Chris V

I've noticed that Mr. Color Leveling Thinner is frequently brought up in discussion threads regarding paint and airbrushing. I was quite surprised to discover that it seemingly works as a universal thinner for not only various brands but various types of paint (Acrylic, Enamels and Lacquers), so I figured I'd create this easy to find thread for people to share their experiences with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. Please share which paints you've confirmed to be compatible/incompatible with the thinner and your preferred mixing ratios for airbrushing.

AMT's 1949 and '50 Fords have a different, more detailed, style of engine assemblies compared to the "interchangeable" Trophy Series engines with the distinct mounting tabs molded into the engine block. In addition to the engines above, the following are designed in the same style, and can be adapted to fit the kits: AMT Customizing Boat Kit - Lincoln Y-block (The engine does not have a transmission, but the transmission and bellhousing from the '34 Ford Pickup "Thunderbird" engine lines up perfectly with the block) AMT 1953 Studebaker Starliner - Chrysler "Fire Power" 392 Hemi Furthermore it can debated if the Hemi engines in AMT's "Double Dragster", the recently retooled '63 Nova Wagon, and the "Boss Nova" Wagon belong to the same "family" of AMT engines. If I remember correctly, the "Boss Nova" was created by combining parts from the original '63 Nova Wagon with the Hemi display-engine from the '61 Buick Wagon.

Over the years I have purchased more model kits from Steve than from any other vendor. He was a genuinely good guy, and will be missed. Rest in peace Steve!

Another vote for the "cellulose-/lacquer thinner and patience" approach! Apart from the risk of shattering the glass, using vise grips or directly on the cap will usually damage the treads, rendering the cap useless. In the rare event I do have to use additional force to loosen the cap, I use a small pipe wrench and place a folded towel between the cap and the jaws of the wrench. As a rule of thumb it's a good idea to clean the treads on the jar/glass and inside of the cap with a rag/paper towel soaked in lacquer thinner before screwing the cap back on.

I don't think its due to false advertising or insufficient quality control... I've noticed, that the LP paint bottles give off a slight smell - even when thoroughly sealed. This is a sign that the volatile thinner is slowly evaporating from the bottles, which would explain the reduced contents - especially if stored under hot conditions or for longer periods of time.

I can’t remember if it’s Jack Modeling or Ukrainian Scale Cars Production, but somebody already has. Historic Racing Miniatures made them in resin, but I’m not sure if Harold has retired by now.

Before I start fiddling with building some from scratch, I'd like to ask if anyone here has purchased MCW Resin's set of Tri-Five Chevy fenderwell headers? Their website doesn't show any pictures of the actual product, and I haven't had any luck finding pictures of them posted online. I'm looking for a set of proper sixties' style fenderwell dumps like the ones found in the AMT "Connoisseur Classics" reissue MPC's 1932 Chevy Convertible - not the more angled/square style seen on many contemporary gasser builds.

Amazing model - It may very well be the most impressive result anyone has ever achieved, starting off with that complete mess of a kit as base!

The teal colored interior gives it away: It’s not a promo but the simplified “Craftsman Jr.” Kit based on the Promo tooling. The bumpers are interchangeable with the regular AMT kit parts.

Though I hope you’re not contemplating cutting up a good body of such a rare and desirable kit, I really like your idea of building it as a tribute to Jairus. You shoud turn your attention to older Monogram kits for some of the other parts: Windshield/frame: AMT 1957 Ford Thunderbird Headrests: Monogram 1958 Ford Thunderbird 2’n 1 Dashboard (less instrument cluster): Monogram “Predicta” or “Orange Hauler” Wheels & tires: Monogram “Orange Hauler”. An alternate source of the Chrome Reverse wheels could be Monogram’s 1932 Ford Roadster with accessory “bullets” added to the centers.

It’s really a matter of what you’re building. In many cases the decals will have a different surface texture in the real world thus making it most correct to apply them after the clear. If clear coating the decals you should always allow them ample time to thoroughly dry and set before applying the clear to avoid trapping moisture in the clear coat. You should also be aware that in some instances the clear can dissolve the dye/ink or carrier film when clear coating over decals. Furthermore it’s worth noting that some clears are more prone to yellowing over time. With all of these cautions out of the way, I prefer to apply 2K Clear over BMF and some decals in order to seal and protect them from handling and degadation over time. I’ve found that on some of my older builds the BMF is has lost its full adhesive strenght making it more fragile and likely to lift/chip along the edges when handling/cleaning the model.

The old Revell 1953/54 kits (Sedan and Sedan Delivery) are frankly terrible kits. As already mentioned they suffer from weak bodywork detail and engraving, and the engine bay leaves a lot to be desired. However if you put a disproportionate amount of work into correcting and detailing them, they can actually look really cool. Out of sheer stubbornness I’ve decided to build a historically correct gasser using the Sedan as a base, adding detail parts from numerous Revell kits made around the same time. Hopefully the result will be worth the effort, but I expect it to fight me all the way…

The math speaks for itself, but in reality it depends on whether the models are truly true to scale… It’s been debated on numerous occations, but some scale models have rather exaggerated proportions.

Great build - It has nice eighties’ Street Machine vibe!

Vinegar is one of the few remaining things I haven’t tried. I am slightly concerned that the vinyl may be somewhat porous and absorb the smell of the vinegar…

Always nice to see high quality reproductions of vintage kit decals!!! As for the “Little Deuce” a suitable Pontiac engine and transmission can be sourced from Monogram’s 1934 Ford Coupé or Convertible kit. The Original sixties’ kit and subsequent “Early Iron Series” issues even have a 6x2bbl. Intake. In the eighties the ‘34 kit was altered into the ZZ Top “Eliminator”. It has later been reissued as a Chopped ‘33 Street Rod with the same features. The basic engine block and transmission in these issues was unaltered but dressed up to resemble a Smallblock Chevy, so the intake and valve covers will need to be replaced. As for the other “Little Deuce”-specific parts, Drag City Casting used to offer a set of 1:24-scale American Racing “Le Mans” mags and the unique grille insert. Maybe Ed still has the masters for these parts…

I recently inherited some kits from a freind, who was a heavy smoker. I’ve also noticed that it’s virtually impossible to rid the smell from some vinyl parts.

Additional sources for (non-stock) Oldsmobile engines include Revell's "Orange Crate" '32 Ford Sedan and AMT's 1940 Willys Coupé. Though the latter isn't highly detailed, it actually lends itself well to kitbashing with parts from the engine in AMT's 1939/40 Ford Sedan.

Presumably because it's a consistently strong seller... Despite it's age and a few shortcomings, it's an excellent representation of the subject matter, and quite enjoyable to build.

It should be noted though, that the Aluma Coupé has "true" directional wheels (they're just mis-matched on the built buggy), whereas all four wheels in the AMT '40 are identical.

These wheels are absolutely gorgeous, @1959scudetto!!! Are they specifically sized for the Gunze Abarth 1000TCR? I've accumulated six of them over the years, but the kit-supplied wheels/tires are frankly too toylike for my preferences...

Absolutely spectacular build!!! You've perfectly captured the vibe of the classic seventies' Monogram kit - ironically with parts from the "wrong" manufacturer and scale 😉 This is one of the nicest models I've seen this year. Well done, sir!

Your options are relatively limited. There's the following to choose from: Tamiya (1:18) McLaren M8A MPC (1:20) McLaren Mk8B (rare) McLaren Mk8D Accurate Miniatures (1:25) 1969 McLaren M8B (Bruce McLaren/Denny Hulme) 1970 McLaren M8B (Lothar Motschenbacher) 1971 McLaren M8B (Oscar Koveleski/Tony Adamowicz) The Accurate Miniatures kits are by far the most detailed. Model Car Garage even offers a photoetched detail set for this kit.

Essentially: No, not really - at least not with any degree of certainty... With the abundance of kit- and aftermarket tires currently available, there's certainly no point in taking the chance. Modelhaus tires offers high quality resin replacements for a very large selection of the vintage kit tires, known for having these issues.

The tragic thing is, that someone on Shapeways marketplace offered a fully detailed engine bay and correct grille to update Jo-Han kit. Hopefully it will return in some shape or form...