mrmike

Thanks Charlie! I should have Spearmint completed by tomorrow morning. And, the story should be neatly wrapped up as well.

Thanks guys! Keep watching as I will lower this Shelby. The Story With Caitlyn safely at home, McNally and Tracy go to the Four Seasons Hotel to get her luggage and to check her out of her suite. McNally hangs back a few paces as she walks out of the hotel when a 6 foot tall man steps over to her and reaches out for her arm and calls out her name. McNally rushes up to the man and grabs his arm, twists it behind his back and quickly moves him over to the wall. "State your name and your business with her?" "My name is Dominic Chadbourne...let go of me!" McNally firmly says to Dominic, "You no longer have any business with her. You''ll leave her alone and not contact her is any way, shape, or form. Do you understand?" Dominic reluctantly says yes. With Dominic still facing the wall, McNally and Tracy rush out of the hotel and into his waiting Charger Daytona and they drive away quickly. The Build Tonight I assembled the basic engine and prepped it for paint. As with the Revell '06 Mustangs, this one sit high, so after reading other builders version for lowering the suspension, I deviated from my usual lowering method to modifying the frame where the K member is mounted. Using my Dremel and a sanding bit, I ground down the mounts about 1/8 inch. I mocked up the interior, chassis and the body to see where the front wheels would locate. Perfect! McNally will return...

The Story After spending part of the night at BPD headquarters filling out reports and being questioned by other detectives, McNally was quite tired when he arrived home. The sun was just coming up when he climbed the porch steps and he sees a potted plant sitting in front of the door. A card nestled amongst the flowers read, “My son, I am sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I know of no words that could help ease the pain of your heart and help you to feel better. I wish I could be there for you, but I can’t. May these flowers help you during your time of sorrow. As always, you are in my heart. Love, Mom” The Build A day off from work gave me an opportunity to work on the Ford this morning. I went in search of the remaining lenses only to find that they have gone missing. An exhaustive search turned up nothing, so I dove into my parts box and found a set of headlight lenses. But, I still needed to find a set of parking light lenses. With ingenuity being the mother of invention, I took a piece of clear acetate and cut out a set of parling light lenses. Alhough they are not very visible, I think I'll add a white wash to help bring out the lens. McNally will return...

My latest project is Revell's Shelby GT500 featuring a new McNally, Boston PI story. This story is only to show what is driving the WIP. The story is called Protect Me, My Love. The persons described in this story are fictitious and not related to anyone living or deceased. The Story Two years ago...Tracy struggles with Dack, a wanted criminal who's hand slips off of her mouth and she screams, McNally! McNally comes running into the room, releases Tracy and starts fighting with Dack eventually subduing him. Tracy is lying on the floor crying hysterically when McNally goes over to her after tying up Dack and he starts to console her. Due to work, McNally was out of town for the next several days and he called Tracy, but got no answer. When he got home, he found a Dear John letter from her citing she could no longer tolerate his dangerous lifestyle. Today...after having dinner at their favorite restaurant, McNally and Caitlyn arrive at his house only to find a woman sitting on the front porch steps. "Who is she," asks Caitlyn. "Tracy Balidon, my ex-girlfriend." McNally get out of his Charger and greets Tracy who asks for his protection from her ex-lover who has followed her from Las Vegas. McNally reluctantly agrees to protect Tracy from Dominic Chadbourne at his usual rate, but Tracy will stay in the spare room of his house. McNally hopes he doesn't have to take drastic or even worse, deadly measures against Dominic. The Build I am using Revell's 2010 Shelby GT500 kit #85-4938. The paint is Model Master No. 28130 Royal Blue Pearl. I am replacing the kit tires with a set of Pegasus #1602 225/45-18 Pilots. I've got the front and rear panels installed and it is awaiting primer. McNally will return...

Thanks Mike, Gene, and Niko. I wondered if anyone would notice the Line Lock button on the shifter handle. Good catch! The Story Potzinc tells McNally that he is getting too close to his operation and that he will pay for that intrusion by having him killed. McNally announces that Potzinc is under arrest for the murder of Sgt. Raymond McNally...a code phrase that brings in a squad of Police officers with armor and automatic weapons yelling for everyone to surrender. Potzinc and his crew split up into different directions with many being captured. One of Potzinc's crew runs up to McNally and cuts the rope tying his hands and says that he is an undercover officer and to get after Potzinc who is running up the stairs to the roof. McNally runs after Potzinc and when he reaches the roof top door, a shot hits the doorway and he rolls out behind an AC unit on the roof. Police at the fire escape yell for Potzinc to put down his gun and to surrender. Potzinc responds by running towards McNally, firing his snub-nose .38 and screaming at the top of his lungs with McNally coming around from the opposite side of the AC unit and tackling Potzinc, apprehending the criminal. After placing Potzinc into a squad car, McNally seeks out the UC who untied his hands, thanking him for his help and asking his name, to which the UC replies, "Troy, Det. Adam Troy". The Build I started by adding the rear bumper and the exhaust tips. It's starting to look like a '57 Ford with the addition of the grille. I tried to carefully smooth the snapped cowl and added a piece of foil on the molding. McNally will return...

The Story In the two months following his fathers's death, McNally has gotten no where with his investigation and trying to stay out of the way of Homicide and Vice investigations has been no easy task. He is finally called into the office of Vice Lt. Det. Durasie for a meeting with him, Lt. Ferris, and ADA Jack Brown. His investigation has been noted and they are offering McNally a chance to officially work the case...as bait to draw out Deano Potzinc, a deal that McNally readily agrees to. McNally is set into play with him being abducted two days later by Potzinc's crew. He is bound and blindfolded and brought to an abandoned warehouse that Potzinc calls his home. The Build The glass and rear view mirror has been installed. Along the way, I snapped the cowl while polishing the body. The cowl will be glued to the firewall once the chassis has been installed. With the chassis installed, I can glue the cowl down and hopefully clean up the windshield molding. McNally will return...

I suppose that might work! Thanks Geno! The Story McNally meets with Zachy who tells him that a small-time pimp called Deano Potzinc had his father killed for investigating his operation and talking to his girls. McNally thanks Zachy and palms him a twenty dollar bill for his efforts. Two weeks after laying his father to rest, McNally is called into Police Captain Lessing's office and is told to stay away from the investigation of his fathers death. He is read the same riot act when he reports to the Burglary-Robbery Division from Lt. Det. Ferris...stay away from the investigation. But, this doesn't stop the young detective from investigating on his own time. The Build The steering wheel, column and tach are finally mounted into the interior. The engine compartment is complete with a wired engine and wired battery. The completed chassis. McNally will return.

Thanks Carl and John! John, I do thank you for those kind words. I had written this as a back story for my McNally character since all of my short stories have occurred within the current time frame and I wanted to show how McNally became the PI that he is. I was originally going to use the AMT '56 Fairlane until I got my hands on the Revell '57 Ford. I then knew that this would have been the better car for McNally's father. For me, the story gives me additional inspiration for build a model and to build it in a certain way. Whether any of the current magazines are willing to pick up this idea and run with it, is IMHO, one that will not happen. I doubt that they (the magazines) would want to devote several pages to a story when they would rather have articles about building models instead. But, if it did happen, I would seriously consider having one of my short stories printed.

Thanks guys! Here's the next installment... The Story McNally arrives home, opens his father's safe and removes his will and other important papers. His last request is to be buried in his dress uniform and have a Police Honor Guard at his funeral. He'll leave the house and his '57 Ford to his son. He then calls a funeral home to take charge of his father's body. McNally falls asleep on the sofa and sleeps for a few hours until the phone rings. Zachy has found a name and wants to meet up with McNally by 7:00 AM. McNally tells Zachy to meet him at the diner. The Build The interior has been assembled onto the chassis. What's a hot car without a tach? I glued a piece of wire to the back of a parts box tach and attached it to the steering column. McNally will return...

Thanks Mike!

Cruise as Shelby?!! I bet this one will be labeled as science fiction, too!

I went looking for the wheel pins tonight and found two metal exhaust tips in the same package. There is no mention of these in the instructions anywhere! The Story After filling out reports and being interviewed by the detectives, McNally changes clothes and goes looking for his confidential informant, Zachy. Zachy was in his usual booth at the Charlestown Diner and greeted McNally like a long lost friend. McNally sits down next to Zachy and pulls out his Smith and Wesson Model 19 .357 magnum snub-nose revolver and points it into Zachy's leg. He wants the name of the person who put out a hit on his father and Zachy has until 9:00 AM in the morning to get it. Zachy, nervous and shaking, tells that he doesn't know anything about it, but he will find out who did. McNally let's Zachy out of the booth and he leaves as well, finally going home. The Build I did a mockup to see if I would like the rake, and I do. Lifted in the back with oversize rear tires and the drag version rear springs. The 312 looks quite at home in there! McNally will return...

The Story McNally stands there in shock. Peter puts his hand on McNally’s shoulder and says, “I’m sorry partner. I’ll help you with making arrangements.” McNally looks at Peter and says, “Thanks.” He hands his keys to the cruiser to his partner and slowly walks out of the ER. They get into the cruiser with Peter behind the wheel. Peter clears them from the hospital and returns them to the station house where they'll fill out their reports on the nights activities and McNally will put in for Bereavement time. The Build I got the dash detailed this afternoon. The chassis is going together rather nicely. I'll finish the interior and then add the driveshaft and rear axle. The engine in the chassis. McNally will return...

Thanks Gene and Johann! And, thanks fr the tip on the interior. I did go and spray the interior with some semi gloss clear and it did give a bit of a sheen to the seats and side panels. I'm contemplating giving them one more coat, but I'm not sure if I will. I just may leave it as is.

Thanks guys! In my mind, the colors worked well together, but I also had my doubts. After painting the body, I was so relieved to see just how nice they looked together and the foiling made it look even better! I'm definitely heading in the right direction with the build and the story may take a turn for the worse. Stay tuned...McNally will return...

Thanks Gene! The Story The EMTs arrived and applied bandages to the bleeding wounds and placed Sgt. McNally on a gurney and briskly moved him over to the ambulance. They load up and close the doors on Off. McNally who runs over to his cruiser and tries to follow the ambulance with Peter yelling for him to stop and let him in, which he does and then they race over to Mass. General Hospital. McNally is forced to wait in the waiting room while his father is being treated and the wait seemed to take forever. Finally the ER doctor comes out looking for young Officer McNally and announces that they couldn't save him and his father died from his wounds. Sgt. McNally's superior comes into the ER and is told the sad news and he orders young Officer McNally and Officer Jeliska back to the station. The Build I got the decals applied this morning and will coat them with semi gloss clear tomorrow. Tonight, I foiled the body with BMF. What a difference a little foil makes! McNally will return...

The Story With less than a month remaining as a Patrol Officer, McNally was driving with his partner, Peter Jesliska. Peter and McNally had been partners for seven months and Peter had been talking trash about having to break in a new partner. McNally laughed and said that Peter had it all wrong; he had broke Peter into the job! The call over the radio alerted McNally. “Officer down! Need back up! Officer shot! Send an ambulance to Faneuil Hall Market Place!” He turned the cruiser around and headed to Faneuil Hall with lights and siren going. “Unit 374 responding,” Peter says into the microphone. “Acknowledged Unit 374,” the dispatcher replied. When they arrived, McNally’s worst fears had been realized…his father had been shot. The Build With the exception of touchups, painting the trans, and aircleaners, the engine is almost complete. After cleaning up the exhaust and noticing the mounting pins on the end of the pipes, I decided to add a couple of tips from the Revell 2006 Mustang that I didn't use. Since the pins are a larger diameter than the holes in the tips, I drilled out the tips to accept the larger pins. McNally will return...

Thanks Richard, Kerry, and Carl. I'm not 100% happy with the interior color as I think it may be a tad too light. Maybe I can darken it a bit. If not, then I'll just add the decals to the seats and door panel and seal it with some semi gloss clear.

What you have is the AMT '68 Roadrunner. At one time, this kit was issued as a prostreet version. The '68 had the round side markers and the '69 had rectangular side markers and a different grille. If this model has sentimental value to you, rebuild it as your father had built it or build it as you want to see it as. The choice is up to you.

Thanks Adam! I'm hoping to get back working on it soon.

The Story McNally's father was becoming more and more absent from young McNally’s life. He almost never saw him on the job or in the station house. His father started running around with drunken floozies and once, when young McNally did see his father at work, he thought he could smell alcohol on his father’s breath. He confronted him at home about his drinking and his father got mad and tried to throw a punch at his son. The punch thrown was slow and misguided as the elder McNally missed and lost his footing. “You are so drunk that you can barely stand,” says young McNally. “I can take you…anytime,” his father yells at him. “You can’t even stand up and look me in the eye, Dad!” His father was on his knees and elbows, with his forehead touching the floor. He was breathing very hard. His body goes limp as he passes out and falls flat on the floor. “Stay there and sleep it off, old man!” McNally grabs his jacket and leaves the house, frustrated and angry. The Build I started polishing the paint only to rub through the paint on the trunk lid. I taped off the trunk lid and resprayed it. I had to top the engine with some chrome so I painted the air filters with gloss black enamel and then sprayed them with Alclad II Chrome Paint. I decided to paint the interior with Humbrol Dragoon Green. When this has dried, I'll apply the gray decals to the seats. McNally will return...

Thanks guys! Johann, I have been doing this type of build for about 4 years now. I find that it gives me a little bit more of an incentive to build a model that has "meaning", versus just building a model. My influence for writing comes from the late author Robert B. Parker, the creator of the very popular Spenser novels. The first model I built (2006 Ford Mustang GT) with a story to it was more of an introduction to some of the characters than a story. The second story (2006 Dodge Charger R/T) was a more defined story and it has been growing ever since. I purposely keep the stories short as to not overwhelm the WIP and to keep the focus on the build, but sometimes I fear that the interest from readers may be more for the story than the build. I am grateful that my stories are getting some notice and I hope that the build will please their eyes as well. McNally's back story has really not been told until now and it is just one of the many facets to my character. There will be others down the road as I continue building. As long as there are models that I can incorporate into a story, there will be more stories to tell. And, I have as least one other character that I wrote a story for who might make a reappearance someday that is not related to McNally, Boston PI.

Rick, here's a couple of articles to help you along. http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2009/12/01/hmn_feature5.html http://avalonmm.tv/barris/category/mannix/ This link is a video about the Mannix Dart and a short interview with Mike Connors. http://www.hittv.com/DRIVE/mannix.html

Thanks Michael, Charlie, Shane and Andy! The Story The following year saw young Police Patrol Officer McNally trying to make a name for himself as an Officer. A few undercover operations, solid investigating, and following procedures were helping to build himself an excellent reputation within the Department and with the District Attorney’s Office. It was almost as if he could do no wrong. It brought an opportunity to try for his detectives shield. A test that young McNally passes with very little difficulty. The Build I removed the tape before I turned in last night and it came out pretty good. Some touch ups are necessary, but it has met my expectations. Have a look... This is going to look even better once I get it foiled! McNally will return...

Well Rick, you've got my attention. Looking forward to see what you can do with your version of the Mannix Dart. Been there, done that! lol