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That's the Revell Kit right? I thought it came with a couple of Webbers that look like they could be 48 IDA's. I ran 48's on my last (overly modified) Bug, with the right air filters they fit under the hood/bonnet of a '57 oval window. The only lame part of the Revell Bugs engine that needs some real work is its exhaust, the Myres Manx or Gasser Bug can be made to work if you have headers laying around from either kit. Wheels http://www.finksgarage.com has some nice VW oriented wheels four for $8 resin cast. Overall I Like the direction you're heading with this one.

Another point that's been touched on is Temperature and Humidity. Testor's is establishing their flash-off times in a controled environment, read that laboratory. Everything is repeatable down to time, distance, temperature in the lab and in the can, humidity, viscosity... They may even be using a hand picked can followed through the whole manufacturing process. (That way if anything fails its documented and they know where to start looking.) So any time you vary from their recommended temperature and humidity you will have to adjust flash-off time accordingly. Any time you vary from the labs surface prep (primer), you most likely will have to adjust accordingly as in experiment until you come up with a system which works.

Typically any type of paint will be off-gassing the volatile solvents for quite a while, Enamel being the worst. The solvents are trying to go both ways as they dry, into and through the primer in the case of a "Hot" solvent like lacquer thinner especially when over reduced. I have not had this issue on paint jobs I've done since using the dehydrator to heat cure the paint, prior to that I have experienced slight panel warpage with lacquer. With enamels the main issue that I have encountered is the uncured mid-layer where that coat was not allowed to cure out and remains soft forever because its trapped between the cured topcoat and substrate. Normally this has happened when I've tried to build up the paint too quickly rather than being patient and doing things the right way, patience is not only a virtue but pays off in the long run nearly every time!

Gary you are really coming along with this one, your Dad is going to love it!!! Very nice work on your part too.

Probably did the same thing that many of us have done to get a car on the road for a show or just to drive it and grabbed either what was available while looking for the right parts or just doesn't care about pleasing the crowd or anyone else than him/her self! They lost me at the lame spider web grill insert. The lack of paint on the exhaust system indicates to me that this is an "Unfinished" Hot Rod. As far as Chevy engine blowing it, Ford was still running the Flathead when Chev already had the 265 Small Block in production. This engine was at the time superior to the Flathead and is indeed a period correct engine choice, there are far more early mounts and adapters out there for the smallblock Chev than any other engine. (Just look around at the next swap meet that you attend, that question will be answered within the first 10 - 15 minutes.) Ford in a Ford has only been recent trend (in appreciable numbers) they've always been around but there have been more small block chevs than any other engine.

Pretty sure that Chevy didn't use the Uni-Body from the Chevy II under anything else, Corvair was their only other Uni-Body during the first series of the Chevy II and it's not even close. What about using the '66 Nova stock frame under the Rat Packer? Speed City Resin makes a rectangular tube frame slightly longer than the Rat Packer. In my oppinion this is a better frame just on looks alone, though it pretty much mirrors the AMT AWB Frames. You might ask Scott (Kapellusch) at Speed City about your Chevy II chassis question, he is probably one of the most knowledgable scale A/FX guys around.

Labor of Love!

The pictures that I have seen of the "Doug's Headers Chevy 2 Much" Chevy II appear in some configurations to be nearly identical in wheelbase to that of the Rat Packer. The main difference body wise is that the rear wheel wells are stretched. Frame is rectangular tube construction, front axle uses a transverse spring and (rather spindly looking) hairpins Vs. The Rat Packer's parallel leaf springs. The Rat Packer's front axle is nearly identical in shape to the Bill Thomas supplied axle, Doug's Headers axle is a chrome dropped tube axle. I do remember seeing the Doug's Headers Chevy 2 Much car run up here in Seattle, Kent Raceway then along with some other named AWB cars, but I remember the Doug's car because it was beautiful, that burnt orange color, all the Gold Leafing and amazing painted Lettering, people were so impressed , this was a "California Car" after all! I don't remember many of the Dragsters that ran that day, but I sure remember the Doug's car. So for me this is all about creating a memory of a day spent at the Drags with my favorite uncle. I've seen a couple Rat Packers (in pictures) converted to the Chevy 2 Much, it makes a visually plausable AWB Car. In all the pictures I've seen of this car the Class is not either painted on or shoe polished on the windows, so it is hard to tell whether it was a Match Racer, A/FX car or ? it doesn't appear to be a Funny Car, unless the later configuration was as both the rear and front axles are moved forward in the wheel wells. When it comes to these cars, I'm more so into whether the "Look" is right Versus whether it actually fit into any "Gray Area" rules"; now if I were building a period correct Gas or Fuel Dragster, SS, Gasser or Altered I would be more likely to look closely at a Rule Book and "Rivet Count". AWB and A/FX Cars were about as wild as they get, there were so many variations of the same cars within a very short period of time, so build what looks good! Even if it's not 100% Correct they sure look a whole lot better than all the "New Faux Gassers" showing up, most of which would never ever have been allowed to run on any sanctioned track! I remember reading an article on Dick Landy's Dodge in Hot Rod Deluxe and also in an old HRM both of which talked about the A/FX cars being twisted and tweaked to the point the Doors wouldn't even close they literally destroyed themselves with all the hard launches in a short period of time. It you take this into account it doesn't take much to read between the lines and figure out this is probably why there were so many configurations of the same cars. Not to mention that this was a period where the Rules probably weren't followed to the letter 100% of the time. NHRA and the other sanctioning Bodies of the time probably figured that they had a good thing! There was a huge amount of pressure from the Factories still actively sponsoring Racing (of any kind) to get and keep their Logo out there, which is likely why things get a bit on the blurry side at times until the actual Funny Car Class took off in '66 - '67 time frame. This is almost a case of not what the rules said, but what was printed in the pages of Popular Hot Rodding and Hot Rod from month to month.

Just popped open a Rat Packer, that isn't the came chassis in the kit, which is the same as the Funny Farmer Tempest, the Mustang and I think the Syclone. All of those chassis are the same round tube "perimeter" type chassis that they have came with since they were first released in the mid to late sixties. About the only thing that's ever been changed on these kits are the decals. This series was supposed to depict the A/FX cars that were running at the time. I don't remember which one came out first, I remember getting the Rear Engined, Plymouth 'Cuda first then the Chevy II so I suspect it was the second of the series; I think that only the 'Cuda had the term "Funny Car" associated with it so AMT most likely aimed these models as being A/FX Class. One has to remember that the rules regarding A/FX or Factory Experimental were pretty loosely based and were subject to interperatation in many cases, when the bodies began to start lifting to access engine or driver's compartment is about the time the term "Funny Car" began being applied. This AMT Series was more of a "Match Racer" configuration than Funny Car. With some work, the chassis and interior buckets can be detailed to replicate a typical AWB A/FX car just by doing things like fitting the chassis sheet metal to the body, all of them are way too short all the way around to "seal" the chassis to the body. With a little Evergreen sheet and a little tubing you can make this chassis work. The other glaring error pointed out by Speed City Resin is that the "Big Block" Chevy engine is way undersized only slightly larger than a Small Block, so a true sized Big Block Chevy is in order for the Chevy II and maybe a 421 Pontiac for the Tempest. Doing some research it almost looks like AMT based much of the front clip which was sold by Bill Thomas out of Anaheim, Cal. Dick Harrell ran this setup in early '66. The major difference between the Bill Thomas' front clip and the front of the AMT chassis is the lack of a parallel upper trestle rail, the Thomas clip used the same firewall supports as the AMT chassis does. Both use nearly identical front axle and parallel spring mounting. The "Perimeter" chassis probably came about because AMT figured they were going to use the Chassis on the other bodies which were all for the most part of a Uni-Body design. I haven't tried it but am told that the Rat Packer chassis fits under the 'Cuda, so you could use it to make the 'Cuda front engined. Looking at a lot of the A/FX cars of the day they were beginning to add some type of chassis under them or at least a stout set of subframe connectors. Of this series only the Murcury Syclone and the Pontiac '63 Pontiac Tempest would have come from the factory with a full frame under them. I really wish that AMT would release,the 'Cuda if the molds still exist, even if the Hemi wasn't that amazing in it, but you could use it to "Loosely" Replicate Richard Petty's foray into Drag Racing, if he had done so in an A/FX that is! Oh yeah, I almost forgot pretty nice A/FX Match Racer. I like it a lot, you've already taken care of a lot of the improvements to make it a plausable Street / Drag and or Race Car.

Excuse me did I say that you were guilty of character assignation there is a bit if it going back and forth so yes now I have said it! What I am saying is that it looks totally stupid slinging mud at each other like a couple if five year olds. If you want to debate whether the Blue Bandito or any other Monogram tooling is going to be restored have at it, just leave the petty name calling and posturing out of it! This is a modeling forum after all not "Meet the DePressed!" I've wandered off of more than one forum over the childish sandbox arguments that always seem to go on and on. How is this attracting new blood to this forum when newbies see that people can't even get along within a hobby that they all enjoy? Really, if you want to duke it out you should take this "discussion" to a sidebar and argue through your mailboxes PM each other! There was a whole lot of good information here until the flaming started. So chill out everyone, take a walk around the block and cool off.

Nice car in spite of the drama TV show, don't watch any of the "reality" TV car shows anymore with the exception of anything Chip Foose is on. Even if Chip didn't do and come up with some amazing stuff, I just like him as a person, actually met him once, he makes you feel like you are on the same level as he is. He asked me about my "Cool Car" I told him about my Mini Cooper, his eyes lit up as he listened. He's just a nice guy who happens to love cars. Oops that's almost a hijack sorry. Back to the topic on hand. Model A coupes are one of my favorites you can do so much with one to make it unique, or in this case make it a doorway to our Hot Rodding roots. There is a seller on eBay who is selling a few parts from the Monogram '30 phaeton, I've bought from them befor and I think they have a Deuce grill shell. Seller is Propsplus worth a look at their resin which is generally pretty crispy.

http://www.hobbyshipper.com/cgi-bin/wsr600p?V=RMX&I=MONS4020 Apparently the Blue Bandito is still available from Revellogram. I have to agree with jb here, this seems to be the most fact based statement posted to this thread lately. (Which I re-read through including the painful arguing.) Has the "Tiff" which has erupted here been handled in a civil manor, well no probably not. I highly disagree with the character assassination or nearing character assassination which seems to be going on here. If you can't make a constructive point, then don't including don't attack the other person. It's ok to debate ideas but when you have to argue about people that's just sorta ridiculous isn't it? Hops off soapbox and gets back to working on current model...

Nice project Gary. Building models for others is a real rewarding experience. Recently did a couple of models (Revell Mother's Worry) for my (adult) nephew. He love them, I think doing those two models was one of the more rewarding experiences I've had building models. Even surpasses winning the Jr. hi and County, State Fair model contests when I was a young teen. One of those deals that if I knew the recipient would treat the model with the respect all that work deserves, I would give more of my work away. The other one that was/is really rewarding my Pastor was loaned a '69 Corvette Stingray to drive around for a couple of weeks after he and his wife were married. He's a car and motorcycle guy and talks about driving that 'Vette all the time. I did some sly research, talking to him found out the color, option group (or close to it), Big Block car, a and other things from his wife. I built a nice replica of the 'Vette and gave it to him for his Birthday! For once he was rather speechless, I loved it. I gave it to him in a plastic case to keep the dust off of it, he had on other one of our friends build a glass and wood presentation case, so it's now prominently displayed in his office.

I'm really looking for those wheels, with the cool knockoffs, tires would be a huge bonus.

Did the wheels and tires from Monogram's Orange Hauler ever come in any other kit? - or - Has anyone of the Resin Caster's Re-Popped the Orange Hauler's Wheels and Tires in Resin?

I open them when I get home, put tires and glass into separate ziplock bags, then tape the box shut. When the model goes into work its transferred to a clear plastic (Sterlite [sp])shoebox that way the box and box art / illustrations and pictures are readily available for reference. Another bonus of the plastic shoebox is its less likely to lose a part even in a corner like the original cardboard has done to me once or twice over the years.

Same here, I place the glass and tires in separate ziplock bags for the same reason. I bought two of the Slingster Dragsters when it first came out, I opened the first and it was 100% A-OK, the second not so much by just one part. The front axle was bent at a 45 degree angle, perfect chrome, still bent! I got on Revell's website and had a new axle in hand within a month or so, no issues, no hassles just a new axle. I've had kits in the past which had a tire, whole glass sprue and a few other odds and ends from Johan, AMT, Monogram, Revell. So I'm really glad that Revell has replaced parts for me in the past for Slingster axle and New Beetle Glass, the NB was purchased off of eBay, seller wouldn't take it back and it was out of production so I expected to end up with nothing, received the whole glass sprue in three weeks. Pretty amazed at that turn around especially when they weren't currently producing the kit. I was honest with them and told them where I got the kit and that it was unopened factory sealed when received.

Great paint, probably the best "multi-part" body Ranchero I've seen. Overall good job!

"A" Really nice job on that one, color combo looks great, not overly glossy just like a stocker should look.

The answer to your question is, the battery is located in the boot (trunk) to the right of the spare tire well, rectangular box below the boot floor on driver's side on a RHD Mini. This would hold true for all Classic Mini Saloons from 1959 thru 2000, including the Clubman. not entirely certain on the Traveler or the Mini Truck. Hope this helps.

The number one thing that stalls me has got to be my work schedule, as I "earn" more responsibility it means many times that major overtime is going to hit my fan! Lately I have been using this time as research, rendering, parts gathering and getting all the needed materials lined up to begin the project model. It absolutely drives me nuts to get to a point on a model only to realize that I didn't get all the stuff needed to finish the job. Being organized as an Engineer naturally carries over to hobby stuff as well, I list out all the assembly steps, including painting processes, crossing each step as its completed. I find that when I have to shelve a project due to time or in some cases requests to do paint work, lettering, striping on someone else' ride or even when someone requests a model for themselves or a gift or else it's work getting in the way. I find that since I have started being "overly" organized with projects that I am finishing more, even those ones that seem possessed! The ones you end up painting several times because it slipped and fell on the floor , maybe looks like a dustpan got poured over it!! I had one that I sat on the kitchen table to get my wife's oppinion and my empty thermos sitting across the table somehow flew,across the table on its own and fell on the hood nearly destroying the whole front end in the process. Lucky it went bact together better than it did the first time. Those types of incidents would have been models I would have shelved before, for some reason I have more patience to pick'em up and finish the project. There are those few that still go to the "back of the line" and get picked up "whenever". I have to remind myself that I'm doing this to relax, so just take a deep breath and refocus.

Thought that Greg was actually steering this back on topic of "Resto Rods" again, which none of that "Tooner" phart can wanna be cars remotely qualify as. The real Resto Rod movement was begun in the late 60's and early 70's before the Fat Fendered cars became popular. If you peruse bact to some of the magazines of the day like Rod & Custom befor it went under, Rod Action, Street Rodder, and even Hot Rod. You would see what the real Resto Rod cars were about, many of them being 20's and 30''s cars toss in a few 40's Chevs, Buicks, Caddys, Chryslers, Dodges. Mostly big cars with newer engine and drivetrain swapped in from wrecking yard donors. Hot Rod had Gray Baskerville with his daily driver 32 Ford Roadster, Rod Action had "Walter P Chrysler" mid forties Chrysler (Limo if I remember right). Most Resto Rods were built for comfortable Crusing, back when Street (Is) Was Neat people actually drove their Hot Rods on a daily basis. Lots of these Resto Rods were daily drivers, some even family cars. All of this was before the "Power Tour" and "Pro Street" was ever thunk up! Long before the televised entertainment auctions popped up for the guys with more money than brains to "buy" into the Hot Rod Scene. When I think of the term Resto Rod the original Resto Rods are what I think of, mildly modified drivers which retain the flavor, appeal and appearance of the original. There is a huge difference in what is currently being passed off as a Resto Rod. Mostly sold by many of those involved in the entertainment auction industry as a way to pass off poorly conceived and sometimes poorly modified nostalgic garbage no one in their right mind would have bought 25 - 30 years ago. In part this is probably one of the number two reasons, number one being the Boyd Caused Billet Craze that you see a major resurgence of the "Traditional Hot Rod". Other reasons would probably be rat rods, Pro Street, Pro Fairgrounds trends many of which were no advancement of "Car Culture". In spite of this there is no reason to become a bunch of Zellots and bolt counters, if you want that just try the "Brit Car Crowd"!!! They'll harden you real quick especially to the subject of modifying your Brit Car, it's almost as if you own a Brit Car by proxy sometimes! In spite of that aspect I still love and drive my '73 Mini Cooper like it was meant to be driven! When I see loong threads like this one go so far off topic, 8 pages so far, I pity the poor horse battered and bruised... I get enough flack from the full size car crowd, I come here to relax and discuss building quality models! Remember why we're here.

Still having upload issues on PC, must be a settings thing. Uploaded on iPad, that's a test of reflexes, got to be quick! Have to experiment more with PC.

OK, I am indeed having issues with uploading from photobucket could someone please give me a little shove in the right direction, I searched high and low, even used Bill's Amazing Searching Method. Works great by the way Bill but I still cannot find the directions for uploading pix!! Tried the attached Links and they work, no pix so until I get this pix thing figured out that's going to have to do until tomorrow afternoon. (Thank you for putting up with my Sunday evening obtuseness!!)

Hopefully these upload OK. Built these two Big Daddy Ed Roth Mother's Worry for my nephew, starting in 2013. Then I went on nights for two plus years just after finishing the Original out of a really crusty box 1963 Yellow version, received as a gift from a friend found while cleaning out an old garage. My premise was what would it look like with an original 1963 Mother's Worry with for the most part 60's techniques applied yellow Krylon Short Cuts enamel paint; for the most part I did just that. Exceptions being engine wiring, and the use of acrylic paints to paint the figure, plus a scrap of BMF. The second Pearl Lime Mother's Worry 2013 a 50 years later Version started out as a 1996 reissue purchased off of eBay and begun in 2013. The 2013 Version would be built like we build our models today, Resin Front Axle, Scratch-built Quick-change Rear End, Engine has heads and blower from Pontiac 389 Original AMT '36 Ford (?) (From my late uncle's model parts). Flocked interior, P.E. Gauges on a Scratch-built Dash, Shifter is aluminum tubing. Pick Up bed from parts box, stock gas tank with scratched brackets and lid, engine is wired and detailed (sorta) Paint is Createx Pearl Lime, Future Acrylic over it, polished with Novus 1, 2 & 3. All Chromed extra parts were stripped primed and painted with Lowe's Valspar Gloss Black and Valspar Chrome Silver. The Red Shirt Caricature is from an original Big Daddy Ed Roth Business Card, printed red on gray. I decided to colorized the picture when I painted it on the back. The gift was received with smiles, a heartfelt Thank you, immediately placed in his curio cabinet in a prominent location. Its when you get a big bear hug from a full grown guy that makes all the work done on something like this that makes it worth all the time and effort put into a model like this. JB - Recognize the Moon Tank sticker, thanks for posting printed on thinned photo paper and tacky glued to tank over coated with Future Acrylic.