sjordan2

A spectacular piece of work, gorgeous from any angle. I believe the resin body was created by our fellow member, Art Anderson, who did a wonderful job with it. The Monogram kit is not a 2-seater Sportsman but a Phaeton with a back seat, and I just received this 1965 kit yesterday, which I will use as reference for converting the AMT 1/12 Sportsman into a phaeton. The details on the 1/24 kit are so tiny, I don't know how anyone can finish it properly.

I haven't built anything in a very long time, but I have learned a lot about craft techniques and from doing research on individual cars. Used to be I didn't know much about what makes a car go, but this forum has filled me in, or sent me to the proper sources. I think this forum is IMMENSELY educational.

Ditto. And I agree with Bill that paints designated as Pearl are far more in scale than normal metallics.

One of the most beautiful cars ever designed -- I didn't know the 507 nearly ruined BMW, since they lost money on every one they built. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_507

To me, Cadillac jumped the shark when they took the lean, clean Seville and came up with this overweight-looking, fuddy-duddy trunk.

Bertone did many stunning cars, and here he is with my favorite, the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo. Too bad there isn't a kit.

Being from Texas, I can say it's a real deal. TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD RECIPE (Ingredients may vary) 1 1/2 oz tequila 3/4 oz green creme de menthe juice of 1 limes Shake ingredients with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

I agree. The 300 SL is my specialty and it looks like you've done a superb job, in spite of the kit's inaccuracies. Just beautiful.

It has seemed to me, over the years, that different types of modeling have different types of evaluations from non-modelers. It's always been something of a stereotype that it's cool for grandpa to be building ships, especially those with lots of rigging, and maybe aircraft. Cars, on the other hand, seem to be regarded as more of a teen interest, especially rods, customs, dragsters, muscle cars, etc. Model trains are a whole different time-honored category for adults, and I have no idea how the many other categories of plastic kit building might be judged by others.

Manufacturers would also have to pay licensing fees for tires with logos (to satisfy builders). And, as we've seen above, creating the molds for styrene tires would be extremely expensive. Don't know how that compares to vinyl or rubber tire costs.

Relief. I'm told by a Cord aficionado that the longer wheelbase was just for sedans and the 2-seater and 5-seater convertibles had the same dimensions.

I think the question about weird kits was closely addressed regarding professional promotional items that were turned into kits in less illuminated times, with less marketing expertise (who's going to issue a new power plant kit today? Just because it was done before, by people who probably are no longer alive, doesn't mean the same kind of thinking exists today.) I don't know if it exists outside of diecasts, but the only thing I can think of that might sell well to the general modeling public in this category is the classic gray Ford farm tractor from decades ago. Lots of variations and accessories could go with that.

Ben, from another angle, what new construction equipment kit do you think would be a big enough seller to justify the kit company's investment?

Ben, if you were to ask for ONE kit to be produced in the category you want - construction, etc., what would it be? Year, manufacturer, specific type.

Terrific work, lots of intelligent details.

This is why I hate Work In Progress threads. You get wrapped up in a build -- like this one, which hasn't been updated in a year and a half -- and it evaporates. Better to save the WIP until the kit is done, then show a complete build journal.

If there isn't an established market, why would a kit manufacturer gamble on it? As mentioned above, it works in some European markets, but not necessarily worldwide, and the European kits are usually of subjects of little interest in larger markets like the US. Diecast manufacturers understand their market, but that doesn't mean it translates to plastic kit builders.

And Lincoln is trying to rebrand itself using awkward styling cues from the late 30s, such as their ugly new grilles that only a few could get.

Well said.

Doing this kind of stuff requires new market research plus corporate experience. I see all kinds of OPINIONS on this thread, but nothing with factual information based on quantitative research. Is it too much to ask if companies like Revell have actual, numeric research? If not, the ability to deliver new kits of interest to the widest number of buyers is useless -- you can't base the kind of research that's necessary to offer new kits based on intuition alone without that kind of information. But opinions and guessing, without actual knowledge, are the stock-in-trade of these kinds of threads.

GMP has done some TV in the past for their diecasts -- a collector activity, not for builders. I believe the main venue was Barrett-Jackson.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Miniature-Musical-Instrument-Drum-3-inch-Drum-Set-Drums-Miniature-Drums-/281147055938

Great job. I did the Exxon Superflo advertising for Geoff's win at Daytona, and got to ride with him around the Atlanta Raceway while we were shooting a commercial with the Levi Garrett car. You nailed it.

McBurnie has made some pretty cool replicas, including a Porsche speedster for Thunder Ranch (distributor of some very nice Beck 550 Spyder replicas). While the Ferrari lawyers made him stop producing the Daytona replicas, I think they really pounced on him for 250 GTO replicas. This is from Wikipedia: "McBurnie is a US bodywork company mostly known for their replicas of Ferrari Daytona Spyder. The Daytona replicas are based on the Chevrolet Corvette C3 and became very popular because they were featured in the TV series Miami Vice where the main character Sonny Crocket drives a black Daytona Spyder. Ferrari reacted and managed to get McBurnie and other replica manufacturers to stop production. - Tom McBurnie went on to manufacture the 34 Lightning, the RSK550 and a Porsche speedster replica. He is now making cars under his new company Thunder Ranch. As a runner up on Mr. McBurnie's TV fame he also produced the RIOT car as seen on Baywatch. Mr. McBurnie is still making quality Sports cars. Using the RIOT car he developed Tom partnered with SDSU early on & made an electric RIOT car that has amazing Hybrid technology and Incredible Range. [1] The Rights to the RIOT were sold to Nathan Wratislaw who is taking the car a new Green Vision of Hybrid Electric Technology. Tom continues to make 5 different Models of Sports Cars." Looks like you're going to end up with a great piece of work.

Is it a real Aventador? Or is it the new 1:8 Pocher? Only the Shadow knows.