Jairus

The poll set up here only allows 5 questions. Thus... you have to read the post to understand. I can see the confusion.

Get your attention now? Definition: Someone who builds scale model cars but abhors putting motors in them so much that they refuse to acknowledge their very existence. I CONTEND THAT THIS VERY FORUM IS 98% OCCUPIED BY SUCH RACISTS! This is something I encountered a few years ago here at MCM forums and to this day I still do not understand. You see it wasn't like that back in 1964. I have stacks of Model Car Science and Car Modeler which both feature static models and slot cars in them. My friend Jimmy Keeler used to write articles back then on detailing and some of his wiring and plumbing articles would follow an article on how to make working suspension in a slot car! (Those guys were bad azz I tell you da truth!) In fact, nearly all of the slot cars back in the day were based on model car kits so that companies like Monogram, Revell and AMT would use the very same mold for a beautiful Porsche 906 model kit with full detailing AND the same body found it self into a slot car kit. Same decals, different driver but same mold used for the body. That meant SCALE was important to the slot car builder up till 1967. But, that's a topic for another time. What I think we have here is racism pure and simple. The fear of racing something someone spent time building. And some race cars are very beautiful! On the flip side, some slot cars are not built just for racing. Many become shelf queens and dust collectors just as ALL model cars ultimately become. So back to my contention that this forum is populated by racists. My proof is that I set up a poll of sorts asking the very members of MCMforums to please pick their favorite scratchbuilt balsa wood carved model race ccar and after a week we have hundreds look at the thread but only three votes! THREE VOTES ONLY! What the heck is going on? Prove me wrong. Show me you are not the racists I believe you to be. Click the link, look over the 8 entries and pick one please. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=83681 Thank you, Respectfully submitted,

I like it!

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=83681 Click the link and see some very nice looking SCRATCH BUILT models! Hand carved wooden bodies, hand made chassis all built from plans only. No kits and totally scratchbuilt. Please look and vote for your favorite one. Thank you!

I am calm. Just amazed at how crazy things get with the release of each new model kit. Everyone wants to jump on the band wagon and be the first to point out inaccuracies for some reason. I fault the Internet and forums that gives each person the bully pulpit. Because this never happened before the AMT 1955 Chevrolet Fleetside kits came out. The truth is there is NO model kit that is perfect. All of them require some changes to make them more accurate for the builder depending on what he or she has in mind. I have YET to see a single molded friction shock absorber that looks realistic. But that I keep to myself and fix it! Because that is what I do as a modeler. The Revell 57 Custom kits replicate a car we have not had yet and behind the firewall, they are very different from the Fairlane and Fairlane 500. Not only is the wheel base longer on the Fairlane at 118” as opposed to the Custom at 116”. But the overall length is a foot longer than the Custom line! Previously, all common production vehicles had remained on the same length chassis. Now, “Custom” and “Custom 300” vehicles were 16.5 foot long bumper to bumper while the new “Fairlane” and “Fairlane 500” models increased 2” in the rear leg room and bumped up the rear overhang to a huge 17.5 foot overall length! This affected the Fairlane 2-door hardtop, 4-door hardtop, the Retractable and the “Sunliner” convertible. All one has to look at is the fins to see the difference. Fairlane fin terminates in a downward curve that is complimented by chrome brightwork. While the Custom fin on all models simply blends smoothly into the 1/4 panel with no chrome. Fairlane doors open with no side glass hard frame other than stainless trim wrapped around the window glass that retracts giving the coupe a full post less hard-top. All Customs have posts and doors with full frames. All sheetmetal from firewall back... including the firewall (because that includes the windshield glass) is different between the two lines. Only door handles and maybe taillights are shared. Bumpers, trunk lids, chrome trim, glass... everything is different between the lines! Even the plastic on the dash has a different pattern between the two lines. I know this.... why? Because I own one and searching for parts is quite a challenge.

Yeah, everyone wants to be the one to point to a perceived fault and be first to yell fowl.

Wow the innocence of the younger generation continues to amaze me with it's ignorance. The Custom and Custom 300 vehicles were completely different from the Fairlane and Fairlane 500 models on the exterior and under the skin. Not to mention the extras like engine, fabric and two tone paint. Sheesh.... to think one could mix the kits with no research boggles the mind with nonsense. Unless you are building a rat rod of course.

As always... whatever I am working on currently. Once they are done.... they are done and to the shelf they go. The fun is in the research, construction and innovation. After that.... what else is there?

I never liked the AMT kits. I owned one of those beautiful "Bunky Sports Roof" models for 7 years. Not as a primary vehicle mind you... but I put maybe 10,000 miles on it during the time I had the pink slip. 4bbl, 4 speed, 351C power with air conditioning, decor interior, stereo, power steering and.... was VERY FAST! Bad vision rearward tho. The AMT kit has a good body shape but little else. Chassis totally sucks and make a better curbside. And there is NO good chassis that matches that 1/25th body. The closest thing is the 1/24th Torino GT chassis, which the Mach 1 shares in real life. But the scales preclude using it with the AMT body. Otaka made a 1/24th Mustang Mach 1 body that fits the Monogram 1/24th chassis perfectly! I started my own replica of my car while still owning the machine.... but the economy collapsed and I had to sell the car. The model too got boxed. Hood on the Otaka places the NACA ducts too far apart is the only rub I was planning to change. Other than that...... I liked my plan and hope to finish it eventually.

Well, you lost me, but.... I can appreciate the art. Carry on....

Lastly: Jairus Watson #01---1/24--- Maserati 250F driven by Juan Manuel Fangio

Sister car to Rodney's: Rick Thigpen #14---1/24--- Sports car

6th entry also from France. In fact, we had four entries from France and four from the U.S.! Régis Baron #22---1/24--- Connaught Type B

5th is a bit of a dark horse. Don found this one on ebay. Looking it over it seems to be actually from the era we are replicating. Testing on the track it actually runs VERY WELL! So Don entered it as a ruler to measure our more modern creations against. Don Siegel #7---1/24--- Bob Scarab

4th. Bruce Wayne #10---1/24--- Mercedes Benz W196

Third car was built in France, is of a British company BRM. Nicolas Cavoleau #11--- 1/24--- 2.5 liter BRM

The second car of the 8 entries received is also a sports car. (Formula 2) But the livery is fantasy and there are two entered by the team. (#3 & #14) Rodney #03---1/24--- Sports Car

In no particular order are the entries. First up is: Jaak Beentjes #77---1/24--- Triumph TR3

The cars posted below were all built by members of a fellowship of modelers and builders all over the world. They replicate Formula 1 and Formula 2 period correct racing cars 1949 to 1960 when men were men and few kits were available. So... to that end, each of these cars has been completely scratch-built using only wood for the body, vintage slot car parts for the chassis and wheels. A few of the details were sourced from model kits and modern hobby shops shelves... but nothing you see here would look out of place at a vintage slot car meet circa 1965! We had over 20 entries started but only 8 completed and mailed in. All have been tested and the first race is coming up mid January. I tried to set up a voting poll but the system as it is, only allows 5 answers to each question. I need 8 answers to the one question.... so simply pick the car by entry number and post please. Please look over the cars and post your vote for which machine you think more closely full fills the task.

The Movie "Niagara" (1953) has Joseph Cotton as George Loomis building a model car while on vacation. His wife (Marilyn Monroe) tries to set him up to be killed, but the fight with her lover tends to work out the other way. Great suspense movie! Jean Peters and Max Showalter in this scene are trying to convince George to go out to dinner with them... or something. Been a few years since I watched the movie. But the model kit George is building looks to be about 1/20th scale and very finely crafted. Rose Loomis gives him the kit and he is shown sitting at the table in other scenes building it out of a box.

A lot of my projects are still waiting too... so no judgments.

Maybe this will help? The model was constructed by Chris Bennett and entered into the Portland Rod & Custom model car show 2006. The title of the piece is "2063 Vette" and the scale is large. Not exactly sure if it was as large as 1/8th tho. More likely 1/12th or 1/16th. The door does not close and the car hovers over the stand seemingly by some sort of repulsers. (Actually supported by the mechanic's arm and his wrench.) Lighting in the building was really bad and don't do the model justice. Chris took "Best Paint" and 1st in "Diorama". I'd have voted it best in show if I was a judge, it was that cool.

Dwayne, One thing you need to remember is that this market is only a fraction of what it once was. And it's getting smaller! Plus, the cost to tool up a new mold is astronomical compared to the 60's, even with having the Chinese do the work. Also, production runs are much shorter than they once were even 20 years ago. So re-pops are more often seen today as one design sells out, the company makes another run till it stops selling. Revell and AMT are simply doing what needs to be done to stay in business.

This is a very subjective! Back in the '70's I would have said the Revell Funny cars were the very best scale kits EVER! (I built and scratchbuilt from more than 10 of those wonderful kits. Most of them the Vega funny.) But.... (very big but), if someone never builds drag cars..... they wouldn't understand. The Galaxie Chev kits could probably be put in the same category as the earlier Revell kits... but if one only desires to build Ford or Chrysler products.... And what about street rods? If a builder only likes building street rods then the viewpoint narrows to a handful of kits. I have heard that the Revell 1957 "Black Widow" kit is one of the nicest scaled kits... but I don't like or build tri-five Chevrolets. I had heard that the Fujimi 911 Porsche kits are one of the nicest scaled kits of all time back in 1989.... but I don't care for Porsche kits. You see what I mean? It is subjective based on what subject matter the builder is interested in building and therefore the question needs more focus.

I started one of those using another vintage boat kit. Never got so far as you... especially the O.B. motor build up. But I like what you did. The key to a successful build is the paint so I cannot wait to see how this turns out! VERY nice so far!