Bernard Kron

Thanx Clergyman! I’m very flattered that my simple build could evoke a feel for that golden age. I would be less than truthful if I didn’t admit that that was my goal. (BTW, you’re right, S&S ran this thing until ’72 when $1.00 gas and the recession got the best of them. The good news is that they sold the business for a tidy profit in ’99 and are currently building a replica to run in the nostalgia drags – of course, they deeply resent the modern double tube roll over bar...)

Thanx Cal! Sure is a beauty! I hope it doesn’t upstage the rest of this build! Can’t wait! Thanx Scott! I couldn’t agree more. I almost left off the decals, but I wanted to achieve a degree of realism that required them. This period of approx. 140†wheelbase front engined rails are among the most perfectly proportioned and purposeful race cars ever built. I didn’t want to spoil it with even more than the bare minimum of bodywork. It’s also why I went with the symmetry of the Buick motor rather than a blown hemi.

Meticulous ... that's the only word for your builds. Your chassis work is stunning, second to none IMHO. You have a signature look with youtr combination of traditional bodies and contemporary slammed to the ground, big wheeled stance. A real inspiration for those of us looking to get out of the "Old Skool" rut! Looking forward to more! B.

Thanx for all the kind comments everyone. The little digger is just about finished. All that’s left is the parachute pack which is a contribution from my modeling buddy at CalSurplus as a “how-to†on scratch building a really convincing ‘chute for my competition builds. I’m really looking forward to it. In the meantime here are some detail shots of various areas that have been completed. Here’s an overhead shot showing the scratch built fuel tank, the pinched nose on the rails, and the fuel lines going to the engine. (Click on picture for larger image) Here are some shots of the engine bay. The side panels under the motor and the main body shell have had some p/e Dzus fasteners added. The extra detail really heightens the metallic look of the surfaces and makes them pop. The S&S decal is home made. The fuel pump was relocated to the front of the engine and is a larger item from the Hemi that comes with the HemiSphere kit. I also had to make a new oil pan because the Showboat pans are angled items to allow for the slanted installation of the 4 Nailheads in that car. The headers are the outside pieces from the Showboat. (Click on picture for larger image) Here are views of the tail and nose of the digger. The parachute mounting plate is adapted from the HemiSphere kit plate. The push bar is made from aluminum tubing. The front wing plate is from the HemiSphere kit but has been stripped of its chrome plating and refinished with Metallizer Aluminum Plate paint and another home made decal. S&S is a fictitious name to evoke the small industrial companies and fabrication shops that were such common sponsors on these cars back in the day. There’s also a pretty good shot of the fuel tank which was formed to fit in the pinched nose, What doesn’t show is that the bottom of the tank is rectangular and hangs parallel to the ground below the rails. (Click on picture for larger image) Building this model was a lot of fun. It required a lot of adapting of the original kit to accommodate the bare bones look and the Buick motor. I plan to build a longer wheelbase blown FED next winter that will also be inspired by the Surfers AA/FD which inspired this build. The next post will be Under Glass with the parachute and any final detailing that’s left to do. Thanx for lookin’ B.

Although I don't build truck models at all and know next to nothing about them, I must admit they are one of my guilty pleasures on this site. Not only is the work truck modelers do spectacularly wonderful almost all of the time, but there's something about the detail and complexity of the subject that is completely seductive. I may never build one but I will always enjoy these big rigs to the max! And this shiny chromed tanker with all its cool details embodies everything I love about these things! Can't wait to see this incredible piece incorporated into someone's build!

Wonderful build of a very cool idea!

I just want to add my 2¢ about how great it is that you're posting these wonderful builds of these little models. The fact is that if someone doesn’t actually build these kits then they will never reveal themselves as they no doubt were intended by their creators. And these are wonderful builds. They not only capture some of the detail of the 1:1’s but they capture the flavor of the era in which the kits were created. Thanx so much for offering these to us! If you have more, keep them coming. B.

Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! You have created a Funky Llittle Jewel .

I totally agree. It adds a whole extra dimension of expression and you get to do graphics as well! I have tried my hand at decal making with mixed success. I have a bare metal digger going and will try black script on clear over the Testors Metallizer paint to see how it works. The only mystery on your build for me is the white A&M graphic on the blue side of the wing. Don't tell me you cut all that fine script out of white sheet! The only other thought I had is that you printed blue on white and covered the whole end plate. In your photographs the end plate is a slightly different shade of blue than the rest of the body, but it could just as easily be the light.

Great paint work! Very nice resin bodies, too. It's gonna look sharp! What are gel pens? Thanx, B.

Beautiful build. Great graphics. What do use to make your decals (printer, decal stock)? Did you use clear stock for the decals that include white in design, or white stock? Your blacks are very dense and appear to hide the white completely. Very nice indeed...

This is a quick build I’m completing based on the HemiSphere blown Hemi AA fuel rail which I understand was originally the Garlits Wynn’s Jammer from 1964. I wanted to capture the simplicity and raw purposefulness of the kind of stripped down diggers that made up the numbers every weekend in the early 60’s at strips like Lions Association Drag Strip and Pomona. The frame is pinched in front but otherwise largely unmodified. I took the kit body, which is a full covering design and removed the rear section enclosing the driver and also cut off the nose piece. I fabricated the aluminum panels in the cockpit area from a pie tin and finished the “shorty†body in Testors Metallizer Plate Aluminum. Power will be from an injected Nailhead Buick from the old Revell Ivo Showboat kit which is mocked up in the final pictures below. I plan to use a minimum of decals and finish it virtually as bare bones as you see it here, except for a finished engine, a scratch built fuel tank, a wing plate at the front and a parachute pack. I hope to have it done within the next week or so. Thanx for lookin’, B. (Click on picture for larger image)

Builds of this quality don’t come around too often. Every detail and step has been an inspiration. I’m planning a T-bodied altered with that style of roll cage, and to see the build up on the chassis was a real eye-opener. I don’t mind saying I will “borrow†liberally from what you have shown us! I, too, have been following this post since day one – I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that many of us simply think that there‘s nothing new that we could say that others haven’t already said. Note that there have been over 1550 views of this thread! Maybe we should remember to just voice our appreciation for such great work now and again... Looking forward to seeing this one “Under Glassâ€! B.

Thanx to everyone for the props on the review. I'm glad you enjoyed it. In the instructions the frame is grayed out and the legend reads "Typical Competition Frame - Not Included". As I said in the review "No frame, no suspension, no wheels, no tires...". Interestingly, the illustration is for a very specific frame. I suspect it comes from a kit from the period. It would be interesting to know from modeling historians out there what it was. B.

Stevens International’s wonderful recreation of an AMT Competition Parts Pack has hit the stores and I thought I’d write a review of my copy. To say it’s a re-issue is not wholly accurate because this particular combination has never existed before. It also features all new cover art with a very cool diorama credited to a frequent poster on the MCM board. (Click on picture for larger image) My understanding that is that this is a one-off release limited to 5,000 copies. It consists of 5 engines and the basic body and interior parts to start an Altered Competition T roadster. Here’s the breakdown: 283 cu. In. Small Block Chevy V8 – Can be built either w/ Potvin Front Mount GMC Blower or 4 bbl. Carburetor. 392 cu. In Chrysler Firepower Hemi – Top Mount GMC Blower with either Fuel Injection or carburetor. 421 cu. In. Pontiac V8 - Can be built either w/ Top Mount GMC Blower with either Fuel Injection or carburetor or with dual 4 bbl. Carburetors. 145 cu. In. Corvair Air cooled flat-6 – Can be built with either stock dual single throat carburetors or “Spyder†turbocharger option. 1,710 Cu. In. (!) Allison V-1710 V-12 – Turbocharged aircraft engine with 3 carburetors. Competition “T†Body Kit – Does not include rolling chassis, wheels and tires, etc. (Click on picture for larger image) This offering is an incredible time capsule. All the tooling was created in 1963 and 1964 and is a highly accurate snapshot of the state of the art in drag racing circa 1960-62. If you use these parts in your builds it virtually guarantees authenticity of the first order. As someone who is recently returned to car modeling, having left the hobby about the time these parts were first released (!), I don’t know a lot about the history of reissues of these parts and will leave it to you car modeling historians out there to fill in the details. What I have been able to determine is that most of this Parts Pack has been only very rarely available, if at all. The T-Body Parts Pack was last seen in the mid 60’s and has never been offered in the modern era. The Allison was last offered in a parts pack in the middle 90’s as a rather odd assortment of “Drag Strip Accessories†with a TV camera, tripod mounted speakers, Christmas tree starting lights, etc. That giant V-12 would certainly make an impressive “accessory†at any drag strip! The V-12 has most recently shown up in the Model King re-issue of the Allison Thunderland ’69 T-Bird flopper funny car. The other four motors last appeared together in a mail order only Blueprinter parts box from AMT in the mid 90’s in black plastic with no chrome. Overview The first thing that jumps out at you when you inspect the parts in these kits is how crisp and detailed everything is. Clearly these were all always limited offerings because the tooling is like new. There was no flash on my parts, and almost no low spots and visible ejection pin marks. As a result the detail and depth of engraving on the parts is second to none. All five motors are fully chromed. Some may consider this an annoyance but the plating is of high quality on white plastic and, frankly, stripping chrome off of the parts I want to paint totally beats prepping and painting or plating unplated parts that I want to have a chrome finish. The box top builds of the motors show them with most of the parts left chromed to give a suggestion of a “show engine†type of build. In my estimation I consider offering the motors plated is a big plus, not a negative. The motors come on 3 trees, the Poncho and SBC on one, the Hemi and Corvair on another, and the V-12 in all its massive glory on its own tree! Interestingly, on the trees which pair the engines, the parts for the engine can be found spread across the tree, not necessarily grouped all together in one area as you might expect. The T-Body parts are all cast in white plastic and come all on one tree. Again, no flash was to be found anywhere and even the thinnest, most detailed parts were crisp and fully realized. (Click on picture for larger image) All the V-8’s are super detailed and include some parts that will never be seen after assembly, such as separate camshafts, crankshafts and flywheels. This is great for diorama work. The Corvair and Allison,, while having superb exterior detailing don’t include these finely made interior parts. With the exception of the Corvair, all the motors come with separate transmissions. The Allison obviously has its own unique transmission which will most likely not be useful anywhere else. The V-8’s come with iconic trannies from the period, the SBC with a CAE in-out box, the Hemi with Corvette 4 spd. (weird juxtaposition, huh?) and the Poncho with a B&M hydro. All are very well made and come with separate linkages for easy paint detailing. Strangely, all 3 are mounted to their respective engines in completely different ways so if you want to swap transmission among them you will have to engage in some minor cutting and fabricating. The instruction sheet is a 7 page affair with a single exploded view of each kit on a page. Suggested assembly is in numerical order and the parts numbers are molded into the trees next to the related part. There are no suggested paint colors and the box art builds, as mentioned before, really only provide a rough guide because it’s clear they wanted to leave as many parts plated as possible. If you are a detail builder you will land up stripping most of the plating off. Here’s a sample of a couple of pages: (Click on picture for larger image) The instructions are clearly reproductions of earlier sheets. They provide a piece of authentic “back-in-the-day†nostalgic fun because the parts list often calls out a part with a hot speed equipment brand from the period. For example the hemi’s clutch is no ordinary clutch but a Schiefer clutch. Young builders of the period I’m sure were very impressed! There is the occasional humorous typo as well, as for example a “Vortex†magneto is indicated on the Chevy instead of a Vertex magneto. 283 cu. In. Small Block Chevy V8 On the surface this kit looks very similar to the discontinued Revell Parts Paks 283 which can still be found on e-bay. In actuality it is quite different. To begin with the carburetted version has a single four barrel instead of the dual quads found on the Revell setup. And the name on the box, “Competition Parts Packâ€, tells it all. The engine comes with a nice timing cover which serves double duty on both the blown and unblown versions, but there is no water pump and accessory drive and fan to make a street version as offered by Revell. On the other hand the AMT 283 comes with a very pretty finned “Cal Custom Oil Pan†rather than the fairly generic affair on the Revell version. The Potvin setup is completely different between the two, the AMT being a more beefy looking version with the earlier dual injectors instead of the four stack version on the Revell motor. The crisply sharp, finely detailed castings really stand out and capture the stout look of a Potvin front drive exceptionally well, giving this mill a real period uniqueness. The blower setup will look fabulous stripped of its chrome and finished out in accurate shades of aluminum. 392 cu. In Chrysler Firepower Hemi This is a unique AMT parts Pack offering but blown hemis are hardly rare. The special appeal about this hemi is its very early 60’s vintage with dual throat Hilborn injectors, a very nice cast aluminum Hilborn scoop, single fuel pump, early style “weedburner†exhaust manifolds and nicely engraved Chrysler Firepower valve covers. This is strictly a drag racing setup so including a single carburetor option on a blown hemi may seem odd to the modern eye, but looking through period journals will show this to be a common setup for those who couldn’t afford the Hilborn rout. The carburetor rig was also very popular on show cars. 421 cu. In. Pontiac V8 Like the Chevy, the AMT Poncho is a strictly competition offering with no accessory drive, generator, etc. even in its carburetted form. The detailing and casting quality is very good indeed and the dual quad intake manifold, like the Chevy’s single quad equivalent, is especially nice. In addition this engine comes with a couple of hyper-obscure Old Skool variants on the fuel system of the blown version that will make a fabulous addition to any Traditional Rod builder’s parts box. First off, there’s a very cool side mount carburetor intake manifold that mounts on top of the blower and locates the carb to the left of the blower. But the most obscure and cool detail is an Algon four port injector with its signature stepped cast scoop (it’s so obscure that even AMT didn’t identify it as an Algon on the original parts list). A quick perusal of the major resin vendors on the web drew a total blank on this piece, so you parts box freaks out their consider this a heads up! (Click on picture for larger image) 145 cu. In. Corvair Air cooled flat-6 I’m no Corvair expert so I can’t speak to the accuracy and detail of this motor except in the most general way. I will say that it appears slightly more generic than the V-8’s, lacking some of detailing of the more conventional engines. On the other hand the typical Corvair engine is pretty much buried in shrouding and sheet metal anyway so I may be wrong on this score. What detailing there is, however, is very well done, super crisp and very finely cast. The turbocharging option is especially nice this way. Applications for this mill are by no means a s clear as for the competition V-8’s Unlike the V-8’s this is not a competition engine, coming with a full complement of streetable accessories. Uses that come immediately to mind would be rear engined show cars, dune buggies and VW Bug hop ups. As mentioned earlier, be aware that this motor does not come with a transmission. 1,710 Cu. In. Allison V-1710 V-12 If I’m no expert on Corvairs then what does that make me regarding Allison V-12’s? So I’m looking at this one strictly from a car modeler’s perspective. Any aircraft experts out there should probably take anything I write with a very large grain of salt! When first confronted with the tree for this engine, which, as mentioned earlier, is so massive it gets one all to itself, one is struck with the beautiful texture of detail that will result when this motor is built up. How accurate it is I have no idea but it begs to be made up as a display engine. As far as applications go it will always dominate any build unless its hidden under vast sheets of bodywork (can you say “Fantasy LSRâ€?). It’s hard to say if it should ever be built with any chrome on it at all, but I suspect there’s a show car version out there that will just sparkle with it. This motor may not appear to be “useful†the way the V-8’s so obviously are, but it has such a striking presence that it’s sure to stimulate some spectacular projects. Don’t sell this one short. Here are a couple of examples from this board that shows what can happen when you let this baby have its way with you: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Allison http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.p...amp;hl=Allison# Competition “T†Body Kit This is the only non-engine part of the Parts Pack and highlights what a Parts Pack is all about, which is to provide key parts for building models that are not available entirely in kit form, acknowledging the kit bashing aspect that’s so crucial in the car modeling world. The Competition “T†Body kit consists of 1925 “T†Roadster bucket which has been relieved aft of the doors to accept a pair of big slicks, with a separate cockpit tarp which is shaped and textured to specifically be a cloth tarp and not a hard tonneau as would be common practice just a couple of years later. There is, of course a separate Roadster Turtle Deck so if you have a pickup box you would rather use you can. There is a roll bar and its attendant braces are designed to hold a very nice steering box and pedal assembly that would be useful in a large variety of drag racing and rat rod projects. There is a beautifully made, very finely cast tiny little butterfly steering wheel that is really exceptional. There’s a “deceleration chute†that will float nobody’s boat, the ubiquitous AMT T-bucket instrument panel, a separate tachometer, a nice chopped T radiator shell, a steering column, a racing bucket seat and that’s it. No frame, no suspension, no wheels, no tires. Scratch builders and kit bashers need only apply. The Competition “T†Body kit just screams 1960 in all its details. Consider the roll bar. It’s a square piece with low braces that wouldn’t pass tech inspection even 5 years later. The cutaway in the tarp is designed specifically for it. The rollbar itself is located entirely within the T-bucket, so, other than the tire cutaways the bucket is completely intact. Everything is cast in thin white styrene, and like everything else in this Parts Pack, the details are clear , crisp and visible. (Click on picture for larger image) Conclusion This Parts Pack is old skool heaven executed to a very high level of quality. There’s enough here that it should be part of everyone’s parts box. It sells for $20.00-$25.00 which will buy a tiny fraction of all this in the aftermarket and everything here requires virtually zero cleanup and detailing. So whether you’re a modeler who enjoys an occasional traditional build now and again or a committed Old Skool enthusiast, I would very seriously consider adding this fabulous Box O’ Parts to your arsenal. Two enthusiastic thumbs up to Stevens International for bringing us this great “kitâ€! It’s a limited edition run so make sure you get yours before they disappear!

Thanx everyone. This build definitely had its pluses and minuses. In retrospect forcing myself to use the kit parts exclusively was a mistake. It was a kind of artificial discipline. It might have made sense when it was the only model I had, but that was definitely not the case by the time I really got down to finishing it! Building models OTB is absolutely not my style, and never was even “back in the dayâ€. The whole build had the character of a “save†to it. When the paint went south that only compounded a situation where I wasn’t as “hooked up†to the vibe of the build as I normally like to be. Of course I have to admit I’m very pleased with the color! The fluorescent under color technique is something I’m sure to use again. Another part that I think was successful is the whole look of the front end. The cut down p/e grill and the low-mounted oversized headlights (they’re the stock ’32 coupe full fender lights) create an ultra-aggressive look I know I will use again. The headlights were a last minute idea. I drilled a hole in the center of each of the buckets and mounted them to the horizontal pin on the top of the shock mounts. The result is a radically low and forward headlight positioning. Thanx for the props on the stance, Crap’n, but if I can indulge in a little self criticism, I’m a little dissatisfied with overall look. Along the way I lowered the grill shell just a tad too much and the car has a droop snoot look to it now that it didn’t when I did the mock ups. Check out the build pics to see what I mean. Frankly, I just couldn’t face modifying another radiator and cutting new side panels a 4th time (!) so I let it go... Now I regret not doing it... The basic concept was a good one, I think. I’ll probably do another version of this but with more channel at the back end and perhaps no hood sides with a more interesting motor and externally mounted headers. But I have at least a half dozen other builds in the cue before I can even contemplate that! Once again, thanx for all the kind words. B.

Really cool! Nice detailing. The trunk panels are terrific. Can't wait to see more. I've just started a Tudor that's as far away from this one as can be: A low to the gorund custom adapted to the modern Revell '40 Ford Good Guys Coupe chassis. It'll be awhile until I start posting W.I.P.s so I'll count on this one for inspiration! B.

I'm finally gonna get one right 'cause I know the picture. Unfortunately, it'll be the first time...

At last I can put this one “Under Glassâ€. When I first returned to car modeling last fall after several decades (!) away from “the hobby†my very first purchase was this Revellogram Good Guys ’32 3-window. I though I’d just build it out of the box, but within 10 minutes I had the body channeled over the frame and I was cutting plastic – which is the way I used to build years ago. I guess you can’t teach an old dog.... My plan when I started was to build the car entirely from what came in the kit. After all it was literally the only model I had at the time! I came pretty close. The only pieces not found in the box are the Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland 2†chop grille shell which comes with a beautiful p/e grille, the Revellogram ’32 roadster louvered side panels (thanx Raul!) and the Morgan Auto Detail pre-wired distributor. Everything else is stock or modified from kit parts. The body is un-chopped, the channel is pretty deep, about 6 ½ scale inches, the frame is stock from the kit and the only suspension modification was to lower the front suspension another couple of scale inches by shaving the mounting tab on the front spring (thanx to Tim Boyd and his excellent article last fall in MCM on Revellogram ’32 Ford building tips). With the stock height rear end the result is a pretty radical rake. Paint is two coats of Tamiya Fluorescent Red followed by two coats of Duplicolor Super Red, all over a base of Plasti-Kote white primer. The whole thing was then sealed under four coats of Duplicolor Clear. The paint gave me real problems documented on my W.I.P. (http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11554&st=0) and I landed up spending a couple of weeks rubbing the paint out. It came out pretty well so I’m very relieved! I wanted a real Eye Searing Red and I got it – I hope it shows up in the pictures. The only thing worth mentioning about the largely stock interior (extensively cut, of course, due to the deep channel) is the use of straight pins to make some shiny buttons on the traditional roll upholstery (thanx for the tip, Raul!). The wheels, suspension, motor, etc. are bone kit stock. Thanx for lookin! B.

This will be the last W.I.P. post on this build because at last I can put this one up on the shelf! The paint on this, as I said, was a nightmare, but after many hours of polishing I actually got it to look nice and shiny and smooth. But this is definitely not how you want to do it. The paint fought me all the way. I used Plasti-Kote white primer for the base coat and I found it tended to build up too heavily which wiped out some detail. It was bad enough that I had to re-do the hood and side pieces with new plastic. The white primer, however, was key to the Retina Searing Red I was after. It worked out in the end so I’m happy despite the drama. I used the Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland 2†chopped grille shell and I’m very pleased. The photoetch grille and detailed radiator it comes with are gorgeous and when I put the grille on last night the front end really popped! Here is a detail shot of the front end and engine bay as I wrapped up the build. I love the way the p/e grille shows everything underneath it. More pics are in the Under Glass section. Thanx for following along! B.

Beautiful, beautifully done, beautiful color, beautiful.

Thanx Kenny. Your right. The distributor placement and exhaust port pattern are the same on both engines. Given that it has Thunderbird valve covers I shoulda known! FE it is! I just gained 88 cubes!

FANTABOOLUSSS!!!! Wutaneye U got. It's the miniature alter-ego of your big-scale belt sander wooden rod of a few months back. Love it, love it, love it - you're turnin' into a detailin' fool! The build sequence on your Fotki is outa site... B.

Made some more progress on the ’34 pickup. I foiled the grill and got the color down. It’s not in the pictures, but the firewall is Pearl White to echo the interior. The fenders and chassis are 2 coats of Dupli-Color Medium Green Metallic and the body is 2 coats of Tamiya TS-20 Metallic Green, all of it over Dupli-Color gray Primer Sealer. This is the raw color coat. The dark metallic doesn't light up yet and the lighter green lacks depth. I think it will really pop once I've laid down 4 coats of clear and polished it. That’s next on the agenda. (Click on picture for larger image) The deck in the pickup bed will be a cherry brown stain with BMF skid rails. The wood paneling on the underside of the body will be the same cherry brown stain color. I’ve started on the interior and completed the rough work on the seat. I decided a bench seat was more in keeping with the overall look of the build. But the kit bench seat is absolutely plain with no detail or texture at all. Dead flat sheets of shiny plastic! Fortunately that is the perfect base for a roll and pleat upholstery job. The rolls are #90886 .187†Plastruct Half Round rod and the center panels are Plastruct #91539 1/8" Square Tile Patterned Plastic Sheet. The lower bolsters are Plastruct #91812 O Scale 1:48 Ribbed Roof Corrugated plastic sheet. The tile pattern will show up in the door panels and headliner as well. Color combo will be pearl white with pale green centers. The colored picture is a Photoshop mock up. (Click on picture for larger image) The motor is the stock kit motor which is a small block Ford 302 Windsor FE 390 with triple carbs. I detailed it with a pre-wired distributor from Morgan Automotive Details (you can get them from Scale Models by Chris) and scratch built fuel lines. The block is painted gold and I tried to keep as much chrome as possible as part of the “Show ‘n’ Go†theme of the build. (Click on picture for larger image) Other than the radically lowered front suspension the chassis is basically kit stock. Thanx for lookin’ B.

Very Nice contemporary street rod. I can see why you were attracted to the body. It's got bags of character! It looks pretty crisp. Did you have much clean up to do on the original shell?