Steve D.

50+ Vendor tables of model car kits, promos, resin-cast, parts, die cast & more! Model Car Exhibition : Feel free to display your model cars and trucks . Door prizes to be awarded all day Peoples choice voting awards : Best Automotive, Best Light Commercial/Municipal, Best Heavy Truck/Heavy Municipal, Best Junior Build, ages up to 18 Club Awards : Masscar Model Club, L.I.A.R.S. Club, Town of Newburgh N.Y. Model Car Club, and the A.T.E.A.M. Club DOORS OPEN on SUNDAY MARCH 20 at 9:00 AM Spectator Admission : $8 (ages 12 to adult) , children under 12 free There is no model registration fee . Feel free to bring and display your model cars and trucks For additional show and vendor info contact Stu Marcus at 603-382-9724 marcus_stuart@yahoo.com

I usually clean my airbrush with lacquer thinnerr , but beware it will dry out your O-rings . You can prevent this by running regular paint thinner or mineral spirits thru your brush before puting it away . One tip with using an airbrush , don't let paint dry in it . If it's gonna sit for a while dump out the paint . run some thinner throu haveh it and your ready to go . Take care and have fun , Steve D.

Surgery on the legs (sore as hell) but everything above the waist is fine and I happen to be a model car builder . So the marathon begins tomorrow. I have just finished the Mobius Hornet and have to say it was one of the most pleasurable buids I've ever had . Congrats to them on an outstanding kit . I have the Historic racing miniatures trans kit for the Ferarri 330 P-4 (Fujimi) and the Ford GT-40 and was thinking about one of those . Also on deck is the rereleased 76 Gremlin kit from round 2 ,now I need ideas for a third . I usually build in series of two or three at a time , so I'm looking for idea's . I probably should finish any old projects I have going , I'm sure there are a couple lurking in the basement . So thats it , kinda looking for ideas for the next session. Take care and see you around the clubhouse Steve D.

Am planning to add a couple of these to my collection any info would be appreciated . thanks Steve D.

I,m a regular subscriber ,I guess I'll have to wait a couple more weeks for mine . Ah the advantages of being a supporter of the mag.

Fifteen bucks at Michaels is nothing compared to waiting six to eight weeks for a set of decals , heck I'll bet there's a company out there that makes decals for this very same model .

Revell’s new trio of Funnycar kits I have just completed a build up of these three kits and the following is just some casual observations I have made on each one . Roland Leongs Hawaiian First of all if you are planning a real nuts and bolts replica with full blown detailing make sure you first get some pictures of the car at a particular event . I picked mine up at Michael’s in March , and just built it out of the box . There might be an issue with the color call outs for painting as the instructions say the interior tin work should be painted black . The tin work should be silver or natural aluminum . Also there is the glass work that should have a blue tint . ( I found this out just before installing mine and dusted on a coat of Tamiya clear blue.) Having read the reviews , I noticed someone making an issue of the hatch cover on the Hawaiian . While it might be out of place , I would not putty in the cover unless I was going to scribe in a new one . All funnycars had the hatch (usually with a mirror) to assist in backing the cars up after the pre race burn out to warm the tires . I think an out of place hatch is better than no hatch . The only problem I had with the build concerns the rear end . While dry fitting the rear end parts I noticed that the steel axel supplied with the kit was just barely wider than the rear end piece . So I simply cut a piece of brass rod as a replacement . Easy fix right ? well no , as it turns out . If I had narrowed the rear end piece a tiny amount (not enough to affect the mounting of the disc brakes) I would have given myself enough clearance for the body at the rear tires . As it sits now you must take care when lowering the body down over the chassis because of the rear end width . (the judges will LOVE that one) This kit along with the CHI TOWN HUSTLER are great kits in that they show another couple of versions of the types of chassis that were being run in this period . Even though the kits share the same tires and some of the same body parts they are two completely different kits . FARKONAS , COIL , and MINICK CHI TOWN HUSTLER This kit went together like a dream . The only thing with this kit is that I “imagineered” the plumbing and wiring on the kit . If I had only known about all the info coming in the latest mags I might have gone that way……..maybe I’ll just build a couple more…… they are that good. No problems with this build , and the decals for both kits are top notch , and that bring me to the MONGOOSE “75” Plymouth Duster Funnycar This appears to be a rerelease of a funnycar kit with a new body and tinwork for the Duster . The reason I know this is because all the parts are the same as the Revell/Slixx generic “70’s” Charger funnycar kit that I am currently building . (another Blue Hawaiian) On this build I really wanted the decals to pop so I figured I had better paint the body in three colors , red , white , and blue . When all the major decals on the sheet are white and they are going on red panels there is cause for concern . After painting this became apparent. The decals on the side panel that were painted white underneath looked great . The white stripes on the tops and the GO NAVY decals on the hood and side were translucent . Cartograph oh cartograph were are you ? So it’s off to Michaels With my trusty 40% off coupon for another kit and set of decals . I ended up decaling over the white stripes and the GO NAVY decals on the hood and sides ala Fred Cady . While I’m not thrilled having to buy another kit , it came out so well , I’m not going to complain , but thought it should be mentioned . The only way to avoid this would be to paint white under all the white decals turning what would otherwise be a great kit into a monster . (or stick with pink markings) So if you plan on building this kit plan on either two sets of decals or some fancy masking and paint work . The other option is SLIXX decals , which I will be looking into , now that I have a kit without decals . The rest of the kit goes together well and there are no surprises . This kit employs the “straight Logghe bros. style chassis that was very common in funnycars of the day . The difference between most cars was how they they set up thier fuel and cooling tanks , so again if you are doing a replica keep this in mind . All in all this is a GREAT series of kits and I will be adding at least a few of each to my collection ….hmmm ……..no matter how fast I build , I can’t seem to get my collection to shrink . This weekend I’m going to figure out how to post pic’s if it kills me. Take care and see around the clubhouse STEVE D.

With everyone saying accurate this and accurate that I can't believe no one has mentioned Accurate Miniatures kits . Both of thier kits remain amoung my favorites of all time . I know they don't exactly fall together but build into beautiful kits , and are on my automatic buy list when I see them for a fair price . I would love to see what this company would have produced if they were still around ! A series of Chapparals and Lola's maybe ? ....I can dream can,t I .

Revell's "49" Mercury also had a set if I remember correctly .

Tamiya clear lacquers ie red , blue , yellow , look absoutley incredable when applied over Testors silver diamond dust . If you have access to some you should definately check it out . Warm the can and be careful of the fumes ...twice as bad as Tamiya's , smell any ways . Take care , and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

Recently I completed a diorama with the Revell midgets , and I needed some spare tires for the tire rack . The Revell Chevy lowrider kits from the early 60's have gold plated accessories including rims . Strip the plating and repaint with metalizer , then turn the tires into speedway slicks with the trusty old "Dremel". This diorama can be seen on the Masscar show website titled "The Spring and Fall of a dirt track summer" . I used these tires on the fall midget , and although not completely accurate , when dirtied up they are more than passable . I threw a set in the bed of the pick-up also . Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

Tamiya lacquer spray cans are the way to go . Warm with hot tap water before use . (If you can't put your finger in it , it's too hot) . You can get many different effects by using different base coats . Gold and silver are common choices and Tamiya's silver leaf and gold are great to use . But for a really cool effect spray Tamiya's clear colors over a base coat of Testors Diamond dust silver metallic lacquer . This paint has a coarse pigment that looks fantastic under the candy colors . I just finished the "Frankonis,Coil,and Minick" Chi-Town Hustler . This has a candy red finish so I sprayed mine with a gold base on the top(Tamiya) and a silver diamond dust on the sides(Testors). This model should be done in the next week or so , I'll try and post some pics then. Hope this helps. Take care and see you around the clubhouse Steve D.

I missed tht NNL east in New Jersey as my son got last minute tickets to the BRUINS-CANADIENS at the garden . They lost the game but ended up winning the series-I must admit they are 0-7 in the last seven games I've gone to. I hope they win the cup therefore will not be attending more playoff games this season , GO BRUINS Steve D.

Tamiya and Testors lacquer and Model master metalizers are great choices . Try polishing the body with an old tee shirt and some cheap polishing paste. Also called rubbing compound, can be found in any parts store or big box store. It usually comes in two colors (grits)red which is more coarse and white ,finer . A tub of this stuff is only a few bucks and will last for years. Polish the bare plastic before priming, prime, lightly polish again and apply finish coat . I use this method for award wining finishes using rattle can paint. Also try warming the spray can in the hottest water you can stand putting your finger in. Cool color tip: Testors Diamond Dust silver base coat followed by Tamiya clear red, blue, or orange for the most incredable candy finish you have ever seen. Follow with a couple of straight clear coats and WOW . Good Luck Take Care and see you around the clubhouse, Steve D.

I was under the impression that the Javelin was a two plus two four seater and the AMX was a two seater. Am I right or are they different versions of the same car? Thanks in advance, Steve D.

I've built a bunch of Revell kits lately and , knock on wood , have not had any problems . The past couple of years I've become a spray bomb junkie.....I know ...I know its not a good thing , but with the quality of the sprays these days it's possible to get a contest winning finish out of a can . While there are good modeling spray paints (I'm talking lacquer here not enamel) like Tamiya and the new Testors , they are "cool" paints and supposidely do not require any primer . I must admit I prime almost everything and to date have not had any problems . As for using auto parts lacquer spray bombs or "hot" paints you definately need a barrier to protect the plastic . Ive heard that Plasti-cote primer works well , but its been a while since I've been able to find it . When using hot paints or even nail polish cut with lacquer thinner , I do the following . First all body work , puttying etc. Then a good coat of primer (Tamiya lacquer) and 24 hours in the dehydrator. My next step is to give it a "rub" with polishing compound to get the primer as smooth as possible . And I mean just a rub to smooth out the primer not remove it . Next I "dust" on a coat of BIN sealer , which is a shellac , that is thinned with alcahol . BIN is the brand name of this product and is available at Home Depot and all the chain stores . I stress 'DUST" because BIN sprays extremely heavily out of the spray can , and being such a thin product requires a very light touch , or quick stroke so to speak . And yes for you airbrush guys it is sold in pint and quart cans . ( as you can imagine this product is a lot easier to airbrush ) After dusting on a couple of light coats of BIN give it an hour to dry then start laying on the finish paint . BIN says you only have to wait twenty minutes but I always give it an hour . Hope this helps , Take care and see you around the clubhouse, Steve D.

Yes Bill and myself will be vending at the show , I'm pretty sure his table is next to mine . As you enter the vendors room we will be on the right , all the way against the side wall . I'll be the one in the orange shirt with blue flames , kind of hard to miss .....stop by and say hello .

Of course he knows , I wasn't sure about posting his add and phone number but he said go ahead . I talk to him all the time as his shop is on my route to work .

Howdy everyone , Bill Griggs has opened a shop in his basement that caters to model builders of all types . His shop was originally located on the Cape Cod Canal in Borne Ma . Due to renovations he was forced to move . If you don't know Bill , he is one of the best modelers in New England period . His building specialty is aircraft , diorama's , and sci-fi "stuff". His shop is full of cars , armor , aircraft , ships , and sci-fi , kits at prices that are well below retail . His tool section and paint racks have to be seen to be believed . Full Tamiya Lacquer sprays and bottles , full Testors modelmaster and little square bottle paints , and sprays , and also a pile of leftover Aeromaster ( no longer made) bottles , aircraft builders know aeromaster, also a rack of Humbrol oil paints . I just talked to Bill and he said all car kits are 40% off for the next two weeks . He has a ton of the latest releases but he also buys collections , so there are always a pile of kits that you won't find any where else for sale . This shop is worth the trip from anywhere in Eastern Ma . It's where I buy my supplies , and to say I'm frugal is an understatement !!!! So check hin out its worth the trip . Hidden Hobbies is located at the intersection of RT. 14 and RT. 27 on the Whitman , East Bridgewater line , next to Z-1 car sales . 71 Lewiston St. is the 10 th house on the right, tan with dark brown shutters , stone wall , and circular drive . Please park on the stone driveway , and come to the back door . OPEN 7 DAYS ..Best to call first .508-583-0924 Tell Bill , Steve D. sent -ya Take care and see you around the clubhouse , (or Hidden Hobbies) Steve D.

J.B. Is this something I can get locally ? Or do I need to send off for it ? Right now I'll try anything to find a replacement . These blocks are invaluable for sanding and smoothing out large panels on car kits , especially when the "BONDO" starts flying . Thanks again , Steve D.

I'll be there for my third in a row . The first year I made the mistake of driving down the day of the show . You know get there at about 11:30 , it's 1:30 before I finish the paper work and get set-up . That first year I hardly got a chance to check out the models BECAUSE ............I made the mistake of checking out the vendors room first . BIG mistake , any way I learned my lesson . Spend a couple of bucks and spend the night what the heck .....the Mrs. even made the reservations for me ! What a doll !!! Last year I ended up with a couple of fellow modelers eating cheeseburgers at the wrong "Paradise" the night before the show . We still had a great time talking models , but this year I'd like the chance of meeting some of the folks I read about and correspond with in the flesh . So count me in on the night before festivities......hangover be dam'ned .... So I'll be there with the dozen or so models I've built since last year , the good , the bad , and the ugly !!!! Until then , have fun , take care , and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

This was one of most valuable tools and without it I'm lost . I thought I heard somewhere that discount beauty stores had the firm rubber foam , for toenails or something . But I checked it out at a couple of places , and it's not as firm and the foam is not as dense . My understanding is "LMG" is gone , is there anyone else selling these blocks . Or maybe a sourch for this type of foam rubber , I was thinking maybe an auto reapolstering shop . I don't use the polishing cloths as much as I used to . (mostly for clear parts) But I use the block with a piece of an old cotton tee shirt and KIT polishing compound for nice shiney finishes . I actually do all my polishing before I paint but thats another story . Thanks in advance for any help......................See you around the clubhouse , Steve D.

I'm currently working on a Gunze Sangyo curbside street GTO 250 . At the same I'm building a track version of the Macom Racing teams GTO , which happens to be the Revell kit . Everything is going great with the builds , only one problem . Revell does not supply enough of the red pinstriping decals to do the Malcom racing team car . When I first laid the decals out I had my suspicions but thought , nah , they'll fit fine . Well they don't , and now I need another set to complete this car . Keep this in mind if you plan on doing the Malcom car . The red pinstriping borders the white stripe on this scheme and really sets off the finish on this car . All the red striping decals came up short , makes me wonder what car they were measuring for these decals . Oh well be forewarned .... It's not that big a deal really , if I had known beforehand I would have made up my own stripes with lacquer and decal film . Now I just need a couple of pieces to splice in what I have already started . SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS THIS KIT AND IS NOT DOING THE MALCOM CAR I WILL GLADLY TRADE SOMETHING FOR THESE DECALS . P.S. The white metal parts on the Gunze kit are really brittle (I'm not sure if it is due to age , or this is common ) and are presenting a building challenge . But the parts themselves are incredably detailed , and this kit is well worth the effort . Take care and see you around the clubhouse , Steve D.