charlie8575

This is going to be a big hit. I hope they include a correct stock intake system as an alternative to the triple 2s, as well as correct factory wheels, as I've been left with the impression that they weren't in the original kit. Either way, good bet I'll grab one. Charlie Larkin

It was this past Wednesday, so March 29, so it may be available. I should probably look into getting a DVR setup. Charlie Larkin

Not sure if we've passed the last exit, but I do think it's coming up...soon. Through activities they don't like us discussing here, I'm trying to help make a U-turn, or at least put the brakes on. Charlie Larkin

Nice color choice. Keystones look good on just about anything. As I suspected, the GTX chassis will fit pretty easily. I won't lie, I was a little surprised they didn't just tool the body/chrome/interior to use with that chassis. At least that's what I would have done. Charlie Larkin

So far, so good. Charlie Larkin

On the new episode of Chicago Fire this week, the focus was on an AMT pumper being built in correct CFD livery for a chief's dying father, and things go awry when the deck gun is found missing in the box, leading to all kinds of silly things to get one, including trading truck equipment with a fire equipment collector for one. In the end, the "dying father" was a ruse, and the Chief gave the truck (which was honestly very nicely done) to his young daughter who immediately started tossing it in the air, and you can guess the rest. Despite the end of the model, it was entertaining, and it's nice to see AMT getting a little free advertising, considering the package was a bit contrived (I think all their trucks were based on Troy, Michigan prototypes). Watch for it on re-runs, or see if you can catch this past week's episode on some streaming service. Charlie Larkin

Just started The War on Small Business by Carol Roth. As someone who's self-employed, and has long maintained an academic interest in entrepreneurship and self-sustainability for people using business ownership as a vehicle, I'm enjoying this book very much. Really gets into a lot of the mechanations of how government and big business keep you underfoot. For a little lighter reading, Faitful Spy by Alex Berensen is pretty good. Tracks a CIA operative trying un-embed himself from Al-Qaeda c. 2011-'12. Lots of details, you can't read it very quickly, but it's still fast-paced, if that makes sense. In the queue: The Road to Serfdom by Franz Hayek. Charlie Larkin

I wonder if covering the top in some tape, and painting it might provide a bit better appearance? It won't be the heavy grain of the original, but it'll be an improvement over the smooth surface. Charlie Larkin

I believe they are. Those are also nice cases. Very well-made. Charlie Larkin

I would start with the steel as a base. I never really went into a lot of detail on it, because, at least on my cars, the brakes really aren't all that visible, but I would try putting a little black-wash on it to try to bring some texture out with the steel paint, and the friction material from the pads. A little rust at the hub, and maybe around the edges where there's no friction contact, might also help. Grab a spare rotor or other piece of thin plastic, and experiment with this. This is an idea I came up with off the top of my head just now, and I'd be curious to see how it works. Charlie Larkin

I've been using the Contacta Professional, and it's very good. I've had a problem with the needle coming out of the bottle, though, when I take the cap off. That aside, great glue. Charlie Larkin

These are strong possiblities. I could see the Demon being done like the 1970 Coronet....duplicate of the original body, interior updated to platform-type, and adopted to work with the 1968-'69 Road Runner/GTX undercarriage, only using the 1971 Duster for the underpinnings. Might even use the interior seeing they were pretty much identical from what I remember, meaning only a body and chrome tree would be needed, and some decals. The Challenger is a very logical pick, in all honesty, and makes perfect sense. I'll throw one more in to the modern car mix.....a new Ram/Silverado/F-150 kit. People have been asking for a contemporary truck for long enough that it could happen, and Auto World has very nice F-150/Silverado diecasts, so simply scaling up the CAD drawings, and making adjustments to the existing components for size, and pieces like a separate suspension and the like isn't a lot of extra work. Charlie Larkin

That and the '58 Pontiac are very high on my list of wanted, and good chance it could happen. Charlie Larkin

For perspective, the 1985-'90-'91 GM FWD C-/H-bodies (Pontiac Bonneville/Olds Delta 88/98/Buick LeSabre/Electra/Cadillac DeVilles and Fleetwoods) weighed about this. All-wheel-drive, nanny gear and needlessly gigantic wheels and tires add a lot of weight. Charlie Larkin

From what I remember reading, Fremont built RWD A-/G-Bodies. When GM started having lots of trouble with the union, particularly with quality control, they shuttered the plant, brought in Toyota on a lease, because they needed more room for Corolla production (which is how we got the Corolla-based Nova), and Toyota straightened them out by de-unionizing, and introducing the Toyota Method. GM also wanted to see how Toyota did it, and Toyota would (and still will) freely share their TQM/Six-Sigma/whatever you want to call it now management with any company, in any industry, at no cost. They'll even send a team to you to teach it. Charlie Larkin

Nice-looking package. Charlie Larkin

Something a little different is always nice. This is nicely done, too. Charlie Larkin

Well done. Charlie Larkin

Check the Wal-Mart nearest you that has models. If they still have AMT display cases, they had a really good deal on them. Might be worth checking Wal-Mart.com, too. Charlie Larkin

This one, from what I understand, can be a challenge, but you did it right. The maroon fits well, and the car looks very real, right down to the blackwalls. Charlie Larkin

You're going to have a bunch of very good sellers. I might buy two of those Bees simply so I can build one each in blue and green with the correct stripes. The B5 or B7 blues with the blue stripes was especially attractive. The green I'd probably do in white/green interior, maybe add a white vinyl top. My guess for the NNL-East unveiling....one of the 1958-62 annuals, hopefully with a little bit better chassis and interior. Charlie Larkin

It's a nice representation of the of Palomino/Dark Emberglo interior. Charlie Larkin It's a nice representation of the Palomino/Dark Emberglo interior. Charlie Larkin

I've been wondering about this myself. I guess it's stay tuned for further developments at this points. Charlie Larkin

This is a very nice build. What did you use for the lighter tan inserts in the seat? Charlie Larkin

I don't even need anything that crazy. I much prefer low-end power for my driving. A properly dialed-in 318 with a low-speed cam, and good manifolding will do very nicely for me, along with an A518 TorqueFlite so I can get an overdrive, or a Gear Vendors O/D on a 904. Charlie Larkin