mention Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland and Model Car Garage...would be pretty cool to duplicate in a 1/25th scale display....Cheers....TIM

Drew...is this the original Bud Bryan roadster, the oft-seen, well done newer car done with an acknowledging nod to the Bryan Roadster (my guess), or something else? The newer car was at the Detroit Autorama a few years back, and it had me fooled, at least at first. The original Bryan car was a big influence in determining build style of this model I built back in 1975 .... I sure like your paint accent in the I-beam front axle, not to mention the Model A rear crossmember and quick change setup....which parts sources did you use for those? TIM

Drew...sounds excellent. Looking forward to it! Cheers....and great to see you back at the model bench after your extended leave. TIM

Terry....smile! Great compilation, and thanks for encouraging everyone to dig out their completed hot rod models for some photography, and encouraging us to model box dive and start (or finish) some new ones. Cheers...TIM

Drew, I certainly respect your opinion here, which comes with extra validity not only due to your extensive 1/25th scale model car journalism over the years, but also your well-known 1/1 scale track roadster, which has certainly proved photogenic (in terms of the number of magazine appearances over the years) as any 1/25th scale hot rod model that has been created. But I strongly disagree with your judgment about this kit (that is is not up to the standards of other recent Revell introductions). I think that the Channeled version is slightly less appealing than the Highboy - and the radiator core on this version is twice as deep as it should be, which pushes the grille shell forward and compromises the aesthetics accordingly - but that also can be fixed with two minutes and a razor saw. And we've discussed before that the kit was designed to be more of a contemporary interpretation of a traditional hot rod rather than a 100% true-to-theme traditional execution (e.g, coil overs on a Ford axle vs. a transverse leaf and Halibrand Quick Change, and the relocated rear fender cutline upwards in the quarter panel),which some of us would have preferred. But it the overall scope of the kit, the engraving quality and finesse of the parts (a Hilborn fuel injection setup with a fuel block AND individual fuel lines???), the ease of assembly, the encompassing of two very different build variations within the same box and at a very mainstream price point, the subject matter itself (who ever dreamed we'd get a detailed '29A Highboy Roadster kit???) and the fact that the model encourages kitbashing both modest and ambitious in scope, I believe it not only compares but in fact surpasses most other recent Revell kit intros. Yes, there are detail errors (I didn't use the four speed shifter decal either, but I sure used the highly detailed flying eyeball shifter decal that was also provided in its place), but to focus on those I think misses the overall scope of what was attempted and delivered. Bottom line, I think at this point that this kit ranks right up there with the best hot rod kits of all time. Two different kit builders, two different opinions, I guess. Personally, I recommend you build the Highboy version next and see if your opinion changes. In the meantime, I think your build looks super-sharp. Cheers...TIM

Very nicely done. You overcame all of the minor problems associated wtih this AMT kit in a very convincing manner. Your additions/tweaks to the final build add a lot of character, too! And I really like the Honduras Maroon/flat clear approach (I did the same thing with my box stock build of the channeled version of the Revell '29A a few weeks back). Congrats...TIM

Thanks Chris. I finally got the header extensions finished. They're slightly cut down from the 390 T-Bird "megaphone" style header extensions from the AMT/Lindberg '34 Ford pickup custom version. The ends were drilled open, I finally got a semi-decent Alclad Chrome Finish on them. After two attempts to glue the driver's side header in place....as of last night, finally....success! Working now on the how-to article. This model, its flat dark blue finish, seems to photograph really well against a plain white background. For those of you planning to attend the 36th(!) NNL Nationals in Toledo ext weekend, I plan to have it there in the "Traditional Hot Rod Cult Theme" table on the back wall, adjacent to the model car magazine photo booths. Cheers....TIM

Thanks Dominik. I'm trying to visualize this one jamming down the Autobahn between Koln and Frankfurt (when the traffic is light and the speed limit zone signs are off), and somehow the imagery just doesn't mix. But I'll bet there are still plenty of backwoods German roads where it would fit right in, not to mention some of the coastal European and UK rod runs I've seen covered in the rod magazines here in the States. Cheers...TIM

Steven....great work....particularly that interior, but also the engine and paint/BareMetal work. I really enjoy seeing old kits brought to life like this. Makes me think that all those craftsman back in the day who created these kits, would be smiling today if they knew the level of detail and effort we put into building their old kits today. Best Regards...TIM