Chuck Most

Here's one I built a couple of years ago... It's the AMT Model King '79 F-350. I bought the 49" Iroks with the Weld Mountain Crusher wheels from So Real- sadly, I don't think this set is available any longer. It's hard to see in the photo- but I aso used a Dana 60 front axle. I can't remember where I got the pushbar/winch from. And I've also done a couple of mud trucks- Early '70's Jeepster Commando (1/32 monster truck wheels, Ford 429 big block) '55 Chevy Cameo ('82 Trans Am engine/trans with tunnel ram, IH Scout Dana 44 axles and wheels/tires)

That's a bummer. Oh, well. I can wait a while!

The retro-Coug is coming along nicely. I agree with sending some photos of the finished model to Ford... I think your design has merit! Oh, of course!

Not sure if a '26 Bulldog is still considered a big rig in this day and age, esepecially when it's perched atop a 1-ton chassis, but here goes anyway. Just wrapped up this one about 2:30 in the morning earlier today- It's a '26 Mack on a Monogram F-350 Chassis. The wheels and tires came from an AMT Kenworth 600 glue bomb, and the flatbed is from an IMC/Lindberg Big Rig trailer kit (the one that came with the L-700). I swapped a 4-bbl. carb onto the engine to replace the stock 460's EFI, and used the stock Mack steering wheel on the F-350 column. Of course, everything was weathered and aged for the proper effect!

I just picked up the Transtar kit a couple of days ago, and I can't wait to get a' rippin' into it! I've been getting pretty heavy into the big rig models the last few months, and being an International truck freak, I could NOT pass this one up! Now, If only they'd reissue the Scout SSII and the Transtar Cabover...

You're totally talking about me, right?

Sorry Harry... I only care about the weather when Bonnie Schneider is telling it!

What happens when you combine a Rat Rod, a Resto Rod, and a Rig Rod? Well, maybe this.... That's a Monogram '26 Mack on a Monogram Ford F-350 Chassis. I pirated the tires from an AMT Kenworth 600 (yes- they're 1/25, and the model is 1/24.... but that can be our little secret, 'kay?) I've seen 1:1 pickups use big rig tires- you'll never wear out the tires! The wheel bearings, on de udder hand... The flatbed is from the IMC/Lindberg Big Rig trailer, and my parts box provided the rest. The "Gotham City" plate was used because I didn't have one with "Roswell" printed on it! I converted the 460 from fuel injection to a 4-bbl. I also removed the A/C and Power steering pumps. The hoses feed up into the radiator in the cowl, and I also left the fan off, as it seems a bit pointless in it's stock location! Much of the interior (what little the truck has of one) is stock, except for the F-350 steering column. The shifter is a sewing needle. For all the modifications to this truck, I'm actually pretty suprised by how close to stock it still looks!

Thanks guys... though I did kind of lie to ya! This won't be my last model of '09, it appears. The momentum I had coming off finishing this one allowed me to finish my '26 Mack!

A few of the local cops in my area are switching to Chargers... which can't be much better. There are a couple of state and county Tahoes and Expeditions (respectively), but they are 2wd! Most of the cops I've spoken with say that they like the RWD because these things get run all over hell's half acre, in any and all road and weather conditions, and it's just plain cheaper and more efficient to maintain a RWD car than a FWD. The fact that the Crown Vic is the last body-on-frame/solid rear axle car... well... anywhere (not counting the Grand Marquis and recently departed Lincoln Town Car) makes it a simple and rugged design that stands up well to the abuse that cops, taxi drivers, and the elderly are known to dish out on their cars.

Right- forgot about the Maisto die cast- I used that bed on a '72 Chevy buildup a few years ago. The IMC/Lindberg trailer can be made into TWO flatbed bodies, as well!

Bill, tell your sign-waving mini-minions to stand down! http://public.fotki.com/ChuckMost/kit-cont...9-ford-coupe-0/ Everything's there!

Most issues of the Lindberg '34 Ford pickup include a 6-foot stake bed that was used on Ford trucks from 1932 to the early '70's. You could always stretch it or otherwise modify it for other builds. Revell's '69 Dodge Charger kit has some nice steel wheels, as well as some plated dogdish caps. Realistic spotlights? See below... Galaxie Limited makes a Chevy Aerosedan that can be built as a '46, '47, or '48. There's also a panel delivery version- if you sliced off the top, you could probably make a phaeton out of it by filling in the cargo door cut lines and adding cut lines for a set of rear doors- even though Chevy never did a phaeton in this body style, I've seen quite a few conversions to 1:1 Chevys like that. Heck, I've even done one myself... ... though it's not a 'true' phaeton in the strictest sense, as it's still a two door. And, oh yeah, the Galaxie kits each include some very nice spotlights- with inside handles no less!

Same story up here in Michigan... most Scout tubs have returned to the earth long before now.

Sheesh- your work-in-progress frame looks better than 95% of my complete builds!

That kind of sucks, 'cuz it sure looks like you were on the right track! I'd really like to see more 'hot rod' and custom big rigs!

Sorry- can't help much with photos of the kit itself (I've already ripped into it- I'm kind of known for that!), but the decal sheet is still intact- I'll post a photo of that as quickly as possible. On de udder hand, I'm planning to pick up another one tomorrow... yeah, why don't I just photograph the second kit, BEFORE I commence ripping it to shreds, huh? As far as the rest of the kit? Uh... take out any of the '49's you already have on your shelf, but picture the parts inside with slightly better molding quality, and molded in white plastic. Oh, and picture it with a runner marked 'remove' in each of the windsheild panes, something I don't remember from previous issues.

Interior color? I'd be kind of torn between tan, red, or a dark burgundy- I think any three of those would go well with the color you've painted. (Which I love, by the way!) I'd have probably gone with a Cobra Jet-style scoop instead of the kit scoop, but you did a better job integrating the kit-supplied scoop into the hood than most builders I've seen!

If the 'fin' detail was a bit better, they'd work perfectly. Cutting off the original hub and lug nuts and making your own hub and adding some resin acorn nuts is a pretty good idea, I'd never even seen these wheels before today!

Here's one I finished this morning (shortly after midnight, actually). It's just a quick buildup to keep me motivated between bigger projects- It's the AMT Snap Fast Plus Ram 2500 kit, which I converted into a diesel competition puller. The smokestack is a length of slash-cut K&S aluminum tubing, polished with Meguiars Hot Rims polish. The tractor weights are from the old Orange Blossom puller kit, and sit in a scratchbuilt mount. The "Crusader" decals came from a Revell chopper kit. I made a tonneau from .030" styrene, and robbed a set of Dick Cepek paddles from another OB kit. The flag decal is from the Revell Peterbilt 359, and the 'Cummins Powered' decals are from the new reissue of AMT's White-Freightliner COE kit. The rear wheels are from a C1500 kit- I hid the fact they're 5-bolt by blacking out the centers. Eventually, I'll add Moon-type covers, as on the Orange Blossom. It's not the most detailed, or even accurate, representation of a real puller- I'd call it more of a look-alike than an actual replica. But I don't recall ever seeing one built like this, and it did it's job- it kept me movin' when I have so many stagnant projects at the moment!

I'm glad you worked too! It's Testors Deja Blue one coat. Yeah- I think it could sit a touch lower, too, but hey.... lowriders ARE known for having adjustable suspensions!

Thanks- next one I just might plop onto an AMT '67 Impala chassis and add an engine! Or not...

Say you want to build an International Metro van. Nobody does a plastic kit of one, but you can buy it in resin from Motor City Resin casters and plop it onto a Monogram '50 F-1 chassis and have yourself one! Not only can using a resin body net you a rare car that's not available as a tradional plastic kit, you can also save yourself some work. Why chop that AMT '49 Merc's top yourself when you can buy a pre-chopped resin body that'll drop right on? Why spend hours filling and smoothing the hood on a Monogram '50 F-1 when a quick call to Replicas and Miniatures can net you one? And why scour your parts boxes looking for a Caddy/Olds 'Batwing' Air Cleaner when you can just buy one from Bandit resins?

Permatex and 3M make products for repairing rubber and soft-plastic trim pieces on cars, maybe you could try that? I've never run into this problem, but I can't think of anything I've personally used that will bond to the vinyl AND be sandable.

I'm looking for a set of these style wheel covers in 1/24 or 1/25 scale... I'd like to use the AMT/Ertl Ford F-150 longbed to build a model of my 1:1 '94 F-250 (yep, the one in the photo), but without the proper wheel covers, I'm kind of stuck! I'd appreciate any help!