Chuck Most

I’ve had an idea I’ve been kicking around for a while now. I’ve always liked the ‘atomic bug’ front end on the ’61 Plymouth, and I’ve always wondered how it would look paired up with the tall bat fins off the ’60 model. I always thought such a vehicle painted flat black and de-chromed would have made a fantastic Batmobile! And I’ve been toying with the idea of building a late ‘50’s/early 60’s Ranchero-style car/pickup based on a Mopar, since Chrysler themselves didn’t get with that little program in this country until the early ‘80’s. A while back I built a Promolite 2000 ’61 Fury, and I was working on a second one when I copped an epic bone-up and ruined the body. I felt like a total clod messing up such a nice kit, but decided I was going to make something good out of the mistake. Now I had the ’61 stuff I needed, and I figured- why not try all three ideas on one model- ’61 front end on ’60 body, and make it a pickup? A couple of days ago I got a glue-bombed Jo-Han ’60 wagon. NOW the fun could start! The kit was immediately disassembled and dunked in the Barney Bath. The ’61 turned out to be a bit wider than the ’60 body, although it matched up perfectly at the base of the windshield. Well, as close to perfectly as one could hope, anyway. To make the fenders meet flush with the doors, I slit them under the side trim and pushed them in, then glued them flush against the doors. Now I have a use for the ’61 nose, and the swap meant no repair was necessary to the broken ’60 cowl. I’m not sure if I will leave the hood sealed or not on this one. So far I have not removed the b-posts, but I have rescribed the door lines from a 4 door to a 2 door. Not sure exactly how this will turn out, but it should be fun!

And just to make things interesting, I'm even thinking of giving the camper a lift-off top and a fully furnished interior.

2004-ish, If I'm not mistaken. Celery green car on the top, and its on that dark red background a lot of the Wal-Mart AMT box art had.

Did a little work on the Plymouth- it's got the 'atomic bug' front end off the '61 model, the big bat fins from the '60 wagon, and it will eventually (I'm planning) be an Elco-Chero type 'car/pickup'.

MPC used to sell some of its kits with a vial of clear 'browninsh' paint which, when brushed over chrome, gave the appearance of brass. I've never tried any other paint that got me better results, but good luck finding a usable pot of that MPC paint today!

Nothing past model year 2001 as far as Explorers go (technically the AMT kit is a '96, but the body style carried over until '01.) and nothing at all Merc-SUV in plastic, the 1:18 diecast Terry just posted is the closest thing available.

That one was in the lineup not to long ago. It had the body tub/interior/frame, and quite a few other leftover bits from the original-tool Ala Kart kit. Great parts box filler!

Duplicolor and Plastikote both made a three-step color shift paint- it was sold as primer, color coat, and clear. Advance sold one, and Auto Zone sold the other. Always liked those, but I can't find them anymore. Walmart used to sell Shimrin-brand paints which were available in many color-shift hues, but I think those went away around the same time they stopped stocking model kits. Haven't set foot in a Walmart in about four years, so I couldn't tell you for sure what they have nowadays.

And I also hope the guys who don't like full-detail kits see it as well. You don't need a 300-piece kit to make an impressive model. A good, clean build and good detailing are all it takes. Fantastic Buick, Erik!

Well, ya got 'em started, now you've got to keep the momentum going!

At today's rates, that'd be... what, fifteen grand or so in shipping. Yikes.

The newer issues of the '29 Model A roadster by AMT still include a bunch of Ala Kart parts. Some are used in the hot rod version, but a few are just 'parts box filler'.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?????

It's the second on that list for me (right after the Ertl Transtar Race Truck).

Well, this 'quick little warmup' has turned out to be anything but- the truck is done, the trailer is stalled, and I'm not sure if I want ot build someting specifically for the trailer queen or use it to display some existing models. I'm toying with the idea of making a chopped fifth wheel camper or 'toy hauler' to hook up to the truck. Something like this, only a fifth-wheel model. Whadya think?

Oh, dear, another!

Balsa foam rusts blades? Huh. That solves one of my workbench mysteries.

They're both in the paint stripper now, so I guess we'll see!

I'd say it looks like a pretty fair cross section, and I do recognize the work of a couple of guys.

Didn't they run Oldsmobile engines as well? Or was that earlier on? (Or never at all?)

Yep, it was in Hot Rod. Don't remember the Holden IRS, but I do remember they had to stretch the nose 6" to fit the Caprice chassis under it. They also had a 4ws Camaro and a Caprice with a BMW V12. Odd stuff, but all cool! I'm suprised Revell never did a snap kit of the '00-up Bonneville using the Impala cop car chassis, those were among the few later-model GM designs I liked.

Funny thing is- this is the SECOND AMT '62 Connie I've nabbed this year! The first one was still in the box, and had the front and rear pans glued on. I rebuilt in in on the work bench a while ago. I'm gunning toward getting at least one AMT Lincoln from '61-'69. So far, I've only got the '61, '63, '64, '66, '67, and '68 to go!

Well, might one of these work? Just got them today as part of a trade deal, '62 Lincoln Continental (AMT annual), and Jo-Han '60 Plymouth wagon. The wagon may end up getting 'spliced' with a resin kit I butchered not too long ago.

Got an original AMT '62 Lincoln Continental annual, rough built up but very workable- And a built up Jo-Han '60 Plymouth wagon, again, rough but workable-

Here are a few- some are stand-alones, some are parts of a series, but all are technically finished.