Chuck Most

You don't have to tell me... my '78 is totally rotted out. Sure, I can get a fiberglass tub, but it's about three times the cost of what one for a CJ-series Jeep would be. Add that to the fact that mine is the Nissan-sourced (non-turbo) diesel, and I'm in a bigger world of hurt. Sure, I could just yank the diesel and toss in a 345, but what fun would that be. (I would love to replace the automatic with a four-speed stick, though!) Strangely, though, the doors, front fenders, hoods, and tailgates on these puppies never rot out, but you can NOT find one with a rust-free tub or top!

You can use metal repair tape to do chrome- IF - it's a relatively flat surface with no detail on the section you actually want chromed. It's too thick to use for window moldings and the like. Mylar tape is best suited to flat areas, or areas with only a slight, gentle bend to them. I'd say just stick with the BMF!

Checker Taxicab (Marathon) How could I have forgotten THAT? I'm with the Studebaker guys, we need more of 'em- I'd love to have a '66 Daytona kit! A Stude Transtar pickup wouldn't exactly suck, either!

1966 Olds Cutlass 4-door. It had a factory Hurst floor shifter for the three speed manual, and no radio. I got it when I was 13 (1996), and ended up unloading it about four or five years later, when I got a '71 Charger that ended up being too far gone to save. A buddy bought the Cutlass, then drilled it into a guardrail shortly thereafter. It still sits behind his shop, all twisted and mangled. Main reason I don't stop by his place much these days. The first car I had that I actually drove (legally) was an '81 Lincoln Town car that met an unfortunate end... like most of my vehicles since!

This lovely, overcast day after Labor Day, I put on my best white clothes, hopped into the T-Racer, and made the 80-mile round trip to Dean's Hobby Stop. The haul was a bit smaller than usual but here goes- AMT '65 Pontiac Grand Prix Prestige Series- may end up as a mild custom, but I've always been tempted to try out the 'advanced' custom version of the kit. AMT '56 Mercedes Benz 500SL- I'm thinking a Bonneville car, perhaps the recipient of an early Mopar Hemi, kind of a 'reverse DaimlerChrysler' thing. AMT '69 Chevy Corvair- no particular reason, other than it's been a while since I built one. AMT '63 Studebaker Avanti- same as above, though I can always just pirate the Moon wheel discs and Paxton hair dryers from it! AMT '63 Vette Ragtop- parts donor for a ChevyII AWB car I've been planning, and as a bonus, the kit came with the Drag Strip Acessories Parts Pack (something I wish we'd get more often.) These were all Prestige Series issues, with damaged boxes and some moisture damage. I'll dodge 'collector prices' however I can, thank you! The boxes were all moldy and gunky (still sealed), and were quickly incincerated, the kits are now in Tupperware totes in my upstairs kit cemetery. I also got an AMT Dodge Stealth, which more than likely will donate it's drivetrain to a street rod build. Didn't get the two I wanted, though, an AMT '93 Ranger, or an '82-'92 MPC/AMT Camaro that was NOT molded in red!

Hate to sound like a pessimistic ass, but no. I'm still mad we don't have transporters! If the world does end in 2012, I'll be ready. They all thought I was crazy when I moved into this abandoned missle silo, but we'll see. We'll just see who's crazy... (evil laughter....)

Yeah- I'd love one of these things, too- or what about the bubble topped 'sport' version (which Jeremy unveiled at the end of the episode). Hey... speaking of Top Gear... we're never gonna see a kit of Oliver, are we? Never knew there WASN'T a kit of the Veyron... one more to add to my 'dream on' list!

Is the 'bored' in place of 'board' some kind of subliminal message?

A definite must have! I live on an old farm, and as I sit here, there are no fewer than five old trucks and three old tractors scattered about the property. 1/25 scale tractor stuff is tough to find, but there are some diecast 1/25 promos of stuff like skid loaders that are available at most farm equipment dealerships. I've got a 1/25 Gehl skid loader in my collection that I picked up from the local tractor dealer.

Looks like it used to be a '61-'66 F-series that had a Chrysler-botomy, or maybe a Chrysler with an F-series top welded on. I don't dig the color- but if it were, oh, Inca gold or something like that, I'd totally dig it! And I am not the least bit ashamed of saying that!

Okay- there are plenty of threads on this forum dealing with what kits we think should be produced but never have been. But here's something a bit different. What are the 1:1 subjects that you absolutely, positively, know deep down in your heart-of-hearts that you'll never, ever, see in a scale styrene kit, no matter how much you beg and plead the manufacturers to do one? Here are some of mine: Late '30's early '40's Dodge Truck (with perhaps a spun-off Power Wagon version) '98-'02 Lincoln Navigator Ford Granada Ford Fairmont Futura Chevy Corvair Van/Rampside pickup VW Thing '42-'41 Ford Pickup '57 Pontiac Bonneville '58 Buick Electra '99-'02 Mercury Cougar '93-'98 Lincoln MKVIII '47-'57 Hudson Hornet '03/'04 Mercury Marauder Any late model F-series (Super Duty prefered) '38 Ford DeLuxe coupe '55 Chrysler (any model) '57 Lincoln Premiere ANY Ford Ranchero besides the Revell '57 and AMT '61 (not that they're bad kits- just a little variation!) '66-'77 Ford Bronco First Gen Ranger or Bronco II Nissan Hardbody 2wd Regular cab '06-up Dodge 2500 Power Wagon Any '80 or newer Lincoln Town Car and, finally, three words- International Light Trucks (I would have been happy with ANYTHING, even a heavy retool of the old Scout II kit!) These are a few of the kits I'd love to have but I know I'll never see in a 1/25 styrene kit. Now how's about you?

I agree with all your picks except one- I'd substitute your 'Slade ESV for a Navigator L, or if I were feeling particularly frisky, perhaps a Mercedes G-wagen. I completely disagree with the ZO6- sorry, just not a big 'Vette fan, though I wouldn't mind having that drivetrain for a street rod! I think I'd steal the 550 Maranello, then just scratch it up and get it dirty and return it to the owner, with a hidden camera rolling. Man, can you imagine the look on that prancing-horse guy's face when he strolls out to his garage in his driving goggles, driving scarf, driving gloves, and driving codpiece and sees his 550 all gunked up? Priceless....

Okay... Marcos I get, but ME!? Man, you must be pretty hard up if you need MY $#!% to keep ya motivated! My stuff barely keeps ME inspired....

If I were digging around on your shelves, Dave, EVERYBODY'd know it by now....

I'd love one of those... or the earlier 'frog faced' c-cab trucks that came before them.

Yes- the 727 Torqueflite automatic tranny! Don't see why you'd need an awful lot of room in that engine compartment for this tranny, but okay... You're so silly, Abe ! And yes, I do get what you say about military 'style'. I think. Maybe.

Is the body going to be removable? It would be a shame to cover up all that gorgeous work on the chassis!

Allow me to reiterate everyone else's favorite feature: Nice stance! Looking awesome so far...

1. 1994 Honda Accord... why!? 2. 1995 Honda Civic... same as above, I wouldn't steal one of these snooze boxes if my very life depended on it! 3. 1989 Toyota Camry... again, why? Can't be much demand for 20 year old 'Yota parts! 4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup... this I can see- millions on the road, so there's the sheer number, and plenty of opportunities to sell some parts via the 'black market'. 5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup... as often as these things break, it's a wonder the owners aren't PRAYING for these turds to get stolen! 6. 2000 Dodge Caravan... same as the Ram, exept it's a lame-o family box. Again, I'd rather flee on foot than go through the effort of stealing one of these. 7. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee... yeah, I'd steal a 'Chero. Two door with the 4.0 and the 5-speed manual, if I could find one. 8. 1994 Acura Integra... I can't even look directly at one of these things, much less steal one. 9. 1999 Ford Taurus... see above, I wouldn't even steal a '96-'98 SHO (my luck, the camshafts would break while the cops were after me...) 10. 2002 Ford Explorer... like the F-150, sheer numbers and shady parts souces. Probably mostly applies to the four door- all the better reason to get the Sport or Sport Trac version. None of my vehicles on the list. And none that I would personally steal myself, I may add. Here's my 10 vehicles I'd love to steal: 1. Aston Martin Vanquish 2. '08-'09 Mustang Bullitt 3. Troy Trepanier's '60 Rambler 'Rumbler' Pro-Streeter 4. Bugatti Veyron 5. Bandit-era Trans Am 6. Gray Baskerville's '32 Roadster 7. Bigfoot (any of the 23 or so they have built) 8. Anything from Vern Tardel's shop 9. '93-'98 Lincoln MkVIII 10. The federation starship Enterprise

They had skull radiator caps as far back as the '30's. Well- okay, Ed Iskenderian did, and he cast it himself in shop class, but still, a skull shifter isn't that far fetched! Glad to see you went with a Flattie- though for future reference if you want to do a Nailhead powered rod, the one in the AMT '66 Riviera (stock or lowrider version, doesn't matter) is really nicely done, though the simplified one from the '40 Panel delivery is pretty good as well, and features a period-style Ford manual gearbox. The Riv motor is stock and lashed to an automatic tranny, but many kits include Nailhead speed parts (I'm sure there are a few aftermarket guys with Nailhead stuff as well) that adapt well to this engine, and a simple razor saw is all you need to remove the autobox and sling whatever four-speed you like behind it! I've bought five or six of these kits JUST for that engine. Sad, really...

Replicas and miniatures of Maryland makes some resin spark plug tubes for flatheads- how you can run the wire through them without shattering them is beyond me! Like how you scratched yours- just might have to steal that method for one of my builds...

Thank you, David! I've long pondered a Regal El Camino build, but since you're already doing it- saves me the trouble! Maybe if Revell ever gets around to launching that '87 Cutlass I'll do something- I've always wanted to do an Olds Camino as well!

Well- I guess you have a point about the AAR 'Cuda... maybe we'll give the new AMT a crack at that one! As for the '57 Chevys... they're like the black death. I still think the old AMT kit was the best example ever. The '32 Fords by Revell- In my opinion, there STILL aren't enough variations on this one! (Fordor sedan and/or Deuce pickup, anyone?) I'm still hoping for the drop-top Cutty as well... AND the '87 Supreme. Don't care if it has a pancake engine or not- I want it!

I got one for $16.99 at my local K-Mart, and just picked up another one as a parts donor at my LHS for about a buck and a half more. The '68 Mustang prices out about the same at both places around where I live. Still paying out the arse for the "Special Edition" kits like the '64 Fairlane, but it seems like the shops are keeping the regular Revell issues like the Jeep CJ-7, '41 Chevy pickup, and '50 Ford F-1s prices in check.

Somebody else shares my impatience... What kind of engine does this thing have in it?