Chuck Most

I've never had any problems with Jim not returning e-mails, though it might take him a couple of days to get back with you.

Just got these today (within a week of ordering them I might add ), and figured I'd share. They aren't on Dave's website modelsbydave.com, but both are available for $3.50 apiece plus postage. On top is the Dodge grille- it's a straight repop of the old MPC annual kit grile, before they changed it to the weird new/old style for the Cannonball Run ambulance- the grille that was still in the kit when it was reissued as the Rescue 911 van by AMT/Ertl. This is the correct quad headlight grille for these vans, and fits the '78-style MPC van body like it was made for it- because it was. Below it is a 1979-1982 grille for the AMT Ford van. Add a Blue Oval to the middle of the grille and you can build a 1983-1991 version as well. Just don't forget to fill in the turn signals in the splash apron- obviously you won't need them with this grille. Both are cleanly cast- only a slight bit of flash to clean up, and no pinholes or distortions in the parts.

Lovely.

Maybe somebody should tell him about Kickstarter. Wait, no, don't do that...

Uhhhhhhhhh.... Ecotec is a GM engine. I think you mean EcoBoost. He never said it was the same engine used in the SVO and Turbo Coupe, just that this isn't the first time a Mustang has been sold with a turbo four.

I'm just glad the Mustang styling team finally pulled their heads out of 1967's hiney and designed something that looks consistent with the century in which it's being built. Sure, the '15 still has some ghosts of Mustangs past in it's styling, but this is leaps and bounds better than the last two styles. Not saying I didn't like the S197, I'm just saying the whole "retro" thing was past its prime. The new car has a European, exotic kind of look going- just like the original Mustang. I know some people hate it. I say it's about flippin' time the Mustang's styling caused a ruckus.

I love it! And yes, foiling the trim is the only thing I don't like about building this kit.

Love this!

Very nice!

Love it.

Dead-on. Same way bolting a set of wire wheels and whitewalls to a stock Saturn SL doesn't make it a lowrider. Putting 24" wheels and a clip-on billet grille on an Escalade doesn't really make it "custom". There are a few more ingredients you need than that. Even though it seems like, in many people's minds, that's all it takes. Just like doing a factory stock model, doing a proper tuner... or street machine, or lowrider, or what have you... takes a bit of research if you want to do it right. Otherwise stock cars with wings, faux fiber, and fart can mufflers are frowned upon by tuner enthusiasts, but you seem to see quite a few vehicles which fit that description entered as tuners. And for the record- I have no problem with your model or you if you build one that. It's your model, you are free to build it in whatever style you goshdam please. But that might be part of the problem with model contests.... cars like that get lumped into the category, even if they don't really fit it. How often do you see a factory stock muscle car in the "street machine" category? Shouldn't it be in the dedicated "muscle car" category? Think of how many models you've seen entered in a "box stock" category, despite the fact they clearly have wheels from another kit or aftermarket decals. If people cant' get a concept as simple as "box stock" right, I don't suppose you could expect them to get it right when it comes to more specific categories. I don't know if that would translate into fewer tuner-specific classes at shows and contests over time, but it certainly couldn't help the case. Stuff like that often makes me wonder why we bother with labels at all. A nicely done model is what it is- it doesn't necessarily have to fit into a neat little box for a particular category.

I was gonna say... I had a '67 Impala and all I had to do was stoop down a little.

Very nice! Yes, it's a simplified kit, but it's loaded with potential and it doesn't take much more than clean building techniques and a little detailing to make it look really good.

Mine's the reissue with the scaled-down Polar Lights decal sheet. I got it when it first came back out, so far haven't done much other than open the box.

Nice! Reminds me I have an AMT 18" Enterprise I need to get around to building....

NOT the '55 Chevy, it has the cast finned type. Like this one- I believe the AMT '34 Ford street rod kit has an air cleaner like the one in Ian's link, but it might be a Weiland- I seem to remember that kit came with an one or the other logo on the air cleaner and one or the other on the valve covers, but I don't recall which was which. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I checked the two I have in the stash- one is the stock only version, and my street rod version is missing the small block Chevy parts.

Just tried it, and nothing. According to isitdownrightnow.com the site is down.

It already looks good. I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

I think the label "Tuner" might be a tad too generic to have much meaning. What exactly is a tuner? Well, judging from what I've seen as far as tuner category entries, it can be anything from a factory stock SVT Focus to a Skyline given the full "Dyno Queen" treatment. Obviously the term gets tossed about quite a bit as far as import cars are concerned, but what about a Hennessey Viper, or a Calloway 'Vette? Those are "tuned" by outside "tuning" firms, after all. So depending on how you want to define the term, it might cover quite a bit of ground. As has been pointed out, many of them could just as well fit into another category. I seem to remember a Mazda RX-7 winning the "Street Machine" class at a big contest several years back. Granted, maybe not as many people are building them these days, but there are still plenty of categories for them, even for lack of a dedicated Tuner class.

Totally doing this!

A few years back I was hit really hard by the flu, so basically spent a week on the couch. I'd answer the phone, and if it was a telemarketer, I made it a point to have a little fun. I remember one was getting very impatient with me after about fifteen minutes and I said "Please, don't hang up! I'll buy whatever it is you're selling! I'm so lonely!" Needless to say, he hung up, and I never did hear from that particular company again.

Oh, I've had some fun with those types. The best part is when they get indignant with you, for wasting their time. Kind of the same feeling you'd get if you prank-called a telemarketer at some ungodly hour.