Chuck Most

Since the Olds 88 was about the only car that could give the Hudson Hornet a run for its money at the racetrack 'back in the day', I figured it would behoove me to build a '50 Olds which somehow complemented one of the many Hornets I've built. But which one? I knew I wanted to trash at least one of these new Oldsmobile kits, so I decided to go that route. Going for something like this long-abandoned '52 Hornet droptop... Eventually I want to display the Hudson and Olds together in a proper diorama setting, but I might build a few more cars for that depending on how I decide to lay it out.. Anyway, onto the Olds... Since I 'needed' the engine for something else, I glued down the hood. I misted the body with primer and was happy that the majority of the mold lines were gone after a few minutes of wet sanding. Even the sink marks in the hood (over the locators for the hinges) went away after a few passes- what little is left of them are minor enough to be dealt with by subsequent coats of primer and sanding. The car will eventually be sunken into the dirt, so I'm not doing any detailing at all to the underside- there is just enough suspension installed to keep the wheel and tire assemblies on the car, and I left out the rear springs entirely to get the car to 'squat' a bit to depict the car having no engine and worn rear springs. The chrome is stripping as I type this, and I'm hoping to have the interior at least dialed in shortly. I still need to map out rust/collison/etc. damage to the body, and what kind of junk I want to use to fill out the interior.

Well, in a sense. This '51 Buick has been an on/off project for about three years, though it spends much of its time not on the bench, but in an AMT '51 Chevy box off to the side. Maybe that's the problem?

All parking lots need to be like this.

They seem to be most common in boats around 50' in length, but I've seen one on a 30' Chris Craft. Ford also sold this engine as a stand alone power unit.

How about using the spare 534 as a marine powerplant?

I don't think so... the operator sneezes just once and he'd wipe out a good two or three acres worth of grain.

^^^^^GOLD MINE!!!! ^^^^^

Posted this in the other thread, but I'll duplicate it here. Enjoy my delicious copypasta! A few things to think about- There are a handful of 1:25 ag tires I've seen on diecast Ertl promos, but I've seen just as many (if not more) 1:1 car/tractors with medium or heavy duty truck tires on the back. I'd also look into WW2 era 1:35 and 1:24 military kits- some of those might work, and many 1:35 tires will fit bi-scale wheels and still look 'right' on the model. As Dr. Cranky mentioned, the reissued Willys Jeep kit's tires would be suitable as well. You could even fabricate your own spoked steel wheels, like the kind seen on the Model T conversion kits sold by Shaw. Also, some retained all four stock wheels/tires, or had a set of builder-fabricated dual rear wheels. Sometimes the stock wheels were cut down to fit a different diamter wheel rim. Ertl did make a few 1:25 farm and construction kits, but the drive tires would be WAY too big for what we're talking about here- the tires in those kits are meant for a 14 to 20,000 pound machine, not a flyweight like a doodlebug. You could use pretty much any early '30's or older vehicle as a starting point, though the vast majority were Ford based. Model T Doodlebugs normally had improved cooling, as the Model T engine wasn't as well-suited to field work as it was to simply moving the car. Often the frames were reinforced, and in many cases the rear axle was solid-mounted to the frame- no rear suspension at all. Also keep in mind that no two will be exactly alike, even if they were based on an aftermarket kit like the Shaw setup. Builders equipped them and set them up for their own uses.

A few things to think about- There are a handful of 1:25 ag tires I've seen on diecast Ertl promos, but I've seen just as many (if not more) 1:1 car/tractors with medium or heavy duty truck tires on the back. I'd also look into WW2 era 1:35 and 1:24 military kits- some of those might work, and many 1:35 tires will fit bi-scale wheels and still look 'right' on the model. As Dr. Cranky mentioned, the reissued Willys Jeep kit's tires would be suitable as well. You could even fabricate your own spoked steel wheels, like the kind seen on the Model T conversion kits sold by Shaw. Also, some retained all four stock wheels/tires, or had a set of builder-fabricated dual rear wheels. Sometimes the stock wheels were cut down to fit a different diamter wheel rim. Ertl did make a few 1:25 farm and construction kits, but the drive tires would be WAY too big for what we're talking about here- the tires in those kits are meant for a 14 to 20,000 pound machine, not a flyweight like a doodlebug. You could use pretty much any early '30's or older vehicle as a starting point, though the vast majority were Ford based. Model T Doodlebugs normally had improved cooling, as the Model T engine wasn't as well-suited to field work as it was to simply moving the car. Often the frames were reinforced, and in many cases the rear axle was solid-mounted to the frame- no rear suspension at all. Also keep in mind that no two will be exactly alike, even if they were based on an aftermarket kit like the Shaw setup. Builders equipped them and set them up for their own uses.

These First Gear Ford pickemups have been quite the popular subject of late!

Wrong body style if a '73 is what you want.

Don't remind me...

Hey, a 1994 model is two years away from antique vehicle status in many states, so... I'm just stunned there's such a thing as a 1994 Neon. I thought 1995 was the first model year for the Neon?

I think I like 'er.

I'm in. My granfather has a '25 Model T USPS van with the skis and tracks for winter use, and of course I can cobble up a Doodlebug with the Model T and A parts I have on hand. There's a 1:1 Doodlebug in my neighborhood, based off a '30 Model A truck. Hitch a three bottom plow to the back and it would be perfect...

Try to order one from a central Michigan hobby shop- these kits seem to be gathering dust in my area. Not sure why- I bought two and it's a great little kit.

Weird stuff? Okay, but you asked...

Tom- you should have seen the '78 I used to have...

My local shop just got a fresh order of Lindberg kits in, but he's getting them through a warehouse and not direct. I wouldn't worry too much- Lindberg has gone under a few times already, and they always manage to make a comebock.

I never get tired of seeing these built- maybe because NOBODY builds them right out of the box as the intended subject! Very nice.

I've had issues with JF castings not wanting to hang onto primer before, as well, but I've found that if I wait about 48 hours and let it fully cure, it's no longer a problem. The primer will still want to flake off once it's dry to the touch, but after two days it's just fine. I've had that happen with other resins, too, but I've had it happen most frequently with the Flintstone castings.

Already managed to screw up Avanti body #1, probably to the point of not being repairable, but I should have plenty of time to manage something.

I had to Google Larry Hagman... had no idea who that was. No, not a tribute- I found an old business card for a Ridge Farm Supply on Ewing Road- I just switched the business and road names around to make a fake business. That was the whole idea- rolling business car with a big fiberglass cow on the back. It's set up with a hitch as well- I'm toying with the idea of doing some type of parade float to pull behind it.

Nice! Are those '57 Ford wheels set into bigger-diameter rims?

I don't know how well it would sell to the general big rig modeling public, but I know I'd be up for a couple. My great uncle had one, and I've always liked them myself.