Chuck Most

The Model A cues on the T-tub, the small upraised area on the cowl, the injected Red Ram Hemi- I'm starting to wonder if this used to be (or was based on) a kit of the Ala Kart?

Yeah, pretty much the same conclusion I came to! For everything that came out exactly as I envisioned, there was at least one thing that blew up in my face! Whenever you hack up a kit like this, there are bound to be a few snafus along the way! But, I'm about 85% satisfied with how it came out!

Here's a link to my latest abomination in styrene: http://public.fotki.com/ChuckMost/retro-ranger There you'll see some WIP shots, as well as the finished '53/'93 F-100/Ranger hybrid amalgamation thingie that resulted! Think of it like one of those '89-'97 T-Birds with the '49 Ford nose and tail added, except it seems to work a bit better on a truck! I've wanted to try this build for a while now, and thanks to Dan (Pro Mod Merc), I finally got the raw material I needed to pull it off. Oh, Chevy guys? I just posted some pics of my '3rd/5th gen' Camaro on my Fotki page, as well. It's based on that Steve Stanford rendering from Hot Rod a few months back.

YES! That, and the 'bag the chromed and clear parts' thing, as well!

Not me! Glad you did it! About all I knew of the letter series Chryslers was that the later Three Hundred (spelled out) models were an entirely different animal altogether. They were your grandma's luxo-barge. In other words, I knew nothing of the letter series!

First things first- there was no 1929 Model T. What this kit appears to be is a '23-'25 Model T Runabout tub, with some very faint '28-'29 Model A 'carriage lines' along the cowl, and a Model A radiator shell. As a hot rod kit, not much is really recognizable as stock Tin Lizzie-issue, particularly the frame, which appears to be an early rod style that doesn't look like a model T or Model A unit. This is an old kit, so there really isn't much to crow about, detail wise. You get some halfway decent axles, the aformentioned custom-fabbed frame, and a Red Ram Dodge hemi engine, with very nice looking plated valve covers and headers. The tires are two-piece plastic, and although there is the typical T two-tiered windshield frame, there is no clear styrene 'glass', except for the headlamp lenses. This is a very simple, and somewhat crude, kit, but I know I'll be having fun with it! It's kind of like the Lindberg '34 RPU- think of it more as a blank canvas and you're getting it. My only real gripe is that Lindberg still evidently has not gotten the memo to bag their plated and clear parts! Fortunately, none of the chrome stuff was scuffed on mine, and the scratches probably wouldn't show on the lenses, but it's a big problem on some of their other kits. This kit, and a quick raid on the old parts stash, should beget you a very nice traditional T rod, rat rod, drag car, or whatever your heart may pine for.

I might be able to snap a few pics of the tires... if I can remember where I put the things! Oh, and I should probably thank you for the inspiration to my military hot rod, oh- and to Dave Zinn, because the seats in it were made according to his how to in the January '09 MCM! I will warn ya, though, my military does have some (questionable) fashion going on!

Oooooooooooh- that's a close one! Was it one of the later issues, that had almost as much plastic just in the flash as the rest of the entire kit? If so, then yeah- you got the better end!

This is what I've found myself, It seems that for the most part, the model car guys are a pretty good bunch of guys to spend an afternoon with. It's the 1:1 guys you have to watch out for! Granted, it's true our hobby has more than it's fair share of d-bags, but a model car show is usually a less stressful place to be than a 1:1 car show, by a loooooooooong shot!

I'm not much into slot cars (I currently own exactly none), but I've seen some pretty amazingly detailed slot cars that could place decently, or even win, just about any model car contest. Hey- if you mess it up, you'll always have an excuse to build it up even better next time around!

Haven't built this kit in a while, I'd like to do the cement mixer next. Pretty good kit, and they don't seem to cost too much when you can find them.

It's supposed to be 1/25... and the same company has a Hudson Hornet and a '56 Chrysler 300C coming out as well! Guess who's buying one of each? (NOTE: It's me!) Of course, that is if they don't end up as 'ghost kits'...

I'm more of a Ford C-cab man myself, but I love the Dodge flip-cabs as well. Just wish there was a medium duty IH tilt cab kit. I really like this one, why don't my white paint jobs ever come out this nice?

The Model King repop of the '79 F-350 came with a 2wd twin I beam setup, though it wasn't called out in the instructions. You get the twin I beams (molded together, in front and back halfs to trap a typical AMT metal axle), the radius rods, steering link, and rotor/caliper castings. Not the most accurate rendition of the setup you'll ever see, but very workable. I can't say if the other '70's AMT Ford F-series kits had this setup included, but the MK and even the Bigfoot kit with the '79 body included the vestigial I-beam parts. Though not entirely accurate, the parts are 'dumbed down' enough to where they should work in a '60's Effie. Heck, a '64 F-100 I-beam is almost indistinguishable from a '94 F-350 I-beam, anyway! In scale, only the fussiest of detail freaks would even notice. Yeah, Mark, I know I'm not this Roger dude, but I hope my little rambling there helped ya anyway! I've owned several Ford trucks, and while the twin I beam is quite robust, it sure likes to eat tires! My old '81 has the 'Traction Beams' that is, twin I beams with a differential... and it was suspended by leaf springs! An odd setup, but it worked beautifully! I think the 2wd Super Duties still use the Twin I beam setup, or at least they did up to the 2004 re-hash.

Abe- not only is Dave 100% right about the 'technical' side of these Indy rain tires, but the tires themselves look absolutley bitchin' !!!! I've got two sets laid aside for some planned track-style rods. You'd do well following Fletch's advice here, I've ripped quite a few visors and framerails to shreds drilling out speed holes! I've learned to try and avoid this when I can, now I've just got to figure out how to get the things lined up and evenly spaced . As far as the build, man, what took you? I've long wondered when you were gonna do a scale version of the car in your avatar! Looks like you beat me to it! Oh, well, I've got my very own military-themed rod done, one that you inspired. I'll post pics when I can.

That's true. But at least it had the correct rear window!

Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoa.... theres a SPS version of KITT in model kit form? By Aoshima? Who do I have to kill to get one? I'm going to do a kit of KARR, as well as a few versions of KITT from different episodes (remember the one where he had side pipes, Center Line wheels, and flames?) Also, I'm going to build a version of KITT's little-known 'Sloppy Burger' mode. You know- he's up on blocks with his hood open, trying to eat a cheese burger, while Bonnie video tapes him and pleas with him to stop drinking! Not sure how I'm gonna pull it off, but if I ever do, I'll be sure to post it on You Tube!

YES! At least it doesn't have the 500/Charger flush rear window this time! And it's not molded in that cruddy orange plastic! Oddly, their F&F '70 Charger had the correct rear window- but still had the '69 taillamp panel. Sheez! I'm with Dave, though- this kit is past it's prime, I'd just raid what I needed from the AMT kit, flush the rest down the toilet, and use the Revell Charger as the base kit. Or- if you happen to buy one with a decently molded body, use a '69 GTX chassis underneath it, which will not only give you a better detailed chassis, but the non-Hemi Mopar big block you crave. This kit's already been rereleased to death over the last few years, I'm really surprised (and a touch disappointed) to see it back so soon.

Gehl's got a few diecast, 1/25 promos as well. In fact- I've got a Gehl skidder that I dirtied up and weathered posted in the 'Under Glass' section as we speak. And once I find a few more, you guys know exactly what I'm gonna do with them...

I think the 'Dreamscapes' kit was actually the Jeepster Commando. I saw that kit at Dean's a couple of days ago and it jogged my memory of this thread. I know it's a bit late, but there's yer answer. The last (most recent) reissue of the Scout was the 'Hot Trucks' version and the plain (blue background) issues of about three years ago. This was the standard kit with the roof, no 'custom' parts aside from an optional CB radio and antenna were included. These kits also include some incorrectly-sized 'Rallye' decals in white, and were molded in white or light gray. I've seen only these and the original, late '70s issues (SSII, Off Road, and standard- usually molded in color), I've never seen any '80's or '90's issues of the Scout II kit- but that's not to say the kit was not rereleased in those decades.

First off, I am a realist, and I can say with 100% confidence that this will never, EVER, be available in a 1/25 styrene kit. But hey, hope springs eternal that it'll be available as a diecast. Anyway- here's the object of my longing- http://www.tractordata.com/news/2009/03/ne...mer-8n-barn.jpg Like I said, maybe I'm nuts- but I'd build a table full of 'em!

Or cover the whole car in vinyl- like a Mohs Safari Kar! What's with the dumb looks? Am I the only guy who recalls the International-powered, ugly as sin Mohs line?

I'll second Casey's statement. If only every semi tractor looked that flippin' awesome!

There's a guy who lives about ten miles from me who's got a Knight 2000 clone, and you'll see it out and about every so often in the summer time. As far as I can see, it's as faithful a representation of the actual (?) car as I've seen. Bastard won't sell it to me, though! But it's cool. MY KITT replica's gonna have fully-functional Super Persuit Mode. THEN we'll see who's got the baddest Knight 2000 replica in the land! Now, if only I can figure out how to make the 'Turbo Boost' feature work...

I can buy the 20 minute build time- I've done a few engine builds in ten or twenty minutes. Few of them were as convincing as this, though! Now- what (if anything) is it going into?