charlie8575

Well done. I like the tailgate window. Charlie Larkin

And the '98-'11 CV. With a little extra parts count, both of these kits could yield a very wide variety of models. Charlie Larkin

I have display cases on open shelves. Even though the house is quite dusty due to our surroundings, the cases and models stay quite clean. Charlie Larkin

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised you encountered the weakening issues. SuperClean is much more potent than Easy-Off or Bleche-Wite, which is why most resin-casters recommend you don't use SuperClean. Try replacing the broken window slider with a small piece of Evergreen or sprue. Charlie Larkin

I think this is a great idea. With a little time and some scratch-building, you can get a nicely-detailed model out of this, too. Or something really cool to do with a youngster, at the very least. Charlie Larkin

Thanks, Dennis. That stuff might be just the ticket. I actually need white letters only, and was thinking about alternatives. That might prove to do the job. This will be for a MSP '57 Ford cruiser, and the completely correct decals don't seem to be available anywhere, so.... Charlie Larkin

Has anyone ever printed white decals on white decal paper? If so, what do you do with the computer to make it print? The only thing I can think of is to print a black background around the white lettering, or possibly do a black-outlined white letter? Thoughts? Charlie Larkin

Very subtle and tasteful, like an Olds should be. Charlie Larkin

It looks good in the cabinet. That's 100% of the battle right there. And it does look good. Charlie Larkin

One thing I got thinking about after reading some of these answers and thoughts, which, for the most part, have been quite constructive and thoughtful. After all the time I spent teaching and doing some advising of sorts with DeMolay and Rainbow (the girls' counterpart to DeMolay,) I've noticed that most kids like to do stuff with their hands, and modeling is a natural extension of that. If you give them something to build instead of one of those mini electronic babysitters, you might actually start to develop their mental acuity and give them something to do that doesn't require a monthly subscription or to be otherwise plugged in. Something means almost anything. Legos, Erector/Meccano sets, Tinkertoys, Guillow's balsa gliders, Bristle Blocks if they're really little, or Lincoln Logs, which I played with very happily well past "appropriate" age. Activities like this, and that includes models, are better brain-builders than almost anything out there. They teach, amongst other things: 1. Patience. 2. Delayed gratification. 3. Planning. 4. Design. 5. Process. 6. An appreciation for doing a job well. 7. The importance of thinking ahead about what you have to work with and how to make it work, or what you need to make it work. Models can come along, too, as they do the same things, but what I think is most important is that we, as adults (and a couple of you who have posted who are older teens,) can do is teach them the appreciation of a job not only well-done, but well-earned, is paramount to success in life. When those things are mastered, get a simple snapper and go from there. Charlie

I think Erik is more right than not- we had a very questionable period for about ten years, and now, things are starting to look up again. I've had this discussion with a few people, and I think the recession may have been what jump-started this hobby, and model-building in general, and we're now seeing the rewards of people looking for less-expensive pastimes. R/C- expensive. Electronics and video games- can get expensive. Charlie Larkin

Nice looking build. What's the color on it? Charlie Larkin

Nice job, Wayne. I've thought of adding the center of the front seat, or perhaps a console and stock rims or aluminum wheels and making a civilian car of it. And probably build one or two police cars, too, on principle. A few of them did get used around here. Charlie Larkin

And with the W-motor, it's express deliveries, to be sure. Nice build on this. Charlie Larkin

Give me a stock A, or the parts from a reputable resin caster to make it so, and I'll grab one of those. I have some ideas for that Buick V8, though, like putting it in some....Buicks! Charlie Larkin

I'll have an advance order with my local shop soon knowing release is imminent. Charlie Larkin

Very interesting project. What are you using for the colors on the body and the sweep-spear? Charlie Larkin

Back in October, I did a build day with the Squires. Squires are to DeMolay what Cub Scouts is to Boy Scouts- for boys 9-12. DeMolay, for those not familiar, is a fraternal youth order sponsored by various Masonic bodies. MassCar underwrote it, and another member of ours, Jim Cunningham, came to help out, bringing with him some of the models he's built over the last 60+ years. The kids LOVED it. And of the five boys, from what I'm hearing, nearly all of them are sticking with it, because they had a blast, and are discovering their own interests with modeling, such as planes, spaceships and even a Lindberg dinosaur or two. If you reach out to these kids, they WILL respond. Find Cub/Boy Scouts troops, DeMolay Chapters, Junior Lodges of Odd Fellows, Columbian Squires, school groups, church groups, and everything else you can think of. I think Tom might be onto something with the 3-D and manufacturer-supplied parts. It might be another decade or two off, but it's a great way forward, and could make the hobby more attainable in the long run, by concentrating on parts that might not be economical to 3-D print and use tooling resources for those, like bodies, tires, and other complex components. Charlie Larkin

Nice to see something other than red or black. Beautiful job. Charlie Larkin

Very nice save. Nice colors. Charlie Larkin

Given the engine detail especially, building this one curbside isn't that big a loss. Chassis cleans up nicely with a little detail painting. Nice color/wheels/lowering. Charlie Larkin

A '63 Riv is on my to-acqure list. This one looks great, Al. I like the color combination and someday, I'll learn how to make those tinted windows come out right. Charlie Larkin

Nice to see you back, Tom. Very nice model, too. Interesting they went with the grey interior. I saw some sales material for the Charger patrol car and I saw a beige or tan interior was available, too, which, to me, would make more sense in that hot weather. Charlie Larkin

I love that Tamyia Maroon. Great use for it, and a very nice model, as we always see from you. Charlie Larkin