Chuck Most

You HAD to bring up the Cat trucks, didn't ya? I'd be up for one of those, or even an aftermarket transkit for the Lonestar. That is, if I don't try making my own first.

Nice! You had me at 'International', but the cabin on the back is just sweet.

Models like this make me wonder why I even bother! Every inch of this one is just stunning.

Hands down, IMHO, the '72 Cutlass. Any gripes about it I have would fall in to the realm of petty nit-picking, but I will say I'd love them to introduce a formal hardtop variant... the sooner the better!

Yep. I think that option bit the dust when they retooled it in the mid '90's to restore it back to a stock version.

The intake would be gone for sure- the intake on the 3-valve Mod motors is plastic. At least the upper plenum, anyway.

I keep going back to those pics- they look like period photos of the 1:1 truck from an issue of Overdrive, or something.

The fenders are the weakest part of the kit- they're a bit too round in front, and just plain way off in back. You CAN graft on the better looking front fenders from the AMT '53 Trophy Series, you'll need to rework the '53 hood (which also looks better) quite a bit as well. Since the hood emblems are separate, you can use them on the AMT hood. The rear fenders are pretty much a simple matter of subsituting the AMT parts for the Revell parts. Not the easiest swap in the world overall, but the resulting model will look a lot better. The roof on this has never looked right to me, either- especially the big back window version. But fixing the fenders goes a long way to improving the look.

Forgive me if what I'm about to say comes off as a bit 'dorky', but here goes... When I see a car, be it a clapped-out old junker I pass on the freeway, or some old long-lost hulk that's been sitting so long in one spot it looks like it has always been there, It always gets my imagination reeling. How did the front fender get dinged in like that? Why is the driver's side rear door a different color than the other panels on the car? What kind of person owned it? And in the case of the last example, how did it end up where it is today? Weathering a model immediately gives the vehicle a history, a backstory. You can make up a back story for it, or let the viewer draw their own conclusions. It becomes really interesting when the model is set in a diorama setting (though that's a whole 'nother can of worms). If you built, say, a Monogram '50 Ford F-1 in an overgrown, wooded area, its hood slightly ajar and some scattered engine parts laying on the fender, for example- it will get the viewer of the scene thinking "What happened? How did that truck end up there?" You might even picture the frustrated old farmer who owned it, throwing up his arms and cursing, giving up on whatever 'field repair' he was attempting, and just leaving there to sit. To me, that's the kind of stuff that really makes a weathered model interesting. The fact they're loads of fun to build is just icing on the cake.

The key thing is a VERY careful and gentle touch when taking the paint off the raised lettering. Sometimes just polishing the paint lightly in that area will do the trick as well.

Of all the models I've built with a weathered finish, I think this one is my favorite- I was going for a 'barn find plopped on a later model chassis' look for this '26 Mack. Just a worn but still mostly well preserved truck, still wearing its original work clothes.

Given that car's lineage, it could be worth millions as is. Still, it is at least a little bit comforting the car still exists in the first place.

Are you positive you aren't thinking of Modelhaus? I know for a fact Don sells just roof sections for select cars, I'm not aware of Tom doing that, though. At least, I've never seen separate roof sections available for sale on his site.

Ah, the Crispy Stang. First, and so far the only convincing, burned model I've seen. Love the details on that one, right down to the bubbles in the formerly molten front wheels.

Oh- I do want to get MPC's Vampire Van reissue. I've got a plan or two in mind for that much-maligned monstrosity.

It does appear that way, but... jeez, could the images be any more overexposed? Looks like the worn out stock tires are making a comeback as well.

The AMT/Ertl '95 S-Blazer had a decent set of Goodyear Wrangler All Terrains like Roger described, too- I think they're the same as the tires in the Tahoe kit.

Here is how they should look once installed.

On the earlier kits, there were some really long pieces left from the ejector pins- these should be cut off flush with the bottom of the wiper actuator. The knife blade is pointing to the mounting pin here. You may have to trim the mounting pin or open up its locator hole on the firewall a bit, but they should fit nice and flush against the firewall once in place.

Hmmmmmmmmmm.... Now, that one looks familiar. Wonder where I've seen that '37...

Or...

And sometimes the 'chrome' is anodized aluminum, which only dulls. It can be stained and streaked by rust from surronding steel parts, but aluminum doesn't rust, anodized or not.

Proper research of your chosen subject is an absolute MUST. Not only spotting common rust patterns on 1:1 vehicles (I can close my eyes and picture the rust spots on '80-97 Ford F-series pickups and fullsize Broncos, so no research needed for me there!), but also knowing what parts are made from what material. That Tamiya Jeep Wrangler built as a beater would look mighty strange with rusted-through fender flares, for instance! (That would be akin to the rusty Camaro spoiler you mentioned). It never ceases to amaze me how some guys just prefer to 'wing it' when a ten or fifteen minute Google image search can bring up more images than you'll ever need of what you want to find in most cases. All you have to do is look at examples of your chosen subject to get a feel of how the vehicle deteriorates over time. No two cars will age in exactly the same way, of course, so there's still a little bit of creative wiggle room for you there, but ignoring the basics spoils the whole effect. I never have judged a contest, and I never will, but if I had been a judge at that particular show, I'd have walked right past that Camaro upon seeing the rusty spoiler.

Personally, for me EVERYTHING is taking a back seat to the upcoming '50 Olds by Revell. Yes, even the '57 Ford gets second place for me, and I'm a Ford guy! I don't think I've been so pumped up about an upcoming kit since Moebius announced the Hornet was coming. I am looking forward to the Chrysler, but I have a feeling I'll be picking up the 1:25 Batman Tumbler first.

I feared that would happen as well, but so far, I've had pretty good luck doing the foil FIRST then prime/paint/clear (if applicable) shtick. A decal (or better yet a rub-on metal transfer) of the Twin H marking would have been nice, I will say that. A photoetch piece would be great, but each letter would have to be done separately. I can see somebody spending more time carefully arranging each letter than they spent on paint!