BigGary

Just a couple of questions here. Harry, Can MCM be found at any retail establishments, or subscription only? PROMODMERC, You said your copy was in the "mail ox". I'm wondering if I should get a "mail ox" too? Gary

News today is that GM will need 10 BILLION from the Fed to do the merger. Surely there is another alternative. The problem of Chrysler the last few years is Daimler. They screwed up themselves and Chrysler, and are trying to blame Chrysler. The German idiots tried to push German practice in Chrysler and the best engineers and Managers bailed out. The now defunct Ford Indigo concept car was designed by engineers who left Chrysler when Daimler brought in their idiots. Gary

I left bug drag racing about 12 years ago, but I can gurantee this much. That car is about 3 liters and has a turbo. I'd bet on that. Nice thing about a bug like that, you won't see 2 more at every contest! Gary

The current issue of Fine Scale Modeler has a great article on hair spray weathering. Check it out. Big Gary

Ricky, I forgot to tell you I have a six pack of carbs for the 58 Impala. Big Gary

Intersting side note. I saw a car that looked exactly like the Munster Koach driving down the road in Chesterfield, VA a couple of days ago. I was also driving so I didn't see it long, but I was amazed. Gary

As a diehard Mopar fanatic for 47 years, (OMG, can it be that long?) I think Chrysler needs to remain a separate company. Any other way and Chrysler will be raped into a distant memory. You may remember that Renault bought AMC/Jeep in the early 80’s(?) and gave us some of the crappiest, unmemorable cars ever made. Chrysler bought AMC/Jeep from Renault in ’87 (I think), and all but the Jeep line disappeared within a few years. Same thing will happen to Chrysler. They’ll try to cut costs by sharing components, design teams, and engineering. Chrysler will just become another piece of boring GM ###### foisted off on the public as an automobile. Dodge will disappear so that Chev/GMC trucks have less competition. It will be the end of Viper, and Dodge in NASCAR. That’s what I think anyway. Gary

Here's the latest from CNNmoney.com, "Cerberus wants out of the auto business. And as the credit markets have dried up, GM (GM, Fortune 500), worried about running too low on cash before the U.S. auto market rebounds, wants Chrysler's currency stockpile. The person said that the talks have advanced to the point where top executives of both companies have looked at a deal and asked for refinements. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are secret. In August, Chrysler said it had accumulated $11.7 billion in cash and marketable securities as of June 30. That figure remains around $11 billion, the person said, despite the Auburn Hills, Mich.-based automaker's U.S. sales being down 25% in the year through September, the largest decline of any major automaker. Detroit-based GM is burning up more than $1 billion per month, with several analysts predicting it will reach its minimum operating cash level of $14 billion sometime next year. GM's sales are down 18%, and the company has lost $57.5 billion in the past 18 months, although much of that comes from noncash tax accounting changes. Chrysler's money pile would help solve GM's cash problem if credit remains unavailable. Both automakers have had to deny bankruptcy rumors in recent weeks, saying consumers won't buy cars from a company that looks like it could go out of business. According to the person familiar with the negotiations, the deal being discussed calls for Cerberus to hand over Chrysler in exchange for GM's 49% stake in GMAC Financial Services. GM sold a 51% stake in its finance arm to Cerberus in 2006." (end quote) Notice the part about GM "wants Chrysler's currency stockpile". Sounds like Chrysler should be working a deal to buy GM. If Cerberus was willing to stay in the car business, maybe they could buy GM and have a larger stake in the U.S. Auto market. Just an intersting note, and remember, Daimler has to approve this deal or sell its portion to GM, or whoever. The plot thickens,... Gary

Absolutely stunning model of a Cat! gary

Just getting rolling on the downhill slide at 59. It doesn't seem possible. Wasn't my son just born yesterday? No, he's 34 and occasionally builds models. I started at age 7 while recovering from a tonsilectomy. It was airplanes 'til age 11, then cars until 1:1 cars came along. I built a few models in grad school to retain my sanity, but money was scarce. Now I wander back and forth between cars, planes, R/C planes, depending how the mood strikes and the constaints of the budget. Nice thing about model cars -which are not toys- is that they always sit correctly, don't fly away, don't cost 100's for one, have no FCC regulations, satisfy my creative instincts, and don't take up much space, (not counting the unbuilt kits). lol Even when I was 10 years old I pictured myself building models in my retirement years until the peepers give out. I'm not retired, just unemployed right now, which would make you think I have lots of time for model building. It is interesting to note that if I spent as much time on models as I do on model forums, I'd get a lot more models built! Oh, well... Gary

My first thought when I looked at this dio was, "Its an abandoned street rod project". The detail and weathering are outstanding! All the elements are there, extra engines, rusty chrome wheels, other hot rod parts sitting around. Great job. Gary

For all its unpopularity, the Revell 66 Chevelle wagon can be a great model, it just takes some thinking and planning. This one is a classic case of taking a sow's ear and making a silk purse. Seems like there was a time when wagons were more popular than they are now, though there are quite a few available in resin. Great job and thanks for your work! Gary

Plumber, Are there any peculiarities in building this kit that it would help others to know about? This kit is on my list and a heads up for problems would be appreciated. Gary

What Peter did is similar to what the auther did in the "that other model car mag" to make a top for his Mustang. Basically trace out the shape, then build it up to the desired shape. Gary

What are you using for an air supply? If you aren't using a tank type air compressor with a regulator, the pulsing of the paint could be caused by the compressor. Also the bubbles in the paint indicate a problem. I have a Badger 150 that I use infrequently because it is such a pain to clean properly and thoroughly. I use a 250 the most. I have 2 of them and a 350 for general spraying work. I've had good success with a small tank type compressor I bought at Lowe's back at Christmas for $50, came with a brad nailer. I also bought a regulator, best $19.95 I ever invested. Big Gary

The interesting part of the GM-Chrysler merger is that Daimler sold 80.5% of Chrysler to raise cash for the Mercedes division. The Chrysler division is the only one that made any profit the last few years before the sale and Mercedes needed help. Also, the German management of Chrysler was getting flack all the way around. Chrysler culture couldn’t deal with the Mercedes business practice and there was conflict. The German president of DC finally gave up and essentially said, “If you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘emâ€. You may remember him from Chrysler commercials a few years back. To their credit, they brought back the Hemi and brought Dodge back to NASCAR. Those were sound business decisions. Not so great was re-packaging a Mercedes in a different skin and calling it a Chrysler, as they did with Crossfire. Mercedes would have to approve the merger because they still own 19.5% of Chrysler. They are not about to let their technology fall into the hands of a competitor like GM, especially things like the Daimler 6 speed automatic, considered by many to be the best in the world. Also, DCX Stock is currently about $4 higher than GM. It would make sense for Chrysler to buy GM, but GM needs a lot of cash infusion to get it out of the stagnated position it has been in for a while. In the current economic condition, the money is not available. With a few exceptions its cars are mundane and nothing with broad appeal has come along lately. Ford also is struggling this year and their stock is less than an $5. Not a good year for the car companies. Big Gary