Chillyb1

There are really only two choices: the recent release from Revell of Germany or the one from Fujimi. There are older kits out there but they all suffer from all the usual problems of older kits. Both of the new tool kits are pretty excellent and you can't really go wrong with either one. If you don't have a strong preference for one manufacturer over the other, then you should get whichever one you can obtain easily and cheaply. The Revell features opening doors but otherwise is little different from the Fujimi. I have several of the Fujimi kit because I do have a strong preference for one manufacturer over the other. I find that the Fujimi has much better mold quality; everything is just much crisper and cleaner. Best of luck with your project.

I've built that a couple of times (see my avatar, which took second place at the GSL contest) and have several more in the stash with the appropriate photoetch sets as well. It might be my favorite kit. When you get around to building it be sure to ask around for tips for avoiding major headaches: there are only a couple things to watch out for, but they are important.

I love the engine and I love the body color even more! Let's get this thing finished already.

Hurray for me! I love these cars and am always excited to see a build up in progress, or the finished product for that matter. And good to know about the potential fit problems, too, because I have a couple of these in the stash and haven't touched them yet (except to ogle the box contents and drool over them). Can't wait to see more.

Welcome to the forum from a former Ohioan. Grew up in Sandusky. Lots of good modelers here and lots of stuff to help you be a better builder.

Has anyone else heard of these or used them? I found them at Hobby Lobby and bought a pack of the green ones, which have less adhesive hold than the blue ones. Apparently they were intended for use in dentistry, but they now market them to a wider variety of consumers including us modelers. The green ones are plenty sticky and can probably solve lots of small-parts handling problems.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Maybe by playing Good Modeler/Bad Modeler. But it is an intriguing problem. I think I'd like to be able to create this effect but can't think of how. I'll experiment some and see what I come up with. And I have never seen Tamiya's X-22 clear crack over any of their other acrylics. And I can't imagine why Tamiya would offer a clear that would do so. Anyway, I hope someone can come up with something.

I can't comment yet; I have to go back and examine all those pictures more thoroughly. But I love it!

I usually use six or so colors when I go for this kind of weathering. What colors I use depends on what look I'm going for. I have a bunch of grays, tans, and browns that do the job. My method is to select the colors I want and then shoot them in sequence from light to dark. If I don't like something I can always shoot more paint or remove it. I use Tamiya acrylics exclusively for this sort of thing. Here's a short list of essential colors, all are Tamiya XF: 14, JA Gray; 12, JN Gray; 19, Sky Gray; 80, Royal Light Gray; 55, Deck Tan; 59 Desert Yellow; 64, Red Brown; 49, Khaki; 52, Flat Earth. Add any other browns and tans and grays and whatever that you want.

Here are links to some rally cars I've weathered. I use a variety of media to achieve these effects. The most useful, I find, are Tamiya acrylics shot through the airbrush. I usually keep it at higher than normal pressure so the paint is really flying past the model. I hold or pose the model so the paint passes by in the same way as dust or dirt or mud or snow would in real life. I also sometimes set up a fan as though the model were in a wind tunnel and then shoot paint into the airstream. Anyway, experimentation is the best teacher when it comes to weathering. I'd also recommend Tamiya's weathering sets and weathering pens. They are easy to use and give great results. http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ChillyB1/library/Tamiya%20Peugeot%20206%202002?sort=3&page=1 http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ChillyB1/library/Tamiya%20Peugeot%20206%201999?sort=3&page=1 http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ChillyB1/library/Tamiya%20Peugeot%20206?sort=3&page=1 http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ChillyB1/library/Tamiya%20Peugeot%20205%20T16%20Tour%20de%20Corse?sort=3&page=1 http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ChillyB1/library/Peugeot%20405?sort=3&page=1 http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ChillyB1/library/Tamiya%20Alpine%20A110%20Monte%20Carlo?sort=3&page=1

It is always a treat to see one of these. I have experience only with the Tamiya kit. I'm glad that Revell saw fit to produce this in a new kit. Now if only someone would produce a 1/24 scale Citroen DS! Nice work and great color scheme. Will you build it again? Was it reasonably easy to assemble? Any real headaches with this kit?

Make sure your target surface is glossy and smooth. Don't use Microset and Microsol with all decals, just the ones that need to conform to some curve or panel line or other irregularity. You DO NOT want to wax before decal application. You should polish the paint beforehand if needed. When you apply clear coat is entirely up to you. If the paint needs clear, then spray it on. There are a lot of paint colors in the Tamiya TS series that really don't need clear to be super glossy. You should leave a couple of days for the decals to dry, and any MIcrosol or MIcroset to evaporate, before you do anything more. If you choose to clear over the decals, then a couple of days should be enough to shoot clear. (There is a raging storm of controversy, in a teacup no less, about whether to clear over decals: the two ultra positions are 1) NEVER EVER clear over decals and, 2) ALWAYS clear over decals. The choice is yours and yours alone, so don't let the mullahs get you down.) You DO NOT want to polish decals that are not sealed in clear; there is too much risk of damage to all that hard work. Lots of people wax over bare decals, and I have done so, but it is always nerve wracking. What else? It is better to use warm water. Leave the decals in the water for a very short period of a second or three, then let it sit until it is ready to slide off the backing paper. Decal quality varies widely and some take forever and need to be resoaked (and sworn at if that's your style, I know it is mine) before they will release. Buy yourself some Microscale Liquid Decal Film and you'll be glad you did. You brush it on decals that are fragile, old, likely to break up, and it makes them whole again through some miraculous transmogrification that we modelers will never understand. Also get yourself a hair dryer if you don't already have one in the household. They work extraordinarily well when trying to get large decals to conform to the model surface (this hint is particularly aimed at those among us who use a lot of carbon fiber decals, which often cover large surfaces in one go). Never, ever, ever use a cotton swab when applying decals. And don't ask why not, just don't do it.

That is an excellent choice, indeed. Good luck with the project. It is an ambitious goal. If I were doing it, I'd just paint the 356A in that scheme and slap on the decals. In any event, keep in mind the above when choosing future Porsche projects. I also love the 956 kits from Tamiya and have built a few of those; I highly recommend that to you.

Feel free to ignore my input if you have already decided. I'm going to second Jeff's suggestion and recommend the Tamiya Carrera GT. If you really want a "well molded kit with good detail" you won't find a better kit than the Carrera GT. I love older Porsches, too, but the Fujimi kits leave a lot to be desired. If you like headaches, build a Fujimi 356 or 911. If you want flawless engineering equal to the subject, go with the Tamiya.

That's too cool for words. I've been waiting to see the builds of this kit and I think this is the first so far. I love these little things but haven't gotten this kit yet.

Yes, Harry, that's what he's talking about. They are generically known as resonator guitars but often lumped under the Dobro name (derived from the family name of the inventor of such guitars when he and his brothers formed a company to manufacture them: Dopyera Brothers).They are easy to play but difficult to master. Other open tunings that are common and fun: DGDGBD, DADGAD, DADF#AD. Try 'em, you'll like 'em.

Playing slide can be a lot of fun. I'm no expert but I recommend keeping your fingers on the strings behind the slide. This keeps the extraneous noises dampened so you can more clearly hear the notes you are trying to play. Keep it up if you are just starting. There are a bunch of different tunings to play around with that sound great with a slide.

If that's the results you get with rusty skills, I'd hate to see what you get with clean, sharp skills. The decal work can not have been easy yet it looks like everything is in its right place. Did you do any polishing after the clear coat? Are all the decals under clear coat? Your panel-line accenting looks just right. How'd you do that?

You, sir, are a glutton for punishment. That's a lot of work. I really like these little cars and can't wait to see what you do with it. Bob Downie did a really nice build up of this kit a few years back, which revealed the potential of the model.

I have all four (there may be a fifth now) Tamiya sets and highly recommend them. There is a great range of colors that are excellent for automobile modelers. I also have a couple sets from Bragdon Enterprises, which are sold under the name Weather System. They look like the stuff in your last photograph. Here's a link to some I found on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bragdon-Weather-System-Rust-Weather-Color-Kit-BRE-12-/400490208603?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item5d3f139d5b They offer some tones that are not available from Tamiya. Moreover, they go on differently: they are a kind of self-adhesive powder. If I had to choose one over the other, then I'd probably go with the Tamiya. They are easier to apply and not as messy. But I don't have to choose; I prefer to have lots of weathering supplies to be able to create a wider variety of weathering effects.

I can't believe they reissued this kit! I love the thing and have four or five in my meager stash. It looks like they added some cool stuff, too.

Welcome to the forum, Tim. It's a great place to learn. Whereabouts in Columbus? I've a lot of friends there from college (at OU in Athens) and my brother has a restaurant there on N. High.

It needs more BMF!

Richard is also an expert at automobile identification! Harry, you're quizzes will likely attract Richard's attention. Welcome to the forum, Mr. Bartrop. It is nice to see you here.

My answer is, Yes, it needs to be thinned. I'm pretty sure I used Tamiya's thinner on the body pictured above. Probably about a 50:50 mix, but I can't be certain of that.