Dr. Cranky

I thought about it, Harry, but I like the heart shaped idea. We'll see, right now I am going INSANE with the whole PHOTO OP BURLESQUE THEATER idea. DOCTOR CRANKY'S HOUSE OF BURLESQUE! What? You want to go blind or something? You want the neighbor's to call the cops? :lol:

TJ, I love the idea!

Oh you guys know me all too well. Now I am so excited about this build, I am besides myself. I just got back from HOBBY LOBBY where I raided the crafting isles for all sorts of trinkets and goodies for this build. It's turning into an all-out PHOTO OP base. It's going to be DOCTOR CRANKY'S BURLESQUE SHOW! Wait until you guys see what I am cooking up. Tomorrow I am going over to my buddy's shop (he's a carpenter) and he's going to help me build this shadowbox that will have an ornate (I bought it already) frame for the stage, and this sucker is going to have all sorts of goodies. Oh me, oh my . . . :wub: :lol:

I've just assembled the rolling chassis and am getting some paint on the interior parts . . . stay tuned in for more progress.

Greg, I am sure that information is privy to the model companies. I am sure REVELL has some marketing research and some pretty sound figures. Maybe.

Amen to that, Art. I think you are right, besides I am expecting a pendulum to swing back and we'll see lots of cottage industries and mom and pop places come back once the populace gets sick and tired of the mega (dirt cheap) stores where everything is plastic or throw-away-as-you-break, etc . . . . It's like eating fast food. You do lots of that when you are young and foolish and then your body starts to tell you you better start eating more vegetable and REAL better food.

Bravo, Ira. Great job all the way through. What a fun build to watch this has been. Thank you.

You know, what drives me crazy about these types of ideas is that I can't stop thinking about them and the possibilities, which is why I never worry about entering a building slump because I know sooner or later a crazy idea like this is going to take over and then I won't stop until I see it through . . . I'm currently in a frenzy trying to list everything I possibly can about the supplies and materials for this thing, including some art that I plan to use in scale . . .

Actually, I did a Google search and struck gold: here it is as it was back when . . . .it's no longer there and neither is Wolfie's Diner.

Tim, you betcha, and some mirrors, maybe a hat rack with some father boas on there, etc . . . etc . . . etc . . . I have to say I was already too late (born in 1962) to have enjoyed any access to old time burlesques of the 40s and 50s, but when I moved to Miami there was an old place called THE GAYETY THEATHER on Miami Beach, next to Wolfie's Diner and I got a chance to see a few shows . . . obviously the visuals have stayed with me all this time.

I like the idea and it could in fact be part of a diorama . . . .very cool.

Thanks, Mike . . . well, here's some progress, but last night (who knows what kinds of dreams visited upon me!), it occurred to me that this is going to be a two part build, the car, of course, and then the display base, and for the display base I got this idea . . . I closed my eyes and saw a stage, an old world theater stage with wood floors, a back wall with old red light district wall paper (probably Victorian) and some wall adornments, etc . . . and then a big velvet red curtain with inlaid gold, etc . . . well, you get the idea, and when the curtain opens old fashioned burlesque music will play and the vehicle will appear on the stage. I think I explain it better here in this video and you can see my dirty little sketch . . . etc . . .

Good job, Rob. Archer has a couple of great tattoo decal sheets that would be perfect. And they are going to release her in 1/24th scale.

Ooh, I like it, and the colors are very nice.

I wish my grandfather would have had one of those.

Roberto, I think you will build others. Building box stock is a quick way of having fun with a kit and definitely a great way to getting to know a kit.

Nice model. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I agree with you, Harry, and Frank, I think it would be useful for archival purposed to have a clearer title and description of what you are talking about in part because it's a subject matter that I think many would find interesting. Here's the link to the Hoppin' Hydros system: http://www.hoppinhydros.com/

Thanks, everyone. Bernard, thank you for the extra pics of these white primered beauties. Donn, you know me, I will never say never to building another 49 Merc. They come together like butter on toast! Hope to get some painting time at the bench today, so stay tuned in for some pictures and videos.

Very interesting, so it's a way to pose your vehicle. I thought Hoppin' Hydros had a mechanized platform for doing this to some lowrider models.

The other model inspiration I've been following is this build Steve Boutte's been working on and which is going to be so AMAZING and SICK: Of course, if you know Steve's work, he is always raising the bar way high. Way high!

Rob, I know . . . there's something in the air (or here on the forum) going on with all these Mercs. I just finished seeing John Teresi's 49 MERC, you know the one painted with Alclad. What a great build that is. And I've also been hearing these two songs for more inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi4LZr8OksM

Give it a go, Jason . . . you never know how much fun it is until you jump in . . . looking forward to it. Shoot, I am even thinking of using the 41 Willy blown hemi and painting it red! I see some lace too . . . Leather and lace!

I am sure other ideas will happen along the way . . .

Darn it, now I'm going crazy with Betty Paige and this "burlesque" stuff. Of course, we'll try to keep it clean. Last time we didn't, ahem, ahem, we didn't make it into the magazines. LOL! Gee, I wonder why: :lol: