whale392

If you already have a stash of kits, there is no need to stop building. I have 4 project Mustangs and 2 project bikes, plus my daily driver wanting money from 'daddy's wallet.........and I still find the time to do some parts-sticking in scale without having to spend (due to my stash of kits/paint).

Rubbing Alcohol should. Easy-Off Oven Cleaner (yellow can) will as well. I thought the air cleaner looked familiar, just couldn't remember which kit exactly. Thanks Brandon.

This brings to point what should be second nature: 1) good basic build techniques are a must, no matter the build style. 2)subject knowledge (to include research) is imparitive for proper results, also no matter the build style.

Nice. I used to live and work in the Orlando area, then got a wild hair to move to Ohio. I was doing A&P work, along with installing avionics and RVSM compliance retrofits on Citations and later King-Airs. Currently, I A&P on CRJ200s and CRJ700s, which use Honeywell APUs.

What do you do for Honeywell? We run a lot of Honeywell hard parts in our aircraft. I also used to install Honeywell avionics suites into King-Aires.

I knew that building looked familiar, Antonio! I live in Dayton and do some running down to Cinci for work. I have been to the Terminal Museum/building a few times! Where do you live in Florida now? I grew up and lived in the Kissimmee/St.Cloud area and used to run the streets of Orlando a LOT when I was growing up.

Same color my dads' new 66 Plymouth BelvedereII Hemicar was/is. Considering the GTX was a badged Belvedere, it certainly brings back memories for me. Dad still owns the car, and I will show him this build thread.......I think he will like it. Great job on a box build-up!

Looks good so far. The air cleaner is from the AAR Cuda, with the Superbird decal isn't it? As to the Rallye wheels; it looks like you have painted the holes black. That is a good idea, but I would go back and touch the faces up with silver paint. The lug nut detail could be picked out with the same silver paint (or wiped off with a thin brush wet with thinner).

OK, since this site seems to be continuously acting STUPID, I have to make a second post versus being able to edit the first (and before anybody chimes in with some smart-... comment, I already tried TWICE). this is a 1/25th scale MPC Mustang turbo4 I am working/was working on for a Capri build. Most everything hanging off the basic engine is scratchbuilt.

, ,

Mike, I worked on one of that planes successors........the E-2C Hawkeye for the Navy. The S2 was turned into an E2-A by adding the radar dish to its' back, and later completely redesigned by Grumman into the E2-B platform. Then, as now, it was updated to the E2-C variants......with Grumman now having two flying prototypes of the E2-D. The S3 sub-hunter still looks close to this chassis today, but with the addition of TF34 jet engines in place of the radials. Cool Score!

You can still work on the chassis/suspensions!

The weathering/beating is looking good, Michael. For not having the best color perception or access to the greatest of equipment, you are doing a lot better than I could with all of the advantages! A light wash of dark blue or a brown will help to add depth to the body lines and all of the door/trunk/gas door/fender separation lines. It will have the added benefit of 'blending' some of the weathered areas into the body.

I am still using that belt set-up on mine, Brandon.........just with some 'adjustments' to belt fitment!

There was a post in this section quite a while back about someone having a fix for these tires. He filled them with some sort of foamy thing if I remember right; that seemed to fill them out, get them to hold shape, and fit the rims better. Last step was a thin bit of super glue/epoxy on the wheel/tire mating lip if memory serves me correct.

Their 'Super Clear' does dull it down as well, Dave. I have done a lot of experimenting with the Spaz line, as I used to do both scale models and IEDA Pro-Stock and Pro-Mod 1/10th scale drag cars. As it was developed for use under clear Lexan bodies, it really relies on that clear for protection.

A car that light would most likely be running about 1.5" DOM Chromoly main bars/hoops (which is roughly .060" in 1/24th-1/25th scale), so .062" tube would work. Most of the auxillary bars would either be in the 1" DOM Chromoly range or somewhat smaller, depending on their function in the cage. Those can be replicated with .040" rod, and .032" wire. As for the corner gusseting, I would use .010" sheet styrene cut to appropriate shape. These are just my thoughts, and I am sure others who know better than myself would be able to better assist you.

As eluded to above, depends on the roll bar diameter of the 1:1 subject. Most often times though, .080", .062", and .040" will be the most common sizes needed. There are a few guys who build KILLER Pro-Mod chassis' (they post mainly in the Drag Race section) whom I would bend the ear of if I were you. These guys are VERY SKILLED in building realistic cages.

When dealing with the Spaz-Stix Chrome (or any of their flip colors), black base is a MUST. With that said, you can vary the effect you are going for by the number and thickness of layers you apply over the base. The more and thicker layers actually will dull the shine considerably. Clear coating it will kill the shine all together (at that point, Krylon Chrome will be shinier). That said, I have had some fair amount of success with shooting some of their flip colors over different colored bases to achieve a different level of fade/flip/shade. Experimentation with these colors will be your friend.

If you order from AFX.....you are better served to take your money and burn it. You will get a better return than you would dealing with AFX (insert personal experience emoticon here; no fluff or B.S, just fact).

I lived 10 minutes from the Cordova Mall, and about 10 minutes the other direction from the University Mall. Was the 'Village Inn' restaurant still out front of Cordova? Hobby Lobby is news to me, and so is a hobby shop in the Cordova Mall. Keep your review coming Brandon; it is interesting to see your take on this kit (coming from a fresh, unjaded set of eyes).

Brandon, did you get this at Bobe's Hobby House, Walts Trains, or somewhere else in Pensacola? When I was stationed there (1997-98), I lived 2 blocks from Bobe's; Steve and Smiley were always cool with/to me, as I spent what seemed like half my Navy paychecks there! On a kit related note (and not to take away from your review), but this isn't a new kit. It is a reissue. Yes, it is a direct re-issue of the Light Blue issue first seen back in the early-mid 90s (which I believe was still a re-issue/modified re-issue of an earlier casting). With that said, the mold lines are there, but faint (look on the C-pillars where the window glass trim from the quarter windows) meets the body. You will see the mold lines extend down to the quarter panel edge line and follow it back to the trunklid lip, following the lip all along the top edge. The front fender edges have a slight mold line running along their tops, and the wheel openings will need some slight addressing to clean up minimal flash. The hood edges (particularly where the 'hinge' meets the hood has some casting flash/irregularities that will need to be addressed. Once the hood is cleaned up properly, .005" styrene will need to be added to each side of the hood to restore proper gap. The nose cap has locating pins that do a fair job of getting your alignment close, but fitting, filing, and test-fitting will be required. The wing uprights have casting lines on both the front and rear edges (rear being somewhat jagged) that need to be removed. The wing spreader has some slight casting flash, as well as some areas that will need attention with sandpaper/file (the mating surfaces at the upright ends). Overall chassis detail is typical 90s Revell, and the front suspension is one piece and in terrible need of de-flashing/casting line removal. The rear end assembly/exhaust/driveshaft is all one piece....also in need of a good de-flashing. I would suggest finding a spares-box driveshaft and using it instead of the kits poorly done unit. These are just my quick observations; and I now return you to your review, already in progress.

I see you have removed the oil filter from the front cover and have a Revell 1/25th scale Charger front engine dress/belt assembly laying behind it. I have to agree with your choice there, as the kit supplied belt/dress is junk and only has the water pump and alternator pulley. Be advised, even though the dress in 1/25th scale and the engine is 1/24th, the spacing between the water pump pulley and the crank pulley is taller on the 1/25th unit! If you are going for a well detailed 440+6, scratchbuild a harmonic balancer unit for the lower (crank) pulley, and use an oil pump/oil filter from another engine (I believe mine came from a Revell 440 kit engine). The alternator from an AMT/MPC engine can be substituted for the kit supplied unit. Cliff, the decal sheet does NOT contain any of the Warner Brothers characters (the Bird graphics), but does have some generic 'custom' panel decals for the rear wing uprights. They do have a fair set of sponsor decals on the sheet though, and the '426 C.I.D' call-outs for the 'NASCAR' type letter-up are included. Other than that and the no-name tires, this is a direct re-pop of the original release.

scaledreams has a fair selection as well. Rick is a good guy to deal with on top of that!

Dad has some stories of the old 4&1/4.....he ran a 3408 in his 1974 K100 and told of a guy flat walking away from him with another K100 pushing a 4&1/4. Guy told dad later that stock it was good, but his had been further modified to run with some of the other 'Big Hammer' guys out there. Excellent recreation of this 70s iconic engine........had I a truck worthy to drop it into I would like one for future use.