Foxer

Welcome, Mike, from just up in the Berkshires from you.

Archer Fine Transfers has a new .PDF catalog that has all their 3D resin decals in actual size when you print it out. I have used their weld beads and I find them to be a realistic and easy product to use. I would strongly suggest printing this out as a reference to the sizes of their many sheets of various details. Look at the top of the first page on their site for the link to download the catalog. I would suggest getting Adobe Reader to use if you don't have it as my first printing of the particular PDF file using the default Windows 7 printer was not satisfactory. Edit: I looked back at my post and realize I didn't stress the value of this catalog. All the rivets, louvers, treadplate, fasteners, welds .. etc. are printed ACTUAL size when you print the PDF file. Just hold a line of printed rivets against your build and you can see exactly which size you need. Simple.

Love that MufflerMan .. more than any muffler I owned!

Welcome Joe ... wish your end of MA with Classic Plastics (and MASSCAR) was closer to me!

That's great of you to offer this reference. I'd welcome a link ... and thanks!

Since these aren't done I didn't want to post here, but I've been liking the unfinished ones that have. So here's the '32's on my bench ...

I appreciate the your comments. I think the "menace" in red may take a hit, but a lot will depend on if I can get the right camera angle. I got convinced by others that it DID need something brighter than the Black I originally had in mind. The rear end does end up with "panties" showing with the huge rear tires pushing it's skirt up! I'm painting the frame, rear end and all original chrome with Metalizer Gunmetal ... hopefully that will pull the back down a bit to the eye. I also had a thought about mudflaps, but that just doesn't seem right. I DO agree it needs something to pull the rear together ... maybe next mockup will give a hint of what it needs. I'm planning no bumpers at this point, but maybe there's something there to fool the eye.

In East Hartford, CT it was Augie & Rays Drive In on Silver Lane. We made our appearances in Steve's green '55 Buick.

2009 Maybach..........Vaya Chuchin!!!! I'm more impressed with the '88 944! I had 5 924/944's and the '88 944 the longest ... 8 years..They just LASTED with little problems. The galvanized body lasted every New England winter withour a spot of rust, being driven all winter. They were all my only car and driver every day. How many miles on that puppy, Simon? I'm sure salt isn't a problem, as far south as you are ... or is ocean salt the problem there?

Welcome from the other end of the state, Brian. Don't feel bad .. I completed 2 in 2012 .. for a total of 2 in the last 6 years! But, I enjoy every minute!

Small update for 2014. I decided the hood needed to be hinged since it would look bare with just a bare hood removal. It ended up pretty simple by just drilling for a brass rod thru the fender base thru the lower hood. You can see the holes in the photo. I then inserted a brass tube thru the hood so a slightly bent pin would give some stiffness to the hinge. I had to sand the lower hood some to insure ground clearance when open and noticed the top needed some leveling also where the front track nose met the original hood. It looks like some thin strips will also be needed to narrow the gap at the body. All in all, I'm happy with how it all went together. Now I need to figure how I will cap the rod ends where they show inside the fenders ... maybe a nut to hold and cap the rod. I'd appreciate any ideas as this will be highly visible from the front.

Look at Woodland Scenics products for the standing water. They have become the standard for Railroaders, but there are many other water products out there also. Any good hobby shop should carry it.

Welcome, Thomas. Under Glass is for showing your cars. There are a few specialized areas too, like for Trucks and Large Scale.

I made an A-Team Van into a GMC my daughter had in the '90's ... she thought it was her Hippie Van. There wasn't a lot of built-in stuff in it but might give some ideas. There are interior pics in the Under Glass towards the end.

This is starting good ... those fender flairs will give it pizazz!

I'm retired too ... best about that is there's no hurry and I have only ME to answer to!

Since I haven't had one competition this year I am regulated to here, but I've had a blast and have worked hard and long. So here's a few shots of some that might end up done in 2014, but no promises! I still can't get touch up paint for my 2013 Mini Countryman but at least the 5th seat for the interior got done. The '32 ford has progressed to paint! Did a lot on making the '69 VW Bug I owned converting from a '66. This is the IRS I made that no Beetle kit has . '81 Plymouth Reliant my daughter had got paint and the engine dirtied up My first Porsche 944, an '84, is getting close to completion. Here in primer with the fender protectors showing. My last Porsche 944, a '91 S2, is ready for a second painting after the first had to be stripped .. My wife's old '95 Legacy is moving again after I bought a 2nd kit to get a new rear window. I just realized I DID finish something, but just a die cast I only painted the interior to match my son's '95 Subaru WRX for my grandson. Pershing Missile ... This was my "gun" in the Army and I found a model on ebay to build it! I already built the tracked carrier and the missile model is a bit off scale so I'll probably have to scratch build the erector launcher. This will be On the Workbench for some time ... I haven't even posted a thread on it yet.

Mine would have to be the AMT '40 Ford Sedan I built back in 1962 when I was 16. I built is specifically for a contest at the LHS which I only placed 2nd in class the year before. I decided I was going to push my limits and do everything I could to get a win. First I wanted it as low as it could go so it was chopped, channeled and sectioned with 13" wheels. It made it down to a scale 48" high! I apparently used Bill Cushenberry's el Matador as a basis for the custom work. The tilted quad headlight openings were formed out of wire bent around the lights and somehow glued and puttied to the fenders ... just like done on a 1:1 car. The doors were opened and hinged with working door handles ... just a Z shaped paper clip that caught the jam. Upholstery was green and white corduroy strips 2 ribs wide. Engine was wired with thread and copper wire used for the brake lines. This was my first Candy Apple paint job and it was terrible, but the contest was getting close and I rushed it. In the end, I won 1st in Custom Class, lost the Best in Show because the judges said it was "unroadable"! ... was the el Matador roadable?! This will always be my favorite just for sentimental value.

Welcome back to the fold, Mark! What got me back to modeling was the availability of many of the cars I've owned in kit form ... or close enough that with some modifications I cold do them.

Welcome, Matt, from the other end of the state! It sounds like you started right with a simple kit. You improve as you build more and just learn something new every time. You should just acquire tools as you go and need something for a specific use. High octane gave some good recommendations. Some sandpaper is a good start to remove mold lines on the body ... around 300 grit for rough removal and 400 to 600 to smooth things out is a good start. I would say get some spray paint to paint the body. You don't have to use the expensive hobby paints, though they are scaled to work well on scale models. I use a lot of Krylon paints I get at Michaels or stores such as Walmart. Most are safe on plastic but you should always test new paint on some sprue the parts come on. You should try the paint on something than the body to see how it goes on .. distance and speed as you move it across the part affects how well it goes on. There are many threads here about all aspects of modeling so use Google to search. For instance, to find out about spray paint, type "site:modelcarsmag.com spray paint" into Google. Will be looking forward to how your building comes along. Never be afraid to post anything here ... we have all levels of builders here who will always help with anything.

Thi sis looking wonderful .. very realistic!

Welcome to THE forum, Cole. It's good to see young people building ... I started centuries ago!

Definitely a back sear driver car!

I coulda had a V10! Defiantly different.

I will never ask you where your updates are as I build at a similar pace at my own speed! But I WILL say how much I enjoy your creativity every time there is an update!