W-409

That's great to hear! I must get back to my Merc' soon, but now the building feels very good, when there is no pressure, and no deadline. Just right now looking for reference shots for Nascar, and tomorrow, early in the morning (or in Florida's time, at night), at 7.50 AM leaves the airplane to Rome... But maybe next week I can get back to Mercury.

It's cool. I like the stance alot. Tires and wheels are also looking awesome. It's just like from the 60's. Matt black is nice, but of course shiny gloss black would be better. But when it is a drivable project, I can understand that matt black paint. I like the engine and interior too. It's really great Hot Rod from the past. Great to see this one without stupid high tech parts.

If anyone has pictures of these lines on the engine, please post one. I'd like to see them from this, same side as in the picture, below. But the picture should be taken from the sideview... I have made two of those lines now, but still few to go. Can't continue before I see a picture. I didn't find any, but I keep looking for. But if you find one, please post it. It would be very helpful. I'm not so great NASCAR expert, that I could say, how are those in 1:1 car... THE PICTURE:

Yes, and then, since there is no pressure, maybe the finished products are better, because no one is hurry. I like building without deadlines, always for example, if model car show is on the next weekend, I'm getting hurry, and maybe the finished product is not as good, as it could be... The Cars Of Rock 'n' Roll and County Music is a great community build, but my progress is just too slow, because the Merc' needs lots of work. The body needs to be sanded, and filled again, and chassis maybe needs some cutting, not sure of that yet, but stuff like that... It would be great to have that as open-ended CBP.

WOW, haven't seen that never before! It looks like everything is possible in Santa Pod, UK... That's really cool looking VW bus, can't wait to see more of your work, because that body work is amazing, and frame construction is cool too. Great project... SantaPod is a great track. Never been there, but if I remember correctly, there has been driven the fastest 1/4 mile pass ever, 3.58 seconds!!! That was in 1984, I think. Driver was Sammy Miller with Vanishing Point Rocket Car, which had '77 Vega body. Yes, bit offtopic, but just had to say...

This one is going to look great... Oh, it looks great already! I like the idea, Blown Hemi is a great motor for this one. That Topolino body is really small. Like it so far, keep coming, especially I like that front axle system, it's just like it is in 1:1 cars...

As Harry said, those tires aren't tiny at all! I like this body model, and buildup looks very good too. Color and paintjob are looking really nice, and engine detailing is good. I'm happy to see one Muscle Car with normal size wheels and tires. Chassis looks good too. Keep them coming.

Alright, thanks for that note, I'll paint it black then, so it is more realistic, than it would be in blue.

Great project, Gassers are really great subject. Using a Mercedes body is great idea, that's something really rare in Drag Racing... Engine fits nicely, and I like the rear tires, but those front tires are too small, I think. It would look better with higher profile front tires, I think, that those are way too small. Tires and wheels are from a dragster kit now? But anyway, it's a great project, I'll be watching it very surely.

It continues... I took the engine apart. Now I'm stripping the old paint off from it. The racing 427 is also blue, isn't it? When the old paint is off, I lay one primer coat to that engine, then I can paint it. Some of the smaller engine parts, like cylinder heads may be stripped also, but I'm not sure about it yet. I think, the engine is ready for primering pretty soon...

I like them both, but I think, I agree with Mike. That one just looks better. And project is very interesting, keep it going. I want to see this one finished. Your talents are awesome, all of the modifications, and scratch made parts just look very cool!

I haven't tried to simulate the header wrap yet, but I'm going to try. I'm going to start detailing the engine bit more, maybe tomorrow. Today, I got the oil pan painted. Starter and that other part, they are painted gloss black, and fuel pump and oil pan is silver. Some detail painting still left... Also sanded the putties, I put on the ejector marks of the body. I might put some more putty there, but now I'm moving to the "right side" of the body. I'm making really slow progress with this, but don't know, why... It's really interesting subject but maybe I just have too many projects same time.

On thursday morning is the flight from Helsinki-Vantaa airport. I know those three hobby shops, but that is enough, if there is something. I want to see some scale model cars, not just railway or airplane models... But I think, they have pretty much of them, because cars are quite big thing in Italy. American cars are of course almost inpossible to find, but European Race cars are pretty good also... It's inportant to get even one kit...

I have Pat Covert's "Building And Detailing Scale Model Cars". That is really great book and gives lots of good ideas for building, painting and so on. There are lots of stuff from the basics, for example choosing right tool for different jobs, all the way through to detailing, and polishing etc. That book helps alot. Well, I haven't read it to the end yet, but I'm pretty far, and I can say that it is a great book. And even I, 14 year old Finnish guy, can understand, what the book says... ...And here is the cover of that book.

That is what I'm looking for. Thanks. I will start looking one of those... I think, I'll find it somewhere, maybe. The Radio Control car is maybe bit too radical, as I like to make something like streetlegal, or original... But let's see.

Alright, one year older model. Thanks for the information. I'm not an expert of these Trucks, so thanks for that.

Great to hear that you are building a Monza! Those H-Bodies are really nice, and rarely seen. Hope you will get time and you can join this build, of course when there is no deadline, you can build it as long as you want.

This one is really GREAT model! I like the paintjob of it. Really shiny, and looking very realistic. I like the wheels and tires, they are looking like bit used, but not too dirty. Engine, interior, and chassis detailing looks very good too. I would not add anything there anymore, it's just awesome. Is that engine running yet? And what's the fastest lap time at the Daytona track?

Yes, that would be a good idea. But I was just thinking that if I cut them to single pieces, can I glue them nicely to the interior floor anymore... Don't know, what I'll be doing with them, of course the interior is getting close to painting, so maybe I just let them be and just make the other side modifications too... But for the Javelin, I might cut those door panels off from the floor, because it needs lot more cutting and work...

Great build! I like the frame, it looks very good. Very interesting build, and it's going to be awesome. That body looks also very nice, can't believe that it's built from styrene! Great job. Just on sunday, here, Finland on European Championchip Drag racing event, Jaska Salakari drove 6.390. And that was of course 1/4 mile. It's fastest time in Europe, but not a record, because he didn't drive a backup to it.

I'm thinking of getting back to this one soon. I've already sanded and added more bondo to chassis, but let's see, if I manage to get something more done.

Working with the door panels now. First I scribed the details to look bit more sharp. I used the Trumpeter's panel scriber. Also building the door handles to the panel. The other side has now those two handles. Other one is made from styrene. I glued some metal wire, presenting the chromed trims, painted it black, and center is wooden. Those trims must be still painted. Other one is just made from solder. I must make same handles for the other side also, then flocking the carpet, and painting the door panels... Wow, how bad they actually look in SuperMacro picture. Now I'm going to European Championchip drag race here, Finland! In European Championchip standings, Top Fuel leader is Tommy Johnsson JR, but on the second place, Risto Poutiainen from FINLAND! And in Pro Stock, Sampsa Palos from Finland is the leader. He moved to Pro Stock just a little time ago, his first race with Pro Stock was last year Finals in Santa Pod, England.

I'd like to see better model versions from: '73 CHEVROLET VEGA- somekind of promo has been made from it, but the quality isn't good. I mean, the body might be good, but all of the axles etc. are molded to chassis... Great car, and great basis for many projects... '76 CHEVROLET MONZA / BUICK SKYHAWK- AMT's version seems to be the best one, but anyway, it would be great to see one with new tooling and with some great, sharp parts. '76 is that why, because there is no model kit from '79 model Skyhawk, which is looking better, I think. '60 CHEVROLET EL CAMINO- Very nice body shaping on that, and '60 Impalas, or Nomads etc are looking very good. It would be great to have one, better than the old AMT. That would be great basis for customizing, or building Old School race car... AMC MATADOR- AMT has made one, but I'd like to see one, like Revell's "Special Edition"- quality. I would buy that kit very surely. Great car, and unusual subject. Would be very great to build one. '69 AMC AMX, and '73 AMC JAVELIN- Johan has made both of them, but I'm getting bored of making modifications to those.Chassis is very bad in both kits, same does the interior and engine bay. Engine isn't good too. Javelin also has a wrong taillight panel, which must be corrected. '69 RAMBLER AMERICAN- Johan has made one, but the quality isn't too great. There are lots of things to do better, to make it look realistic. That's also very great basis for many kind of projects. '73 FORD MUSTANG- Very great car, and used alot in Drag Racing. I would be very happy to have one good quality kit of it. MPC's Firefighter Mustang is quite poor, so it would be great to have one. I could continue this list very much, but here are few examples.

Those pics, you posted, are not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for this model Jeep: Cherokee Liberty

Wow, it was really a model! I didn't think, that it would be that big, I was thinking just 1/24 or 1/25 and 1/16 scale... But great job bulding that, it looks very autentic, that's why I voted REAL! Better luck next time, I guess.