tim boyd

Update....here's a mockup with chassis up on wheels, engine, and body placed on frame, as of last night 26 October 2020. Grille shell will sit perpendicular to the ground in final assembly. This model project has fought me every single step of the way. I keep reminding myself that this is what happens when you combine many parts from different sources into a project in a way in which they were not intended to be used! I literally spent five full mornings going through all my parts resources to find a set of wheels that would fit those rear slicks, which had a very wide(tall) wheel openings. And no, I don't know where the slicks came from; they appear to be a resin part with a (very discolored) whitewall molded in (yes, I had to refinish the whitewalls); they were chosen due to their increased height vs. other kit-based slicks. Final assembly is now underway but proceeding very slowly. As writer Randy Fish used to say in his monthly column in Street Rodder magazine...."updates at 11pm"! Cheers....TIM

This model was constructed about 20 years ago as a pretty much box stock buildup of MPC's 1971 Road Runner kit (in this case, the AMT-Ertl c. 1987 reissue of same). Kitbashing included the wheels, "Day 2" BFG tires, and the addition of the very rare mid-year canopy vinyl roof option. The engine compartment and underbody was mostly the original kit components (this one was built before the AMT-Ertl 1971 Charger R/T kit was introduced, which provides a great source of more accurate underbody details, as can be seen in a very sharp build underway right now by Bob Spedding in the "WIP" section of this forum). Basic engine compartment wiring was added (looks like on of the heater hoses may have slipped out of its firewall connection point....). Paint is 1971 Code J6 Green Go (Plymouth)/Sassy Grass Green (Dodge) aerosol from MCW Automotive Finishes. Thanks for looking....TIM

Everyone...thanks for your comments on the model. Very much appreciated. Interesting that several of you commented on the auxiliary driving lamps. I recall taking those from the Monogram 1939 Ford Sedan Delivery kit.... Best....TIM

Thanks Dennis....I thought the Attempt 1 might be the wheel source but then I looked at my buildup of that kit and it had different wheels....must've kitbashed those too! The entire engine (except for the dragster-style air cleaner) came from the Revell/Monogram/Pro-Modeler 1970 Torino GT kit (not the companion Torino Cobra which doesn't have the extra hot rod engine parts). I can't recall for sure but my memory says the same parts are also in the recent Revell Torino GT reissue (the one with the new/corrected rear quarter panels and bucket seats.) I stockpiled a bunch of those kits as they're the only ones with a truly accurate 385 series Ford 429 engine assembly. And I wanted them available in scale as Ford Motorsports made a real push into the hot rod world with a modified 514 cubic inch version of the same engine a while back. Best...TIM

Charlie, I was referring to the 1930 Model A Five Window Coupe hot rod kit that was just briefly available a few years back before a production interruption in China. It's the one that shares most of the chassis/suspension/driveline tooling with the '29A Roadster hot rod kit that was reissued early this year. Sorry for any confusion...TIM

A new '33/'34 hot rod series has been on the consideration list at Revell for probably 20 years now....but always outranked by something that they felt was a better business opportunity when it came time to determine what progressed to cutting tooling steel. Now that Revell is owned by a German enterprise I feel the chance of ANY all-new hot rod kits is remote. But I do hold out hope for some new variations - eventually - based on their existing hot rod tool sets....TIM

This model was built in the very early 2000's after having been inspired in part by the Deuce Roadsters that were being shown at the SEMA convention each year back then. The engine is the 429 Super Cobra Jet out of the Revell 1970 Torino GT kit, and the main frame and chassis came from the Revell 1932 Ford Highboy Roadster kit introduced in 1997. The DuVal windshield was from Replicas and Miniatures Maryland. The driveline and interior accent color was 1972 Mustang and Cougar "Bright Lime", a fairly rare color replicated here with airbrushed paint from MCW Automotive Finishes. The wheels are from early 1960's Revell, either the Parts Packs or one of the race/hot rod kits that must be escaping my memory at the moment (UPDATE 27 October 2020: Dennnis Lacy confirmed that the wheels came from the Revell Mickey Thompson Attempt 1 Dragster/Bonneville kit). Those who are familiar with the Revell 1932 Ford Roadster kit will see plenty of other parts swapping/kit bashing customization, with both kit-based and aftermarket sources. Happy to answer any questions, and thanks for looking. Cheers....TIM

Before the Hobbico debacle and whatever caused the production interruption, there were some very elemental discussions about other variations in the future. But my sense now is that such an action would be several years away, if at all. Especially given what has transpired since then. As for me, the '30A 5W coupe kit itself provides the basis for nearly endless kitbashing and body variations. Like you, I WANT to see that one back on the market, and as soon as humanly possible! TIM

Last I heard it was tentatively planned for Q1 2021. Let's hope that is correct info, and that Revell sticks to that plan.....TIM

What Mark said... Plus...when I built the Bantam Bomber Altered out of the applicable Parts Packs, but using the Bantam Bomber kit instructions as a guide, I found that a few of the parts on the Parts Pack trees had been subtly altered to make the assembly process easier. I do not not know if this also applied to the Mooneyes Dragster, but I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case. Exciting times....TIM

What Richard says. Also, various industry sources tell me this has been a blockbuster year for model car and (especially) model truck kit sales.... TIM

This is discussed in detail in my new book "Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits". The answer is "no" but the info behind the Aurora Tools decision for scrappage is very interesting, and a bit of it is "new news" even among those who are fairly knowledgeable about the history of this business venture.......TIM "

Here are a couple of outtake (unused) photos of the original c. 1963 MoonEyes kit from Revell, from my new book "Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits". More detail on the original kit(s) in the book.... A real surprise, but a great one, to hear this kit is on the way back....TIM

I did a in-depth buildup/how-to article on this Monogram CJ-7 kit, showing both versions of the tool, in the June 2019 issue of the other model car mag. Might find some helpful hints there (or maybe not!) Should be available in their back issue tab at Kalmbach's web site.. Good luck with the project....sounds cool! TIM .TIM

Excellent! Thanks Rodney for the quick response....TIM

What Dennis said, x2! Model building is all about having great fun and expressing your own ideas. Putting together and comparing models from different builders that all started with a common theme (as we do at NNL's) is one of the great joys of this hobby, IMHO. I join Dennis in encouraging anyone who is inspired by his build thread to join in with your own ideas and interpretations. Terrific fun (for you and indeed, for all of us following this thread) await! Cheers....TIM

Rodney,....really impressive work. Wanted to ask what transverse spring you are using for your front suspension....I am doing a very similar layout on my '31A low rider Tudor and was just beginning to look for a spring for my setup. Yours looks really good and if I have the same part available in my stash it might save me a ton of time looking....Thanks TIM

Eric....congrats on building the real car and I really like the tweaks you've already done to the interior. Will be watching with great interest....Cheers....TIM PS - excellent color plan, too!

Those of us who participated in the MPC National Customizing Championship from 1969-79 will remember Tim Slesak, both as a competitor and later on, a judge and contest booth director. Those who attended Chuck Helppie's NNL Nats #40 Reunion banquet a year ago this weekend will also remember Tim's letter about the MPC series that Chuck read to the assembled throng after dinner. Well....TIm and his wife have settled in Vermont after decades in Texas, and Tim is back building some incredible models. He recently sent me the link to his Fotki album, and gave me permission to post some images here. This one is a taste of his talents, building primarily brass 1/25th scale models that are right up there with the best of Richard Carroll and Dave Berry from back in the day. The jewel-like detail he achieves is pretty amazing. While modelers who work in brass almost always create miniature works of contemporary art, a certain automotive realism is often lost in the process. Tim's models instead exploit the brass medium to create even more lifelike miniature replicas, which in my opinion puts his work on a unique pedestal in the model car world. Tim was inspired to build this from that memorable rootbeer candy 1/1 scale hot rod that toured the Autorama shows about...what now....about 15 years ago?Like the other premier craftsman of the hobby back in the 1970's and 80's, Here are some photos of one of his most recent projects..... You can see more of Tim's incredible mostly brass creations here.....and thanks for looking! (the other) TIM

Thanks Ken...I will ask the Publisher what's up. I suspect that I will be told it's another fallout of the messed up book and mag distribution network due to C-19....TIM

Ken....was there any explanation for the cancellation? If so, and depending on what it is, I can forward to the publisher and ask them to get involved.....thanks. TIM

Alan....last I heard (unofficially), the '30A Coupe was planned for a Q1 2021 production run. Let's hope that is still the plan! Cheers....TIM

Congrats Randy on bringing this one home! I can just imagine flooring the go pedal and hanging on! On my end, will be getting back to finishing mine up after having to stop for another high-priority project which I just finished yesterday....I'll make sure to let you know when mine is done. The two (yours and mine) will share the overall proportions but be very different in the details....that's what makes model car building so fun and creative, and why I so like comparing two models based on the same basic kit. Cheers....TIM

Cliff....that gorgeous color just glows! Great pix, too. Congrats on another very fine project completed....TIM

Thanks Mark and Jack....TIM