David G.

The warpage seems to be symmetrical. Have you considered using it as a custom feature? Maybe kit-bashing a grille with a set of those slanted Chrysler Imperial headlights?

Thanks Guys! I can always count on an abundance of information when I post a question here. Autozone came up empty for Duplicolor Chevy Engine Red, so I wound up with Model Master Chevy Engine Red enamel in a jar from the LHS. I've used the Model Master Acrylic in a jar and found it far superior to the old "square-bottle" stuff. I hope the same holds true for their enamel. Though I am really beginning to develop a dislike for most enamel paints, I'll give this an open-minded try. Since I've pretty much decided to swap the stock 255 ci single carb V-8 engine for a 348 tri-power I have left over from the '58 Impala kit, the Model Master C.E. Red should work out fine. But all these little tidbits of information aren't wasted. They lodge in the back of my brain where they wait for just the right moment to ambush me with thoughts like: "Wait, didn't Chevy paint one of their engines green in 1957? Which one was that?" Thanks everybody for the input! David G.

I N V U !!! I would have felt a little guilty getting all that for $10. Just a little, but I would have gotten over it very quickly! Hopefully you also have a three day weekend to play with the new toys!

Hi Everybody, Happy Independence Day to all my MCM friends in the US! I received a Monogram '55 Chevy Bel Air Hard Top as a gift yesterday, and I realized that I don't have a good Chevy Engine Red in my standard "paint kit" yet. In the short time since I've started building again, I have yet to paint a Chevy engine. I would like some recommendations on paints and colors that would work for duplicating that warm red that GM used on their engines back around that time. I prefer Tamiya "TS" type spray cans, but I also use Model Master, Dutch Boy, Krylon, etc. For an engine block "off the shelf" brands like Krylon may even be preferable. As always, thanks for your time and consideration. Regards, David G.

That's really clever, I'll have to try that. I have a number of those foam florist blocks that I used to use for the hydrator in my old humidor back in the day. Currently I have a couple of 1 X 2's about eight inches long around which I wrap strips of masking tape with the sticky side out. After removing the the small parts from the sprue and cleaning and de-flashing them, I stick them to the tape strips and place the board on my paint table across a couple of spray can lids. I found that lifting the board a couple of inches above the table surface seems to reduce dust problems.

I got my August Scale Auto on Thursday, but no MCM yet. They usually arrive within a few days of one another, so I've spent the last couple of days thinking "Today's the day!" as I approach the mail box, then... disappointment. Hopefully, today's the day!

Some folks just aren't used to seeing that much steel in one place at one time.

Wow, if that's their DeLuxe, I'd hate to have to settle for the base model!

Excellent paint job on the '58, but it seems to break up the lines of the car, almost like a camo paint scheme would. For me, it's kind of hard to see the car under the paint.

I guess that would make this one an actual "Rat Rod"! This is probably the only time I've seen kit-bashing and skull-bashing occur at the same place and time! Very well done, the whole build works nicely!

Awesome! It looks like some kind of preditor.

Not quite a hearse, more of a removal car, but cool none the less. I'm just curious, is there a roller deck in the back? If so, to the right person, the roller deck might be worth more than the rest of the car.

The snake skin paint looks good on that body style. How'd you do it?

Looks good, especially for a slap-together build!

That's ok, I'll just continue buying the Dolly Madison Zingers instead. Those metal flake ones would just irritate my thoat anyway!

Very nice outcome on this one. The paint looks super smooth and shiney, and the PE bits always make a big difference. I'll have to try using those some day.

Not necessarily. My wife is a librarian and she specializes copyright, trademark and intelectual property rights and infringement issues. Many of these companies have employees, departments or have hired specialized agencies whose job it is to search the web and any other possible rescource for violations. A few years ago, I made a little desktop wallpaper image for my home PC. I put it together through Photoshop from digital images I took from pictures of my own car. When I put it on my web site, my wife cautioned me that I might be in violation of fair use rules and not to be surprised if I receive an official cease and desist notice from GM. I never did get a notice (though I kind of hoped I would) and have since removed the image. Here's a copy of the image in question: Good luck working this out with the company, I hope they just wanted to get your attention and insure approproate representation and treatment of their trade marks.

I can see why she would like it, it's kinda cute and looks a bit like a shoe! Seriously, it looks really good. One of my favorite things is to build kits for others as gifts, etc. It's a good way to step out of the ol' comfort zone and build for the sake of the build.

Or a planter! If I have it figured right, these cars are about the size of an old Nash Metro, i.e. not much bigger than a golf cart. Your build looks good, I think the color choice is spot on. The one thing that strikes me most is how tremendously plain it seems, which I'm sure is an accurate reflection of the 1:1 car. There's also just a hint of elegance in the styling. For most of us, this would have been a challenging choice for a custom build, and I think you pulled it off well! David G.

Smooth and deadly! Awsome paintwork, that color works well with the style!

Excellent tips, thanks for sharing them. I'll have to use try that hairspray technique sometime.

Very clever! Where did you get the larger display boxes?

It looks like you're having a lot of fun with this rescue project. I have to say that I've used Easy Off to remove paint and I've used Purple Power, and Purple Power seems to give far better results than oven cleaner. It's between five and ten dollars per gallon, but absolutely worth it. Several months ago, I poured some in an old upturned display box and I'm still using it after more than half-a-dozen bodies have been stripped in it. For the smaller bits, I have an old whipped topping bowl with a plastic strainer that fits inside. That stuff has pretty much completely stripped or removed anything I've thrown at it. It's so good at what it does, I've been waiting for the government to ban it! Regards, David G.

Very thin in width or thickness? For width, I cut my own. I stick the tape (Scotch Blue) to a piece of glass and cut it with a knife and straight edge. Thickness, I can't help with. BTW, I agree with you on the wheel choice!

A clean build with great color choices! I especially like the stance in the profile shot. The car looks like it's ready to leap foreward!