Rob Hall

I have the Lorinser kit also in my unbuilt stash. Too bad that an AMG version of this generation wasn't kitted, always like the look of them. A buddy in high school had an '86 560 SEC AMG, red like this..

My favorite Christmas movie...saw it a couple weekends ago, probably seen it 20 times over the years. So many quotable scenes and funny scenes..

I looked at Amazon and Tire Rack last year when I bought new tires for my Jeep (265/50R/20s), but ended up buying tires from my local tire store 1 mile away. Could have saved a few bucks perhaps buying online, but the convenience of doing everything at one place beats out the hassle.

Sharp build..I have this kit and the Revell of Germany one in my to-build stash. Always liked the 80s Mercs. When she lived in Arizona, my sister had an '84 Merc 500SEL and a '91 300CE. I drove them both quite a bit when I lived out there over the last decade, when they were running they were quite enjoyable to drive. But cars that are expensive and complex new can become money pits when they are old w/ high mileage (and the previous owners didn't maintain them properly). I find them more enjoyable in 1/24th scale.

It may be copy of the Jo-han body and chrome. It has a very simplified generic interior and chassis.

I recall a resin caster doing a '63 4dr sedan resin body and advertising it as an Andy Griffith Show patrol car probably 15 years ago...don't recall the caster, though. The 2dr sedan patrol car looks great!

Still molded in black I see...looks the pad printed slicks are new for this kit.

And this is their 60th anniversary of 1/25th scale kits..'58 was the first year of annuals.

I've heard that, esp. in drought prone areas. NE Ohio is wet enough so that's not an issue.

Yeah, I bought a few kits from him around 20 years ago before old kits on eBay really took off. I found that when I got the list in the mail (he sent out a paper list to people then), most of what I was interested in was already sold when I called him (I'd call him the day I got the list in the mail if possible). He always had good stuff for low prices..

Ok, something old. Was going off the rear distributor and the shape of the exhaust manifolds. Since they generically describe it as a V8 and don't give a brand, it's a moot point..

I think I saw that in a hobby shop somewhere once I thought it looked neat. Gunze-Sangyo hasn't released a model car kit in many years, I guess they are out of business (at least w/ car kits)>

They had a lot of damage from the hurricane last year..when I lived there, I remember having to evacuate for hurricanes several times. We'd pile in the Winnebago and head north to the Florida turnpike and hang out a few days at one of the service plazas/rest areas.

Pretty unique place...lived in Marathon for 6 years, for middle school and high school.

I went to high school with guys like Jeff... many of the characters of that movie remind me of people I went to school with in the Florida Keys in the mid 80s.

Jeff Spicoli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High?

My yard is covered with leaves again about 2 weeks after the yard guys did the final cleanup for the season. More leaves fell down since then, but mostly all the leaves off the property next door blew over into my yard. Oh well.

Neat....I've never seen that '69 Trans Am box art. The MPC '69 annual I have has this box art:

Well, the NASCAR 'Camry' is a zero door RWD V8 car, while the real car is a 4dr FWD 4cyl. Only the name in common.

I later got this version, but haven't built it...this MPC release is from around 1979-1980 IIRC.

I built the mid 80s MPC issue (with the blue car box art) and a 90s AMT release with an orange car on the box art. Both had the 6 cyl and 400 V8 and two hoods IIRC. The Spyder wheels were gone by then, both the '80s and '90s issues had weird 6 lug 80s style slotted wheels as the custom option. These are the ones I built. I also built the convertible version back in the 80s, had the same parts as the ht IIRC.

It looks like someone was inspired by an old linoleum kitchen floor as the surface for the model...

Yes, it's the redesigned 2018-present XV70 generation. That style was introduced during 2017 calendar year. Maybe in Japan it was labeled as a 2017 at the time? I've seen a few of the SEs around here in white w/ the black roof and red leather interior--rather bold and striking design for a FWD family sedan.

I used to work in the office tower closest to the bridge (corner of Mill & Rio Salado). Also worked further down Mill and over off University.

Having learned to winter drive young in NE Ohio in a Mustang with 4 snow tires and extra weight in the trunk, I learned how to drive in all sorts of winter weather...6 years of that, then 3 years in SE Michigan w/ my first 4x4 (Bronco II), then 12 winters in Colorado (the Bronco II then a Grand Cherokee). Colorado winters were very different from Ohio and Michigan...more dry snow, less ice and no salt on the roads. After a decade in dry and dusty Arizona, I'm now starting my 2nd winter back in Ohio with another Jeep. all wheel drive helps w/ traction, but good tires and driving skills are what you need to be able to get through the winter and stay on the road.