HotRodaSaurus

I have the MiniCraft version, it's around 1/20 scale but the wheels look too small and the glass area does not look correct.

OK Gentlemen...... Start your engines!(or is that NASCAR) Who is going be the first to build their games console into a 1:1 race car(front end at least)in their living room or den.

Hi George, looking at Toms pics with the split bar in place looks the way to go for me, thanks.

Back in 1999 we had the Millenium Dome exhibition in the UK, part of this was a huge games machine that realisticly portrayed a touring car race. To play the game you sat in a full size replica of Nigel Mansell's Ford Mondeo race car with the screen at eye level and using foot and hand controls similar to the real thing. The car was an actual converted real Car. The thing is this machine was so realisticly set up that the car was so powerful that it was almost impossible to control unless you were used to handeling a real race car(or were a 10 year old ) I think I managed 1/2 a lap, my son managed all 3

Thanks for the answers but I am confused because with a split front windshield, the frame is usually a very shallow V shape. To fit curved or flat glass would involve installing a new channel for the screen to fit in, real or model. The Revell Merc looks a fantastic kit but I prefer the split V screen look. Is the Revell windshield straight or curved? Thanks, John

Hi all, a query about windshields here. I notice the new Revell chopped Merc comes with a single piece widshield but a factry stock unchopped car has a split screen. I also noticed that the Hirohata Mercury and also Louis Bettancourts and many others have chopped and butted windshields. Should this be a two piece flat glass sceen as in the AMT Trophy version or is it one of Revells custom options? Thanks, John

Jaffa, The Cowboys are a real rock group from Finland, the film has them on a trip to Mexico to play at a wedding. They buy a Cadillac that spends most of the time behind a tow truck(with them in it) stored on the roof is a coffin that contains the body of a dead band member and is kept from decomposing by being filled with ice. This also keeps the beer cold. The group often play concerts with the Russian Red Army Choir and Orchestra. OK it's Finland and not Sweden but I thought you would have a better idea than the others John

American Graffiti, as Terry, having just taken possesion of the Steves 58 Chevy is spotted by some high school buddy's at the lights.

"I wonder when the violence starts? You always get murdered when you go to New York...I have seen it on television" JAFFA ! You should get this, Its a road movie(but taken from subtitles). J

I've been looking and bidding for a 1960 4dr for years now, never won one even when I thought I had bid well over the top for a rough one. Thought they were only available as promo's The reason was I had a 1960 700 model 4dr, it didnt handle that bad with a set of radials as long as you didn't treat it like a sports car. This one had a gas heater unit that cleared a frosty screen/windshield in around 30 seconds, MPG economy was compromised though . Neat car, looked a bit like my 60 flat top Cadillac, but smaller. Still have lots of trim but noone wants it over here. John

Well the price is ok but it looks like the chop is slightly too much. A good start though could always try to un-chop it a bit. Thanks for the link though, a great site with some future projects in mind

Thanks Harry but MCM is only available(occasionally) through a specialist magazine dealer over here in the UK, so might have to look for a subscription in the future. So whats the story? I have no access to back issues. Thanks J

I have thought about this as bit of a challenge because of the differences between the 49 & 51 body shape. Could the 49 be used as a starting base, and what about that back window? I thought I had seen a kit built version somewhere on the net but can only find the Danbury Mint model. I also cannot recall seing any builds in magazines. I may be wrong of course but I would aim it to be along term project. Thanks, John

I should have added that it is the really thin bars that (32 34 36 Ford grills etc) look ok PE, othher types of grill can look too flat. Has anyone made a kit of parts for items like the 1959 or 60 Cadillac? this would be a challenge with those flat horizontal and vertical slats(the easy bit) and then the bullets to hold it all together! Ill count em one day. John

That sounds like quite a complex moulding process to seperate the bars on say a 34 grill in 1/25. Usually due to a lack of the old £$ I make do with kit parts and would attempt to open it up by scaping the back off till the bars were exposed. I would go with painted, though I have seen photo etched etc and the look is impresive. J

Ok here to, J

Did they race ragtops back then? I don't have any old mags covering vintage NASCAR or stock car racing. The TV screen shots idea sounds a good idea but would you have that slightly fuzzy look of a TV screen or HD ? curved or flat screen? J

For pure entertainment value the original is way way ahead of the later remake. Now then, how many times is HB Halaki's name mentioned in the credits

Hi all, Thanks for the input, there are some really helpfull hints here. The lack of Hobby shops these days is the reason I get asked if I can supply kits. The fact that you can order from the internet is not always what buyers want, many like to hold it in there hands, even if a new item is often sealed. They like to hold the items look at the box, read the details. Minor things but If the seller knows his product and is enthusiastic about it then a sale is usually on. I will certaintly contact the distributers highlighted, I used to buy from Hobby Heavan as a builder/ customer. Then he had a big sale of all those SSP kits that didn't sell well, at rock bottom prices to. I bought a few hundered $$$ worth and sold the lot in no time. So over here(UK) the demand is there but most of our stores are now gone too, just as you guys.We are left with Toys * Us and ModelZo** , there are still a few independants but they are getting harder to find Meanhile a lot of sellers sell new kits on the Bay, they cant all be high dollar bulk buyers surely. Thanks, John

Thanks all, I think I could go $500 to start up but looks like I will have to track down the distributor/ importer I guess. Last enquiry I made to a UK model shop was for a couple of Li'l Coffins, the shop keeper told me Revell(USA) only import to the UK a few times a year and didnt always completely fill the order even if the kits were still in stock.

Many of us fellow collectors sell our surplus or unwanted items at swapmeets or internet auctions and often build a small customer base. I sell old car magazines and a few kits but often get asked for the latest releases of kits such as Revells 32 Sedan or Mercury. I would like to know the best way to purchase some new kits at trade prices, what are the minimum orders, who to contact etc. Many of these kits are real hard to find in the UK and I am sure I could fill a gap supplying kits on a small scale(no pun intended ) at these swapmeets and autojumbles etc. Do I contact the manufaturer direct or an importer? How do I find an importer if the manufacturer will not deal direct? I dont want to compete with the big stores for the popular high selling stuff, just a small time guy that wants to help out and make a sall profit. John

One of my favourite models and kits.Lets see how it turns out. I have an original somewhere, might build it, might sell it. John. PS Hi from the UK as well

A Marcos? J

I made one similar from the box my old tubed computer moniter came in. Turntable from bitz n pieces connected with an elastic band to a small wheel at front of boothe. A small extractor fan and some tumble dryer trunking leading to a filter(green issues here ) John

I think a lot of us have fallen foul of the word collectable, but even limited editions can be a bit deceiving in that catagory. How about a limited edition of 20 000 as some of those selected subjects Revell pushed out a few years back, personally I would say they should have limited them to say 5000 to qualify but then the price would put people of buying as to tool up for such a small run would be uneconomical. With diecasts we are into a slightly different catagory here as most kits are priced to build and if they are bought as an investment will loose a lot of value when built. Diecast's are usually not meant to be played with these days so there is a good percentage they will remain in perfect condition and only something unique will make them stand out as collectables. When some diecasts were produced in England if you knew anyone on the production side you could persuade them to produce some odd coloured plastic parts such as a red interior instead of brown or a blue canopy for a truck instead of say, green. Instant collectable! But can fetch big $$$$$ in the collector market. Of course things like this cannot be so easy now as most are made in China but you may be lucky if some parts were produced in a change over period with the machines. Personally I would collect them for the pleasure of having the car or truck. Limited edition of 20 000? I don't think so. Just mho John