tim boyd

Steve....that is a very cool model. I don't believe I've ever seen one built until now. I am trying to remember, but wasn't that kit a second body spinoff of the one of the original IMC tools....maybe the VW Bug kit? And as indicated above and also in my book on Drag Racing Model Kits, I too believe that there is fertile ground in Revell updating their 1990's mid engine rail dragster tool at a minimum, and possibly the funny cars, too. I don't follow 1/1 scale drag racing these days as closely as I used to, so I'm not sure just how much revision would be necessary. But that is what I understand Revell may have been trying to assess before all the Hobbico nastiness and its fallout. The issue the model companies face with drag racing oriented kits, I am told by several of them, is that they sell very well at first but then very quickly drop-off to essentially no sales at all. So the general business case is tough to put together and defend vs. other uses for the same money. That, plus the clear data that shows 1960's/early 1970's drag racing topics do better than more recent subjects. Of course, one could argue that no kit has really covered the last 20 years and that such comparisons (with 1990's topics) are no longer valid.... And did I mention how cool your model looks? Best...TB

Ron...sounds like a very good plan. Please share photos as your project progresses if/when you deem appropriate. Best....TIM

Rex....thanks very much for his comprehensive response, sorry for my delay in acknowledging it. FWIW, your assessment was essentially the same as mine. As alluded above, Steve's is somewhat different. But given his focus on accuracy and detail, I'm sure he has a valid case for his decision as well. Anyway, thanks for your input and for taking the time to assemble all those pics...TIM

Tim....lookin' better and better every day! TIM

I'm not an engineer, so I defer to your expertise on this. Still, I would personally take a steel welded frame bracket mounted radius rod connection (as on current quality rod builds) over a bolt-on bracket any day. Keeping mind that Tom's car was constructed in the mid-late 1950's (at least the chassis part, if I am remembering correctly), the design would be accepted protocol for hot rods at the time, and there would not have been issues with Far East sourced hardware as you point out. I do recall clearly that the bolt-on brackets, in both design and appearance, were at the time and remain today the least-liked part of the car as viewed by the hot rod cognoscenti. TB

Yep, one of the very distinctive features of the McMullen roadster. But not so safe, and also, from what I've read (and my own view as well), that's the one thing many would change had they built the roadster themselves.... TIm

That's very gracious of you, Craig. Thank you. Having said that, sounds like your project here and your own tutorial thread has inspired quite a few people yourself. Way to go! Cheers....TIM PS - the model looks terrific, too! TB

Yes it was, and the chopped body still sits, in primer, in my display case of partially finished projects next to my work desk. Still would like to finish it someday. Jim's project is to a large degree what I've had in my mind for so many years now....TB

To build on Pete's comments, today's designs are heavily influenced by governmental regulations, and not just in one country, either. One key example? The lower front bumper "jowl forward" look that is so prominent today is a direct result of Pedestrian Impact legislation originally enacted in Europe, and later adopted by Asian countries. Even though it is not legislated in the US, it has such a fundamental impact on the car's design and engineering that any global car manufacturer has to use it across the board, even in countries where it is not required. This legislation required that automakers take actions to reduce the injuries to pedestrians who are hit by cars, including "knee blockers" which are design to break a leg below the knee, rather than at the knee if the impact is great enough to break bones, and add hood crush zones, which either require hoods to be raised well above the top of the engines (so that when a pedestrian hits a hood, it can crush inward before hitting the relatively immovable engine), or require hood explosive devices (at considerable extra cost) to immediately push the hood upward if there is a pedestrian impact, again creating a cushion for the wayward pedestrian. One can debate all day long the relative societal benefits of these legislative requirements, but the reality is they are law and cars must be engineered/designed to comply. There are many other legislative requirements, involving safety, fuel economy, emissions et al (often one directly at cross purposes with another) that drive today's automotive design considerations. And then there's NGO's - non-governmental organizations who publicize ever stricter requirements for whatever angle they are pushing, often to the detriment of design flexibility and individuality. Given all these constraints, it is a minor miracle that cars have the individuality they in today's world. Bottom line? If you want to bemoan car design, the very first place to look is not the designers or car makers, is it the people we elect, the government bureaucrats they enable, and the NGO's and their political agendas that have the biggest impact. Understandably, not what you wanted to hear, but this is the reality today, folks. TIM

Paul, that is looking uber-tasty; great progress! TIM

Way to go, Bone. Thanks for sharing your building talents and creativity with the Model Cars Forum members! Cheers....TIM

Some fine, fine talent on display here. Kudos to you all....TIM

Really nice job on that top chop....like the one piece front end too.....TIM

As Dennis said above, "...his roadster is an identity crisis." Couldn't agree more. Not one of the many (at that time) hot rod mags featured his original 1/1 car to my knowledge. Which is a pretty good sign of how it was viewed by most of the hot rod cognoscenti, Dennis and I included. Revell has long been looking at ways to repurpose their original tooling investment here. I pitched converting it to the McMullen roadster as a hail Mary, but many issues, starting with where to go to get copyright approval, killed that idea before it ever got off the ground. I think this version pictured above is a very nice resolution, and I predict it will sell well to scale hot rod enthusiasts.... TIM

Bob, in these cases, it is usually a case of what investment of a kitmakers money and development time they believe will deliver the biggest result in the marketplace. It's not that they don't see the need, its purely about deploying their resources in the way to get the best return on same. All the kitmakers have a bunch of new or modified car projects they'd like to do in 1/25th, the debate comes in which of those projects to do first and when. As well as whether model car kits are a better investment than Sci-Fi, et al, and other non-automotive licensed projects. As I always say in this case, time will tell, and usually it does! Thanks for your input...TIM

Both Shawn Carpenter and Missing Link produced resin '62 GP's for use with the AMT-Ertl '62 Catalina, I have both and they are both very well done. One of them is painted, BareMetaled, and the engine finished....someday it will be completed.... I did an article for Scale Auto on BareMetal application techniques using the above project; it prompted letters/questions/emails from readers who wanted a copy for themselves. At the time, IIRC, Shawn had stopped casting his, and the same at Missing Link. Missing Link would have had to produce a new mold (the original was no longer usable), and they had other higher priority uses for their time. I don't believe it has ever gone back into production. I also have a resin '63 and '67 GP. The '67 was Modelhaus, the '63 may have been Modelhaus or MCW, I can't recall which Sharp thread, thanks for starting it, Jim. TIM

Totally, totally agree, Marty. And our T-Bird Gassers. And, and, and....!!! TB

Rex....model builder Steve Perry and I have had a long running discussion/friendly debate on which of the various '71/'72 Mustang funny car kits has the best, most accurate body replica of the real F/C's that ran during 1971-72. Without revealing our choices (Steve and I are in very different camps about which is best), knowing your interest/research/knowledge on '71-'73 Mustangs, which funny car kit of same would you pick as having the most accurate body? Thanks...TIM

Continuing to post models from my 55 year (1967-2022) run of building 1/25th scale funny car models, here is a mostly box stock build of the Jo-Han Mickey Thompson 1971 Mustang funny car kit. ******* At the time it was introduced, Jo-Han's 1971/2 Mickey Thompson Mustang Funny Car was arguably the most authentic kit of that drag racing genre ever packed in a model box. Soon thereafter, I discovered a widely varied palette of Humbrol Flats paint tins and bought a bunch for future projects. I then (this was around 1972 or so) laid out a mod-style swirl paint scheme with a fine brush. Except I only did it over about 1/3rd of the body (one side and a portion of the top). Then in the box it went. About 40 years on I found some of the old Humbrol paint tins, and the paint was still usable. I set about completing the paint approach, then built the rest of the kit box stock. The "Agitation 2" lettering was done with LetraSet, just like back in the 1970's Auto World and Car Model feature stories. The entire build process of this kit, with in-process pictures and captions, is featured n my on-line Fotki album: https://public.fotki.com/funman1712/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/tim-boyd-on-line-ho1/ ***** Thanks for looking....more images below...TIM

Building further on Brian's cautions, I and two of my very good friends who are both car enthusiasts and very knowledgeable auto collectors, have noted that many auction listings on Hemmings and cited in their newsletter are factually incorrect, both in terms of the vehicles themselves and the auction or sell add listing texts. My advice would be ti tread carefully, and make sure you back up any info gathered from Hemmings listings, with confirmatory research from other, more trusted to be accurate information sources....TIM

Marty's evil almost-twin (smile).... This was built from the Revell '32 Ford hot rods sedan kit just after it was released (around 2008 or so?).... TB l

The kit's dual blower option was actually called "R-5". only a couple were built if I am remembering the story correctly; one was used for the Studebaker peed runs at Bonneville. I did a kiy buildup with more of the R-5 story for either SA or MCM about 10-15 years ago... My very good friend/fellow retired Ford exec/car enthusiast neighbor has an unrestored but in very good condition R2 Avanit in his collection. Very cool car! TIM

My sense is that Round 2 is very well aware of the modeling communities' interest in doing a new tool clone of the original MPC '68 Coronet R/T. Whether that will eventually translate into a new kit or not, I do not know. TB

Vince, I don't know the exact status of these models, but on a general basis I believe Dan lost most of his models along with with the calamitous damage to his house and belongings. Dave and Linda later moved to Tennessee when the John Diana/Buckaroo empire did the same; Linda was doing accounting for the firm at the time and Dave continued his magazine freelancing activities. When Buckaroo went bust, I recall him moving to Colorado, and most recently, Phoenix I believe. Haven't heard from Dave in several years. Incredibly talented guy, and one in a million personality. We were gifted during the period when he was an active part of the model car community. Best...TIM

Alan...I think those are the only ones. They are color slides I scanned on a high resolution commercial quality scanner. Creates huge digital files and takes a long time. I'll keep my eyes peeled in case there were any other slides that I did not scan.... TB