Ramcharger

More: Model Fink

A new post Model Fink

Another Post: Model Fink

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More: Model Fink

I then did the chrome work and added some red windows for that "authentic" gasser look!

It's been a looong time since I worked on this build, my old 59 Ford 1:1 keeps me busy in the summer and then we recently moved so I had to build a new shop in the basement. Anyhoo, I finally redid all of the bodywork, not as good as the first time, and got some paint on her. I went with pearl red and white with flat clearcoat for something different. Here's some photos:

New post... Enjoy! Model Fink

A new post on the old blog, I've been away for a while - Model Fink

Yep, here's a link - Altered States

I just received the above letter on Monday and I was doubting whether or not Chuck would make good on his promise of before Christmas. I walk out to the mailbox today and lo and behold, there it is! The quality and detail is exceptional, I can't wait to build it,

Here's a letter I received about my recent order from Altered States: Ron, I wanted to touch base with you about your order. The wheels you ordered are enclosed, but the cammer motor will be a bit late. Several of the molds for the injected cammer need to be replaced. I will have new molds by the end of this week, and will do everything I can to get the motor to you by Christmas. Chuck Mier I just wanted to share this with everyone, this is a great example of how to run a cottage business. One of my pet peeves when ordering from these resin casters, decal makers, and other aftermarket places is when they are running behind or have other issues and they never send you any communication about your order. I find it ridiculous to have to wait for months or even years to receive an order from some of these places, either you are running a business or you are not, most are not. Chuck at Altered States is the guy that is really running his business well and I encourage everyone to order from him. In our hobby we are very quick to complain about things and a little slow to give out praise, but when you encounter a guy who understands that he needs to communicate with his customers I thought it would be best to speak up. Thank you Chuck, the wheels you sent are of exceptional quality (as usual for you) and I look forward to building and detailing the "Cammer" motor when it arrives. To all of you out there in the aftermarket, this is an example of how to run a business.

I hear knitting is cheap, maybe you could take up that as a hobby then you wouldn't have to worry about it. I'm sure those greedy model company execs won't even notice when they ride from their gated communities at the beach in their chauffeur driven limos on your dime to their skyscraper corporate headquarters.

I bought their Pinto kit and it is very well done. It is also a great company to deal with, very good service and good products. I will buy more from them in the future, as a matter of fact, there is a whole crew up there in Michigan that are great guys to deal with and they have some really cool products.

Whenever I read these stories about guys waiting months or years for the stuff they ordered from some of these places, I always wonder. Would said resin caster or decal maker or other such detail part maker be OK with sending me some parts and then waiting three years for payment? Probably not. But yet I'm supposed to be OK with sending him money and waiting months or years for parts. There is always an excuse but never a quick refund with the excuse.

I'm going to weigh in on this a little because lots of folks have misinterpreted the original question, probably because it appeared to me to be nothing but an exercise in thought. I understand it to be that he was wondering if these unnamed builders that have gained some notoriety ever worry that they may let down their audience. More of a what if Donn Yost showed up at a contest with a paint job full of orange peel that could be seen from space, enough dirt to fill a sandbox and runs and smears everywhere? How would other modelers react? Do these guys who are very good at their craft ever think, "what would happen if I lost it?" the "it" being the ability to build fantastic models? I know there are guys that have built a really fantastic model and then quit because they feel they could never do it again, or they stop going to contests in case they can't measure up to themselves. Not everyone is that way, so the rest of this flame war was just entertaining. That's the view from my end of the universe.

We had a Tuner class at the Buckeye Challenge the first year we had the show and had one entry, so we consolidated it with the Lowrider class that also had one or two entries. Last year we got more of both than we've ever had, but still not nearly as many as drag or street machine. That's why you don't see separate classes for Tuners, not enough entries. If we had enough entries we would be more than happy to return that class to our show.

Although I enjoy the union bashing stories, it's the internet that has made these shows irrelevant. Why in the world would you pay even 10 cents to attend a show when you already have a website that you can announce your newest products directly to the public? You get to control the message, the way they are presented, and generate demand directly rather than selling to the shop owner and hoping he interprets the market the same way you do. No travel, no hotels, no space rental means less cost and less staff, and in a shrinking market this is very important. Social media generates "buzz" much faster and better than a trade show. Look at the ridiculous levels SEMA has gone to to make their trade show an "event" to create excitement with the public, and look at how hard the members of SEMA work social media and the internet before the show. Hobby shop owners aren't making the cash they once were and therefore can't travel to a show when they can go online and see what is upcoming. The public won't travel to see what's coming out because most folks don't care. The manufacturers have also killed it by announcing things that either never come out or don't appear on order lists for several years. Revell and Moebius have figured it out, get a table at a big national show and show off your newest prototypes to the hardcore, then announce everything else via social media and the internet. The bottom line is that the world has changed and trade shows just make no sense anymore, just like phones with a cord connected to the wall, floppy disks, and TV with only 3 channels.

Wow! Really?!? This is all you have to be upset about, to the point you would key a car, hit the windshield with a ball peen hammer, or paint a nastygram in nail polish on a car? Walk 10 feet farther and park somewhere else. I have an old car that I have a bit of money in, I park out in the boonies in two spaces because of dipsticks that don't care about other people's stuff (you know, vandals and such). If there are not enough spots that are available for me to park, I just go somewhere else. I can't believe the juvenile attitude about this, people would really damage someone else's property over a parking spot? This explains a lot about our society, maybe we need to lighten up a bit? I hope none of my coworkers decide to key my 59 Ford parked in the middle of four spots way out in BFE where no one parks, or parks right next to my door to make a point. About nothing.

This Thursday at 628 Harrisburg Pike in Columbus, Ohio at 7:00 is the April meeting of the BSAC. See you there!

Well, I went to rub out the front fenders and there was a problem with the paint. For some reason, after sitting for a week to dry, the paint was not dry. I have no idea how this happened, so it went into the purple pond. I'll try again later in the week.

Thanks for the tip, I looked everywhere and those were the only two sizes I found. I think the big box stores have limited the little guys on what they will carry, but I'll continue looking. Another idea that was mentioned was annealing the wire to make it easier to bend. There's also a couple of things I would do differently next time.

Very clean and well executed build, well done! I like the fact you did the later car rather than the PL 69-70 kit.

Kool idea! Hey, I knew Rusty when he was just a napper, I'm glad he grew up and became a sleeper!