Bernard Kron

Thanx for the kind words, guys! Here's a minor update. When it comes to how a vehicle looks, I've always felt that stance plays a critical role in how successfully the design comes off. This is particularly true of hot rods where many of the design elements are already pre-determined. The Lobeck-inspired Deuce roadster still didn't look quite right to me. Lobeck's style depends heavily on a really tight, dialed-in stance. I liked the rake on the car but the area between the top of the rear tires and the wheel well arch seemed much too large. So I lowered the front and rear suspension roughly equal amounts by changing to a mono-leaf front suspension (quite common on this style of rod) and cutting down the dreaded Revell airbags. The difference is not dramatic (probably lowered the car about 1 ¾" all around), but to my eyes the result is a tighter, more together look and much more like a 1:1 Lobeck Deuce. The mocked-up red grill represents what I plan to use in the final build, but it will be a p/e piece. I've started on an SBC which I hope to complete in the next day or two. I'll post pics when it's done. Meanwhile there's a lot of chassis and body prep and cleanup to do and then paint. I've got the main interior pieces painted out so this project, largely out-of-the-box, is moving along fairly quickly. Thanx for lookin', B.

Another immaculate OOB build. You really have this down. And you always select the right kits for your style. I really must get myself this kit. It demands to be built out-of-the-box because it's so beautifully engineered and executed. You really did it justice! Thanx (as always) for sharing your talent with us. And I actually like the green - it's appropriate for the era and style of the car.

Nothing fancy here, just a tweak of a classic kit. My plan is to do a Barry Lobeck style '32 Ford Roadster in the 90's idiom, clearly what Revell intended with it's '32 Ford Highboy kit. But details like the tires and wheels and the stance always bugged me. Somehow it came up short. So after a couple of hours work here's a mockup of what I think will be my next project. Plans are for a bright red paint job with brown interior, louvered hood and smooth sides. Perhaps a small block Chevy, too. So far I removed three leaves from the front spring to bring the nose down, adapted the front tires and wheels from the Revell Stone, Woods & Cook Willys Gasser kit and cut down a pair of rear mags from the AMT '53 Studebaker Starliner kit to fit a set of 11 inch Firestone dirt track tires from Replicas & Miniatures. Thanx for lookin', B.

Thanx Curt! In the 1:1 world it obviously would be removable. Lots of pieces in the modeling world are poorly located and yet designed to be removable. Clear examples would include engine covers and convertible up-tops. I've begun using tiny dabs of Ambroid Tack 'n' Place to fix things in place in these situations. On this build I used some on the engine cover and the scoop.

Thanx Curt. Building these things really is like stepping in the Waybac Machine! More pics Under Glass if you're curious... B.

Thanx guys! It's a decal from the Revell '49 Merc. It was the only thing I had that fit. And of course it is a speedometer when it should be a tach! Now that you mention it I should have made my own face. Just Google "Sun Tachometer".... Curious omission on AMT's part, or rather Round2, given the mega over the top decal sheet the tin box comes with. But in this case it's too late since the body is glued to the chassis. Of course no one will ever see the error because of the tinted windows. Why oh why did I take a close up of the frame-off interior????

Here are some additional chassis shots:

Early 60's Fiat Altered (more pictures below) This is the second build that I have gotten out of the AMT Double Dragster "Tin Box" kit. So far I've used the Fiat Altered chassis to build the old AMT Parts Pack T Bucket Altered. Since I no longer had the Fiat's frame I scratch built a tubular frame in order to build the Fiat Altered from the Double Dragster kit. The basic frame is made from Evergreen tubular styrene. Everything "north" of the frame rails is from the kit. The front axle is a dropped axle from the AMT '32 Phaeton kit. The hairpins are from the Revell Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. To my eyes the dropped axle really improves the stance. The rear axle is a cut down Revell '32 Ford kit piece. The push bar and tie rod are scratch built. Pretty much everything else is from the kit with most of the chrome bits having been stripped and refinished in various shades of Testors Metalizer. The paint is Duplicolor Crème left unpolished to capture the texture of a rough and ready race car paint job from the early 60's. The Henderson Bros. and Jack's Automotive decals are all home made. They represent a fictitious Midwest team from back in the day. The back story is that the Hendersons built and drove the car and Jack's contributed the blown Chrysler and the sponsorship bucks. The nose decal was made by tracing the shape of the kit grill on to a piece of paper, scanning it into my computer and making the graphics 1:1 from the scan with Photoshop. I was amazed that it actually worked! The Jack's hemi is finished in Chrysler factory colors of aluminum paint on the block and heads and gold valve covers. My goal is to try and get 4 builds out of the old tin box if I can, including using both dragster frames for two separate builds. Here's the link to the W.I.P.: http://www.modelcars...showtopic=29768 Thanx for lookin', B.

Very nice channel and stance. Gives it that genuine hot rod vibe!

Here are a few final “beauty shots†of the Fiat. More pics can be seen Under Glass. Not too much to report on except an epic battle with old decals from my parts stash which kept refusing to stick, cracking into pieces, and finding their way on to the floor. Most of the surviving ones are from the Double Dragster kit or some recent Slixx Nostalgia Drag contingency sheets. One thing that jumped out at me in these more formal shots is that the dropped front axle sure does improve the stance. Thanx for following along!

I built this kit as a kid. Wonderful to see modern techniques applied to it. Looks like your going to make a beautiful example of it. The engine and interior details are far netter than I remember them. Does it still comer with the clear plastic discs and decals for the wire wheels?

The Fiat is almost done. I hit a brief patch of builder's block but got started again earlier this week, aiming for Model Car Sunday, a long running show (this is #21)here in the Seattle area put on by PSAMA (Puget Sound Auto Modelers Association) and the IPMS. I didn't quite get things completed in time for the show. But I was close enough to stick it together with Ambroid Tac N Place and but her on the table anyway. The decals came out incredibly close to the Photoshop mockup. I was amazed! I also added some nice hairpins from the Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. Here are some pics showing the completed engine, the decals (this time for real) and the hairpins, as well as a coupla shots of the Fiat on the table at the show. You'll notice the Tac N Place isn't holding up real well the bellypan is starting to fall away from the body and the hood is sliding forward. Oh well… Final steps are to put everything away for real, add some contingency decals and make the rear 'chute more interesting and believable. Then it's off to the photo studio for some "beauty shots" and then Under Glass. Thanx, for lookin', B.

The re-issue of this kit was taken up with so much enthusiasm by us hot rod builders that it's easy to lose sight of what a great stock build up it can provide. Thanx for sharing this beautifully detailed and finely turned out model with us. Great colors and superb unde-hood work!

Always dig your stuff: the knowledge you show of your subject, the way cool chassis work (the description earlier in this thread explains a lot - thanx), the great color schemes and overall look and, as always, the decals.. Another winner!

As I mentioned on the other thread regarding these very welcome and very cooool releases , please note that the cover of the brochure and the lead pages inside emphasise the automotive side of the hobby! What can this mean???

Besides the wayyyyy cool releases shown (including re-issues of the iconic Black Widow and Square 'Bird and a chopped '48 Coupe, as well as many welcome Monogram re-issues) please note that the cover of the brochure and the lead pages inside emphasise the automotive side of the hobby! What can this mean??? BTW, not being well-versed in the history of model car releases, besides the obvious (the Tom Daniels cars and the Beatnik Bandit, various classic Monogram items and the '59 Ford, all in the re-issue department and the 2010 'Stang in the new tool area) which of these are re-issues and which constitute new tools?

Ask and ye shall receive... I think you might have to add a little detail to the enlarged surface (contour, inset license plate, .... something) but basically it goes with the extended running boards and front fenders so I think it works.

Niiiiice....

Wow! So simple but to so effective. Very cool!

Wow! It never occured to me that the space below the body could be filled by adding material to the top of the running board rather inserting a panel into it to bring it flush with the door surface. A far superior solution. I know you kept describing what you intended to do, but it just didn't sink in. The slight thickening of the running board side panel also benefits the overall look. As you so often say to others... keep up the GREAT work!

Impeccable builds as always, with a real eye to color and detail. The blue '38 with the Modelhaus wide whites is especially striking. Bravo!

Hey Ken, great looking Willys. Thanx for the tip! I have been wanting to slam a Willys in the modern style and this does the trick. Also I've been collecting those Phantom Vickie wheels and that's a great use for them! BTW, looks like that thing is sectioned and has had extensive work done to the fenders... Yes? I'd love to see this one on the workbench forum. Meanwhile I'm sure we're all looking forward to Raul's next update.... B.

Looking very good. The smoothing out of that radius in front of the trim on the hood was really needed and was well worth the effort, IMHO. Similarly, I agree, the indented area between between the bottom of the body and the running board needs to be dealt with! Another example of big effort on seemingly small things yielding big results. Don't stop finessing now!!!! It's looking too good...

Wow! That chassis is a knockout. Great color with all the nice detailing we've come to expect in your builds. It's such a modern piece. I'll have to get this kit just for the chassis alone. I wonder what it would fit under? Hmmmm....