impcon

Clearly, some people have 'way too much time on their hands.. http://safeshare.tv/w/uKAlfLZUsX

I received my door handles today and am absolutely, totally impressed and pleased! Everything is first rate including the packaging - each set of handles arrived n it's own tiny padded box !!!! These are exactly what I need for my SMP '59 Impala redo and while not authentic to a model of this age, they will add a touch of class and now I can get back to the build. I put it on hold when I saw the door handles and I ordered them right away! This is an answer to a need for many of us who like a bit of external detail without spending a lot of time trying to painstakingly carve out the back sides of door handles. Thanks Joe and I know that I will be ordering more. Maybe this will be the start of a real quality expanding line of door handles as well as a variety of difficult to find door and fender mirrors??? *hint, hint* I'd be in for some of thse, that is for certain!!! These handles are highly recommended - I'd give these a AAA+++ rating for quality and service!!! Now, back to work and we return you to our regular programming...

I already know that there are no resin GMC grilles available ( that I am aware of anyways ) for any of the 1950-65 Chevy pickups that are available but I was wondering about making my own. There are die cast GMC panel truck banks and I was wondering if anyone has considered trying to or has tried to take an impression from such a grille from which to cast a copy and seeing if it can be made to fit the AMT 50 Chevy truck? I am quite confidant that it would need some major tweaking or maybe it is just too much work. Suggestions?

For anyone looking to add a vinyl roof to a car that doesn't have one, I suspect that the worst part of a project like that is applying the very thin and fine styrene strips to make up the vinyl top stainless trim on the C pillars and across the upper deck beneath the rear glass. It's delicate work, especially when the piece below the rear glass has multiple curves in it so that it follows the curvature of the rear window like it should. I am using .020 x .020 Evergreen stripping for my moldings as that seems to be almost a perfect match for the drip rail moldings above the doors. I've laid a piece of Scotch Magic Tape across the rear deck and cut it to the desired shape but I can use some advice as to how to neatly apply the styrene strips in their right place along the tape without making a mess with glue. I was thinking of using CA glue and starting in the center of the deck and working slowly out wards to get the trim where it should be, using the tape as a guide out wards to the C pillars. But what method is best used to apply the glue so that the strips solidly are held in place? I'm certainly open to any suggestions here as the vinyl top is a new thing for me. Plans are to either use the masking tape idea for the simulated vinyl look or the adhesive spray cement method. My concern with the masking tape is the thickness of the product as it is thicker than the styrene stripping is. I question how long it will remain adhered to the model. I'd be using 3M auto body tape, by the way. Again, any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Now here is a thread that I'll be following - especially if you do a detailed build thread. We mere novices can learn so much from guys like you and the other masters on this site and detailed build threads are always my favorite and first go to's. Your Buicks will make nice models representing a day long gone when life was certainly more simple in so many ways. Those were well constructed cars with timeless styling and appeal. I sure wish we had some big model shows in our area..*sighs*

WOW!! Incredible detail, to say the least. I'm learning a lot from your work and getting some ideas for future builds. We really do get drawn in with wanting more and more detail as our building skills improve but I've not seen many on this forum who are as passionate about detail as you are and can put practice to the test like you can. I am so looking forward to seeing what you are going to continue to do to this car and thank you for your thoughtful sharing of your talents.

Stock?? WOW! That will be a welcome change!! Looking real good so far - I'm looking forward to watching this one come together.

This is a fairly decent kit and it looks like you are off to a good start. I've been plodding along on a 78 Camaro, converting it to a Berlinetta for quit some time now but conversion parts are not easy to find. There is a man selling 2nd Gen Camaro stull on Ebay from whom I have gotten some pretty good resin parts from that will make my project much better and more simple. I think that his products are 1/25, but you might want to look and see what he has and if he has no 1/24 parts, email him directly and let him know that there is a need out there. I am especially appreciaitive of his underhood detail set and his console which is quite decent and the prices are reasonable. I am not affilliated with him in any way - just passing on some information that may help you to improve the quality of your build.. looking forward to seeing hwo you make outhere..

Thanks guys. I'll do my research and see what I come up with. I am using Squadron white Putty for filling pinholes and 1:1 Sherwin Williams two part glazing putty on any of the areas needing larger quantities of filling. I like the Squadron putty except for the fact that when used in small amounts, it dries much too quickly - sometimes before I can get it applied. Any suggestions on a way to slow that drying time down or an alternative product that I can buy? I appreciate the feedback. A thread dealing with input based on experience and tips to do with "Fine Finishing" may be a good topic for another sticky... anyone agree?

I'm working on trying to restore some dignity to a couple of old SMP or AMT annuals, one of which had some real issues and still does. I am almost complete in making the bottom of the body presentable but I have to get into some tight areas on it ( and the second car as well, although not nearly as much ) as I have had to rebuild some crucial body lines. I thought that I had done a better job than I have but once I put the gray primer on, the boo boos just kind of jumped right out at me. I've painted real 1:1 cars and I know that if a blemish is visible when the vehicle is in primer, then it will be many times more visible when the shiny paint goes on. So, my question is what do you use to get into really tight areas such as engine bays and chassis and between body lines and trim, to sand unwanted filler or seam lines away? I'm talking a space just 1/4" wide on the lower body on the one car and on the other, to get in tight enough to the side trim to really clean it up and sharpen the edges. I can post photos if anyone needs to see them to get a better idea as to what I am talking about. I probably have twenty hours in the one car just repairing and cleaning and I want it as nice as I can make it.. because I still have a long ways to go. Besides, the model to me is worth the time and effort given the subject matter and the fact that I really do like '58 Fords. I;d appreciate any suggestions as to methods, tools or means of accomplishing my goal.

Perhaps someone should offer this conversion again - there has to be some legal loophole - there almost always is. Copyright violations result when something is an exact duplicate of an item that has been copyrighted.. I mean, lets face it guys, the Chinese seem to be able to duplicate stuff and get away with it because of some minor technicality. IMHO, the GM bottom feeders ( read that as lawyers ) don't have enough to do and chasing guys like Shawn down is just a cheap shot and at best, a poor attempt to justify their existence. One would think that a corporation would be happy to have the free advertising.

My console arrived yesterday - 3 days earlier than it should have. I am VERY happy with the console as the proportioning looks pretty darned good and it has the correct shifter. It will definitely look SO much better than the crude kit part. Now maybe I can work the seats into a little bit different position so that there is room for a realistic looking pair of arm rests and door pulls to replace the cast in/engraved ones on the interior bucket. Also, I was really surprised with how much stuff he has added to his offerings and he is selling the convertible conversion parts that I would like to buy for an OK price. This guy gets REALLY top ratings from me as a seller.. can't say enough good things about him and no, I am not grand standing for him because he is a friend. Just passing on some good news. Now I'm sittin' here patiently waiting for that much improved and detailed interior bucket with real door pulls and arm rests ...

This should turn out to be a very nice model! I am working on a '69 Camaro and I opened the trunk and built the trunk floor base don pictures on line. I want to do the under lid detailing like you did on your Mustang - the '66 version definitely looks better. How did you go about making the "stampings" on the underside of the deck lid? That is, could you maybe back up a bit and explain your process for making the patters and what thickness of styrene did you use? Did you base the design on the real 1"1 Mustang? What you did there looks truly fantastic! My Camaro will be a gift for a friend who has a 1:1 and I want it as nice and detailed as my meager building abilities go. I - and probably many others, would appreciate a tutorial on your process if you feel up to sharing your expertise. Thank you for posting.

Just wondering if anyne has tried to use a '64/65 Mustang chassis and engine in an old issue '64 or '65 Falcon of Comet? In the 1:1 cars, they used the same platform so I am wondering if the Mustang parts will work under 1/25 scale models? And if so, which Mustang has the best chassis and small block engine?

That is one gorgeous car!! Can't say as I have ever seen a '57 in that colour combination.

Maybe they are fixing the hub cap issue after all. The test shots have 3/4 ton hub caps and not the correct 1/2 ton ones. It's not the end of the world but when I mentioned it to the Moebius guy, he said that it was too late to change that error. It just seems a shame after all the delays and obvious time and effort put into these kits that they would let something as obvious as hub caps go. I really have always liked that style of truck and plan to get several - wrong hub caps or not.

Try the low rider sites that have a model section. I was on one not long ago and they had some newer rounded Cadillacs plus a really decent looking 64 Impala coupe - not an SS - but an Impala.

Mike, I didn't take anything that you said as anything but an honest appraisal and nothing could be taken as negative that I read. On the other hand, my comments were given in the same manner - an honest opinion based on personal experience. Curt has always done right by me and no, I do not personally know him. I have dealt with him and he was good for his word and the product was not garbage. One thing with negatives on Ebay from buyers to remember is that the seller has NO recourse and can not leave a negative for a buyer who is unreasonable and whose expectations are unreasonable. I make it a point to read the negatives and you can usually discern who is just being a jerk and who has a legitimate complaint. It's an unfair system IMHO but Ebay calls the shots and makes the rules, don't they?

Just got a set of springs and one ton diff for a pending tow truck project from FAB resins and I am tickled pink with the product! Certainly NO complaints here and the shipping is within reason for a change. I'll likely order several more of these diffs with no hesitation at all. ANyone building light duty commercial vehicles knows that there just is not a lot available for one tons and buying a complete kit for $20 - $30.00 with shipping just for the rear end and duals is getting real old.

I've bought Curt's products in the past and his quality has definitely come a LONG ways from my first model a number of years ago. This certainly looks decent and it is a unique subject. I bought his '57 Meteor four door hardtop conversion and was quite happy and just today, I received an email from him and he has some really neat stuff in the works. Whoever did the master for the '57 Meteor did a bang up job on the trim, I gotta say! Some people have not been very kind towards Curt in times gone by, but I'd not hesitate to buy from him and will be doing so again in the next couple of months. He has some pretty unique products and the prices are in the ball park.You just have to keep in mind that these are resin models and as such, will need some extra love. But that's the nature of the beast, isn't it? What he sells sure is better than the same offerings by the competition - oh wait - his products are quite unique and I'm not so sure that there is a whole lot of competition given the subject matter. Personally, I'm just glad to get what I get because a few years ago, some of what he offers wasn't even close to being a reality. Also, he has treated me very well and I have found him in my experience with him, to be reasonable and a fair person to deal with.

Looks like pretty decent quality stuff all right! I especially like those dual wheels.. and the prices are certainly reasonable too!!! I'm impressed!

You may well be right. I just bought a second generation console from him that looks SO much better than the ones in the late 70's - 81 kits that I have seen. He got the shifter right ( for an automatic ) and with some encouragement and support, he will likely be expanding even more than he has. He seems to be heavy into wheels but I'd email him with any requests and see what happens. There were a few hold ups on the conversion from Z28 to Berlinetta project that I have been slowly working on over the past - well - forever, it seems - and he is coming through with the stuff that I wanted to make the car that I am doing more accurate. Still need that more detailed interior bucket though.. I'll likely build a second Berlinetta for myself as this one is for my son and at least I know where to get the parts. A 80/81 convertible body wit boot and up top would be really cool too. I know that it isn't difficult to make a T roof car into a convertible, but at this point, I'd just as soon buy a good resin body if it is reasonably priced and te quality is decent. It doesn't hurt to dream...

He has a bunch of new stuff listed now that he didn't have a couple of weeks ago including a proper shaped console for a 2nd Gen Camaro. If you email him, you may be surprised at how helpful he can be. I have found him to be open to suggestions and he tries his best to help. He definitely has good products and fast delivery and appears to be quite serious about what he is doing.. Now, if he would cast a decent interior bucket with some good detailing on the side panels... Hope this helps.

Persomally, I totally agree with mark and I'd suggest strongly that you not alter any of the side trim or do anything to the car that is not easliy reversable. Changing the grille out is something that can be easily put back should you decide one day to sell the car to someone who will giveit a proper home and care for it and who prefers the stock look. It's just too clean and nice to alter, but thats just my opinion. Were it a usual '60 El Camino model that has been painted and had the custom options added to it thus leaving glue damage on the finish, I'd not be writing this but it really does look like a very nice, clean find. Why not use a resin body to make a custom and leave this one as is? The '59 would be the best choice if you are going to update the model as it is fairly well detailed underneath amd has the poseable steering which is a very nice feature. The RM. I do not think,has a whole lot to offer that is better than the '59 kit aside from the wide whites and wheel covers which are ( I think anyways ) quite nice and would add a lot to your model. If the 60 kit has the bumper guards, then those would be a nice addition as well but i cannot recall if it has those features or not. It's your model - do as you wish, but really nice clean examles of those models are becoming harder to find all the time and unbutchered ones fetch a decent dollar although I am afraid that to me, this is farless about whaat the dollar value is than about just having the item. But I do so hope thaty ou leave the trim alone and do nothing to the car that can't be put back to original as it sits in that picture. Just my opinion.

I have bought from him on two separate occasions - as good a product as you can hope for, quick delivery and he seems like a pretty stand up guy. He has more products in the wings and he is right now supplying a very limited market as the second gen Camaro aren't that popular it seems. With some encouragement and sales, I think that he has good potential as the items that I bought were not only impossible to find elsewhere ( a non Z 28 grille, for one ) but the fit and quality is excellent. I'll be buying more from him as his product line evolves and grows. He grasps the concept that not everyone wants a Z28 just because they want a Camaro. What he really needs to cast is a decent, more accurate and detailed ( as in separate arm rests and console that is shaped right ) interior for the 1/24 Camaros. Yeah - I'd go with Hoppers Bazaar in a heart beat.