Alyn

thanks to you both for the compliments. Art, I'm still trying to figure out that GSL thing. I don't think they liked my habit of building cars wilth illegal exhaust.

Greatly appreciated comments from a couple of great builders. I admire you both. Bill, hope you have a great time in Louisville. I'll have to get out that way some day.

I can't believe it. I actually like it too. Nice job, Chuck. I thought you were going to just slap this one together as a styling exercise, but you've finished it off nicely. The color suits it just right, the interior looks fantastic and the fins are ridiculously cool. The spotlights are a great detail touch as well. I gotta get out more.

I've heard they don't like to be sprayed with Alclad. Just saying

Snipped from the Kustom Kemps website: "Modeler's will be vying for the coveted Elden Titus Concept Design Award, & the ultimate goal, the "777 Custom Crown "Model" Champion" to recognize the "Top Model car or truck in America." $500.00 will be given in awards, and decisions to determine the winners will be done in part by the K.C. Salmmers, Jerry & Tammy Titus (Elden' wife), the KKOA Hall of Famer's at the show (Barris, Starbird, D’Agostino, Winfield, Hines, etc.) So, take your time and look closely at the design and detail of these fantastic models. You'll be amazed. The KKOA would like to salute Model Cars Magazine, and Kool Rides Rod & Custom Accessories for their support. And, the greatest model car club in America for hosting this amazing Spectacular of small scale wonderment! The fantastic K.C. SLAMMERS. Saaaalute." To me, this is one of the best kept secrets in the modeling community. Judging by some of the most famous names in customizing, $500.00 in cash prizes, 1,500 full size old-skook rods and customs, Bill Hines chopping a top in front of your eyes, live old time rock-n-roll music, old time drag races, a pin-up beauty contest. JalopyJournal.com is organizing a bunch of Mercs for the show This will be my third, but not last trip to Salina. I didn't go last year and missed out on meeting Dennis Gage from "My Classic Car". The year before Linda Vahn and Paul LaMat (Milner in American Graphiti) were there, along with Barris, Winfield, and numerous other famous names in customizing. George is always around If you're anywheres in the Midwest and looking for something to do this weekend, this should give some great inspiration for that next Deuce roadster or 50 Chevy leadsled. more info here: http://kustomkempsof...m/editorial.htm

badda bing ! good one, Harry

stopping at every step to snap some pics, loading them into your computer, sorting through them all to find some decent ones, clean up in the photo editor and you're still not done.Then you have to upload them to the web, write up a post, and paste in the pics. All that added on top of a highly detailed build. It's a lot of work just to share. Add me to the list that appreciate the opportunity to see what you do and how you do it.

Last time I saw this level of detail and craftsmanship it was on an 1:8th scale build. I could not be more impressed. Superb !

thanks, my friends. Your comments are very much appreciated.

Very, very nice. Not over done, just perfect with the right changes to make it stand out. Seeing your car, I wish these old Beatles would make a come back.

Thanks for your interest and compliments, guys.It does take a bit of time to cut all them pins and drill all the holes, not to mention half of them didn't want to fit and had to be lost on the floor twice before they'd give up. Sorry about your mind, Mike. We're gonna have to put down our pet raccoon, so if you need a new brain, I may be able to fix ya up.

still waiting for the aluminum big block and moveable rear wing. or, I may have to start believing that you're gonna pull this off

John, you're getting scary good. Fantastic use of color and texture in the interior, not to mention the detailing.

Rob, I think you picked a winner. I love that Krylon burgundy. It's great for interiors. Looking forward to see how she turns out.

Bringing this one back up to bat. This kit come with the stock grille and a custom tube grille. To set mine apart, I decided to build a bullet (drawer knob) style grille. An insert was cut and shaped to fit into the back shell that was intended for the tube grille. The bullets will be made from straight pins. Here's what a bunch of pin heads look like. Depending on where you work or live, you may already know what a room full of pin heads looks like. I drilled some .020" holes in the insert that will align all the pin heads. Here's the first panel with the pins in place. and the other panel. Of course it's very important to be careful with the spacing and straightness of the holes. The tough part was getting them to look right at each end where the bullets meet up with the headlight bezel and the nose in the center. I thought about gluing the pins in first, and then cutting them to length, but didn't have a tool that would cut close enough to the plastic. There isn't enough room in the back shell to mount the plastic panel if a bunch of pin stubs are protruding out the backside. Here's the mock up with both left and right panels completed. The back shell will also be painted black with the nose in the center painted body color. I may also add a horizontal chrome strip above and below the bullets. That's where I'm at this afternoon.

That's what I was thinking too. Keep in mind that it's tough to get that level of wear without some chips, scratches and maybe some modest rust on lower panel areas. When I see this body, the image of a couple of guys in T-shirts and jeans driving around slow, looking for some trouble comes to mind.

Bonus points for creativity. The series one could use this kind of shot in the arm. Bring on the primer phase

Thanks for the shout-out, Rob. Looks like you're off to a good start. Nothing like a channel job to create a bunch more work Here's hoping that you don't settle for the plain flat black paint job. A light pastel with major problems would look great on this body.

I can't tell the difference, what did you do ??? JK/ John; they look 1,000% better than the kit parts. Nice touch!

Thanks again guys, for all your interest and encouraging comments. Dominik, there's a link in my first post to the WIP with additional detail photo's.

Thanks to you all for taking the time to follow the build on this car. Your interest is very much appreciated. Several comments show me that you've picked some of the details that are may favorites as well. Sometimes I think it would be great if I could build flat heads and interior panels and then call it done. This flat head ended up being number three of four in a row. Now if I can get my rear in gear and finish up my Pontiac Catalina ...

Great work, John. Can't wait to see your take on the aluminum finish.

Here's some pics of one I built a year or so ago, but just finished the WIP today. Revell 40 Ford business coupe. Chopped top, reworked trunk area, reshaped grille shell and headlight buckets. The interior panels scratch built to give the look of inner structural panels. Lots of scratch built details on engine, interior and chassis. WIP: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=49399&st=0

Here's a comparison with the inspiration below; Under glass: http://www.modelcars...showtopic=61177 I first saw the original car at the KKOA Lead Sled spectacular in Salina, Kansas. This show draws over a thousand old style rods and customs. No billet allowed. I've been there twice and have taken hundreds of pictures of all the full-size eye candy. Even watched Bill Hines chop a top at the show. Very cool. There's also a model car contest with judging from some of the most famous names in the old school custom car world. This show is one of the very few that actually give out cash prizes. The model show is coming up soon on Saturday, the 28th of July. Salina can be hot, but the mind blowing quantity and quality of old school rods and customs is impossible to describe. Old time drag races on Friday, and then two days to take in all the cars in a really nice park environment. Put this on you gotta go list.

thanks, very much appreciated. Here's an outdoor shot I just re-sized.