OldNYJim

My Miatas always seemed to drive nicer with the windows down if the roof was off anyway - with them up you seem to get a weird “pulsing” with the air flow...not sure how to describe it - you get just buffeted more at speed it seemed like if you didn’t put the windows down too, weirdly As such, this is perfect! ???

Yes sir! I’ve been wanting to do a gloss black build with a tracknose for a while...I can’t think of a WORSE body to start with to try and get a perfectly perfect black paint job, but I’ll try my best! ?

Knowing how good your builds always look I’m sure it’ll look outstanding - thanks for the response Steve!

That embossing powder looks like a GREAT match! Ive always ignored the metallic shades, thinking they’d look like glitter when applied...but they work ok, huh? Interesting!

Is it time for another annual update on this one Bill? LOVE this build - and the thread has been very informative and educational!

That color is gorgeous!

I wondered if it might be from one of the AMT kits - that gives me a starting point to do some research and see what I’ve got and what I’m missing here. Thanks! And you’re right, there’s no shortage of AMT Model As on eBay, but I had $7 burning a hole in my Paypal and I’m pretty sure the seller lost money on shipping for that price ??. Of course, I’ll end up paying the extra in labor costs here ?

Picked this AMT A up for SUPER cheap last weekend on eBay - I’ve been enjoying building some hotrods lately and this fit the bill for what I had in mind for a project: I figured for what I paid for it if the body was decent (it isn’t) I’d have a good starting point and anything else that’s usable is a bonus. I’ve been wanting to do a nice low traditional looking hot rod - something real simple but with some nice detail, maybe with a tracknose if I can find one without buying a whole kit to get one. When the kit arrived I couldn’t decide if it was good or bad...TONNES of crispy looking glue and some damage to the body but I was hoping I could maybe salvage the frame and body anyway...the engine had so much glue and paint on I could barely tell what it was. One night in the freezer later... The body came away MOSTLY cleanly, although there was a couple of splits...and there was a TONNE of glue on the inside, even where you wouldn’t need to apply glue. Took an hour of grinding and prying to get the interior tub out and the inside of the body even remotely usable. The frame was a different story - for how long it would’ve taken to grind out what was actually there (the original builder for some reason chopped the front half off and replaced it with a drinking straw) I figured I’ll just make a new one. I scanned the new Revell Model A frame and used it as a start to design my own version - nothing revolutionary but a 3-inch Z front and rear compared to stock (new design in the middle, Revell frame top and bottom): A little work on the cutter later and I’ve got some rails to laminate together: Im still figuring out exactly what parts I’ll use for this, so more on the frame later - but here’s a quick mock-up as an idea of what I’m thinking: Oh, and that blob of paint and glue pretending to be an engine? Might actually be usable...anyone know what kit this was from originally? More soon!

No way, I was thinking gloss black too ?. I’ll be interested to see how that grill looks with the body!

That’s really helpful! Thank you! And yeah, lacquer is always a kind of bait-n-switch kind of deal for me...I’m like “WOW, shag gloss is PERFECT” then the next day I’m like “huh, that’s not very good at all” ??

Looks gorgeous with the foil added too! I’ve messed with that particular clear myself but never got such nice results - do you have a particular technique that works well for you?

Huh, I just started messing with a track-nose A today! What nose are you going with?

Wow! Looks good! What clear did you use?

I agree! That kit glass is way too thick, to my eye

Also, it’s cool to hear you say that you think this isn’t one of Tamiya’s better kits. I haven’t built too many of theirs except for a couple of these and everyone always says how easily Tamiya kits just fall together - reassuring to know it isn’t just me who had fit issues!

Absolutely outstanding - I’d be proud to have this on my shelf! Awesome!!!

Mail time again! Really enjoying building some hot rods lately, and I picked this up on eBay for a couple of bucks...it’s a hot mess right now but I might be able to do something with it...

Not sure yet...I’ve made it in such a way that I can use off-the-shelf aluminum tube or styrene rod to complete these to the width I need them, but I’d like to think of a good way to have tapered tubes if possible too. I could just find a kit part that will work and resin cast those, but I like the idea of being able to add some metal parts to a resin-cast center to make it look a little fancier. Guess I need to think about a lathe ?‍♂️?

I wonder if you could find someone in the EU who could forward them to you? Might be easier than trying to source them here

That’s really helpful info, thank you Steve!

Killer! It looks just how I hoped it would look after seeing the frame! Way cool!!!

I felt like doing a little scratchbuilding today - I’ve done a few box-stock builds lately and I wanted to design and make something. Seems I’m always looking for axles for my hot Rod projects so I figured I’d make a Quickchange-style rear end that I can cast a few of for future builds. Used some 8mm tube as a basis, and cut and shaped styrene sheet to make the main center section and then cut some parts on my cutter to match the design I had in mind: Then assembled it and added some Titchy Trains bolts and photoetch: Not done yet, but it’s fun to make a thing! Needs some sanding and shaping to the styrene parts it’s a start anyhow... Then I started messing with a drop-in replacement frame idea I’ve had for the new Revell 29 kits...but that’s a story for another day:

Evil Upheaval! noun: (geology) a rise of land to a higher elevation (as in the process of mountain building) noun: a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally) noun: a violent disturbance noun: disturbance usually in protest Elevated, disturbing and violent - sounds like a good combination for a gasser to me! ??

I never used that Testors enamel from a spray can before - is it pretty thick and syrupy like the stuff in a jar or does it go on in pretty light coats? Cool tip either way - definitely storing this one away for future reference!

Thanks fellas! Apart from some little touch-ups and a polish this one is about done I think: