Chuck Most

Looks like 2015's off to a great start.

I'll agree with Chuck K on the AMT having the accuracy edge over the Revell/Monogram kits. I will add that it also seems to be a bit more detailed- not by much, but it does have a slight leg up. In addition to the stance issues, it also requires a bit more patience during assembly than the R/M kits. But that's kind of how all the '90's kits were- generally speaking, if Revell/Monogram and AMT/Ertl both offered a kit of the same (or similar) subject, the AMT was almost always more detailed, but the R/M offering was easier to build.

In addition... the style of truck depicted by the kit was not built in Tennessee. Tennessee production did not begin until the revised 1983.5 model arrived. You could rework the kit into a 1983.5 model if you wanted to, no doubt, but the kit doesn't represent a Tennessee-built Datsun.

90% certain it's an MPC kit.

So what? Replace it with something else, and you'll be in the exact same boat before too long anyway. The replacement car might even conk out while you're still paying on it... which is always nice. (Speaking from experience on that one.)

Well, forget what I said earlier... I just found a set of four Modelhaus full wheel covers for the Revell Caprice. I don't recall when or where I got them, but there they were in one of my spare boxes. *Cue Twilight Zone theme music*

Finally took a GOOD pic of it with the signals and door lettering. Pic added to post #1.

I wish. My common theme is not being able to find the one part I DO need at a given moment.

If it were me,I'd just do it. Yes, $2,800 is a pretty substantial hunk of money. Yes, the car may be "worth" $13,000. But if you look at it that way, you're already past that point. My question is- do you actually plan to sell the car? Are you actually planningot go out and buying another car? Going by what you've said (and the fact that you've owned it for 15 years already) I'm going to guess that the answer is probably "no". If it's a car you plan on keeping, it's going to break, and sometimes repairs are pricey. Nobody ever recoups their investment on repair and maintenance. If you're still enjoying the car, that's all that really matters. Money comes and goes, but how often do you find a nice MR2 at a decent price? Not often. I'd say you're already ahead of the game in that regard.

And now, the big RWD Transit (no "Connect") has replaced the E-Series van and wagon. If you want an E-Series this year, you can only get it as a stripped chassis or a cutaway. According to Ford they plan to build those for another three or four years.

Again, going with what others have said- build it up in light coats. It brushes on very well, and levels out smoothly. I like to wait 15-20 minutes between coats, any sooner and you might remove the previous coat rather than paint over it. I also like to brush on a coat of Pledge Future (or some type of acrylic clear) after the last coat has dried, but that isn't mandatory.

I'd go with the French Blue on the wheels, engine block, and the interior pleats, a French Blue wash on the finned plated engine parts, and Ice Blue on everything else. But that's just me.

I don't believe there is any connection between being a model builder and loving your pets. Almost everyone I know has a pet, and the vast majority of them are not model builders. All of them have some type of hobby or another, but who doesn't? I think it has nothing to do with being a modeler, and everything to do with just plain being human.

I've been working on a couple of Blue Geese lately. First off, here's a '57 Ford Custom, which is of course based on the Revell/Model King Police Car kit. So far, the basic kit is out of box, aside from the flasher. The one supplied in the Model King kit is nice, but I wanted to use the one from the Johan '59 Rambler. I have no idea who made the decals but the way they were laid out on the sheet makes me lean toward (possibly) Fred Cady. I still need to make the hailer (hood-mounted stop sign) and put on a pair of spotlights. I did not use the correct MSP blue but rather Ford Blue engine paint- it is several shades lighter. I was going more for a "faded old photograph" kind of look for the finished model... if that makes any sense. This '91 Caprice is the first Revell Caprice I've worked on since the kit came out over two decades ago. This one's being done as a Motor Carrier cruiser. Today, Motor Carrier/Commercial Enforcement cars share the same Royal Blue as the regular MSP vehicles, but in the '90's they wore a pale metallic blue. I used Pontiac Engine Blue for this. The base Revell kit has had rub strips added to the rear quarters, doors, and rear edge of the front fenders. The mounting holes for the single spotlight and light bar have been filled in. All MSP vehicles use two spotlights, so I'll rob a pair from a Lindberg Crown Vic. The rear seat partition was omitted, as the MSP does not use them. Again, I need to make a hailer for the hood, and also detail the headlight lenses. For some reason the front end of the model reminds me more of a Plymouth Acclaim than a Caprice with the headlights looking like they do in their present state! The decals are from the long-defunct E&K Graphics, the sheet included standard markings (which I used on a '97 Crown Vic previously) and the motor carrier markings. Some unused Delco battery and gauge panel decals from a Scale Squads NYPD sheet will also be used. Note the blacked-out B and C pillars- this would date the Caprice to '91. 1992 models had body color pillars. I still need to paint the door handles, as well.

X5 on the Tamiya. The Testors stuff is okay for small lamps and lenses, but for anything the size of a light bar, it's Tamiya or nothing.

A group of nautical engineering students were having a competition as part of their class. Each student had to build a scale model submarine which could dive, travel a given distance submerged, and resurface within a test tank. Things were going well, but many of the students were having trouble with the submarines surfacing too soon. Thinking that adding a bit more weight in the hull would help to keep the subs underwater longer, they began reaching into their pockets and pulling out loose change, which they then dropped into the hulls of their submarines. "Uh,oh", the instructor said,' Looks like you guys are already thinking like naval architects." One of the students asked how so, and the instructor replied "Something isn't working, and your first thought is to just dump more money into it."

I posted some pictures of the unbuilt kit a while ago here- http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/?showtopic=68216

Yeah- I was messing around with the Hertz version, test-fitting a few parts, and had a heck of a time getting them back apart! Really good parts fit.

I just love it! I've got one in the stash that may end up built as a beater.

I love it! I always hated the way those wheels looked all chrome, but the paint detailing you did improves them 100%. Might have to give that a try.

I had the US Monogram boxing (same kit) some years ago. I remember dealing with some warped parts- that was, in fact, the main reason it never got finished. I just didn't know what I was doing when it came to dealing with warped parts back then. The plumbing in the engine bay was also a little nightmarish but I managed to pull it off. One of these days I need to find it and take it apart so I can do it justice.

For some reason I always thought this kit came with a convertible boot. Unless it's there in Tim's pics and it's just hiding from me.

Very cool. I'm working on one of these kits right now.

That's how the local hobby shop takes care of the oversized "art" boxes.