W-409

That's a sweet looking Cadillac! Those pics were worth freezing, too, these models just look so much better in outside pics. Great job with the paint and BMF, very nice and clean work all over.

Great job Carl, as always! Your paint jobs are always really nice and smooth and this one is not an exception. Color fits very well to those body shapes. Really nicely done build overall.

Umm, not quite ! Alright, I will say it first that this post is completely according to my personal preferences. Probably many of you don't agree with me, but I will tell you how I like these cars being modernized. I think it depends of the era of the car how much it can be modernized. Drag Race cars don't belong to this post, as, according to my last post, I'm okay with a bit more modern parts in them (No way I'm okay with anything like LS engines or new Hemis or that kind of stuff in them either). With Hot Rods, let's say up to 1948 as they are often classified, I think it's perfectly fine to use 1950s and 1960s parts in them. I really like seeing for example a '31 Ford with a Small Block Chevy and three carbs. It is still old school even if it is modernized. But then again, 1970s technology in them is already starting to lower my interest and when coming to the 1980s and 1990s with that horrible High Tech style... Man, those are horrible! On 1950s cars I'm okay seeing 1960s technology in them. In some cases, 1970s tech / style is alright as well, but quite rarely. Again 1980s and newer High Tech and then these all Pro Touring etc things scare me off. 1960s and 1970s Cars are okay with 1970s technology and style sometimes, but not always. It really depends on the situation, what car it is, how the car was built and what newer parts were used. For example a '66 Rambler American built in 1970s style with raised rear end and all of that "Important Equipment" those cars used to have, can be good looking. Then in cars of the 1980s, it is natural that the technology is from 1980s, just like with 1990s cars. But then again, I don't like seeing them built in popular styles of those decades like the High Tech I mentioned or Pro Street with everything painted the same (And usually ugly) color. My daily driver is a 1987 Chevrolet Van with a 379 Cid (6.2 liter) Diesel V8 in factory stock condition. It works very nicely here in Finland, despite the cold and snowy winter. It is really possible to drive every day with that. Of course these years are not "spot on" and every time it depends on the situation if the modifications are something that I like or not. I don't like the look of many new cars. Of course the styling is almost always very ugly, but other thing that catches my eyes... The wheels and tires! That's why I think new cars look the best in Drag Strips when they have 15" wheels with high profile tires on front and rear. This goes for GM F-Bodies, Fox Mustangs and all of those new cars that usually have big wheels when rolling on streets. I am always perfectly fine with some sort of modifications and modernizing. Mostly that kind of stuff that can't be seen or that just have to be done. For example batteries. I'm fine with modern batteries in old cars, because it is a no brainer to buy those replicas of old batteries - they are very expensive. Of course if the new battery is self modified to look old, it's always better. I have no problem with someone changing an alternator to replace a generator. No problem for me, though again, the generator would have looked much better. Modern lights are okay up to some point. Those Xenon lights or whatever they are called and Led lights on old cars are a no-no in my opinion. Modern brakes, yep, no problem as long as they fit inside regular size wheels etc etc. Maybe you get the point what I'm trying to say here. Just like it's said on TRaK forum rules. What we can't see... Can't hurt. But these Resto Mods / Pro Touring cars never look good in my opinion. What Casey said about those Pontiac Snowflake wheels... I think the wheels are too big looking for any old car, because those tires have way too low profile and if someone installed a proper high profile tire on those wheels, then the car would end up looking like a Monster Truck or something. I hope you guys understand what I try to say here. I don't want to say that this is the only way cars should be built. NO. But this is the way I like them.

I've done a few of these as well. I'm not a master in editing these photos, but anyway here they are. Of course the first one would be the best, but otherwise they are not in particular order.

Now it looks like Photobucket is back in business again and it lets me to upload the pics there, so here are the pictures that I tried to post yesterday. Seat straight from the box: ' Seat after cutting away some unneccessary plastic... How it fits on place after this operation:

Thanks for the kind words everyone! They are appreciated! Progress has been slow, and it will remain slow as well for a while. I'm having lots of other tasks, with that 1:1 car, with high school and with a couple of other model projects (I'm working on an old Finnish Drag Car currently that was being raced about 25 years ago). Anyway here is a bit more work with this Mustang. The seat was way too high as it would not fit under my roll cage. My cage could not be much closer to the roof than it already is so that's not the problem. So the solution was simple: I cut unneccessary material away from the bottom of my seat and after that little operation it fits perfectly on place. The first picture shows kit's original seat, the second picture shows the seat after some cutting and last two pics show how the modified seat fits on place. ...And it looks like there is a problem with Photobucket. I'll post the pics when I can...

Great point on the tires and wheels. They just simply never look good in my opinion, I think tire needs to have high sidewall profile to look right. John posted about those Cragars and tires sticking out of the fenders. Personally I'm not a great fan of that style, but sometimes it works. Still those tires have sidewall profile and they look like car tires instead of rubber bands.

Wow that looks great! You do excellent work and this one is not an exception. Smooth looking paint job and incredible detailing in the engine and interior. I can't wait to see the final pictures of this one finished.

Excellent looking Mercury Comet you have there! This is one of the best looking Mercurys ever made and I really like your version. The color fits well to body shapes and those steel wheels are beautiful. Nice job.

I really like that '36 Ford! It's a very nice and clean Custom, especially I like that color a lot, but stance, wheel and tire choice and the overall look are excellent as well. That ZZ Top Eliminator is very nicely built, too, but those wheels just don't fit to that car (either) IMO.

I've never heard of that, but I guess there are different Bondos available and some of them might shrink & some don't. Yes, when applying small amounts of that Tamiya Putty you should be fine.

Looks like I didn't see your comments until now...Sorry about that! Bill: Thanks! It's true that many people don't know that difference (or then they just don't care) but having a full scale version in the garage, I just had to fix that. Shaun: Thank You! I'm happy to say it, but finally it's easy to find reference material, as there is an 1:1 '60 Impala in the garage that I'm trying to get driveable for the next summer. Rusty: Thanks for bumping this thread up, I actually pulled this one back to the bench a couple of days ago and I have done some minor work, but unfortunately I'm having very little time to build. My main progress has been with that 1:1 car and its rust repairs. I should have a couple of pictures in the next few days...Stay tuned.

Very easy! The original Z28 would be neat one to watch, but that Resto Mod would make me turn around not to see it. That original car would not have to be a Camaro to be more interesting than a Resto Mod Camaro - a bone stock Chevrolet Chevette would be much more interesting for me, too.

Well - that's what I was grown up with... My dad has never had any of those Pro Touring etc things, and he never will either. I forgot to add the only exeption to my last post: Only case where modern technology is OK in my opinion, is Drag Race cars. Luckily they never have big wheels and low profile tires and I'm perfectly fine with for example electric water pump and that kind of parts in Drag Car engines. Anyway those engines must still look like an engine, not so that when the hood is open, all you see is plastic.

I saw this Chevy Impala on Friday. It was very nice to see a real car instead of just those egg-shaped plastic things.

Some of you like them, some of you like them in some cases but not always. I don't want to sound rude and I want to say that I appreciate the work that has been put into them, but personally, I hate Resto Mods and Modern Hot Rods. They just look horrible and as I like old cars, why would I install parts from new cars in them? Well built car with old parts and technology is good to drive and they are quite reliable if built well. Plus, driving long trips in an old car is also a neat experience - it is not interesting if you're driving a 2014 Honda or something like that. It is not interesting either if the car you're driving has a modern engine and other technology as well. I just wish people would forget this style completely. It makes me feel bad when I see a Resto Mod or whatever Pro Touring cars they are called. I might be strange, because most people of my age like those modern things, but this is the way I am.

I think the best source for those parts is always your parts box, so I'm not sure what are the best ones available in aftermarket form. Though, those parts can be found in resin from various manufacturers, so I recommend going through these aftermarket companies listed in this thread http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71864 . I believe it should help you get going. Many kits have very good parts in them as well, so maybe a post in Wanted area would help finding those parts as well.

What I would do now, as after someone said it, it actually looks like you didn't quite sand the entire side trim off... I would sand those doors completely smooth starting with 400 grit paper and finishing it with 600 and 1000 grit papers. Then a light coat of Primer and if there still is some ghosting, then I'd apply a light coat of putty on that surface and sand it smooth. I don't recommend Tamiya Putty, as it sinks after some time (After a year maybe). My friend built a '51 Chevy Full Custom years ago and used Tamiya Putty when smoothing out the body mods. It looked good, but after some time the putty started shrinking and then the paint job wasn't smooth anymore. I have used Bondo on my projects and there has never been that kind of a problem. I hope this helps.

I definitely hope so! In my opinion a Model A Coupe is the best looking Hot Rod car. With all of those parts that kit has, it makes this 2nd Quarter the most interesting one for a long time, even if I have absolutely zero interest on those other two. I will be buying several of those Model A Roadsters. Can't wait to see the nitpicking to begin.

I saw a green '66 Dodge Dart here in Finland on those snowy & salty roads. It really made my day as it's nice to see that I'm not the only one to drive around with a Rear wheel drive, chrome bumper American Car.

And here it is: 200 Pages of Pure Perfection ! Excellent job painting those parts - even if you're planning to repaint. I think it's a good idea to try to get the right shade for that paint as you're doing so detailed work on this one otherwise as well. Keep it coming!

Gene... Thanks, it means a lot! That is true - my skills have improved a lot and it's nice to be able to build models that I'm happy with, even if there is always lots of room for improvement. Chris.... Thanks so much! It's nice that I was able to inspire you to build an Oldsmobile. It means a lot that you like my work, even if my work is hudreds of miles behind of yours - and I really like to follow your projects because of that. I agree that the colors work really well together and those open steel wheels fit nicely under this body. Ira... Thank You! I didn't go as far with the details as I did with my Dodge Charger Daytona that I finished last year. Though, this car has lots of less electronics so there was much less detail to add, but still I kept this a bit more simple. But I like it too and I'm glad you do as well.

I enjoy seeing Vintage Dragsters, so I'm glad I decided to visit in Under Glass section now. Excellent job with this one, the color makes it a bit different than most of these, but red and yellow seem to fit nicely together. Chromed firewall looks good too, is it Alclad? Only problem I see is that scoop. The plastic is way too thick to be realistic on that one. But of course it's not your fault.

Fantastic looking Thunderbird! Larry Watson is my favorite painter as well, his panel paint jobs, flames and especially scallops are my favorites in Custom Cars. You did this one a justice. What did you use to chrome that front bumper - is it Alclad or did you send it somewhere to be chromed? I agree with others, a couple of bigger outside pics would be great.

Wow that's some great news! Now I have a good excuse to pick up this kit and contact to Missing Link. I've once dealt with Missing Link and I am still amazed how well and fast the shipping etc went. Top notch place for sure.