Dr. Cranky

Bill, I just realized that I also have these skinny wide walls. I think RICK sent me some of the NEW sets he had just gotten. Again, I think the thing to do is contact SCALEDREAMZ and ask.

Here's the parts number #1125 "Reverse" Chrome. I looked at the other set I also bought and it too has the thicker wide whites. I think the person to ask is Rick over at SCALEDREAMZ.COM.

Often the local branch might not order it, but the main branch might, or a school library. Again, you might have to be a bit more insistent, or charm the acquisitions librarian.

Again, the style is classy and elegant. Great taste, buddy.

Wow, sorry I'm jumping in this one a little late, but what a beautiful, classy looking truck. Great job on making it look contemporary. I would buy that truck today if I found it on a showroom floor. Great work.

Hi, Andy, I believe these are new also. It's the wheels and tires that come in the set. I have not done anything to them. I love their big and little sets too.

Mark, thanks for the wonderful question. (We get excited every time we talk about the salt technique!). This is all the use of acrylics and salt. When you wet salt, some of it leeches out on to the surface and creates a barrier which is easy to scratch and or brush off. What I do is that I've been doing several laters of paint/salt, paint/salt, paint/salt, until I get the results I am after. You can also use hairspray as a barrier and when you moisten it under the paint it will literary break off in bits and pieces. You can only control the process so far, but that's what I love about it. It's random and the results are always different, but they do look extremely realistic. If you haven't given the salt technique a try, you are missing out on a fun technique. Best, DC

Andy these are the high quality wheels PEGASUS is putting out. I get mine from SCALEDREAMZ.COM.

Oh yeah, clearly you are running a high STYRENE FEVER: A RUSTY FEVER! LOL. Great texture and look on this one. Looking forward to seeing it on the base.

Oh I want to see more of this one in progress. Cool.

I love this kit, keep it going, you are going to do it justice.

LOL! That would be perfect for a build called TEQUILA SUNRISE! Hum, ideas ideas ideas.

A note about the TEXACO kit. I have noticed that the tooling on this kit is beginning to show wear. Lot of parts have flash, and mold lines. The frame has all these sink marks, which is fine if you are going rusty, but I painted a shiny one recently and it was tough to work out all the kinks. Don't get me wrong, I still hold this kit in the highest regard and it's still at the top of my Top 10.

Here's a bit more progress for today, been working on some of the upper chassis elements like the firewall and engine compartment walls. Again, the idea is to create depth and variety of color and effect. I really love how the frame turned out, it really does look like it's made out of rusty metal and it's showing all the years of nature's wrath on the paint.

Wow, Blair another great 50 Chevy pick up. Love the color on that one too. I lowered the rear and front suspension quite a bit, although not all the way down. It was part of a HOW-TO clinic I did for the CRANKY SHOW on YOUTUBE.

Patience, Blair, you'll get set up and running in no time.

Everybody needs new shoes every once in a while. LOL.

Great question and between the 50 Chevy (3100, Street Machine, and now the TEXACO) I would say a dozen or so. A few of them never made it to the shelves. 2 I gave away to friends who then gave them to their kids to play with so needless to say they are probably no longer around. LOL, the trucks NOT the kids. Hahahahaha!

Sorry to disappoint, Jim, but it's RUSTY time again in the Lab-RAT-ory.

Dominik, I have pitted them with a little primer and some dullcote. Next up are a round or two of washes, etc . . . they will fit right in. Not the wheels, though. The wheels stay new. A change of shoes into a new par. LOL.

Love it, it's got all the right "ratiness"and attitude. Nice work.

When doing these types of builds, I find that literally ALL COLORS are in play, and you should have fun mixing it up. Most of these old beaters are often cobbled together (Franken-Shsh-teened! as EYEGORE loves to call it!) and this is going to bring you many hours of pure pleasure. That's my story and I am sticking with it. More progress coming soon.

Here are a few more pictures.

The weathering has begun with both the airbrush and with some washes and pigments. We always plan on never overdoing it, and then . . . rust possession takes over. LOL! When you apply your base coat with the rattle can you have to keep in mind that the paint is going to go on thick and wet, which is going to trap a lot of the salt. So you have to use a stiff old toothbrush and some 600 or 800 sandpaper to soften the paint a little bit. After that, the chipping and mapping and scratching is a bit easier to perform.

Obviously I've lost counts of all the ones I ruined way back when I started, gave away, got destroyed (no by me), etc . . . etc . . . etc . . . But after that every single model I have built is here in my collection. At last count I think I had about 136 or so, give or take ten. I love playing with my models in dioramas and or photographing them. I hope one day my kids will not throw them all out, but you can never guarantee anything.