Casey

It looks like they were hosted on myspace...maybe your account is no longer active or was deleted?

How long did it soak (totally covered/submerged) in acetone? Shrinking doesn't have much use to me, but enlarging molds would be very handy.

What percentage did the wheel increase by?

Given the choice between having that many kits to chose from and a lesser selection with better organization, I think most would chose the former. I think kits at Wal-Mart is a very random thing, as the last time this was posted (during the holiday season), some people reported their local W-M had zero kits. I don't see any mass merchandiser being a go-to place to find models ever again. Those days are gone, for good or bad.

I have rolled the dice a few times, or caught a glimpse of a part in a junkyard/parts lot and had a feeling it might be worthwhile to bid, so you win some, you lose some, and some you never even bid on. I did get a nice +-shaped Funny Car 'chute in trade from Clay in FL, and the '60 Chevy Custom Fleetside in trade from Mike (mikemodeler), so it's been a good week.

Check out "completed items" on eBay, and that will give you a pretty good idea what they end up selling for.

Is/was AF/X based out of Tennessee?

This is incredibly beautiful work, Danny. It's one thing to use and modify existing wiring, tubing, etc. to create parts, pieces, and effects, but to master new parts for the pipes and light shades for better accuracy is an indication of just how skilled you are, and what a great eye for detail you have. This definitely passes the "How long can you look at it and still not notice all the details?" litmus test for dioramas. I would suggest that you shorten the rise between each stair tread, as it looks like each tread is 14" or so deep, making for a very big step each time. Maybe a right angle stair using the corner would cut down the visual length, too?

I was watching that one, but the pic was so small and so bad, I didn't feel like spending $20 to find out.

$20-$30? Depends how nicely done they are to be honest, and which style, but I see $5.00 each being no problem for an accurate set. I'm assuming you'd be making/turning these and they're not the reissued Big Deuce set. Are they designed to fit the Monogram "Big" kit wheels?

Don Loomis casts it, so contact him at the link above for more info, please. I don't know much about his stuff, to be honest.

http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream

Don't forget to add the hasp and padlocks on the cargo doors.

The trick with using an MV lens is to use a small one which replicates the filament and filament support (not really sure what that's called exactly, set the MV lens at the bottom of a shiny/reflective convex bucket, then place a clear lens over the top. The problem with simply foiling or painting the backside of the lens is the lack of visual depth which results.

Let's say you have a '69 Camaro built/finished...then you place it on some type of base with a crushed rock type surface. Is that considered a diorama? Or just a display base? Now add in a figure, either behind the wheel in the driver's seat, or standing next to the car. Does that make it a diorama, or still just a car with a base and a figure? Just thinking aloud here.

See here, Ryan: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=52417&pid=595679&st=0&#entry595679

Exactly. Their appeal is that they are not "traditional", however one defines traditional...or different, or normal, etc. Like any other "trend" or genre of hot rodding, "Rat Rods" have evolved and will continue to evolve, and people will have their opinions about them. Some are nicely done, others not so much, and some could not care less- just the fact they exist and are created is sufficient.

Someone starting a list of aftermarket resources with links is a great idea, and there may already be one in the Links section. I thought I remembered someone trying just that a year or so ago. Pinning said topic would give the impression that topic is more important than the others in that section, and pinning, IMHO, should be reserved for topics which need extra attention or have special importance to all MCM forum members. If a person wants to reply frequently to bump said topic back up to or keep it at the top of the section, that's up to them, but topics which have appeal to many people will almost always remain at the top without any pinning nor blatant bumping necessary.

We sort of already have a section for that on the forum, to which anyone can post a list or add to an existing list/post: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showforum=13 Plus, Harry has expanded the Resin section to include other Aftermarket products/companies/info.

Well, to be fair, the cast iron head on and unsleeved aluminum engine block, coupled with undersized radiators were the Vega/Astres biggest problems. Yes, people didn't check the coolant level regularly, but the engineering just wasn't quite right yet in '71 with the head/block combo. The whole John Delorean factor also plays into the car's mythology, and was pretty much his downfall at GM, but it's a gorgeous design in my eyes, and the Pontiac Astre GT even better. Canadians always get the good stuff!

I'm sure I'm not the only person who thought of the movie "Tank" starring James Garner(?) when I read this article.

Pics of what's inside the AMT '60 Chevy Custom Fleetline, kit # 6310, can be viewed HERE

Do spike strips work on tractor tires?

"VW is not alone. The new BMW M5, which ditched the sonorous V-10 for a twin-turbo V-8, plays an engine soundtrack through the car's audio system" <--- Truly deserving of this. That's really bad, and the VW speaker is equally bad.

Send me today's trophy, Harry.