tim boyd

Bob...not much as I recall....toughest part was making the lift off front end....TB

As some of you already know, I have been freelancing auto magazine stories for what...nearly 50 years now. (Can that really be ???) Even though I have never been an employee of the publishing houses I worked with, a number of them brought me under the fold, so to speak, and shared with me some of the challenges faced by the magazine publishing businesses. The question that Wayne poses here is one that those magazine publishers have faced for decades, and I don't really know that it has ever been fully resolved. Basically, when a magazine comes off the press at the printing house, it gets shipped to the post office for routing to subscribers, and to the retail magazine distribution network at the same time. Subscriber copies go into the US mail system, which does not give top priority to delivering magazines to subscribers, which results in widely divergent delivery dates at homes across the U.S. For magazines to have top priority, the magazine publisher would have to pay first class mail postage, and the cost of the subscription would be way higher (in the pre-Kalmbach days Scale Auto Enthusiast offered a first class mail option, IIRC it was about three times the price of regular subscription, but copies were always received before the mag appeared for sale on the newsstand or hobby store). To try to partly address the issue, some magazines (including Fine Scale Modeler) include an embargo date with copies supplied to retailers, wherein the magazines are not to be sold until a date that approximates when subscribers might get their copies, but experience suggests that it is widely disregarded, including at major retailers like Barnes and Noble. So, the problem continues. Not to mention that it seems to me that over the last few months, mail deliveries of all types seem to be experiencing a lot more delays than they did in the past. (Dave A. or other mods, weigh in here if I've mentioned anything that is different from the MCM experience...) Bottom line? If you want to be assured of getting your magazine regularly and not having to watch the newsstand to get a copy before it sells out, and you want a lower price overall, a subscription is the better way to go but with the tradeoff that there may be instances where the most current issue shows up on the newsstand before you get your copy in the mail. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs, just like life in general, I guess. Thanks for posing the question, Wayne, and on a personal note, great to hear that you are still involved in the hobby after all these years! Cheers...TIM

If you are referring to the 1966 GT-350, they appear to be add-ons only. TB

Yes, absolutely. Further to your question, Cragars were very expensive back in the day, so they spawned a number of look-alikes in the early to mid 1970s', including Rocket wheels and a pseudo Cragar like all-steel replica from Appliance. And yes, I ran both those on my cars back then to get the Cragar looko without the Cragar expense. The Rockets were mega cool but the chrome was not long lasting. So my take is that Cragars would be appropriate for most models depicting mid 1960s through mid 1970s. Others, weigh in if you see it differently. TB

Seen at the Detroit Area Auto Modelers Show yesterday (click on the link in the first post at this message on the forum). Not sure if this is "new news" or not but passing it along anyway.....TB

Hi Chris....the key shortfall of the Styline options in my view was that they added considerable length to the front and rear of the cars which resulted in an ungainly appearance, especially so at the front. At the time the '49 Mercury kit was being designed and tooled (1963) AMT was already phasing out the Styline parts (they were included in some 1963 Annual kits using the phrase "Advanced Customizing) but they were pretty much gone by the 1964 annuals along with the Trophy Series kits introduced in 1963 and later. The original Merc kit still had some pretty cool customizing parts anyway so for many it was not a big loss for the Styline parts to be gone. Still, I agree they were a cool alternative or the AMT kits. Of course, this is all just speculation on my part so please take it as such. Best...TIM

Hi Ron....thanks for your comments. Gonna have to go back to the reference file on the AA/G classification which is what I thought was correct for non-blown large sized engines in Pony Car based Gassers back then. I thought AA/GS would be the classification for the same cars with blowers but i also recall them changing the classifications regarding blown gassers over time. However, to your point my recollection is that the livery for that model came from the second version (1969 body) MPC Ohio George kit which was replicating a Ford 429 Semi Hemi blown car as we all know. So, for 1969 at the very least I would say you that you are 100% correct and thus the car should be A/G not AA/G. Not sure if that changed or not for the 1970/later period portrayed by the model. As for the front tires, at the time I built the car (dribs and drabs from 1970 through 1987), we didn't have today's wide choice of small diameter thin section front tires (and my kit collection was much less extensive back then), so I used (from memory here) the styrene front tires from the AMT Piranha kit which did not have any tread engraving due to the mold design. Always good to have your eagle eyes comments; it is not OCD on your part at all! Best...TIM

The Revell'70'cuda is overall by far the best E-body kit out here, but the body definitely needs some work to look good. I did a detailed story on how to fix the Revell 'cuda body; IIRC it ran in the "Muscle Cars, Retro Mods, and Pro Touring" one-off magazine from late 2020. You can still buy it at the Store on the FineScale.com website. And the info was provided to Revell should they ever decide to address the issue. Not perfect, but a big improvement I think... TB Before After Before After

2025 DAAM Model Contest Coverage with all builders identified From my perspective, the turnout at the 2025 DAAM March show, particularly in terms of models entered in the contest, represented a new high point in the several decade history of this event. When I arrived an hour after the doors opened, there was still a line to get in. And by then the majority of the model tables were already full. The quality of the models just continues to increase overall; I can't image how the judges were able to pick the winners from such a turnout of pristine scale cars and trucks. The next two DAAM shows, the Motor City NNL in November and the 2026 DAAM Spring Show, will apparently be temporarily moving to a different location, so make sure to watch the news for the latest developments. Meanwhile, you can browse through the following 300 pictures of some of the many highlights from this show. As usual, I took a photograph of the builder's name after the images of each of the cars and trucks, to make sure the builders get the credit they so richly deserve. Thanks for checking it out at this link (make sure to use the "Roll View" feature so you can quickly scroll through the images and see my comments where appropriate), and great modeling to you all...TIM Pictured below...James Testers' Toyota... From my perspective, the turnout at the 2025 DAAM March show, particularly in terms of models entered in the contest, represented a new high point in the several decade history of this event. When I arrived an hour after the doors opened, there was still a line to get in. And by then the majority of the model tables were already full. The quality of the models just continues to increase overall; I can't image how the judges were able to pick the winners from such a turnout of pristine scale cars and trucks. The next two DAAM shows, the Motor City NNL in November and the 2026 DAAM Spring Show, will apparently be temporarily moving to a different location, so make sure to watch the news for the latest developments. Meanwhile, you can browse through the following 300 pictures of some of the many highlights from this show. As usual, I took a photograph of the builder's name after the images of each of the cars and trucks, to make sure the builders get the credit they so richly deserve. Thanks for checking this out, and great modeling to you all...TIM

Round 2 had their usual table just inside the show entrance. The new intro for this show is a GT-350 version of the retooled 1966 Mustang GT Fastback kit. Updates were shown on several other in-process projects. The sign on the 1965 Barracuda says Quarter 3 2025 availability, but Steve said that Q4 2025 or possibly Q1 2026 is more likely. For me another highlight is the first ever (to my knowledge) reissue of the AMT-Ertl 1968 El Camino Street Machine. It has all the changes vs. the factory stock Elky kit that were included the first time around, plus new and highly effective box art that sells all the features of the kit effectively for the first time. Also, sounds like there is a whole number of upcoming model car projects that are in the works and still making progress. My guess is that they will probably start to break cover early next year....the key takeaway here is that there will be plenty more new or revised tooling kits from Round 2 well into the next few years ahead. Recommend you use the Roll View feature to read my comments on some of the pictures at this link, and thanks for looking...TIM ...35 more product and box art images at the link posted above...

Thanks Larry, Carl, and all the rest of you who checked out these models...."Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!" is calling once again (smile)....TIM

The issue hit some retail stores today (including Pastieners for those who live near Detroit); expect that they will have issues at the DAAM show tomorrow as well....

Oooooouuuuu that is some really innovative work and thinking there. Lotsa work ahead, but boy wouldn't the finished result be spectacular? Best of luck, Steff, if you move ahead with this....TIM

In the meantime you can look at this online how-to about building the Revell 1/25th scale Harley Chopper (in this case, from the 1982 Grease release which is identical to the new kit content). Use the "Roll View" feature to quickly read through the key photos and captions, no muss, no fuss, and no wasted time...). Here's the linky....enjoy...TIM https://public.fotki.com/funman1712/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/tim-boyd-on-line-ho-4/

Steve and Jim....very cool stuff....don't recall seeing those articles as my collection of Plastic Fanatic is far from complete...looks like I missed a real highlight. Meanwhile, everything looks very sharp. Thanks for answering my questions...TIM

Guys....so glad to hear that you all have enjoyed the book, and thanks for sharing your reactions here. Highly appreciated, especially so by my publisher! Very best to you all...TIM

Heh Steve....sharp job converting that rear to a transverse leaf Halibrand QC....have you posted photos of this elsewhere in the forum? TB

Claude...HA! Man I hear you on that point! Cheers...TB

I don't have the most current release, but the 2018 reissue with the original 1962 Trophy Series box art theme, also had an added set of five chromed reverse wheels, which are of course entirely period correct for the remaining contents of the kit....TB

This is a really interesting comment. It is exactly what I would have said (and probably did, many times) given my observations and knowledge of the model kit business over many years. But as the hobby kit market and model car hobby evolve, I am not quite so sure now. I would have never, ever thought we'd see a series of Hudson model kits, as just one example. And in the 1/1 scale world, as the Moparesti get tired of seeing yet another'71 Hemi 'cuda and the like, and the once scorned Duster 340s are now commanding as much as $50k or more, people are beginning to look at the large sized Mopars with increasing interest. The 1965-68 and 1969 to 1973 C-Bodies have a whole number of compelling offerings (I won't list them here). But as/if 1/1 scale interest continues to grow, and as/if the model car hobby and kit business continues to expand as it has post-Covid, I'm not as sure as I once was that we'd never see a newly tooled C-body kit. Still unlikely, but I'm beginning to consider "never say never" My "dream away" choices? #1 1970 Sport Fury GT with Factory six pack #2 1969 or 1970 Chrysler 300 2DH and Convertible...probably from Moebius....and if those were successful, something like a 1969 Polara 440 Magnum police special, while not my personal cup of tea, would be a logical extension of the enabling tooling....- TB

Jamie....really cool story and an excellent model, particularly on the vinyl roof. Ii think yours is the first 1968 Charger model car I've ever seen that correctly reflects the 1/1 scale differently colored pleat in the '68 Charger interior. I've got one painted '68 De ark Racing Green Metallic that has been sitting waiting for completion for a long, long time; I am planning the same interior colors for that one if i ever get around to finishing it. Thanks for showing and sharing....TIM

Phil....love 'em all. Keep 'em coming! Cheers...TIM

Always, always great to hear your perspective on these topics, Bob. Thanks for sharing! Best...TIM

The B/FX prototype kit parts Moebius sent me way back when I was providing some advice to them, at their request, on fine tuning the original '65 Cyclone A/FX, included the 289 and Webers along with other associated engine compartment parts. That was a long time ago and lots has happened in the interim, but my best guess is that those parts will be in the new kit too. Guess we will find out for sure sooner than later...TB

What Bill and others above had said...here's my AMT '40 Ford Panel painted with Testors Gloss Black Spray Paint in 1977 or 1978. No polishing or waxing that I recall (although it was a very, very long time ago!). The model went on to win Best of Show at the 1979 MPC Flint Michigan contest and placed in the top 10 at the 1979 MPC National Finals (6th or 8th place, can't remember which). Although I will be the first to admit that it probably didn't deserve to win either of these awards, the out-of-the-can Testors paint certainly did not hurt. Later on, in 1993 when I painted an AMT-Ertl 1962 Bel Air bubbletop with the the-current Testors Gloss Black, the results were far less admirable. The thought that Testors had changed the formation in the interim, either at thier own hand or to conform with Federal/EPA standards, never crossed my mind at the time. Maybe I should try today's formulation and see if there is any improvement from my 1993 debacle???..TB