Dragline

The camera adds 2mm scale thickness. Everyone in Hollywood knows this.

Saddened to the core on this. Harry has been a friend and more to most of us. The spirit must fight and strength must come from within.

Bought off him at NNL East a few years ago. Sorry to hear. Tomorrow is promised to no one.

The HRM kit is definitely the way to go. I have the Eleanor trans kit and that is SUPER nice but Harold's [HRM] stuff is always excellent and well researched.

Great ideas all.

Those wheels really work on that car. Gorgeous, and I'm no 50's car guy by any stretch.

Killer street freak.

As for me, I learned to drive my Uncle Steve's mid 70's Capri with a manual. I was also 12 years old. Everyone in my family can drive a stick. My brother Rick bought a Dodge Dart sport 2 years ago and taught his wife in one day. then there was the incident where I was making a fuss at a restaraunt. I was sent to the car where I promptly took it out of gear and gently tapped the car in front. that might have been the first time I got behind a wheel. I was about 7.

In 1994 my then wife Sheri wanted a new car. She had her heart set on this black Jeep Wrangler that was at a dealer across the street from the salon where she worked. We went to look at it and discovered it was a manual shift. Undaunted, we ended up buying it and within an afternoon she was going up and down the gears like a champ. If that dingy broad can learn to drive a stick in an afternoon anyone can.

I actually dig lacing wheels and I have to say that is a BIG improvement John. Bravo.

That is very sweet. What does it sound like? I gotta know.

Mine is in the purple pond. I shot some Martin Seynour Lizard skin over white primer and decided to change the color. I'll start my own thread soon. Looking forward to seeing some new shots D.

Easily one of the finest illustrators that has ever lived, and Horrors greatest illustrator Bernie Wrightson has passed away. For the uninitiated Bernie was just the guy that made it seem real. To those of us who followed Bernie he was so much more. Bernie illustrated ALL things like they were his last time with pencil or ink. His work was surreal and horrifying. It was the stuff of nightmares made real. While a great many comics or other illustrators chose to coast Bernie went full speed into the night with creations so vivid it seemed they crept from the page into your very being. I had the pleasure of being a reasonably casual friend of Bernie's having been into comics and dealing them for as long as I have. Bernie's legendary Halloween parties are still the highlight of many peoples lives to this moment. Owning a piece of Bernie's art is to be one with the occult and all its secrets. I have the pleasure of owning several. One thing is for certain. Horror has lost a GIANT. One that no amount of pining can bring back. No amount of wishing can conjure forth. R.I.P. Bernie Wrightson.... Master Of The Macabre. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/arts/design/bernie-wrightson-dead-comic-book-artist.html?_r=0

Always great to see these built Howard. Great looking set of diggers there.

My Build.

Love this build. I built the glue kit some years back. Iconic is an overused term but certainly applies to this car.

THAT is a great resurrection! Those neck through Kramer's are very nice fiddles. And that Kramer Floyd is also a great unit. I usually only like actual Floyds since repros are usually junk [IE: Charvel/Jackson et all] but the Kramer ones were nice. They have hardened saddles which helps transfer vibration. That FU block was a great idea as well. I replaced the anemic ones on my Jackson Warrior and ESP Horizon III and it helped them sing right away. I'm not one for thinking woods have any bearing on electric guitar tone. I'm of the school that has figured out construction and pick ups are the only real shapers of electric guitar tones. You went all out with copper shielding which really helps with passive Pups and interference. Just a great overall re-do and classy to boot. Now if I can just get to that old Jackson I have. Non locking Floyd and the whole bit. That will definitely be this summer though.

Both of those are super nice guys. I'd be proud to own either one. This guitar started life as an idea to build a Super Strat with a stripped own aesthetic. To that end I purchased the body somewhere on-line. A big piece of Mahogany with single bridge HB and recessed Floyd. The neck is an eBay item that had the reverse head stock and Floyd clamp I needed. Bridge is an eBay sourced 80's Floyd that needed some love. A set of Grovers and Lace Hemi HB with hardlined Vol knob round it out. I went with a nearly flat finish to give it the Evil look I was going for. It screams like a Banshee in the night for sure. While i didn't build my 1985 Explorer I sure have customized it over the years. At this time all that is original is the wood and the paint on the face of the head stock. This guitar has had several paint jobs in the years since I purchased it new. It started white with the usual hardware when I upgraded it to the Kahler in 1986. That's a PAF Kahler as they hadn't even been awarded the patent at that time. It currently has an EMG Het Set in it and the paint is Martin Senour Sunset Orange Metallic that a friend applied 3 years ago. I went with the Gibson Custom Shop V on the back of the neck because i like the Tung Oil finish on the back of the neck. Over the years I've replaced the Grover's and it was given a fret job about 6 years ago from a very reputable Luthier in Baltimore. I own a few other guitars but those are basically bone stock or upgraded maybe a little. Certainly nothing as custom as the Explorer. I don't want to name drop but I can tell you that quite a few famous guitarists have played my Explorer over the years. Having been able to open locally for some major acts and being friends with some of the bigger acts locally has allowed me opportunities most dream about. I've been fortunate.

Weathered very realistically. Typical winters in Finland look brutal.

Impossible to tell from the real item in many of those shots that don't have any scale reference items in them. What a marvelously Titanic effort you've put into this Cato. Duly impressed.

Those look great Sam. I have the 70 almost done but as you said, I need to replace the alleged cabling.

I'll post some pics later today. I went with Root Beer metallic. I re-did the forks in round tubing, and I'm Alcadding it up now.

I've never used the primer so i cannot comment on it's thinness or thickness when applied.

It is excellent paint but expensive. Last time i bought some was NNL East 3 years ago at $6.00 a can. The candy colors are especially nice.

Those are great. I need to get some of those silly kits. You did em up super cool.