David G.

Thank you all for the kind comments you posted. I want to try to get some good outdoor photos this weekend, hopefully the weather and my schedule will cooperate. Thanks, David G.

That is suh-wheet! David G.

Nicely Done! David G.

Thanks Pat, your wish has been granted. This one is finished and can now be found in the Under Glass section. Thanks again to all of you who provided comments and feedback. David G.

This one is done. Usually the natural sunlight in my outdoor studio makes for great photos. Today however, was rather cloudy. I'll see if I can get some better photos next weekend. If anybody is interested, here's a link to the build thread. I chose to build this Bug as right-hand drive but I thought giving it British number plates would be almost cliche. I decided instead to give it an Australian, NSW circa 1968 registration. A little engine detail and the Aussie badge. I took this photo before I realized that I'd forgotten to install the sideview mirror. As always, please feel free to comment and thanks for taking the time to look. David G.

Excellent weathering, finish and detail on all of them. I have a question on the Revell Beetle; How did you make the trim strip for the window gaskets? Thanks, David G.

Thanks again for everybody's kind comments and feedback. Though I may not always have the time to respond to each comment individually, I do value them as a source of information and inspiration. This one is very nearly finished. The chassis and interior are done and I just have some finishing details to address on the body. I'm hoping to get it wrapped up this weekend and move it to the Under Glass section. In the meantime here a couple shots of the finished interior. Revell provided decals for the speedometer, radio, horn button and shift pattern inscription on the ashtray- much appreciated. This is probably widely known but the illustration in the directions show the handbrake cluster installed with the handle pointing rearward when it should point forward. I have to agree with Richard... "Obviously the model was engineered by some German way too young to be around when the roads were full of Bugs." Like this... As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment. David G.

Looks great from every angle! David G.

Yeah, Richard. I wondered how Revell of Germany could complicate such a simply engineered, iconic German automobile. David G.

It looks like you have an interest in Chrysler products. The Sox & Martin Cuda is awesome. All of them are very well done! David G.

Wow! Sweet foil work- the rest of it looks great too! David G.

Thank you all for your kind comments and support. This truly is the best model car community on the web. Here's looking forward to an even better year in 2018. David G.

Superb group, all! I especially love the added detail on the buggy and color and finish on the Olds. David G.

Quality over quantity, they both look great! There were some years when I barely got one done. David G.

Excellent work on all- great variety! David G.

Wow! A very productive year, your paintwork on all the cars is fantastic. David G.

Wonderful variety, all very well done! David G.

Hello Everybody! 2017 was the most productive model building year I've experienced so far. Not only did complete a record number of projects, but I was very pleased with the way they all turned out. Sure, none of them are perfect and there'll always be something that I'll wish I could have done better, but I see the improvement in my skills. I see improvement from when I started back into the hobby in 2009 and just over the course of this year. Certainly, much of that improvement comes from practice. But that practice has its foundation in the knowledge and support I gained from the many talented members of this community. Thank you MCM Forum members for a great 2017 and I wish you all the best in 2018! I completed AMT's 41 Plymouth Coupe on January 10th, it took me about 63 hours. The biggest challenge with this kit was blending the front panel into the rest of the body. I completed the 58 Chevy Proton on January 29th, it took an estimated 171 hours. This was the project that, in 2009 inspired my return to building model cars. The amount of kit-bashing and fabrication that was required to achieve my vision exceeded my skills at the time. As my skills improved over the years, I was able to return and periodically and apply what I had learned, ultimately completing it this year. I completed The Polar Lights DeLorean Time Machine on February 2nd with about 48 hours invested. I added a bit of extra detail to the interior, but other than that, it's a very good snap together kit that captures the feel of the movie car quite nicely. AMT's 32 Ford Victoria is a nostalgia build. I had one of these kits when I was 12 or 13 years old. I don't recall that I finished building it but I do remember that I enjoyed working on it. I completed this one on May 11th with about 48 hours invested. AMT's 52 Studebaker is another nostalgia build from my childhood. I completed this one on September 4th with about 50 hour's worth of work. The Moebius 1971 Ford Ranger is my last entry for 2017, completed on November 21st with 67 hours invested. All-in-all, a nice kit with a few minor issues. As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment. David G.

Thank you Dave, I'm glad to know you like it. Knowing your level of work, I value your comment, thanks Mark.

Nicely Done! David G.

Excellent work! David G.

Thanks Tom, I do try to be reasonably accurate in most cases, but I try not to be a slave to it. I've owned a number of Volksies over the years and have always wanted to convert one from LHD to RHD but never did. When I learned that this one allowed the option, the choice was obvious. I've decided to make it an Aussie Bug and have been researching 1968 NSW number plates. Thanks Eric. I'd like to build a Tamiya kit one day too. I believe that they are a little closer in design (chassis structure, etc.) to the prototype than this one is, correct? The Revell kit is a nice kit but having worked on many Bugs first-hand, the kit's chassis seems kind of weird to me. David G.

I'm going to see if I can finish this one this year. If I don't get it done, at least I'll have an early start on 2018. I used gasket material to make some tar-board insulation for the engine compartment. It's probably not factory correct for 1968 but I had a '72 Super Beetle very close to this color and it just feels right to me. The dashboard is finished and ready to install. As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment. David G.

Thank you Gary, it's very kind of you to say so. David G.

Excellent work! David G.