rickr442

Harry: No problem, the Kahuna and I have covered this turf before... I prod because I care... or maybe not... well, okay, maybe just a little.

Wait... You mean there IS going to be a 'next' issue of Model Cars???????????? I won't believe it til I see it!!!!!!!!!!! Gotta tell ya, it's difficult to maintain any enthusiasm for this magazine as long as it is on the 'someday' schedule..... It gets kinda tiring, in fact, and would bother a lot more... but I write for 'real car' magazines and have been super busy meeting deadlines...... you guys know what those are, right? Good luck with the artwork!

I read you, Cal. I personally like this guy but there were times when I would give him really good invitations... to Herb's model car shows, for instance... where he could meet new customers, open new markets, at very least get the word out, it was always the same thing... 'I dunno, that's a lot of effort'... or some such. Guess he'll have some extra time, NOW, huh? This does open an opportunity though if someone wants to pick up some fixtures and showcases pretty cheap. I bought what I could use, have to pick it up next week, but there's plenty there. Kinda hate to pick the bones like this, but if it's offered, why not?

Florian, I totally agree. I met Boyd almost 20 years ago at his old shop in Stanton, and was even invited to the rollout of CadZilla in '89. Boyd offered assistance (free wheels/tires) for a project I was involved with a decade ago through a big LA ad agency. I saw the angst he displayed during the 'public' fiasco. The man was crushed by the failure. I'll always remember his apology to me for not being able to follow through with the offer. He was a class guy every time I saw or talked to him. I was a producer on the old Wild About Wheels series on Discovery in the early 90s, before car TV became a 'dramatic effort'. Our series was dry beyond reason at times, made with no budget. Now, though, with the current wave of popularity, the crews have show-runners who firmly believe they are 'the next Spielberg', requiring contrived drama in every frame. That only works if you have pros in the camera image... These people weren't actors! Boyd probably let too much get past this time, or he had no control over the destination of the product with his name on it. I liked him, respected his work, and will miss him. Travel On, Boyd!

Sorry to announce that a really good, old fashioned neighborhood hobby shop is closing in coming weeks. Mod-L-Mania in North Long Beach, Ca. (an MCM dealer, BTW) in the Bixby Knolls area on Atlantic Avenue, North of the I-405, will be closing its doors by the end of July. While it lasts all inventory is marked down 30% and all of the shelving, fixtures and equipment are available as well. There's some decent stuff there. Chuck, the owner and proprietor put in a good effort for eight years but declining revenues (and a somewhat gloomy outlook, IMO) put the last nail in the coffin. Nice while it lasted, though... I have some problems with the cause(s) for this happening, having offered Chuck many opportunities to promote the shop (at Herb's shows for instance) that were met usually with a polite 'No'. Lesson? If you want any business to survive you have to get the word out! Can't get the customers' MONEY unless you first get their ATTENTION!

IIRC the basic '32 roadster was out by Christmas 1959, the '32 Deluxe roadster and the '40 Coupe in mid to late '60, the '40 Sedan closer to 1961. Got 'em for Christmas those years!

Not Cops, Abe, but I worked on a 'car-crew' for an America's Most Wanted episode filmed one Friday night in Van Nuys a few years ago. We recreated a jail escape/carjacking/chase with actors and cheap movie cars. Rough area, lots of police protection for John Walsh but while we were there there was a drive-by shooting a block away, and one off-duty cops' pickup was stolen. Tough duty! And Abe,,, You can't BE on Cops at all if 1. You have all your teeth... 2. your clothes fit... 3. you KNOW what's under the front seat of your car... 4. You know WHOSE car you're driving... 5. You know where your other shoe is... 6. You don't have $127,000 in warrants... 7. your IQ is more than 1/4 your weight!

My mom is 79 next week, still in good health, and despite a lot of friction early on, she and I now usually treat one another with respect. My dad is 78, just got another job offer from Boeing to came be an aerospace designer/tech for a year, happier'n hell 'cause now he doesn't have to spend so much time with that woman he married almost 60 years ago... even though they are now practicly identical in mannerisms, voice, etc. I'm proud of both of em! (and happy beyond measure that I'm 2200 miles away!!!)

I'm in the process of moving to Vegas from LA, and I make that 650+ mile round trip about once a week, see a lot of traffic both ways. just a few observations... First, even with the highest gas prices ever, there is no less traffic on I-15 to Vegas, even big hairy 4x4s with condo-size toy haulers tied to their bumpers, doing 90+mph. One of my businesses deals with car dealers doing pinstriping and trim repair, mostly for used car stores. The L.A. market really sucks right now, but they really aren't the businessmen that the Vegas types are. They don't push product like they should, and they almost exclusively chase the (obsolete) 'Mexican national' market, so a lot of them will go away in the short term. Good... The more adventurous of the dealers are glomming on to the SUVs and pickups at auction at lower prices because they have the market for commercial use sales. gardeners, contractors, etc. I even saw three diesel pickups sold last week, with diesel going for almost $5 a gallon! If you need the vehicle for business, this may be the best opportunity to get it at a good price. I listen to news/talk radio almost exclusively, and noted that the run-up in oil prices Friday came only after an 'expert' predicted $150 oil prices by July 4th. This situation is solely caused by the commodities market, and comes as a side benefit to the big evil oil companies. Look for a turnaround later this month, their memories are a bit short...

AMT made AMC kits including the Pacer, probably '75 to 1980 or so. IIRC the HH site has had a few available for auction. They're not bad kits though AMT was really hurtin' back then. The sedan and wagon were offered.

Good history, Z... Bet you can't use any of those other flags on a Charger roof on the SA forum, either!

If Americans would throw a collective fit in November, and toss out any elected official found with their lips superglued to the posterior of ANY rep of the hysterical eco-weenies, we'd make some progress toward becoming energy self-sufficient. The big evil oil companies are making huge profits dollar-wise, but the percentage of end-profit they make is rather small. Compare that rate with the rate of taxation at all levels... the government makes FAR more off of each gallon, for doing exactly... well, nothing! Cut the Congress' ties to BIG ECO! Give the oil companies something to do... let them drill in proven reserves in this country, let them build a few new tech refineries on shuttered military bases, let them do their jobs, and things will progress, while alternative sources/methods, (ones that really WORK and really LAST and don't offer a false 'surface' economy, please...) are developed. Oh, and let the clean freaks and bashers keen and wail to their hearts' content, just ignore them! They don't... and never have... created or contributed anything except their own greenhouse gas... they never shut up!

One of my all-time favorites was given away by Chevy dealers, I think it was 1967, at the new-car intro. Paul Revere and the Raiders were starting to fade a bit, having outlived Dick Clark's 'Where the Action Is' aftrenoon TV gig, and were suddenly having to provide their own promotional efforts and tie-ins. One really good connection was with Chevrolet's ad agency, creating the Bowtie answer to all the Pontiac and GTO promo records that Jim Wangers had instigated across town. The song was 'SS396' and was probably one of the best of the car songs ever, IMO. It described the car in detail, the details were described CORRECTLY, and the music itself was Killer. The song oversold the car's performance a bit, but we didn't care! Also, look for a compilation cd 'Warmth of the Sun', which has a number of cool and obscure car and Beach Boys inspired songs. Good stuff!

For really good info on Marvin Panch, with pics of cars etc., go to his site, marvinpanch.com and order his Biography. three volumes, soft cover, self-published, very well done if slightly overpriced. Get it autographed! I've talked to him on the phone a coupla times, very sharp and funny guy!

I was fortunate to meet Wendell and sons/crew at the first race at Talledega in 1969, had dinner with him in the meal tent the evening before the 500. Very personable, rather quiet & softspoken, very nice man, good racer, running a Mercury Montego (4-door!) hardtop that race IIRC He offered me a job as a jack man, course, it didn't Pay anything, and, they were using a bumper jack, and, I would've lost my gig as a snowcone shoveller, and, would've had to find my own way back to college, but TO THIS DAY I wish I'd taken the job!

Very nicely done! I used the revell '56 for a short tracker years ago for the same reason, what a pile!

Very nicely done! I used the revell '56 for a short tracker years ago for the same reason, what a pile!

Beautiful work! Good to see the Galaxie kit up on all fours! Great pics as well! Wait til you see what Galaxie has coming around the end of this year! They're right up Choppers' alley!

Hadn't even seen this one til now! I write for car magazines, most currently Muscle Car Review, where I have the only recurring/monthly model car column in any of the former Petersen titles. I also do features, (wait til you Mopar types see what we found for the July issue!!!) and am branching out to other titles soon. I also have a small business doing pinstriping and trim work for car dealers. I've done that for a long time, have outlasted all my competition in the LA area but am now in the process of moving to Las Vegas. I've gotten a lot of new customers there, it's a cool town except for the 105 degrees the last two days I was there. I'll be there by July 15th, am already completely stoked about the change! Lots of good modellers there too! As an offshoot for the writing thing I have developed a screenplay and a tv franchise that I'm shopping around now. The original episode of 'C Street' is a treatment/alternate solution on the Mickey Thompson murder in 1988, with fictionalized characters and situations. Our goal is to sell it to one of the cable nets. These things take a long time normally, but the situation is worse now because of the aftermath of the writers' strike, nothing much is being produced or purchased now. Hurry up & wait!

Beautiful example of a great build Chrysler's handsomest car ever!

Those were really popular in the Northwest, I havent seen one together in quite q while! And, looks like you got two sets of Chastain Shadow rear window shades... future collectibles! The interiors were a bit cramped and tacky when the cars were new, (to my taste), and the Mustang wannabe styling was not all that attractive to my eyes, but it's not a bad start... and with the hatchbacks it's easy to store parts! Hardest part of the project may be finding trim pieces, but Just Dashes in Van Nuys Ca. should be able to do the pads, may be able to help with other trim bits too. Good luck with them!