sjordan2

Yes, most of my early builds also met a fiery, explosive end. Too bad that the flames and smoke are so far out of scale.

Beautiful work. I hope you didn't remove the typography on the underside.

Don't you get tired of doing such easy, commonplace builds?

I spend much more time (and money) doing online research, collecting books, original manuals, brochures, high-end diecasts, you name it, than I do building the models. I'm cursed by the fact that the cars and kits of interest to me can't be seen in the flesh within hundreds of miles from me, or don't even exist in this country - classic Mercedes, Ferraris, Bugattis, Jaguars, etc. That's not a gripe, because I find the research process highly enjoyable.

Beautiful piece of work on a very difficult kit. But I think the lack of chrome on the rear script hurts it a lot.

I don't get this thread. One brand of paint screwed up. So change the brand . I see this a lot about Krylon, but I never see it about Tamiya lacquers.

The context really, is Zen or not Zen, or both (heavy, man), taken from the approach of the author in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" - the coexistence of romantic vs rational attitudes. Kind of a left brain/right brain thing that I feel is experienced in hobbies like model building. But Wikipedia can explain it better... "Pirsig aims towards a perception of the world that embraces both sides, the rational and the romantic. This means encompassing "irrational" sources of wisdom and understanding as well as science, reason and technology. In particular, this must include bursts of creativity and intuition that seemingly come from nowhere and are not (in his view) rationally explicable. Pirsig seeks to demonstrate that rationality and Zen-like "being in the moment" can harmoniously coexist. He suggests such a combination of rationality and romanticism can potentially bring a higher quality of life. " Whew.

Looks like a home run. How about a '56 Continental Mk II for an encore?

I could have gone on forever, I should add that it''s also an amazing platform for personal artistic expression like your rustmobiles and the dioramas of others.

To me, cars can represent the height of art, architecture, invention, engineering, craftsmanship, you name it (and I prefer to deal with the great classics as opposed to more recent automobiles). And researching and building models of such cars is always an educational eye-opener that in some ways, makes you one with the car. It helps me immerse myself in the tone and history of different eras, in different countries. I've made a lot of friends around the world in this pursuit. As for more recent cars, the hobby also brings back memories, when you wanted one of those cool rides and you remember what you were doing at the time - a great hit of nostalgia. Maybe you're in awe of the art and engineering of today's supercars or the flat-out excitement of race cars. And, of course, there's the feeling of accomplishment, self-advancement, and pride in the final product. (At least, that's how I explained it to my wife ) These considerations are why I think there's nothing silly or immature about building model cars. What's the allure of model car building for you? I don't know that I've seen a thread that approaches the subject this way.

Valspar has bought a few companies, but they're traditionally known for interior and exterior paints for homes and businesses. Since your can says 'INTERIOR" on the label, wouldn't it be intended for wood or drywall?

Clearly, this is not a picture of a person who rejects SHINY.

Nicely done. That's got a lot of personality.

Hey, I'd go straight to the most authoritative source I could find. You'd be amazed who will help you. I got one of the world's most accomplished Mercedes photographers to post extra images on his website for my reference for a 1/16 SS, I found superb reference from Rolls owners, and recently I got major help from one of few surviving witnesses to the restoration of one of the world's rarest classic Mercedes. The worst that can happen is no response. One source I recommend is the Antique Automobile Club of America, aaca.org

This topic kind of reminds me of the now-departed "lazy barn door garage" thread, which rambled around crazily and made it impossible to find any particular subject matter. If it was just about Jared's builds, I could deal with it. Just sayin'. But I guess it's like a box of chocolates.

Would Moebius have this kind of reference for the Hornet? PS: Far be it from me to suggest something to one of the forum's most experienced members, but wouldn't it be better to put something about the Hornet in your thread title?

Romell, I would suggest you use your wife's photo as your avatar. I know Ali thought he was pretty, but she's a LOT prettier.

A good analogy. I don't see anything wrong with continually developing new twists on a traditional look that echoes the styling history of the brand. But I do kind of yearn for the old days when you seldom, if ever, saw a panel line in the flow of the bodywork. At most, you'd see a chrome strip running along the rocker panels. But I guess that these days, body parts are made out of so many different types of materials that it's hard to disguise the seams.

One thing about the Aurora Stutz Bearcat, which I have, is that it's a curbside kit with no engine and not much in the way of a chassis. My plan was to combine it with the Lindberg racer.

I'd say both the Ferrari and the Alfa are doing a little retro homage to Ferraris of the 60s, like the 275 GTB.

In building antique and vintage car models, you will find many interested people who are happy to help you at the Antique Automobile Club of America website at www.aaca.org

Welcome. You can find a ton of information just snooping around the site. One suggestion: Do you have a Hobby Lobby in the area? They frequently have 40% off coupons for your total purchase available online. That can save you big bucks on things like an Iwata airbrush. I'm sure you'll get a lot more guidance below.

The car is what it is, the way it is now. Good luck on finding someone who was there who can tell you the difference.

Same car, different cameras, different lighting conditions. And I agree that the second picrure is not the original car.

Hah! My mother told me that during World War II, when nylon was rationed and unobtainable as stockings, women would take something like mascara (can't remember what exactly) and draw seam lines up the backs of the skin on their legs to make it look like they were wearing stockings.