MrObsessive

Brandon, perhaps try oven cleaner? Here in the states, my go to choice of oven cleaner is Easy Off (Yellow Can). That should take most paints off where brake fluid won't touch it. They must have used lacquer I suspect, and I'm guessing the paint etched into the plastic and thus the flocking. Hope this helps!

Thanks Terry! I forgot to mention the brand name for the tubing..............it's basic Evergreen tubing, and any good hobby shop should carry it. If they don't, pound on the counter and demand they do! Seriously though.............I try to keep plenty of oddball sizes like that on hand for situations like this. One can't have too many supplies!

Luc, that's another one of those cars that I consider collectible. Back when that was new, it was rather ho-hum compared to its 1973-77 "Colonnade" brethren. But here we are 40 years later, and when one shows up at a show, there will be people around it. It need not have a rompin', stompin' big block stuffed into it either. Plain Jane sixes can grab the same amount of attention. The fact that it is a car that's on the request list that I see from time to time, just shows there's interest in it.

Bob, to echo what you said, I've been going to a number of car shows since it's been warm. One thing I definitely notice are more and more '70's and '80's cars showing up. For example, I saw a very nice and clean '78 or '79 Ford Fairmont at one particular show. Now that car was as plain as all get out when it was new, and I wouldn't have thought twice about owning one. Yet, the car had a crowd around it, and they weren't all "old" folks either. As time goes on, we're going to see those '50's and '60's cars fade away, and you'll see the likes of '70's, '80's and yes the '90's cars become collectible and in the shows. I'm sure in the early '60's, people scoffed at the idea of '55-'57 Chevy's ever being worth more than they were then. Back in those days, they were just another car. Now look at the prices for them.............although I dare say the price for them has peaked. Let's face it-------as you said, the demographics of people who remember those cars that we're familiar with will change. Time marches on, and there will come a point someday that no one will know what a '57 Chevy, or a '69 Camaro looks like, save for the 'net.

Seems to me if you already have the kit, wouldn't those already be there? Or, if you're talking about the lens that goes over (behind) the covers------some clear stencil sheet would work for that. You can easily pick that up at a well stocked Arts & Crafts store.

I have this kit (AMT '50 Chevy Pickup) and I just checked and looked---------it does not include the spare tire, or even the carrier. This is the 1994 release (green truck) of the kit.

Sometimes I can get stuck on a particular detail for a number of days, and then there's the trying out of different techniques to get the desired result. In this case, I was bogged down on engine pulleys as the 428 engine for the Green Hornet has a number of things on it which require a certain type of pulley. The ones I tried to make using the kits pieces just weren't working out........they kept breaking and the grooves looked out of sorts and just bad to me. I had some turned ones which were of the dual type that I needed, and while they were nice, they seemed a bit "small" as far as the overall diameter and I decided not to use those. What to do?? Well, I didn't feel like ordering ones online as I'd like to see in person just how they look (pics can be deceiving), and I figured the best way would be to simply make my own. I don't have a lathe (well, actually I do but it's not in working order), so I brainstormed the idea of making pulleys out of telescoping tubing. As you see here there are four different sizes that I'm using--------9/32", 7/32, 5/32, and 3/32. I want the "walls" of the pulley's to be roughly 1/64" wide. Any thinner than that and there's the risk of the MEK that I use to glue things will make a mess. I first drew a faint pencil line, and then using this K&S tubing cutter, scored a slight line in the largest tubing. I then took a file, and filed down to roughly 1/64" of the scored line. Using fan belt material given to me by Norm Veber, I spaced the walls according to how wide the fan belt material is. BTW, this fan belt material is actually a rubbery elastic type material. I don't know where Norm got it, but it's the same kind of material he gives you in his fan belts for his Ferrari V-12 engine kits. I have enough of it to last the rest of my modeling lifetime, and to me, this is in scale enough without looking overbearing. OK, I tried to make the walls as straight and even as possible on the 7/32 tubing, and set the tubing on the mat (the surface is raised slightly) and cut off the pulley. The core was filled in with 5/32, and then 3/32 solid rod. This will help as I turn this in my Dremel Moto-Tool to clean up the grooves slightly. And here are the pulleys mocked up on the engine so far.............the upper pulley was done the same way-----just a slightly smaller diameter. The metal crankshaft damper behind the lower pulley is a turned aluminum piece. These will all be painted black before it's all said and done. I wanted to test fit this in the engine bay to make sure I have enough room so that there's no "crashing" of the fan against the radiator and its bulkhead. Oops! Looking very closely as pics I have of a 428 engine, I needed an extra pulley for the upper one. This pulley is for the thermactor pump on the passenger side of the engine, which I have to make a bracket for. That's all I've got for now! More work to do!

ESPECIALLY the glass! Nothing drives me crazier than to see a very well built resin model, only to see the glass so "tunneled" in to the body, that it takes away from the whole build.

Mark! Timing belt made from Zip Ties!! And a very clever way to make it "stay"! This makes my Green Hornet WIP seem like a mere toy! Excellent work as usual! Once upon a time I had one of these kits (Cycle fender BDR). I kinda wish I had it back now, but time being such a premium, it would sit for another bunch of years before I'd get to it.

Tom, someone else here on the board is doing this very conversion. I'd take a look here.......his idea is clever on how he did it.

Welcome aboard Jeff! Feel free to ask any questions you'd like if you're stuck on any particular build hangup. There will be someone that can try and help you out!

I learned something new today! I never paid attention to what GM called those 1978-87 "intermediates". I always knew that they were "replacements" for the 1973-77 Colonnade cars-------and I never thought they looked as nice, but never knew what the letter class of body they were. Now I know! BTW, it would be really nice if we could somehow, someway, get a kit of at least one of those Colonnade cars. My vote instantly would be for the 1973 Pontiac Grand Am! I thought those were the coolest cars on the road when they were new, and they still look fantastic today! That might be about as close as you get to that '80 Regal--------and not without quite a bit of surgery. The basic "bones" are there, but just about every body panel is different.

I'm hoping Revell in the near future brings this kit to life! It keeps showing up on the "most wanted" list at the NNL East, and I've mentioned to Ed Sexton personally that this car has never been kitted, and would be popular among the lowrider set. He agreed--------let's hope that someday that translates into an actual kit in our hands!

I actually have all the bits and pieces to build this car. It's on my "someday" list and there would be quite a bit of bodywork to make a reasonable facsimile of it. I'd like to make mine "streetable" with engine detail and all. I don't think the car shown had an engine.............just a mock-up for the auto show circuit. Looking over that list, I do think I'd be interested in that '75 Datsun pickup. Every time I see one of those, I think of my 1:1 AMX and the fellow that bought it. He didn't want to drive the car to his place as he lived a good distance away. Instead, he had it towed and this was the very truck that towed it with trailer and all! Mighty tough little truck I gotta say!

Really Chris? I've never seen the Christine one! Yeah, I noticed that too, but at least the trim is "straight"------if ya know what I mean. One nit I do have about the shape of the body is that to my eyes, the very back of the roof seems to sit just a smidge "high". Of course taking in consideration manufacturing limitations, and how Danbury chose to do the roof section, I think they pulled it off quite well. Much better than that other one that shall not be named!

I don't see anything on the list this time around that's a "must have". Maybe later........... I sure wish it could be this! But it'll never happen...................

Frank, I built one of those MANY years ago (early '90's) and I remember it being very easy to go together. Typical Tamiya where everything fits like a glove, and the stance was dead on perfect. Sorry I have no pics to show you........I actually built this for someone that paid me to make one for them, and I had no camera at the time. You should have no issues with building this!

Fellas, I just want to say what a class act Amy is! I got from her today a Danbury Mint '58 Plymouth, and it's mighty nice! She's very prompt in her shipping, and I couldn't be happier! To see the car, I just created a thread which can be seen here......

Yeah, I know! I'm going to be building one of these in the not too distant future! But when I see a nice diecast such as one from Danbury or the Franklin Mint, and it's at a GREAT price--------well, I just can't pass it up! I got this one from Amy Pristovnik (Harry's daughter) and the funny thing is, I was just taking pictures of this very car at the Chryslers at Carlisle show here in PA. In fact, the pictures I have are THE car that Danbury used to model this one according to the fellow that owned it. So, here are some pics-----unfortunately, the antenna base on the driver's side had a little mishap, but I fastened it on as best I could. Just the same, it'll be in a case and then in a cabinet away from my three nosy cats. Enjoy! Gotta love those fins! Reminds me so much of my Dad's '57 that he bought back in '65 when I was a kid.

If you can't get clay, you can always mix up some Plaster of Paris (most Arts and Craft stores carry it), and back up the windshield like so..............

Wow! I'm definitely following this! Of all of GM's 1973-77 Colonnade Coupes, this is among my favorites! First would be the 1973 Grand Am, and thirdly a 1976-77 Olds Cutlass Supreme (Driver's Ed car). Beautiful start, and those decals are nice and clean! Sigh...........I have this kit too BTW, but I've too many projects and not enough hours in the day!

Delton, I was going to to do roll up windows on this, but looking at where I am now, and the time frame I'd like to get this done, I'm going to forego that. I'm at a point in my model building life that I'm "devolving" from doing working features on small scales, and want to focus more on correcting/modifying body contours, and static detail. I had did something like what you described....................... But, I didn't like the way the window "cranked" (only one revolution of the crank for up and down), and had tried a reduction gear setup. I still wasn't happy with that, so I decided that if I'm ever to get this done in a halfway reasonable amount of time, I'd better just let that go, and move on. In the future, I'll be doing some bigger scale stuff (1/16+) and I'll definitely get back into the working features mode then. The eyesight ain't what it used to be either, and that at times that takes its toll-------even with the static tiny details. Well thanks for the compliment! I like that! Don't be embarrassed to show what you're building............if there's any questions where you're bogged down, don't hesitate to ask! One of us will be more than willing to help out! As far as gear placement? Most of what I do is trial and error. I can tell by looking at a particular part most of the time, if I'm going to have enough clearance to make the part work the way I'd like. But, it doesn't always work out that way! Thanks for the encouragement!

Well, I don't like to thread hijack, so here's just one......... For more pics you can click here.

Yes, I know..........but the problem persists. Johan had no such thing (CAD, and whatnot) in the '60's yet their bodies were spot on-----for the most part. And it ain't just AMT that's guilty of this.

Absolutely Beautiful Jag Dann!! One of my favorite road racers of the '50's! I did something similar to the D-Type I did years ago. I used the ROG XK-SS kit as a base, but I used a junk Mercedes 300 SLR kit headrest for it, as well as scratchbuilt the fin. I wish I had those PE rivets when I did mine.............I drilled out all those holes and placed individual "rivets" (Tichy Train Group) into each one! Talk about rivet counting!