charlie8575

Converting Perry's GS coupe to a sedan will be a chore. The roofline is a good bit different, and perhaps the most important issue- the 4-doors and wagons had a longer wheelbase and overall length (112" vs. 116", Vista Cruisers, Sport Wagons and I believe El Caminos, used 120" stretches.) This will be a tough order to do, but if you're ambitious, you might be able to pull it off. Charlie Larkin

Very nice job. MassCar's theme next year will be "Goodbye, Mercury." C'mon down and bring that with you next year, I think it will be very well-received. www.masscar.com Charlie Larkin

The gray/orange looks a little weird, but the black with orange is very sharp. Nice job on the Taurus, it is a rather classy scheme like that. Charlie Larkin

I used to be very quick-tempered. I can be under the right conditions, still. I found model building, especially as I got older, helped curb a lot of that. And like Harry said- if a project causes you that much irritation, find something else to do for a while, and contemplate getting even with the project. To paraphrase my Woods Fabrication instructor in college, the late Dr. Luther Tabor, "Remember, Charlie, you have to outsmart the plastic." Charlie Larkin

Very nice pin-striping work. Yep, Stuggart must be screaming if they see this... Charlie Larkin

I was just wondering the same thing, myself. Nice work, Paul. Charlie Larkin

Wow. That is absolutely incredible. I'm working on color schemes now. Charlie Larkin

What's the basis for this build, kit-wise? Nicely executed. Charlie Larkin

I see a "Lemon" in my future. Charlie Larkin

If you can figure out how to get the sound to work through the controls, here's your dive klaxon recording. http://www.phonezoo.com/ringtone/48421624/klaxon-tone.htm Charlie Larkin

Great! I love the patch-plates at the bottom of the rear uprights. Very nicely done. Charlie Larkin

Very nice, especially the '69. Charlie Larkin

Kenn, that really came out nicely. This is definitely work you can be proud of. Charlie Larkin

I think this is a legitimate question and I also find it very upsetting. There are a few likely suspects, and all probably play a degree to one point or another. 1. Planned obsolescence. This is another way of saying "we'll make a special part and then stop making it. We know the part will generally last so long, and then people will be forced to buy a new car because we'll stomp all over any aftermarket producer, too." 2. CAFE standards. Generally, to get better gas mileage, you need a car that weighs less. In order to make a car that weighs less, its (often mission-critical) components must weigh less. The lighter construction of items like electronic assemblies and switch-gear don't allow them to last as long as older, heavier comparable items. This is especially prevalent in items like alternators, power window switches, and so forth. 3. Cost engineering. We need a part. The pencil-pushing pinheads in accounting will only let us spend X dollars on this, and they must cost no more than X dollars per unit. You get what you pay for. 4. Bad design. This has always been a problem. From my observation, it's become worse. Sealed units, non-rebuildable assemblies, and so forth contribute to short component life. 5. Heat. Today's smaller cars tend to get very, very hot under the hood. As a result, electrical components, which are sensitive to ambient temperature, don't last as long because of the hot temperatures. The light construction previously alluded to is also a factor, as there's less material to act as a heat-sink, or, in some cases, to help dissipate the heat. 6. Poor assembly quality. It still happens, even with lasers, robots and all manner of other autmatonic marvels. People are still involved, errors will happen. 7. Well-assembled junk. You can have perfect, statistically-consistent assembly, zero defects, and all the other slogans that would make Dr. Demming spin in his grave, but if you're still building with junk...guess what you get? These are my opinions. I'm sure others have theirs. Charlie Larkin

Stuggart must be pitching a thousand fits right now. Nothin' I love to see more. Charlie Larkin

Great idea about using that pinhead to replicate the latch/pivot. How did you drill the hole without cracking that rigid styrene too badly? I wonder if the regular Belvedere 2-door sedans windows were like that, or if they rolled down? Charlie Larkin

Coming out nice, Mike. So this one gets finished, eh? Charlie Larkin

Very interesting. I never knew such a thing existed. Charlie Larkin

Very neat, Jeff. What's the material the engraver uses? Charlie Larkin

I concur, but that in NO way detracts from the overall quality of the build, which is quite high. Charlie Larkin

I'm glad this one got dredged back up. This is a very nice model. Charlie Larkin

Looks nice. Are the actual cars a darker blue or altogether different? Charlie Larkin

Nicely executed. It's a nice change from normal,and that color is outstanding. Charlie Larkin

I have to agree 110% with that. Nice job, Jim. That color looks good on the Charger. Charlie Larkin