mrmike

I bought the Escalade a couple of years ago and I was disappointed that the model didn't match the box art. The box art is what drew me into buying the kit. It was a re-issue of a previous kit with the ginormous wheels and tires and a different grille. I used a smaller wheel and tire, raised the suspension and added a dual exhaust system to it. I liked building the kit as much as I was disappointed with it.

It is certainly gratifying to hear that I am not alone in my issues with Moebius! Many others sing praises to them for the subjects they produce, but they don't say anything about the issues with these kits! Warpage and too tightly packed boxes should be addressed, but their fixes seem temporary at best. Daf, I think your issue was resolved because of the fix was available to them. David, no need to apologize! Some of us feel we should say something based on our experiences with other entities. This is all part of our learning cycle! Just as long as we don't flood the WIP with constant complaints, I think everything will be fine. I originally started building this kit as part of a build off with a friend of mine and he lost some of his truck on the floor and the trash. The build off is off! I had written a McNally story for this and when the build off was suggested, I decided against posting the story. Now that the build off is not happening, maybe I'll add the story to the build.

Thanks Curtis! I found out through other sources that Moebius had repackaged the kit with simple rearranging of the sprues. Without ample time for the product to cool and harden, the product is placed in the boxes warm and the end result is warpage. A box 1/2" taller would prevent all that, but what do I know? I used to pack boxes for a living, that's all!

My new project is the Moebius '71 Ford F100 Ranger. This is a compromised kit being warped and Moebius is not willing to replace warped parts with new straight parts as I would have to buy them. The cab was warped and they would charge me for a new cab with no guarantee that the new parts would not be warped. I put the windshield into place in the cab with the hope that it would help remove the warp. It seems be working, but now that I have assembled the frame, that is warped as well. Moebius' excuse was that a modeler would be able to remove that warp. I'm a seasoned modeler with over 40 years of constant modeling under my belt and this is the first time that I have encountered a model company that wouldn't stand behind their product. Moebius is now owned by Pegasus Hobbies and they told me to that they would replace one cab for my '72 F100 Sport Custom and I would have to buy the other for the '71 Ranger. I told them that they need bigger boxes so product would not be warped and they keep producing product for the smaller boxes. I simply will not buy any other Moebius products in the future. My kit is Kit # 1208. I will be painting the body with Model Master Wimbledon White and Testors Gloss Orange (Competition Orange). The engine will be wired, whitewall tires with the Explorer wheel covers. More Ranger to come...

The chassis is now fairly complete. I'm still thinking about the exhaust tips since this 308 came with a single exhaust pipe and I want duals like the Magnum 308. I got the interior rebuilt and the rear cover installed. More Magnum to come...

I went and checked on the body and parts that I am stripping with Easy-Off Oven Cleaner. Not bad. Pretty much ready for a bath and some scrubbing in the kitchen sink. The chassis is up on 4 wheels after I made a new rear axle using some 1/16th inch styrene rod. More Magnum to come...

I'm getting the same grey circles. Tried a a different browser, turned off my ad blocker and still no pictures.

I am reminding myself of the many little things about this kit as I go along rebuilding it. The plastic rear axle was one of those things. At the time I was originally building this kit, I noticed the plastic rear axle and I thought, must be a foreign car thing and built as it was told to in the instructions. This was at a time when American car models used metal axles and was going away from metal screws to plastic pins molded to the chassis, if there was any at all. I have been looking over the instruction sheet over at DPMCC wondering if I had forgotten anything, but the model was put together and painted per the instructions. I'm going to rebuild the model per the current status of my skill set.

I got the engine wired with Radio Shack blue wrapping wire. I got the front suspension fixed with a new wheel pin and I detail painted the dash. More Magnum to come...

Thanks D.W.! The more I handle this model, the more it just falls apart! I went to drill out the cylinder heads for plug wires and the heads come off! Plus, I need to make a distributor for each head. That should be easy enough to make. I drilled out one of the wheels for a new mounting pin which I ended up making from scratch. More Magnum to come...

Another dirty rotten filthy subject for my model shelves. An original Magnum PI Ferrari 308 GTSi that I disassembled and will be getting cleaned and repainted, especially the body. Due for a good cleaning and a rebuild. There is only one Magnum PI for me and that was played by Tom Selleck! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIaXl7SqkBw More Magnum to come...

Be very careful of the decals as they might tear. A member of my model club built an Ala Kart using an original kit and aftermarket decals. He tried to match the actual colors of the decals to match his reference photos with a little success. Good luck on your build!

I have that kit as well. This AMT hood was given to me after a discussion with Barry Fadden of my model club. I got up and went to the bathroom and when I came back, the hood was sitting on the table and Barry said he didn't need it.

Here's the opening theme from Stingray. Not to be confused with the children's TV show produced in the UK.

Thank you David, Gary and Carl!

I have the '70 Boss 429, but it has been falling apart sitting on the shelf and I do prefer the '69 over the '70. Time to move on to the '69 and if the '70 gives up a few parts for the '69, I'm ok with that.

WOW! Nice build Anders! I have the same kit and a friend from my model club gave me an AMT 454 Corvette hood that I have extended about 1/8 inch to make it fit better. I never cared for the huge cowl hood that Chevrolet had on these 'Vettes.

I have plans to do the same as you. Convert the '69 Mustang Mach I into a Boss 429 using some parts from the '70 Boss 429. Scale might be an issue, but we shall see when I start my WIP.

The Story McNally is up early and he drives out to the field that he worked at yesterday. He works until noontime and the field is caught up. The workers move to the next field on the list after lunch and they finish the smaller field by 5:30 PM. At 6:00 PM, all the equipment and tools are accounted for and put away for the weekend. He calls the hospital while he is making his supper and he talks to Angus for a few minutes. Angus will be released from the hospital tomorrow afternoon. He is to rest and let other people to do the work for him. McNally will go and pick him up and bring him home to the farm. The Build I assembled the chassis last night before turning in for the night. It is ready for primer and paint. I did a mockup just to see what it would look like and the fit of the parts. McNally will return...

Noel, here in the States, we call it "polishing a turd" and I have done it a few times. This is my first Heller kit and it'll probably be my last!

You are correct, Randy! The Story With Charlie inquiring about legal action against Det. Darvell, McNally has a conversation with Lt. Troy about him. He doesn't really want to go down this road with Darvell, but if he has to, he will. Darvell's method of investigating is not good for finding results of any kind for anyone. McNally understands why Adam wants to keep this "in-house" and not inolve the Internal Affairs Bureau. Adam will do his best to "fix" this situation or else, Darvell will be out of a job. The Build I took the hood inner structure apart and I figured out why the hood wasn't fitting against the cowl like is should. I mounted the inner structure too far back and not flush up front like it should. Another repaint is in order...top and bottom! McNally will return...

Thanks David and Dann! These Heller kits are a different kind of animal. I glue the hood and the lower valance together and the hood doesn't reach the rest of the body. I'm starting to hate this build!

Thanks, Randy!

Don't forget...McNally is from the States. We do things a little differently here...and abroad! ?

The Story The following morning, McNally gets up, eats breakfast and then he drives out to the fields and he talks to the field manager asking if the need anything to help with the harvest. Mostly, they are seeking extra help and the West field needs help the most. He pulls off the two people working the field and he has them go to the North field to work and the West field will be harvested later. He decides to help harvest until he realizes that he is hungry and it is about 3 PM in the afternoon. He drives into town looking for a diner of some sort and he finds one. He orders an early dinner of Shepard's Pie and coffee. While he is ordering, the Police Constable comes in looking for a cup of coffee to go and he overhears McNally talking in his American accent. He introduces himself as PC Paul Dunbarton, a lone law enforcement officer for the Township of Alston-At-Harkness. McNally identifies himself as a former cop now PI temporarily working at the Burrows Farm while Angus Burrows is in the hospital. Paul wishes McNally well and he hopes Angus will be ok and he comes home soon. PC Dunbarton grabs his coffee and he leaves the diner. The Build I got the wheels painted with Model Master Wimbledon White. McNally will return...