SteveG

The antennas are made from music wire cut length and the bases are wire insulation and or bits of styrene rod. Policecarmodels.com sells a kit with the wire and insulation if you don't have a local source. MSP Blue is now a standard fleet color based on a old I-H engine color code Dulux 93-032. Ford has it in their fleet books as both Michigan Blue and Royal Blue depending on the year. Dodge has in their fleet books too. I had it custom mixed in PPG lacquer. it's been in use at least since the early 50's. and it's still in use. If you really need them I have the current color codes written down somewhere.

I can't speak for Okey but I can give you some figures and you can do your own math ...... Licensing agreements start at about $10,000. Tooling to replace a set of missing wheel backs was $3000. Total repairs and replacement tooling for the '59 Rambler SW exceeded $30,000. All new tooling for a car kit is typically over $100,000 that's if done overseas. The total investment in IMC was well over the cost of a new tool. Here's some more math to consider, say the production cost is $10.00 a kit, how many kits do you have sell before you get your money back on a new tool, yet make a profit ? Now you know why the average Joe insn't in the Plastic Model Kit business. Steve

All very well done Zoli but I say the Greenbelt Charger is my favorite ..... the partially rolled down windows is a nice touch along with the unique trim rings. -Steve

Not quite finished is my MSP Charger ....... I'm torn between keeping it a slick top car or adding the beacon. I guess I'll put the graphics on it and then decide ..... that's the last of my Dodge Police cars for now. Not a Dodge but I got a Missing Link 76 Fury that will be an LAPD car that I need to get back to.... Other related finished projects are a phantom LAPD 59 Rambler SW (part of the Mopar family now) and a 70 Coronet Sedan Fire Chief's car.

The simulated back up lenses on the Philly car are strips of chrome fine-line tape cut to fit. The CHP antennas are scratch built. -Steve

The next one I finished was the Texas DPS Charger ........ also a Box Art car While doing my homework on these I discovered that the Texas cars along with FHP and a few other dept's ordered their cars in the standard production color of Black Pearl. The second color was applied later. I used decanted Duplicolor Chrysler touch up sticks to get the right base color.

Here goes ......first another look at my CHP Ghost Charger ...... built from an early test shot with prototype wheels. Close but not quite correct, they did get them right later on.... Another white one ........ this is my Philly Expressway car used as Box Art It's was my second Police Charger build ......

Looks great G !!! ....... Yes that's the one I'm talking about with different graphics. I'm assuming that one's not quite finished yet ....

Nicely done G !!! It would look great along side my CHP "Ghost Charger" ...... they even share the same ID ...... Maybe I'll make it out to one of the West Coast NNL's one day ...... CHP also ran an all white slick top Charger marked like yours and another all white Show Car with chrome wheels and different graphics. -Steve

Ernie held the rights to the Illinois Model Company name .... I can't say if it will be used again, the new owner isn't declosing his plans to me at this time. Let's just say it's all on hold until further notice. I can say that the new owner has contacts with other industry insiders that we all know and respect that could get things moving again. I would say more but I don't have the OK to talk for any of these parties like I did for Ernie.

OK well here's the bad news ...... Ernie Petit has pulled out out of the project, he was not able to resolve the legal road block that was in our way. It was not for lack of effort or money as the funds were available for three years of licensing to both GM and Chrysler. The good news is he sold his all interests to the owner of the molding facility that we were using which has all the tooling anyway. It's all still right here in the US. I can also say that the updating and restoration of the 59 Rambler Wagon tooling was completed and is ready to run. From this point on it's hard to say what will happen, my Product Development deal was with Ernie and ended when he pulled out. I've opened up talks with the new owner and a third party well known to the forum to try to get thing moving again. In the mean time I would like to wish my friend Ernie Petit a very happy retirement !! Considering he worked until his late 70's and has over 40 years in the hobby industry, he's certainly earned it. I'm just very sorry he couldn't see his last dream fulfilled. -Steve

Not much has come out of Lindberg since Ernie Petit "retired" and Jody Keener took over the day to day operations in early 2010. The Crushed car version was never released as they were unable to create a passable crush car tooling. Here are all the L-700 versions to the best of my knowledge. The last two appear to have been a more limited release with the Drag Racing Taem one of the few items to come out of Lindberg in the last couple of years. 73067 1969 Dodge L700 Tilt Cab Truck 73068 Dodge L700 Tilt Cab w/Flatbed Trailer & 1940 Ford 73071 Dodge L700 Tilt Cab w/Box Trailer 73072 Dodge L700 Skelly Tilt Cab Tanker 73074 Dodge L700 Tilt Cab w/Chrome Tanker 73078 Dodge L700 Tilt Cab w/Box Trailer (CocaCola) 72170 Dodge L700 Little Red Wagon Drag Racing Team They are all still available if you search around online. -Steve

Great color choices Tom ...... Here's some pics of a Silver 65 Falcon you might see around town ........ Maybe you have someting like this in mind with your '64 ? .......

My 57 Chevy 150 OSHP model probably cost me close to $200 to build around 10 years ago using the following; AMT 57 Chevy kit (newer tool) AAM 150 Body and conversion parts Modelhaus Ft bumper and hubcaps Scale Motorsports Interior decals Chimneyville Police Decals MCG 57 Chevy photo etch set. Misc Detail Master lines and photo etch Kit bashed wheels, Air cleaner and Johan Police car parts Plus paints, primer and glue ..... Of course I could do it a lot cheaper now with the recent Revell kit ! I'd say my average build investment is about $100 with heavy detailing .... -Steve

Thanks Dave, I'm glad to hear that ! Keep up the great work ....... I can't wait to hear what's next on the car-truck list !! Steve

Here's a quick update, Ernie Petit has had some health issues over the winter but he's on the road to recovery. On top of that there has also been an unexpected legal issue created by an outside party that Ernie and I have both been working very hard to resolve. Both of these issues have caused some delays. I really, really, really wish I could explain here further about this legal issue but I can't .... Your patience, understanding and support is greatly appreciated, hopefully the next post will be better news. Steve

Hi Gregg, Thanks for posting the pics ! Did you notice if they correct the fender skirt body lines on it ? I seem to recall that they're two far forward on the sedan. Steve

Actually the 1:1 version is based on the M-M Futura which is a Combination model that does double duty as both a Hearse and an Ambulance. You could trim it out either way with little modification. -Steve

The 2 Dr Holden Commodore has been available in the U.S. since 2010. It's called the Chevy Camaro ..... it's built on the same Zeta platform Holden designed for the VE Commodore/Pontiac G8 and the longer Statesman/Caprice. If that's not cool enough there's always the Cadillac CTS Coupe which uses a number of parts from the Zeta platform along with the Sedan and Wagon versions. Those Aussie's sure know how to do RWD !

Although I have to agree the Holden GTO missed the mark .... The 08-09 Pontiac G8 GT in my opinon is one of the best cars to ever to have worn the Pontiac nameplate. For $30,000 new you got a RWD 361 HP V8, 6-spd Auto with a true Limited Slip diff and almost perfect 50/50 weight balance. It does the Qtr mile in the mid 13's all day long and seats 5 adults in comfort. At the time the only American Sedan to match it's performance was the SRT Charger which is only a fender length faster in the Qtr mile but cost about $10,000 more. Cover the nameplates and do a test drive ...... you'd think your driving a European Sedan like a M Series BMW costing twice as much. If the Holden based Chevy SS sedan is anything like the G8 GT..... Chevy's got a winner ! -Steve

The velocity stacks are from the kit with just a wash of acrylic black paint added to the centers. Thanks so much for all the compliments !!! Steve

John, Some Reds are very transparent so the base color could change how the top coat looks. I'd go with the spoon test suggestion like the others mentioned. White, Bright Red, Siver, Gold and even Black can all be used under Red Metallic to give different looks. Try it and see for yourself. My Falcon below is painted Duplicolor GM Dark Garnet Red over a Black Primer base which makes a good match for 64 Ford Vintage Burgandy.

A super clean out of the box build ....... that's my kind of model. Well done Daniel !!

Super clean and well done !!!!

It's finally done ....... I posted the rest of the photos in the Under Glass section ..... just follow the link below ..... http://www.modelcars...showtopic=57908