Chillyb1

Welcome to the forum from a former Ohioan. I grew up in Sandusky and went to college in Athens. And you are right about a kind of renaissance in the hobby. I got back into it about ten years ago and the tools and supplies that are widely available to us modelers is pretty astonishing. So, jump right in and show us some pictures of your work when you get the chance.

This is the single greatest announcement in my modeling life. This car is far and away my all-time favorite production automobile.

I should have mentioned this in the original post:

I found these recently and immediately bought several because I think they solve a problem I've encountered often: How to apply fluids precisely in both location and quantity. I now have one loaded with Tamiya's thin liquid cement, one with Testors's white glue, and one with a home-mixed black wash.

You should use the pe grille. It will add greatly to the look of the finished model. Back up a bit and take a look at the orange car above; you'll notice how the grille should look and you can compare that to your pe grille.

On the strength of your recommendation I ordered one today. Dealing with photoetch really does require this sort of thing. So thanks for the suggestion at a moment when I was feeling particularly suggestible.

Not even a competition: Tamiya, Tamiya, and Tamiya.

I'll be watching also. I'm really into builds of this model though I don't have it myself. And I'm loving the color choice.

Yes, but it isn't recommended. I don't know that I have the expertise to make any particular general claim on the subject, but I recently found myself confronting this problem on a commissioned build as well as on one of my own projects. A lot will depend on the decals and where they're placed. I had mixed success. The decals I was using were old and I had used Microscale's Liquid Decal Film on most of them. Others were untreated. Treated decals were easier to trim and stayed in place while others tried to flake or peel rather than let themselves be trimmed.

That is a very cool car.

C'mon already! I'm dying to see what this color looks like when the whole thing is assembled. I love the color and think it will look really understated on such a potent vehicle.

Not just anybody?

I can't tell whether or not you are asking a question. In any event, try checking around online for builds of their kits. I have seen some spectacular work on this Ford GT and on their Focus. They are, by all accounts, excellent kits; Beyond excellent, even, as they include lots of photoetch and great decals and more. I think most modelers with any experience with SimilR kits would recommend them unconditionally.

Yes, they will. I use Tamiya acrylics thinned with lacquer thinner and they adhere perfectly over whatever surface at which I aim the airbrush. I think there are lots of water-based acrylics available, so you may have something else in mind. My experience is solely with Tamiya.

Outstanding work. I'm sorely tempted to try my hand at this build myself.

Come back, Mike, please come back!!!

Fantastic work. I love the looks of these cars. You've captured it beautifully.

I dream of building this sort of thing one day. But it'd be biting off way more than I could chew. I'm really looking forward to your build as will be many others once they get a whiff of this! Good luck.

You are right to complain about and to avoid using the Global Shipping Program. I used it once on a small non-model related thing and the buyer didn't say anything about what he was charged for shipping. I assumed that it saved me money by shipping to a U.S. destination and that the shipping company worked the package into its worldwide logistics system. Later, a repeat buyer from Belgium bought one of my models and then requested an invoice, which I couldn't send because this fell under the Global Shipping Program. When the buyer contacted me to see if the charges he was being asked to pay were correct. I thought the shipping, handling, and customs fees were outrageous and told him we should cancel the sale. We did, and I vowed never again to use the GSP.

This comes as a very welcome suggestion. I've had lots of problems with static charges on bodies and it is frustrating as can be.

Welcome to the forum, Brian. It is a great place. Now that you are hooked, post some photos of your builds so you can get feedback and helpful hints at where you might improve your skills. By the way, are you aware that Cleveland rocks?

The Ghia is a gorgeous design and I really love them. I drove one up until just a few years ago when I sold it. They are fun little cars. The Gunze kit is absolutely awful compared with the Tamiya. I built it not long after I started building models as an adult because I, too, wanted the convertible version to build a replica of one my father owned. It was easy to assemble and probably just about right for my skill level at that time; however, I later wanted to try again for a replica and chose to chop the roof off of the Tamiya rather than bother with that crappy Gunze kit again. I highly recommend the kit to any modeler with the slightest interest in Volkswagens, or Ghia designs, or whatever.

Awesomely awesome! If kits were available, I'd have a closetful.

I'm as puzzled as you are, Scott. I can't figure out what these guys are talking about because my experience with the Tamiya paint stand is unrecognizably different from theirs.

What variety of Alclad are you talking about? And you could probably spend a lifetime sorting out the contradictory information given by modelers about the use of Alclad chrome and polished aluminum. Where did you see the "water base" claim you make? I'm not sure I've heard that one before. Alclad's own black base coat is enamel and it works very well. My favorite base to use is Tamiya's TS-14 black: It goes on flawlessly, dries quickly, and it accepts both chrome and polished aluminum Alclad finishes.