VW Dave

I'm extremely 'old school' when it comes to photoreduction; I use the technique laid out in another model mag many moons ago: Using my trusty(dare I say 'vintage?') 35mm camera, tripod and any vertical surface(like my garage door), I shoot pics from 12-15ft to cover 1/24 and 1/25 scales. My local WalMart still does film developing, and they only charge for what you shoot...and I seldom fill a roll with pics, so it's pretty inexpensive. I get my prints done glossy, and matte them as needed with DullCote. For another version of photoreduction, I've printed pics from the web on photo paper and hopped to my local FedEx/Kinko's and used their color copiers to resize the stuff. I did the license plates(from the NY DMV website) and the other interior PR work in my charity raffle Manx using that method (macro photo makes the stuff look grainy, but it's nicer in person)

It cracks the windshield on the truck towing the trailer

I've got over 10 years' experience in shipping & receiving, and IMO 99.9% of the time a parcel that gets damaged wasn't packaged adequately to begin with. I use USPS almost exclusively, and have noticed no change in the quality of service; in fact, a small package I sent to a buddy in KS this week got there a day earlier than promised.

I've been using upside-down AMT showcases for about 10 years now, mostly because they're stackable; I have 2 in almost constant use with different strippers in them(CSC and ScaleCoat) depending on the job at hand.

Glue - I use CA(super glue) on a fair amount of stuff, but I've found it can fog clear parts and chrome; for most glue jobs I use 5-minute epoxy. MicroScale 'Micro Krystal Kleer' is excellent for clear parts like windows and headlight lenses. Putty - I use Squadron white and Tamiya's 'basic' 1-part gray, depending on the job at hand; both cure fast and sand easy in light application.

There's your answer. I did a '65 Shelby back in the mid 1980s, and it became kinda amber-colored over time because I cleared over the Testors white enamel with Testors clear. When I re-did it in the late 1990s, I used straight Model Master white with no clear, and it's still white today.

It all depends on what kind of big block Chevy you're after, but here's my thoughts: ** Any of the newer Revell '69 Camaros - Yenko, Motion, etc. can provide a nice stockish BBC(the Motion '70 Chevelle too) ** The above mentioned 3-in-1 Revell '70 Chevelle has a great blower setup as an option

I'm not sure if they're the same ones you have, but my buddy Matt said these came from a diecast 'Two Lane Blacktop' '55 Chevy:

My understanding was that the stripes were all painted, but the letters & numbers in the rocker stripe were decals

I've only used the SpasStix spray, but I've had good results so far; Tamiys TS-14 gloss black is a good base, and very light 'misty' coats of the chrome are key to good results. The headers on my roadster's flatty were done in SpazStix after mold line cleanup:

Ray - I've seen a few modelers use black rubber o-rings with tyre decals added, and they can be pretty convincing

I'd love to see a pic of this one pulled over by a cop

* Tamiya '66 Beetle * AMT Meyers Manx I currently have 3 or 4 of the various Revell '32 Fords in the works, so I figure those oughta make the list.

Offbeat and cool....me likey

Took the words right outta my mouse, Harry

I Googled a couple more pics to help illustrate the rear hatch differences....using a Barndoor in my first reply was a bad choice, as an opening rear hatch was a dealer-installed option. Here's a pre-64 rear hatch, which is the same width as the engine lid: And a '64-up version; the engine lid width did not change:

Not exactly, as the pre-'64 had a much narrower rear window & hatch than the later models.....I would graft the rear corners and hatch section from the Hasegawa '67 panel into a 23-window body to do it 'right.' I agree the Hasegawa kits have gone through the roof, but the other Revell Microbus(not the 'flat pack' one) is the same kit in their box; I'll also assume their soon-to-be-released panel is also a repackaged Hasegawa as well. Here's the Revell kit that is all Hasegawa inside - for about half the price:

Unfortunately, nobody currently produces a kit of the 21-window; the Revell and Hasegawa kits are 23-window Buses. Revell made one back in the 1960s, based on their original 1950s-issue 23-window, and it was later modified and reissued as the 'Rubber Duck' and then 'California Roller' custom panel Buses. To show the difference between the 21 and 23, I did a little Googling. 21-window(model years 1964-67): 23 window (model years 1950-1963): The 23w shown is actually a pre-'55 'Barndoor" Bus, but the narrower rear hatch and corner windows are pretty much the same all the way through 1963. To properly count the windows on a deluxe Microbus, the front doors(which contain 3 pieces of glass) are considered 1 each; there were 13, 15, 21 and 23-window varieties.

I need to shoot a new pic of it, but my homebuilt booth utilizes a brushless fan and we built it to accept the same size filter as my furnace; after initial testing it was converted to downdraft, and I've been very happy with it.

Well, the results are in after Saturday's drawing: 1st prize, the Meyers Manx, is taking up residence with Brad and his family, formerly in Australia, now in Valley Center CA 2nd prize, the awesome 'car guy' birdhouse, is headed to Roy in Glen Allen VA I won't have the actual figure until the last PayPal transfer is complete(later today or tomorrow), but it looks like the raffle has netted just over $2100 in less than 4 months' time. I'd like to thank everybody who contributed to and supported the raffle, for helping make my silly idea a huge success. Even though most of them aren't here on the MCM boards, these are the people who helped get the ball rolling and get the prizes together as well: Scott Lavigne, Marc Nellis, Hideo Motohashi, Bruce & Winnie Meyers, Bob Smith and his crew at Mohawk Valley Railroad(my LHS), Gregg Hutchings and Model Cars Magazine, Kinko's in Saratoga Springs NY. Last, but certainly not least, my wife Jennifer and our boys Dominic and Luciano for tolerating me and my dune buggy nonsense.

Very smooth! I seem to recall my first chop attempt....and it wasn't nearly as nice as yours.

Looks great from here!!

Drawing is set for December 1st....just over a week away...and I've come up with a "last week special" ticket deal: A $10 donation will now get you FIFTY tickets!!

Not buying specific BBs for paint...I always have copper-clad BBs around because I have airguns, and they've worked fine for 20+ years so far.

I drop a couple Crosman 'Copperhead' BBs in each jar(3 in the larger ones), so shaking them like a spray can mixes the paint.