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AMT '69 Corvair. It was available at a bargain price because it was missing a few parts (stock tires and stock exhaust). The car itself didn't attract me but I bought in case I want to build an entry for the 2017 GSL Group class. Here are the rules: This Class is intended to revive and celebrate vintage kits and building styles, and to celebrate the way models were built in the “good old days” by creating a low-key, fun and challenging forum for creative and enthusiastic building. For GSL-XXVI, the “Group” kit is the 1969 Chevy Corvair. Entries may be built from any original or reissue release of the Round 2/AMT kit, in any style, with the skills and craftsmanship you have today, but using only parts, materials and supplies (except current putties, adhesives and paints) available 35 years ago (1982 or earlier). Entrants may use the newly re-issued Round 2 Corvair engine kit (AMTPP010) if desired. There are just three additional limitations: no one-off machined or photo-etched parts not fabricated entirely by the entrant; no aftermarket products not available in 1982 or earlier; and no resin bodies or resin body parts (regardless of who made these resin parts). Bare Metal Foil may be used. Fourth through First Place Awards are selected by popular-vote ballot, and announced during the Awards Presentation on Sunday morning. No entry in this Class is eligible for any Master Award. A model entered here may not also be entered in another Class, but a builder may enter any number of 1956 Ford Victoria models in this Class. http://www.gslchampionship.org/competition-principles/ - - - What to do, what to do?

I'll be at the GSL for my first time. I've been thinking about building/entering a yellow 3-wheel Ford as a tribute to your tradition. It could be funny if there were a bunch of yellow 3-wheel Ford models there from a variety of builders.

And for those who were in the greater Los Angeles area at the time (like I was) there were also the famous Helms Bakery trucks using the panel truck version of this Suburban.

Mine arrived today in my distant suburb of Los Angeles. It's the first issue received for my sub. It's great to see so many different kinds of model vehicle building. It's especially fascinating to see new custom car styling and even new combinations of things such as the rat rod hauler. I'm looking forward to more issues and to more appearing on the updated Custom Clinic website when it's revamped.

Thanks, Harry, for the update. Have any greater-Los Angeles subscribers received #201? I'm still waiting.

I'm looking forward to receiving #201 at home and/or work. Has anyone received theirs in the 91XXX or 92XXX ZIP codes? One thing I'm looking for is photos of the winners in the http://www.customclinic.com/ online custom car contest. One of them is mine but I don't know if pix of all will be published.

Here's a whole web page of them: http://www.zazzle.com/dragstrip+stickers

Yes, beauty is subjective. Here are some photos from magazines showing real customs. I have no comment but just show these for their entertainment value.

Here's my AMT '55 Nomad built in/about 1969. It has reverse-hinged doors from a Revell '57 Nomad and a front clip/engine from the MPC Mako Shark II concept car. Charley

A clue that confirms the '80s production date may be the "Boss Man" name -- it's clearly a reference to the Boss Hogg character from the Dukes of Hazzard television show who drove a white Cadillac.

Here's something to consider when shooting a model with a real background. For the real part of the scene (presuming the ground is fairly level with whatever is in the distance), measure the height of the camera from the ground. Then position the model so the camera is the same SCALE height from the ground the model is sitting on. For example, if the camera is four feet above the real life ground, adjust the height of the model and its base so the centerline of the camera's lens is four SCALE feet above the model's base.

Thanks! The link works fine -- I've just submitted my entry. There's still time left (but not much) before the May 1 entry deadline.

I'm in. The link problem from a few days ago has been resolved and my submission has gone through OK. I, too, had to resize a couple of pix. FYI, the deadline is May 1 -- there's still time (well, not much) to enter.

There's only about a day left: deadline is May 1, 2015. The entry upload link on the contest page: http://www.customcli...com/?page_id=37 (about 3/4 down the page in the "Upload your entry using the form on this website." text) does not work. It leads to a 404 message here: http://bentonworld.c...cwp/?page_id=71 How should online entries be handled?

The entry upload link on this page: http://www.customclinic.com/?page_id=37 (about 3/4 down the page in the "Upload your entry using the form on this website." text) does not work. It leads to a 404 message here: http://bentonworld.com/cclinicwp/?page_id=71 How should online entries be handled?

There's no time like the present. If you still have them get started by repairing damage, if any, to the models then put them on display. That could be a good way to get the "bug" to build some more!

Since the cost of materials and molding apparently is a tiny part of the equation, perhaps a solution would be for the manufacturer to sell a typical model kit box filled with as many tires as could fit. It could be priced the same as a typical model kit.

Hi, Bob. It's not obvious to me. Could you tell me why?

Thanks for the various opinions, facts and other comments on this subject. I am (as usual) especially impressed with the rational posts by Tom Geiger, Art Anderson and charlie8575. It's a complex problem. One thing I might add is that market research done by individual companies is not likely to become publicly available. It is expensive and is usually considered a trade secret -- there would be nothing to gain from giving it away, especially when competitors might be able to use it to aid in competing against the company that paid for it. On the other hand, many of Harry P's posts, especially the ones stating that building a model not being educational, don't seem worthy of one who is a moderator. I'll side with the trio mentioned above. I've built plastic models, mostly of cars, since I was a little kid in the late '50s. I've had "how to" articles on them published since the '70s. My career since 1982 has been with die-cast toy and model manufacturers in the new products departments -- and often being involved with people formerly with the model kit manufacturers. I know, at work I'm part of the "dark side" since the majority of die-casts are already assembled, sometimes have fad trends in styling that traditionalists abhor, and on and on. Still, my hobby is building models. I can't predict the future of the hobby but it sure is interesting. I have the luxury of living two miles from a huge brick-and-mortar full line hobby shop -- I hadn't even realized it existed when I moved here (east of Los Angeles) fifteen years ago. It seems to be going great. It stocks the common kits and items that one would expect, plus it carries all sorts of obscure items (weathering powder, for example), has a big RC track out back and is staffed with knowledgeable people. The store manufactures (or, at least, store brands them) hobby items, too. So between this store and the internet, just about anything I could want can be purchased -- and then re-shaped by me into my own vision in scale. I can't imagine how things could be any better.

Me neither. Great job on it! Maybe that rear body section could be the start of an interesting full-bodied custom with the rest of the body from a mid-'60s Buick (maybe even the AMT '66 Riviera).

Here's how to stretch your hobby dollar: take more time to build each model. Not only will the model be better, you won't spend so much. A $40 kit plus $20 in paint/glue/etc. = $60 If you put in 60 hours to build it, it only costs a dollar an hour. You can't find much entertainment for that amount AND have something great to look at after you're done. Spend 120 hours on it and the cost is only fifty cents an hour.

Ah, such memories. I had been building model cars since I was a little kid and kept on in my teen years when others' interests had moved on. I didn't have any money and my parents wouldn't consider my having my own car in high school ('68-'71). I grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. In junior high, the only hot car was a brand new '66 Chevelle SS396 in Marina Blue with a black interior that the janitor bought new. He parked it next to the shop buildings and we all drooled over it. In high school, surprisingly there weren't a lot of interesting cars but there were a few oddities. One brother and sister each had Barris-customized cars: Albert had a '67 Malibu SS with a custom hood and spoiler with some custom paint. His sister had a custom-painted Opel GT with panels and lace. A guy in auto shop had a bare frame with a '50s Hemi and a kitchen chair welded to it so he could putt it around on the school access road. One of my buddies (non car guy) drove his grandmother's hand-me-down '62 Dodge convertible. It was black on black on black with rust, dirt a tattered top and the interior was filthy but it was sort-of cool in its own weird way. I did my senior photography project (10 minute slide show) on Van Nuys Blvd. cruising and still have most of the photos. In my last two years of college ('74-'75) in central Missouri a guy living in my boarding house (similar to a frat without the frat stuff) was buying up Superbird, Daytona and any Charger/Roadrunner/GTX with a Hemi or 440. Remember, this was right after the first "gas shock" in '73 when people were unloading any gas-guzzler for a pittance. His name was Ed Burn (or Burns -- I may have the spelling wrong). I have no idea if he kept them long enough to capitalize on their huge run-up in value in later decades. My college car was a 4-cyl. sub-compact. Oh, well.

You guys all make valid points and I agree with most of them. However, I think that there is a vast difference between a model that is acceptable to us and what is acceptable to the person who offers to buy a kit, a can of paint and pays you $20. If you want to do it for them and the car was available as a '60s style AMT annual, here's what you do: Body: Snip the sprue off. Glue the hood on. Wash it in soapy water and set it aside to dry. Later, spray it with one coat of color. No primer, no removal of mold defects, no BMF, no decals, no detail painting, no nothing. Interior: Snip the sprues off. Don't waste time washing it. Spray the dash, steering wheel, front seats and the bucket with whatever paint you already have that is vaguely close to the desired color. Or flat black, the recipient won't care. Glue them together. Again, no detail painting. Don't even bother glueing in the chrome stick shift. Chassis and wheels: Snip the sprues off. Don't wash it. Spray the chassis and wheel inners flat black. Press the chrome wheels into the tires and wheels then onto the steel axles. No engine. Final assembly: Snip the sprues off the chrome bumpers. Put the windows and interior into the body. Place the bumpers in position and screw on the chassis. If the kit came with clear red taillights and you're feeling generous, put some white glue on them and press them in place. Really, it's a weekend of spare time. The recipient will be thrilled and won't notice what we notice. It will look good from ten feet away sitting on a shelf or perched on the dashboard of their car at a cruise night.

Build a garage scene with several of them in various stages of construction and repair. This would be a good opportunity to practice making crashed parts such as body panels. The "damaged" pieces could be stacked in the corner of the shop as if they had been already removed from a race car. There wouldn't be any pressure to make a full car in wrecked condition.

More (I presume) serious adult model builders. This results in more of everything for everybody: 1. More new kits and accessory parts that are accurate and detailed as well as more variety in subject matter 2. More online resources, from model car websites/forums as well as reference material for production vehicles and race cars/modified vehicles from today and the past; plus, more art of fantasy and phantom vehicles that can provide inspiration (or ridicule about what doesn't "work") 3. Useful tools, often from fields that modelers haven't known about or haven't had access to 4. More venues to show our work, from non-competition displays to contests that cater from "everyday" good modelers to the amazing best-of-the-best craftsmen So, essentially, I'm repeating what you wrote.