Scott H.

That was about the time I picked it up on an impulse buy at my local hobby shop. Now I'm glad I did! I seriously doubt I would be able to find one now. I also purchased another product from him to use on another project, a resin box that was supposed to be used for a short semi trailer. It's not long enough and the bottom is uneven & full of flash. It is waaaaaaaaaaay too short to use as an actual semi trailer, but it fits the bill perfectly for an equipment storage area on a lowboy construction trailer or it can be used on the back of a Semi between the sleeper and trailer like they used to use on moving trucks a long time ago for extra capacity. -Scott H.

Here's a couple more pics... -Scott H.

Thanks for the replies. Now that I have found out what I have about the kit, I may not actually build it. No, I'm not just going to put it up on a shelf to look at, I'm thinking on using the kit parts as templates to cut out new pieces to work with since I now know I can't get a replacement if I want one! If there was a ton of camper kits out there I wouldn't bother holding onto it, but the scale camper market is rather scarce right now! Below are pictures of the complete kit. Sorry for the bad photos, but it’s late and I didn’t feel up to setting everything up. -Scott H.

Clay, Sorry to hear about the bad news, I hope she returns to full health quickly! Be careful and let us know how both of you are doing, ok??? If you need anything, just yell! -Scott H.

I finally dug out another camper kit I had purchased many moons ago and was just sitting here waiting for me to get around to it. The kit was produced by SJS Details and I'm not impressed with their (lack of) instructions. The kit will definitely be a challenge too as the panels need to be beveled to look right (as per instructions) and the clear flat side panels have no locator marks what so ever on them for the placement of the other panels when attaching them. I was wondering if anyone else has dealt with the company to find out if the instructions shown below are the norm for the company? Also, if you want a frame for the kit you need to buy the stock and create it using a template provided in the instructions. They did provide several resin detail parts for it, but every one of them have a heavy casting flange that will need to be delt with before starting the normal prep work for painting & installation. Overall it's not a bad kit, but it is definitely not for the lower skill levels or someone who is easily flustered while building. Honestly, my only complaint is in the vagueness of the instructions. -Scott H.

Looks like a good start! I have this kit buried somewhere in my collection, but never even opened the box. I'll definitely be watching this to see how it goes together for you and to see what I might run into when building mine. Since it's raining and looks like it is not going to stop any time soon according to the weather channel, do you want me to dig mine out and scan the instructions for it? Let me know if you want them and I'll start on the search and destroy mission! -Scott H.

Thanks guys, I figured something simple would be a good way to get started building again. Right now I'm planning on the paint colors being the classic white body with silver trim, but that might change once I find the El Camino I had started years ago. I'm also planning on adding bumper stickers to the back of it like is on so many of the old campers I have seen. I'm still undecided if I want the door to be a separate color or just do it the same basic white like most of the campers I have looked at or have worked on over the years. I've been looking at the different patterns at the site Tony T mentioned in the build of his Diorama ( Printable Scale Designs ). Hopefully I can find something I like enough to use for curtains on the windows since the details on the inside are virtually non existent. I'm torn between something completely tacky like they used to use for curtains on the early campers or something a little more modern. Since it's raining again today, I more than likely will have plenty of time to try and find something I like. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave, As far as I know the slide in camper was only available in the earlier versions of the El Camino and was replaced with the truck cap in the later releases, like you mentioned is in your kit. I'm sure there is someone on here that can correct this if I am mistaken. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hopefully there will be an update soon, -Scott H. *NOTE* Edited to fix the link

Actually, that was a common problem on the old Monojet Carbs on those engines. Trust me, I've owned a quite a few of them and still have one on my 1965 Nova with a 194 straight 6 and the 1969 Nova with a 250. The bolts that hold the upper and lower carb halves together are the worst about it! I actually carry an offset (kind of looks like a Z) screwdriver in the glove box of the '65 for when they come loose! The fender wells were black on my '69, but the firewall was a mixture of body color and black when I got it from the 2nd owner of the car. More of an over spray than anything else as it had been re-painted once that I know of. The firewall and fender panels of the unrestored original '65 Nova I have are black. Both of the engines are Chevrolet Orange and the air cleaners are black like was stated. The intakes are also orange, but the exhaust manifold is unpainted on both engines and is a nice shade of baked on rust. Both alternators are the natural metal color, but I can not remember what color the starters are on either of them. If needed, I should be able to get a couple of pictures of the engine in my '65 Nova if I get a good enough break from the rain. Let me know if you want them. Hope this helps, -Scott H.

Since this is a non model specific question, I figured I would put this here so everyone can join into the discussion. Like the title says, what do you use to clean off your models? Earlier today I was cleaning off several years worth of dust from a couple of built models I had left sitting forgotten on top of a shelf in my garage and started wondering what other people use. Right now I'm using a SOFT paint brush to clear off the biggest part of it, and will go on to q-tips and MAYBE a little soap and water if all else fails. Most of my models were built without a clear coat, so I'm concerned about the decals. I would use compressed air regulated waaaaaaaaay down, but parts are already coming unglued and I don't want to chase them across the garage (where my air compressor is) when they come flying off. Well, that's what I'm doing at the moment... Let's hear what your tips, tricks, and ideas are! -Scott H.

I also started building as a child. Being a Military dependent, it was one of the few things that was available for us kids to do in the winter that wouldn't get us in trouble while Dad was stationed in the Northern States or Overseas. My brother started building airplanes and let me help out on a couple of them, but I never could really get into that part of the hobby. I picked up a car to try out and found that I liked it much better than dealing with all those small parts in the airplane kits. Then came the break I took due to life getting in the way and now I'm starting back slowly but surely. Between my being unemployed at the current moment due to a company merger, and the injuries to my body I have suffered over the years, it's one of the few things I enjoy that doesn't cost much nor cause my lower back to be in major pain in the morning. -Scott H. AKA Cpt. Bondo

It was a dark and stormy day... Seriously, it has been raining here off and on all day and I was bored to death. I started looking through my old parts boxes and ran across a bag of random El Camino parts I bought years ago for $5.00 to get the hood and glass I was in desperate need of for the '65 El Camino I was working on at the time. Lo and behold at the bottom of the bag was a complete kit of the Camper for the El Camino! The sides of it were mildly warped, but still usable with some creative thinking. After doing a TON of flash removal I got them to glue together ok. The sides at the rear of the camper were warped the worst. After some serious soaking in hot water and putting some old hard cover books on both of the side panels to keep them straight while they cooled back down, they were straight enough where I could get the glue to hold everything together. The roof was a completely different story all together! Not only was it slightly warped, but the molded in flange that the sides were supposed to mount to was too wide! After some carving with the old razor knife, it now fits flush again. Well, that's as far as I have done on it right now. Before I paint it, I want to try and make some silicone molds of a couple of the details on the sides of the camper to try and use for a couple of other camper ideas I have floating around in my empty skull. Once I have that done and the sides painted, I'll update the pictures once more. I also have some ideas I need to work out for window treatments since the interior details and floor are non existent in the camper! Now to figure out where I stashed that El Camino and finally finish it too! -Scott H. *Note* - Edited to fix TYPOS!

I don't know how hard it would be to find and I can't remember who produced it, but there was a Milk Tanker trailer / truck body that could either be used as is or modified to make it look like you want. Hopefully someone either has photos or knows who made the kit and can help out a little better than I have. -Scott H.

Actually, his site was part of the AOL personal web page shutdown that killed off quite a few people's pages. I'm glad to see he's making a comeback with his own site! -Scott H.

That looks like it was a nice meeting! I'm really interested in seeing what that Edsel Gasser turns out looking like! It would be nice to see a builders log of it! Thanks for sharing, -Scott H.

A friend of mine sent me that in an e-mail a couple of days ago. It's interesting to say the least. While I will admit that the project took a ton of time and some major technology to do, I would kneecap the person that did it and make them watch as I cut the wires in several places if that was my neighbor! I seriously don't think I could deal with the flashing lights and blaring music, either beside me or across from me, after the first night! If they were across from me, I doubt I would make it 1/2 way into the first night without throttling them! It would seriously drive me NUTS! -Scott H. Hmmm.... wonder how much it would make them cuss if someone randomly loosened a light or three in a couple of their light sets...... (them) (me)

I was raised to admit my mistakes when I make them and I have made one. I have to apologize as recently I have posted questions in the general section when I should have posted them in the Ask Model Cars a Question section. For some reason I thought that section of this forum had to do only with subjects involving the magazine. I just popped in there today for the first time to look around and have found out otherwise. From now on, I will try to post my questions there. Sorry once again, -Scott H.

Back when I was doing the car show thing, once in a while I would see a real 50's or 60's Good Humor Ice Cream Truck that had been restored or modified and usually I would go find the owner since it was something "odd" in the sea of street rods and customs that I had seen a million and one times. Actually, I did that with anything that was standing out to me as something other than what was "normally" brought out to those shows. You wouldn't believe how quickly you can become bored at a show once you've seen the same cars over and over, time after time! What I have found out from talking to the owners is that they were mostly either just Cab & Chassis or Step Side trucks that were delivered to a coach builder (an early conversion company of sorts) and finished into what the company wanted. It's similar to what happened with the ambulances and hearses that you are used to dealing with and doing the research on. Also, there were a few small companies out there that built their own trucks "in house" in their service shops or the trucks were built in a garage or back yard by a private owner. Those trucks never looked the same from one build to another as they had no real pattern to follow and were usually built from what they had available to them at that time. 9 times out of 10 they also used the cheapest models out there to keep the cost down. Hope this helps answer your question, -Scott H.

I agree with what everyone else has stated on this subject. It's HIS kit to do what HE wants to do with it. Period, end of discussion. When these kits were first produced they were MEANT TO BE BUILT! If you are not wanting to see old kits being built, boy are you on the wrong forum. You definitely don't want to look at any of my projects once I get back to building on a regular basis. Most of my models I plan on building I purchased around 20 years or so ago and YES I have the Ambulance AND Hearse to be built. I say Build 'em if ya got 'em!!!!!!!!!!!! Mademan, This is the first time I have seen your build. I have to say I like it and keep up the good work! Definitely keep posting updates as I want to see how it turns out and I'm getting ideas on how I'm wanting to do the interior on mine now. -Scott H.

Art, The good thing about this project is I have both a 1976 F-150 Longbed that belongs to my brother and the 1977 F-100 Shortbed to get the measurements from before I ever start cutting the model. I also have the bare 4X4 Shortbed frame I can get measurements from to make the frame look right. From what you have told me so far, this is going to be a big help when it comes time to do the conversion. After looking through several pictures on the net, the only real problem I see with the conversion is the AMT model is equipped with the passenger side under bed tool box which has a different interior bed side than the standard bed. Once I get the model and start the project, I definitely will be doing a thread on the conversion. Hopefully I won't mess up too bad on it. Thanks again, -Scott H.

Thanks for the information & help! So far it looks like I'm definately going to be doing a ton of scratch building to get the truck to look like what I want. Thanks again, -Scott H.

I have a 1977 F-100 Ranger XLT short bed with a rusty frame and a 1979 F-150 4X4 short bed non rusted frame and running gear sitting behind the garage waiting for me to combine them into one usable truck. Earlier today I was tinkering with the idea of building a representation of what I would like the truck to look like in the future when I get the time & money to start working on them again. I started looking at the Model King's release of the late 70's Ford Pickup online earlier today and started thinking about my project truck. I was wondering if there was a Short Bed available for it from the aftermarket or if anyone has an idea where I might find one? I can shorten the frame and running gear of the model with no problem, I'm just not looking forward to shortening the bed right now. Usually I don't mind sitting here and searching for parts, but I pulled just about every muscle in lower back (or at least it feels that way!) this weekend and it's still hurting quite badly. I can't sit here as long as I would usually when I'm doing research on a project and would appreciate any help I could get in finding one or a tip as to where I should start looking. Well, time to go lay back down on the couch again... -Scott H.

Hey, I'm just up the highway from yas... I'm sitting here in Summerville, S.C. (just outside of Charleston). With all those creaks and groans in the building, you must be loving the storms that are going through right now! What type of hauler are you looking for? I have some old models and a friend of mine is also getting ready to liquidate some of his collection since he has downsized houses and doesn't have the room for it any more. -Scott H.

I don't have an answer for your question, but the wheel size has bothered me on the kit for some reason. I'm seriously thinking of modernizing mine when I get around to building it with some parts box or after market wheels to make it look better to me. If you want to keep the spokes but use the AMT tires, check the old Mack R series of trucks. They had them in the kits I had a while back and weren't bad looking if I remember right. Hope this helps, -Scott H.

Guys, While rummaging through some of my old stuff I ran across something I had forgotten about completely. I have an old Chevy 1500 (late 80's to 90's body style) Nastruck that came without decals from the factory. This kit was given to me one Christmas by my sister that is no longer with us and I'm now wanting to build it even though it's not one of my usual subjects. Does anyone know where I can find a set of decals for the head and tail lights for it? I have been searching and have not turned anything up yet. A scan that I can print out would work too since I'm going to have to make a couple of other decals for it anyway. Thanks, -Scott H.

I just found this thread and have to say.... Very Nice Build!!!! I'm glad to see someone finally pay tribute to the movie / car the way it should be. The crashed scene was the better way to go in my opinion. Believe it or not, but that '72 Mustang Sportroof was such a tough car that it STILL runs to this day! Check out the extra scenes in the re-release DVD and they have it out in a parking lot doing doughnuts and burnouts! I also agree that the first movie was the better of the two. I was majorly disappointed when they went with the '68 Shelby GT-500 (fake) for Elenor in the second movie instead of the '72 Mustang Sportroof from the first. I guess they wanted more "flash" to get younger people in the theater seats. -Scott H.