Scott H.

Art, Thanks for the reply. You answered several of my questions I had bouncing around in my empty head. I was thinking the plans would be in some sort of scale and was just wondering how hard it would be to convert them down to the size we usually work with. I now have a better idea on what I need to do. I have the aftermarket clear camper kit that was available years ago and was just wondering about a slide in or a pop up trailer to go with it in a campground diorama if I get that ambitious later. I'm already looking at the Model King reissue camper to combine with an old Ford Van body I have floating around in my parts box. The 1/24th statement was just a generalization, it was the first one that popped into my mind while typing. I fully agree with you that 1/25th would be mathematically easier to convert from 1 to 1 and is the scale I usually work with. Believe it or not I already have been taking digital pictures while working on my camper so I can remember where everything came from when it's time for reassembly. I hadn't even thought about using them for building my scale camper. I'll definitely be using them for more than a reminder of where things went now! I'm just hoping that once I get done replacing the floor in the real one, I even want to look at another camper. I'm fully beginning to understand why the price was steep when I checked on having it done! Thanks again, -Scott H.

Guys, While looking for parts and ideas to fix some problems on my real enclosed camper, I stumbled on this site: www.glen-l.com They have plans for a couple of different boats and almost every type of camper I have seen (Van Conversions, pop-ups, enclosed, 5th wheel, and truck inserts). It looks like it's mostly a boat building place on the main page, but the camper / RV plans are on the side navigation bar. They also have pictures of actual builds from their plans to look at if anyone is needing some inspiration on a build. I have an aftermarket Enclosed Camper kit similar to the actual one I own already, but I haven't seen a pop up or a true slide in camper for a pickup in scale yet. The one the Model King is offering is a complete bed replacement, not the style I am referring to here. The question I have is how hard it would be to scale the plans down to 1/24th scale and get them to look right? Just wondering aloud I guess, -Scott H.

Welcome to the forum. I too am returning after a break from building. Trust me when I say there is a TON of information and inspiration here on the board! -Scott H.

Welcome to the board. I'm sure you will like it here. -Scott H.

I also agree that you did the right thing. It's not Old School, it REAL SCHOOL thinking! There should be more people like you in the judging circles and then maybe this hobby of ours would be more enjoyable for people of ALL ages!!! The only thing I can honestly see an adult doing for the children is using the razor knives to cut the parts from the parts trees, removing the bracing in the openings of the older models and removing flash. Other than that, the child should be doing the building with an occasional hint or answer to a question if they wish to enter it in the contest. Once the child has enough skill and respect for the knives / sharp instruments to use them on their own (supervised of course) then even that should not be done. I also believe that for the first few models it should be a collaborative effort between the adult and child to "show them the ropes" of building, BUT the model should not be entered into a contest as being built solely by the child. My thoughts on this is that it should be put on the display only table if the duo wish it to be seen by others and commented on. The card displayed with the model SHOULD show that it was built as a collaborative effort too. ******************************************************************************** Here's a story from my past that is somewhat similar to what has happened in your case: Back when I was building models on a regular basis and the Model Club I belong to was in it's first year, my nephew started getting interested in building models too and I would let him help with some of my non contest or show bound personal projects once in a while. Even though I was planning on using a couple of bodies that I had on my work bench to display during an upcoming model meeting, I showed him the painting techniques I knew at the time on a couple pieces of cardboard and then let him paint them with a spray can as he was still not willing to try out my air brush for fear of breaking it. I fully well knew that the results would not be to my quality of standards and I would more than likely need to strip and repaint the bodies if I were to enter them in a show at a later date, but was willing to accept the consequences and future work ahead of me in doing so. Mind you that the interiors and running gear were already completed and detailed on each of these kits, including a fully plumbed and wired engine on one of them. I took the kits to the meeting unfinished, and had a couple of members at that time make comments on the lack of a quality paint job. I told them what I had done and only one of the people that had commented to me on the paint had something else negative to say, the rest were appreciative of what I had done for my nephew. The only naysayer basically stated that I was an idiot for doing what I did. I quickly turned to him and asked: "Am I such an IDIOT in your eyes for bringing JOY to a child? What did it cost me? A few hours time at most??? I may have lost the time building the kit to YOUR standards, but I GAINED the knowledge that I have given a CHILD a moment of joy in his life!" I finished the kits with his paint job and gave them to him. He doesn't build models anymore but the ones I gave him are in cases and displayed on his bookshelf for everyone to see. As far as the jerk that tried to berate me on what I did, he quit the club not too long after and I haven't seen him or his work since. Not a big loss in my book! Please note that I'm not telling this story to thump my chest or trolling for praise as those that know me will be quick to tell you that I'm the first to give out praise when it's deserved but the last to accept it. It's just not my style. I'm merely showing that I practice what I preach on this subject since I am new to the board and not too many people know me and what I stand for on here yet. -Scott H.

After taking a long break from doing up haunted houses, I decided to decorate my sister's house in N.C. this year since she had just had surgery on her foot and couldn't do it herself. Below is a link to the slide show of some of the pictures of what I did. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v254/Cpt...nt=21f12680.pbw Hope you like it, -Scott H.

That looks good! Sure beats the one I started to do a while back out of an old 49 Merc. I never could get the seat to look right and just put it up before I took a hammer to it. Once I get back into the swing of things, I might have to dig it out and fiddle with it some more. I was also doing a "Redneck Jacuzzi" out of an old Ford Pickup bed. I never could get that one to look right either. With the info on here about dioramas and what's available in the aftermarket now, I just might pull that one out too. -Scott H.

If my thinking is correct, what you have is the MPC 1975 Corvette Convertible. It looks like one I had a while back. It might be an earlier version of the kit than the pic I found on eBay though. I hope this helps you, -Scott H.

Really cool build! I like it! If I were in the market for a small car in real life I would more than likely go after something like this! Then again I've never been one to follow the main stream as far as my cars go either. -Scott H.

Happy Birthday! I hope it is a good one for you!!! As far as the Transporter, I have one of those kits myself (this is my 2nd one actually - the first one was destroyed years ago by an upset female ). George was right on target when he said that it's not hard at all to assemble, but has a ton of parts. One of the things I'm planning to do with this one before I assemble it is to make molds of the ramps on it for later use on either car trailers or a ramp truck that I've got some ideas floating though my head on. Post pics of it when ya get started on it! -Scott H.

Like so many that have posted before, I also started building as a child. Being a Military dependent, it was one of the few things that was available to do in the winter that wouldn't get me in trouble while Dad was stationed in the Northern States. I kept building well into my 20s even helping to start a local model club here in the low country of South Carolina. Unfortunately, when I started running my own business I didn't have the time to keep up with everything and slowly stopped building models and going to the meetings. When the business failed, the hours I was working for my job and the bills I had prevented me from rejoining the club, buying more kits, or the supplies I would have needed. When I recently became unemployed due to a company merger, I had the time to go one of the meetings and a show the model club puts on every year. While I was at the meeting, one of the members showed me a copy of Model Cars Magazine and I looked at the website, eventually finding the forum. After reading the posts for a bit and seeing the pictures everyone has posted of their builds, I started getting the old feeling of wanting to build models again. Now I'm digging out my old kits and slowly getting my workplace set up once again. Hopefully I will be back in the thick of it before too long. My thanks go out to everyone for producing such a great magazine and to those here that have helped me get back into building models again! -Scott H.

Yep, that's the one. I'm glad to see it's still around. Sorry for the confusion on the names, my brain doesn't remember names as well as I used to anymore. What I would like to see is them get some of his completed kits and one of his in progress ones and set up a display of his work table as it were. I think that would be one of the best tributes to the man that enjoyed building as much as what I've read about on here. Thanks for letting me know, -Scott H.

Is the National Model Car Museum still around? I heard about it a while back and never followed up much on it. I believe Ken Hamilton had something to do with it, but I'm not sure. If they are still around, they might be interested in some of his works to save for the future generations of Modelers. -Scott H.

Gregg, It took me 3 tries with my shoddy dial-up service, but it came through just fine. If I can get it downloaded, anyone can!!! After seeing the PDF of the magazine I'll be subscribing soon. Just letting you know as requested, -Scott H.

Thanks for replying and letting me know. I'm partial to the way it looks and would more than likely do it the same way if I were to build a similar one. I just like the way the tires are sitting in there the way it is. It also has me wondering what one done up like an over the road tractor would look like. -Scott H.

I just found this one today and have to say it is a very nice build!! I have one quick question though. I know you had to radius the wheel wells, but did you have to stretch them out to cover the tires any? I've been thinking of doing something like this for a while and was curious. -Scott H.

Have you found what you are looking for yet? I have a couple of the Chevrolet Monza kits and even a Buick Skyhawk kit here and might still have a set of the flares in the box. Let me know and I'll check. -Scott H.

Thanks for the welcome. With everyone that has welcomed me here already I think I am going to like it here. Hopefully once I get everything worked out to have a space to work on models again I'll be able to help out more than just sit back, look at all the nice models being built by the members here, and ask questions. I tend to think outside the box on things to use for detailing and as background scenery. To be totally honest I'm going to have to get back into the swing of things for a little while before I can even think about doing something like that as I haven't actually finished a model in years and need to catch back up with what's going on in the modeling world. Thanks again, -Scott H.

Thanks! Unfortunately it's going to be a little but before I can even think about starting anything as I no longer have a dedicated place for modeling anymore and can't stand packing everything up and moving it when I start working on something. I'm in located here Summerville, South Carolina (Just outside of Charleston). I just found where to update everything so it's fixed now. Sorry about that. -Scott H.

I couldn't find an introduction area on the forums so I figured I would do it here. Hopefully I'm not messing up. Hi everyone. My name is Scott, I'm 39 Years old, and I'm a Modelholic! I found this site by talking to one of the members of the model club I belong to and have to say that after several years of being away from the hobby I feel like I'm going to have to step up my skills before I even THINK about posting a picture of my work here! There is some truly AWESOME work on here!!! My modeling background includes building Street Rods & Customs, Box Stocks, and Big Rigs with an airplane and tank thrown in once in a while. I have been involved in building model kits since the early 80's and I was a founding member / helped to form the South Carolina Modeler's Association here in South Carolina. Due to personal reasons I had to step away from the hobby for a while but I have started thinking about returning to it once again on more than occasional basis like I am doing now, picking one of my many unfinished kits and tinkering with it. In real life I have done everything from restoring cars & trucks back to show worthy vehicles. building customs, bikes, choppers, bobbers, and race cars. I even drove an old '67 Mack R-Series over the road for a while in my younger days. I may not be able to help much on answering questions, but I'll try and help if I can. I'll definitely be asking for help once in a while when I have run into a brick wall and can't find the answer already posted on the forum somewhere. Fair warning though, I am Dyslexic and sometimes I miss a misspelled word. I also have a fairly good sense of humor and once I get to know someone I tend to razz them every now and then. Feel free to razz me when I screw up, everyone needs a good laugh once in a while! Besides, if you can't laugh at yourself, you'll go through life crying! Well enough about you, let's talk about about me! -Scott H. AKA Cpt. Bondo

That is a nice build! It has me thinking about digging out one of my old kits and getting back to work on it! Just to add to the different rules for different states, here in South Carolina - Police are the only ones with Blue Lights, Fire / Emergency (including the volunteers) are Red, and Emergency Road Vehicles (Tow Trucks, Road Crews, etc.) are Yellow. Hope this helps, -Scott H. AKA Cpt. Bondo

I'm not 100% sure here, but those rims look like the ones from the 1979-80 Turbo Trans Am. With your machining work installed it's hard for me to say 100% on it though. Both of the Mercs are NICE!!! I'm hoping that after quite a few years of being away from the hobby I can get my skills up to even 1/10th of the skills I have seen here. Hope this helps, -Scott H. AKA Cpt. Bondo