Casey

Not sure about the insurance, but USPS First Class International, at least when purchased through eBay's label printing system, provides some tracking- you can see when the package left for abroad (out of Chicago in my case), then when it was delivered, but no info in between. International First Class packages seem to arrive in about 14 days no matter if it's Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, or Japan. I have postal a scale I bought in 1996, and the shipping cost sticker on top is a trip back in time.

The Revell '62, '63, and '64 Impala kits are all good kits, so you can't go wrong with any/all of them. The '63 and '64 are both Impala SSs, while the '62 is an Impala. There are both "Special Edition" (review HERE ) and "California Wheels" (review HERE ) packaged '62 Impala kits from Revell, with the latter being slightly decontented compared to the former. I recall some bumper differences, too. The AMT '62 Bel Air 409 kit has the "bubble top" roof and is also a good kit, an although it's been out of production for a few years now, it's still easy to find on eBay. They did a convertible version, too. Here's a good look at the current/recent Impala kits, and while I've never bought anything here, they do have many of the kits' instruction sheets listed as clickable .pdf files, so you can see what the parts look like, too: http://www.modelcars.com/model-kit-search.html?search=impala&Search.x=46&Search.y=9

I call. I can't ever recall seeing any other Hilborn style injection setups on a Buck V6, though, so I would agree that while making sense on paper, it was rarely done in real life. A set of four-lug Minilite wheels would've been a nice inclusion, but they shouldn't be too hard to source....or just find a set of Watanabes. I will probably pick one up and build the targa concept on the left: Here's a decent article on the car, with some nice reference shots: http://hooniverse.com/2013/03/11/a-ride-in-the-opel-gt/

The Novette definitely wears them, but Grey Baskerville only refers to them as "Centerlines", without listing the model name: http://www.auto-nomics.com/documents/HR_0685.pdf As for the Monogram '27 roadster pickup and '55 Street Machine 5-slots, they are more like 14" wheel "stepped up" to fit the 15" Goodyear Rally GT big 'n' little tires. The '66 Malibu Street Rat 5-slots and Arii wheels you mentioned are the two best 1/24 choices IMHO.

I forgot USPS First Class International doesn't have the 13 oz weight limit U.S. bound packages do.

Yes, depending upon the scale, about $1.00 each sounds right. Technically you have short sections of hex rod, since every piece is the same, but you do have lot of them. Using the image below, I see four different pieces-- three fittings and one 90* bend. You'd still need to shape the ends and/or narrow the width of the hex beads you bought, so while you've only spent a few cents per piece, you have to invest a lot of time to make them look like the real parts. I am of the opinion that if you're going to go through the effort to add tiny details to a scale model engine to make it look more like the real thing, those detail parts should look like the real parts. Yes, it's going to cost more upfront, and some aren't willing or able to spend the extra, but even $100 spent on 100 A-N fittings seems a small price to pay compared to spending ten minutes on each bead shaping the ends, reaming out the center bores, and shortening each one to the same exact size as every other similar fitting.

20-24 ounces or so? $9.00 to NZ sounds very wrong. It costs $10.00 for Priority from U.S. coast to coast. Not sure is Parcel Select (or whatever USPS is calling Parcel Post now) is an option, or if it's Priority only.

Can anyone confirm which other kits contain a T5? I think someone mentioned one of the MPC or Monogram Fox Mustang kits, which probably has a V8 bellhousing, too, but a GM bellhousing from a Camaro/Firebird kit would be good to pair with the trans itself. I think the Camaro would need to be '84+, though.

International USPS rates nearly doubled as of 1/21/2013. A 2 ounce USPS First Class package from the U.S to New Zealand costs $6.16.

They can do some damage, eh?:

Too bad they couldn't release the Dave Deal box art version:

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Since it's not the stock engine, one could argue any engine would be appropriate, but considering the diminutive size of the car itself and the fact these cars were marketed and sold through Buick dealerships in the U.S., the Buick V6 makes a lot of sense to me. From pics I've seen via on of Mark's/Scalemaster's Super7 builds in which he used the V6 block, the engine doesn't have much detail, which is typical of AMT kits back then. I will try to dig up the topic, but I recall someone from Round2 stating the tooling needed to be cleaned up, and I know Chuck Most mentioned the hood in the RC2-ers reissue was ill-fitting, so I'm guessing Round2 spent most of their budget for this kit backdating parts and repairing the molds. The Polyglas GT tires and aluminum injector tubes are another nice bonus, which Round2 seems intent on including with the older reissued kit to give us more value.

Yes, I believe that is a leftover/shared part from the '71 Duster kit which was a "Mild & WIld", Zingers!- style kit. I've collected some pics of the closely related Duster and Dart Sport kits listed earlier by John, so I will add those later today.

http://www.fusionbeads.com/search#!&ea_q=hex%20Japanese%20seed%20beads%20%3B%3B%20productsearch The problem with beads and hex stock IMHO is that the A-N fitting are rarely hex "slices" with straight cut ends, so you still need to address the semi-rounded ends, stepped shoulders, and spacers/threaded collar details when you don't use machined A-N fittings. The hex beads Jim mentioned are the best I've seen as far as beads are concerned, provided the are not distorted.

You didn't get duped, Derek. The "Uptown" series of Revell kits were based on die-cast metal models, so they aren't as accurate as some styrene, injection-molded kits which were designed to be model kits from the start...but don't let that stop you. I don't think they are so bad as to label them toys, and even though the Uptown kits had compromises in the design phase which hurt accuracy, the Uptown Magnum will work just fine for what you have planned. You can see how far the rear wheels are tucked into the wheel wells on the Revell Super Bee Charger if you look at the box art online, but the Upton series die-cast models (and he "LARGE" Magnum) were set up with dubs from the start, so they needed lots of wheel well room. It sounds like this is your first model, or at least your first attempt at advanced painting and body modifications, so ask lots of questions and take a look at the On The Workbench sections here on the forum. You can pick up and learn a lot of things just by seeing what other member are doing, and most will be more than happy to help answer your questions and offer advice. Ask any teacher and they'll tell you the best students are those who ask questions and are interested in learning, and the same applies here, though one might argue we're all still teaching and still learning ourselves.

http://earlyyearsresin.webs.com/lsrparts.htm They will need to be narrowed and shortened for use as a kart body, and the same to allow it to fit on the Midget trailer. Another option is a bellytanker from Early Years Resin: http://earlyyearsresin.webs.com/lsrparts.htm

Wow, those L60s are going to look HUGE on this car. I was surprised how tiny and compact these cars are after seeing one up close a few years ago, but they do have some nice lines.

They still are. IIRC someone mentioned Lindberg's molding is done in Michigan, and I want to say both Revell and Round2 do some stateside molding, too. I agree, and thanks, Gregg. Like Dave this is the type of model-related thing which fascinates me and about which I could talk endlessly. Just wait, I'll prove it. One thing I found curious on the clear window parts molds above is that fact that the side windows are angled instead of lying parallel to the mating face(s) of the molds. Perhaps is has something to do with the way clear styrene flows, or how the parts are ejected from the molds and the forces on the ejector pins? So many questions...

Shouldn't this be called "early morning modeling?"

I see no signs there was ever another set of wheels included. I guess we'll see next year, or maybe at iHobby 2013. It would be interesting to compare the chrome parts from the '71 Demon above to the chrome parts in all subsequent releases, and an explanation of why this kit received a set of Pontiac "honeycomb" wheels would be even more enlightening.

Looks like JImmy Flintstone has a 4-door wagon body available, which I assume is this an old conversion based on the AMT '57 Fairlane, and not based on and/or intended to be used with the new Revell kit?: I was wondering is someone had started doing that, and if there was a corrected Ranchero conversion already available in resin, but I'm guessing not based on all the work you're doing.

Looks like you found a pancake compressor, too. This is one of Revell's best kits, so have fun with it.

Those are really neat. I's like to see what they look like with all the parts still present, as I can't find much of anything regarding Modeler's via Googling.

If you don't want to use the metal axle mounts, cut them off and thin the wheel from the backside until it's thin enough to use with the tire and wheel back of your choice. Many die-cast wheels, and some newer plastic kit wheels have a ribbed circumference, making them a bigger paint to modify and use with the usual kit tires, too: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69996#entry866493