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Everything posted by Bernard Kron
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2010 Mustang
Bernard Kron replied to MrObsessive's topic in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)
Thanks Bob. That is part of what I was getting at. The rest is what I wrote above in responding to Harry. As modelers we are naturally drawn to the iconic. I guess I'm just greedy and want more icons and not fewer or weaker car companies to dream them up. -
2010 Mustang
Bernard Kron replied to MrObsessive's topic in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)
Well put, Harry. I actually largely agree with you. Our difference is that I fear that the "retro" impetus has taken up so much corporate mindshare over such a long time. The thought that the only cars (and "trucks") American will buy are the "iconic" ones and those that evoke them seems to have dominated their corporate psyche. Most of the political moves that "Detroit" has made over the years seemed to favor these products. The legacy cost issue extends far beyond the Big 3 and has much to do with muchb broader issues in American domestic policy over the past 30 years and I won't go into them here (no politics policy on this board - a good one IMHO BTW). Bottom line, if something needs to have captured their collective focus over the past 30 years it was a willingness to embrace the emergence of new product types. Unfortunately, they were willing to give up to import brands most of these types under the misguided notion that Americcans didn't need or want them. They obviously did and do. Iconic traditional designs and forward looking product evolution don't have to be mutually exclusive. Indeed, they should have been creating new American icons all along! Now, however. the pressure is on and the American companies may no longer have the luxury of supporting the icons they did create. That is a shame and I hope things work out so that they can. The nightmare of the "fuel efficient" 70's is not something I am anxious to relive. The Mustang II was a truly horibble insult to that particular icon. The 2010 Mustang at least is true to the icon and is a generally succesful, if somewhat timid, facelift. -
What defines a rat rod?
Bernard Kron replied to Roadkill2525's topic in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)
What defines rat rods? Rust, rake and rant! -
2010 Mustang
Bernard Kron replied to MrObsessive's topic in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)
Underwhelming, warmed over, hesitant. facelifted - these are the words for this effort. The point made about the effect on future Mustang sales of the 2010's less than impactful "redesign" is the telling one, and I think that by the end of the 2009 model year sales will have faded to tiny levels and this "new" car will do nothing to improve it. This is from the same management team that chose to "facelift" the Series 1 Focus to the piece of dreck on offer now, rather than seriously consider an agressive commitment to the far more modern Series 2 Focus or the Fiesta platform of the time to drive sales. The relative success of the Mazda and Volvo models based pn the Series 2 Focus must be bitter consolarion to Ford management today. This is not a bad facelift at all, but it comes at the wrong time. IMHO, as nice a design as it has been, prolonging the current Mustang for yet another product cycle is a vivid example of the short-sighted management style that has driven the US car companies to the wall. Ford and GM's foreign model lines show that they are capable of better, but in the US they will not committ to a proper marketing effort based on fresh, forward looking techonolgies and designs. They have habitually painted Americans into a retrograde, nostalgia-based, backward looking corner. It has been going on so long that now, even when they do come out with strong, contemporary USA-based models that are competitive with market leading foreign brands, the public has become blind to them. It is destroying them. Very sad... -
Another rusty treasure from the depths of Geezer's Garage.
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Raptor Hauler - A Big Truck for a Big Man
Bernard Kron replied to Raul_Perez's topic in WIP: Model Cars
Wow! What a difference! You're right, it's still a rather vast expanse, but now, as Dennis points out, there's some contour and surface development to echoe the rest of the truck. It really brings things together. Instinct and a builder's eye - that's what's it's all about... -
Raptor Hauler - A Big Truck for a Big Man
Bernard Kron replied to Raul_Perez's topic in WIP: Model Cars
The back half is totally unexpected - I never would have imagined something like this. But the more I look at it the more it grows on me. I love the hatches. The tubs cry out for custom fit tool boxes... I can't wait to see what you have in mind for all that surface created by that non-tailgate. I'm certain there's nothing out there quite like the Raptor and the Raptor Hauler. -
Totally convincing textures and colors. I love the headers. Could you tell us more about the paints and techniques you used to achieve this?
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Now that's FRESH!!! Really original take on this classic. Love the modern touches and all that chrome.
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Here's my first attempt at painting True Fire
Bernard Kron replied to Brian Nehring's topic in WIP: Model Cars
Really tasty. Suits the stance and lines of the car just right. -
Super body work. Very crisp. Love the rear end. Nice show rod! Ywo thumbs up!
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Looks super, dare I say even beautiful. Your instinctive sense of balance and proportion gave it a dynamic forward thrusting look. As I said in the Workbench portion that windshield really pulled it all together. Like the man said, I'd buy the kit! I don't recall the top from the W.I.P. but it looks terrific and adds an extra dimension.
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Very cool. But just how small is that airbrush of yours, anyway???
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Sow's Ear now Silk Purse! You're right, that engine is nice, although I'll bet you had more than a little to do with how it looks in this build...
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A knockout. I could stare at the work you did around the a-pillars, windshield frame and cowl vent all day long...
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AMT vs. REVELL
Bernard Kron replied to plumnuts's topic in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)
Awesome thread we got going here! I always look forward to Art Anderson's posts on modeling history! I am a confirmed kit basher and hot rod builder so you should take what I say with a grain of salt. For me my attitude toward the two brand remains the same as it was 40 years ago when I first started building - Revell kits tend to be more detailed and finely made, but can be fiddly to deal with. Art's point about AMT's "build-ability" was spot on back in the day and no doubt was why as kids we tended to gravitate to the brand. But, despite occasional problems with crudeness, thick plastic and fit problems, AMT, for me, seems often to have more "soul" than Revell in their interpretation of their subject.s I'm currently building a '39 Ford Sedan using the very old AMT tool. But I'm using the Revell '40 Ford chassis because it's so finely made and detailed. However, there's something coldly contemporary about their '40 Ford kits so that I keep finding myself gravitating back to the AMT kit for various bits and pieces. Another example is the various Revell '32 Ford kits. Without a doubt these are light years ahead of the old AMT tools, and yet I find myself constantly re=engineering, replacing and modifying various elements of those kits so that I can escape the late 90's, early 00's vibe of many of the details of these kits. I guess I've always felt that Revell made better kits but that I liked AMT better... Go figure. But the bottom line is what's been said already: Both brands have produced brilliant kits over the years and it's always down to the individual subject matter and interpretation.We should be overjoyed to have such a rich treasure trove to work from. -
’29 Model A Highboy Roadster - Updated 12/20
Bernard Kron replied to Bernard Kron's topic in WIP: Model Cars
I shot some color on the Highboy yesterday. It’s a deep metallic maroon from Duplicolor called Dark Toreador Red. These dark colors are really hard to photograph! The whole thing looks like a dark pool with no detail. It definitely needs contrasting upholstery, chrome suspension bits and windshield frame and a proper dash. Thanx for lookin’. (Click on picture for larger image) -
A real stunner. Great details. The chassis is a masterpiece and your decals are always a treat.
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This is based on the Replicas & Miniatures Company of Maryland (RMCM) resin kit I reviewed earlier this year. The plan is to make it very period correct for around 1950. The kit chassis is based on the Revellogram ’32 Ford Chassis so the first thing I did was install an AMT ’29 Model A cross member. The banjo rear axle and spring is a Revell ’29 Ford set. In the mockup it’s all chrome and I think I may leave it that way, since this kind of heavy chroming was actually very much in fashion at the time. Front suspension comes from the Revell ’32 setup but has been modified to lower it slightly. I plan to install split wishbones at the front. I will run tube shocks front and rear. Brakes will be Ford drum brakes all around. The motor is the flathead from the Revell ’32 Sedan, but I removed the kit transmission and installed a resin RMCM La Salle box in its place. The intake manifold is from the sedan kit. I’m going to install the Model Car Garage Stromberg 97 detail set and an RMCM resin Harmon Collins magneto. The MCG 97’s are so pretty I may not put any air filter or scoops on them. The body and interior will be kit stock. The dash will be either an Auburn gauge panel or a set of period round gauges. Both are sourced from RMCM and I will decide which one once I receive them. The steering wheel will be a ’40 ford unit, The wheels and tires will be steelies running skinny bias ply Big ‘n’ Littles. In the pics you’ll see a set I made from the chrome steelies that come in the Revell ’49 Mercury where I painted the centers red and installed '’39 Ford hubcaps. They are very pretty but I haven’t decided if I will run them on this build or not. The exterior and dash will be a deep maroon with a chrome p/e grill. The interior will be tan. This may seem like a very straightforward build, and in fact it is. But I was stymied for quite a while because I’ve developed a nasty allergy to super glue. Since the build is mostly resin I had to figure out what to do. My LHS recommended a contact cement called Goo. It’s a bit stringy and tricky to apply and you have to be careful on resin because it can soften the surface if you get it on something that will show. But with practice it seems to work quite well so I’ve finally gotten going on this thing. This is part of a series of traditional rods I’ve got in process. Among them I’ve got a ’32 roadster based on the “traditional†’32 frame that Rik Hoving mastered for RMCM and which was also in my review last summer. This uses the Revell ’29 Ford suspension setup front and rear and imposes a flathead on you due to the way the frame is made. This will also be an early 50’s period build. It also uses parts on order from the aftermarket so I’m building it alongside the ’29. I’ll post it separately once I have something to show. Along with the aftermarket parts the weather is the other long pole in the tent because it’s cold and rainy up here in the Pacific Northwest so paint is a hit or miss proposition. Thanx for lookin’... (Click on picture for larger image)
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Raptor Hauler - A Big Truck for a Big Man
Bernard Kron replied to Raul_Perez's topic in WIP: Model Cars
That front end Really Pops In Primer! -
A Tour de Force M. Lombardo! I can't help but think that the ghosts of the Bugattis, freres et fils, are looking down on your work with approval - Ettore for its Royale like scale, Jean for its elegant proportions and lines, and Rembrandt for the greyhounds. Simply superbe!
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I've developed a nasty allergic reaction to CA (super glue), and quite possibly epoxy as well. I work a fair amount with resin and occasionally metal and wood. I've been experimenting and have found than in some instances white glue will work OK. In addition, the guys at the LHS recommended Goo, a contact cement made by Walther. I bought some, and whereas its stringy and somewhat hard to handle, it does work quite well. It's acetone based and a sort of a super rubber cement. Have any of you had similar experiences? Can you make other recommendations for adhesives? In a pinch I can wear my painting respirator, open all the windows, and work quickly and probably get away with using CA, but that''s only in a pinch....
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Jeff: Glad to see you bring this one over to see MCM board. Such a nice custom you've got there. You should post some more of the pics and the links to your how-to's. I'm sure everyone would appreciate it.
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Shortened 1959 Chevy Sport Roadster.
Bernard Kron replied to E St. Kruiser50's topic in WIP: Model Cars
Just when we settle in to what we think is the Treehugger's max game he kicks it up another notch. Those leather interiors look totally convincing. They must be incredibly fine skins. Your work is simply breathtaking... -
Merit! That's was the brand. I built most of them. I remember the Vanwall as well as the others I mentioned. Most were curbsides. They were all molded in smooth, shiny but very brittle plastic in the official racing colors so I never painted the bodies, just the details like the rims, interiors, exhausts, etc. I used to finish the plastic tires in black magic marker to get the dull finish. But it was a start. The Talbot shown here, on further examination, is much nicer than the Merit Talbot. To say the Merit kits were basic would be an understatement... But they looked fairly convincing when viewed from a few feet away.