Chuck Most

I like where this one's going!

I'd say raid a buddy's spares box. I'm pretty sure somebody makes a decal set- but there have GOT to be many, many unused AMT General Lee decal sheets that could be yours simply for the asking!

Forgot Cars & Parts... great source for reference on weathered vehicles!

Well, I've yet another Farmall shell, and I'm still planning having a mold made for casting, but... if you just want to make your own, keep your eyes peeled for a future issue of MCM!

Incredible work- I've never had good luck with that Retractable kit- maybe I should try this!

Yep- the '70 Super Bee Pro Street ($7.00 Wal-Mart edition... the one thing I miss about shopping there ). I think the blower, carbs, and air cleaners (it USED to have two! ) came from a Charger 500 or Daytona by AMT. What you can't see are the nasty, huge chips in the passenger's fender and the layer of dust in the cab. I'm thinking version 2.0 is just around the corner, but I'll use a second kit and display the 'new' one with this one.

Modeling!? You madman!!!!

I always find it funny when I see military guys in green uniforms... in the desert, and tan uniforms... in the jungle. What's the point of camo if you aren't going to utilize it? Anyway, I love this truck! I've yet to enter into the military modeling fray. They're one of my favorite modeling subjects to look at, though, and this one is very cool!

Scratchbashed!!!!

Like it! An F-150 in it's natural surroundings.

I was never aware that this kit was retooled in that manner- I've seen a Jolly Roger built up, but always assumed it was a scratchbuilt job! It is kind of nice AMT restored the original parts. Now, I just might have to look for that Jolly Rodger, just for fun! Yeah- it is funny how there was a huge collector market for the Hillbillies Olds, yet when it was reissued, it was a monumental flop. (Didn't stop me from buying fifteen of the things, though. )

I still don't get it... when The X-Files came out, AMT/Ertl didn't say "Hey, Mulder and Skully drive a Taurus... let's turn our SHO into a rental-fleet trimmed model, slap an X-Files logo on the box, and rake in the bucks!" But it appears that's what MPC did, even though Barnabas had no hot rod! Not saying a base-model early '90's Taurus kit wouldn't be of interest to anybody,but still...

Same here... both times. The modern-style customs in Custom Rodder still influence quite a few of my modeling projects to this day. I'm also a big fan of Car and Driver- not so much for modeling inspiration as for the sharp wit of John Phillips! The magazines which DO inspire my modeling are Model Cars Magazine (well, duh!!!!!), and 'those other two' (One's title rhymes with Sail Otto, the other with Wine Snail Toddler). Others include... Old Skool Rods Rebel Rods (which, I believe John Teresi's dad is involved with) Hot Rod Rod & Custom Street Rodder Custom Classic Trucks Vintage Truck Rodder's Journal Hot Rod Deluxe Amusin Cruisin' (Spin off of Rebel Rods and recently canceled) Jp (They're Jeep only, but they are almost as entertaining to read as the late Stuff) And the few old 'little page' publications I have

Well, you can use it for parts to restore a glue-bomb MPC Chevy.... A Vampire Van reissue will be donating most of its chassis parts to this one. The reissues can be gotten for pretty cheap prices, far less than a sealed original Panel, or even an original VV. Or, you could do something really nutty, and turn the Vampire Van into a '32 Chevy Pickup Rat Rod... Combine it with a few more spare '32 Cabriolet parts, and you could even do a replica stock or rod pickup version, if you weren't against a little scratchbuilding and kitbashing! (For a detailed analasis on the meaning of these two terms, see Harry's recent post! )

Three words... Barnabas Vampire Van. Why MPC chose to take a kit that could have had a long and sucessful life as a replica stock,light commerical, or rod model took it and butchered it into a promotional tie-in for a TV series which didn't even have a vehicle that resembled it has always confounded me! Sure, the Vampire Van is pretty cool for what it is... but wouldn't you really rather have the '32 Chevy Panel back?

I've seen the misuse and mix-up of "scratchbuild" and "kitbashed", but the one that always makes me chuckle is when a model is presented as "box-stock".... except for the wheels, intake, decals, and tires from other kits. Forgive me if I'm mistaken here, but doesn't 'box stock' mean, well, BOX STOCK!? I'm rather fond of the ones who add the "Copyright 1989 Revell-Monogram" engraving, or whatever, to various parts. Really kicks it up a notch or two!

Dig the Farmall 300 radiator shell!

Man, that thing is AWESOME! Looks kind of like the space shuttle.

Very cool and thoughtful build. A model with a purpose! Who knew all the colors from those ribbons would work so well on one hot rod?

Seems to be direct hit or near-miss, quality wise. I've bought two of the '56 (actually '57) IH A-100 pickup kits- both had some very huge pinholes along the rockers and several thin spots along the inner walls of the bed. On the other hand, I've seen R&R stuff in the stash of other modelers which is equal in quality to anything you'd get from Bandit or Flintstone, so maybe those were 'worst case'. They're often pretty rough on the inside, too- but that's something I usually don't factor into my overall view of the product, as it won't be seen when the model is together. The '38 IH coe cab from R&R, on the other hand, was actually pretty nicely cast... all the pinholes were in the flash, and there were only a few surface blemishes that needed dealt with. This is how the '57 IH looks completed, haven't finished the others yet, but overall, I'm pretty happy with the outcome on my first completed R&R kit! Pictures, you ask? Why, surely...

Amen, brother... I feel precisely the same way. What you said sums up my attitude on what should be done with model kits perfectly!

Bandit Resins does a flat hood for the Maverick, which is what I'll be using on mine when/if I ever finish it!

It is funny- Dave mentioned the semi-gloss black crazing the plastic, but I've never had that problem. I like to use the Rust Tough Krylon- perhaps it's forumulated a bit differently from regular Krylon. (Note- No, the reason I use Rust Tough is not because I fear my models will rust! I use it because it seems to cover better than regular Krylon- which sometimes seems a bit 'watery'- and because they sell it at work and I can buy it for 20% off!)

Shockingly few, considering how many I build. About 200 at last count.