MrObsessive

Who'da thunk it?? Box stock IS rare for me! I think the last time I built out of the box was this one.............. According to Fotki, I put this on there back in July of '07! My how time flies!

I'm worn out from superdetailing for a spell after finally finishing the '59 Impala! So, next on my WIP list is Tamiya's (nee Revell of Germany) 1990 BMW 850i. This is a car that I VERY seldom saw when they were new in these parts, and in fact, I think I've ever only seen two of them around here. A pearly white one, and a metallic red one. That's it! Very exclusive these cars were mostly due to the price which IIRC, was somewhere around $80,000 for the 850 V12. The one I'm starting on is an eBay rescue as I already have two other kits--------a pristine, never touched, unopened one, and another "Alpina" version I got from Gerry Paquette (ExoticsBuider) a number of years ago. This one I got off the 'Bay had a cracked windshield pillar and loose parts. I felt sorry for it, and the price was right (less than $30) so I snatched it up on a "Buy it Now" and now it's on my worktable. Here are a few pics so far............. Engine is done.....no wires, linkage or other filigree. Just right out of the box just as the instructions say. This kit was originally a Revell of Germany manufacture. Tamiya must have liked it so much that they got the tooling from Revell and reboxed it. However, this kit is not of Tamiya quality.............the body had noticeable ripples in it, and I went over everything with a sanding block and 400-600 grit sandpaper. I also rescribed the trim and door panel lines as they were quite faint IMO and will get lost in my paint jobs. Speaking of paint, the color will eventually be "Laguna Green" (German: Lagunengruen Metallic) with a contrasting interior. Despite this being a box stock WIP, this kit has a LOT of parts and not everything is spelled out as clearly as it should be. Boo-boos were already made on my part, so I'll be combing the instructions with a fine tooth comb as it is MUCH needed! The only thing that I may stray from as far as box stock is concerned...........the front and rear bumpers are in dire need of a more positive location. As I was test fitting things as I was block sanding, things were slipping and sliding around a bit too much for me, and I don't want any surprises when it comes time to paint. I'll add some kind of tabs or stops inside the fenders to give the bumpers something more to rest on. I also may cut the quarter windows out from the molded glass as this car looks best in its pillarless hardtop form. Right now, I'm at the point of doing chassis work, but I'm at a stopping point at the moment as I do want to completely paint the chassis body color. My paint guy is closed today, but after work tomorrow, I'll stop by his place and see if he can mix a touch-up amount of the Laguna Green. I have to keep reminding myself of one thing though.......this is box stock----this is box stock-----this is box stock............. That's it for now fellas...........updates will come as time allows, but you can best believe this won't take four years! Thanks for lookin'!

When I mentioned about the '69 Trans Am to Ed, he said hadn't that been done before? I said yes, but it left much to be desired (MPC), and then I mentioned the tooling that they already have in their arsenal, and that's when he wrote down what I listed. One point he did make is that the final results are what the numbers will bring ($). We out here in the "lunatic fringe" can say "That will be a TERRIFIC seller!" till the cows come home, but he mentioned that there were certain kits in the past that guys like us pined for, but didn't do so well sales wise. It's one of the reasons I don't fret about kits like the '70 F&F Charger not being able to be built stock initially. If much higher sales to the masses means we can get what we want later-----so be it!

There's a few more I could add....... 1957 Chevy Nomad (REALLY a no-brainer!) 1963 Chevy Corvette Coupe/Convertible using their excellent '67 tooling 1968 Dodge Coronet hardtop (I mentioned this one in another thread) 1961 Corvette based off their '62 tooling Hmmm.......I always thought the old one was pretty darn nice for its time, but then I'm no Corvette expert. The hoary '57 could stand to be updated as the one I did needed a LOT of corrections to make it reasonable for me.

At this past NNL East, everyone got to see the display table that Revell had there. One thing that immediately caught my attention was a separate table of a "Wish List". Of course, I had to snap a pic of it, and I even wrote down what I'd like to see come from them in the future. The last item on the list is my own handwriting. Later on, I got into a really nice conversation with Ed, and I mentioned that Revell already has the basic bits and pieces to do this car. They did the '68 Firebird so there's your chassis and engine, and you have your excellent '69 Camaro so there's the basic body shell. Ed did write it down on top of what I wrote and said that they'd definitely consider it. As time went on, the list had grown to several pages and unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to go back and take more pics of what was written down. I know this topic has been covered before, but if someone out there took pics of these pages, I think it would make for a good conversation. In all faIrness, and since tooling dollars are limited these days, I'd like to focus on what else that Revell could do with what they have already existing in their tooling, The Trans Am seemed a natural to me, and I had some others in mind. Your thoughts??

Carl, the trucks were part of Hot Wheels "Heavyweights" line, and are kinda hard to find in good shape------like a lot of Hot Wheels Redlines. Particularly the ones painted white are the ones to get as for some reason, the paint they used didn't always play nice with the metal........a lot of cracked and peeling paint is how many ended up even if they weren't played with. I also have the Ambulance, and once had the moving truck although I don't know what happened to that one. Of all the Hot Wheels I've ever had, the Tom Daniels "Sand Crab" has got to be my favorite! You see that I got two of them, and I also have the Monogram plastic kit which someday I'd like to make into a BIG Hot Wheel! Mags, redline tires, and of course painted in some sort of "Spectraflame" color. I've always like that lime/antifreeze color.................

I want to add that I too suffered from builder's burnout not long after I finished my '57 'Vette years ago. I didn't want the same thing to happen after I just finished the '59 Impala, so it's back to a much simpler build...........right out of the box. No wires, lines, opening doors, just build to the instructions and that's it. Sometimes just a simple snapper can clear out the modeler's block...........something nice to put on the shelf, and then plan for your later WIP's.

Ha! A compelling reason why I've stayed single and I'm still building models!

JC, much maligned or not, I think it looks terrific! That's one car I have to add to my collection of builts!

One of my favorite sets I got as a kid was something called "Road Chase" for Sizzlers. It came in three sections that you fit together, and it was basically a country road but in miniature. I see them for sale on the 'Bay occasionally, and sometimes they go for a reasonable price. The box is usually yucky, but I'd like to find one sometime that has a decent box, and not go for an arm and a leg.

Joe, I've got a number of the old Sizzlers (non running), as well as a few of the new ones reissued a number of years ago that were in Target stores. My favorites are the 'Cuda, and Camaro! There's a guy out there (he sells on eBay but I can't remember his username) that makes all of the restoration parts for those old Sizzlers. He even last I knew had the batteries for 'em. If nothing else, they're great to play around with-------I LOVE to here 'em run!

I couldn't help but think of this........anybody remember??

I'm all for Revell releasing the '70 as the F&F car first, if it means more budgeting dollars later for us guys out here on the "fringes". Who knows...........we may yet get that new '68 Coronet hardtop done out of this whole deal since that was much of the same car during those years (1968-70).

I could almost swear that was the first kit I ever got in Christmas of '68, and I can certainly remember refusing to put it together! It reminded me of a puzzle, and back then I despised puzzles!

Welcome back Rick! I remember you well from your days at Car Modeler! That Moebius '61 Pontiac is a VERY nice kit, but it can have its difficulties. If you'd like, you can check here where I addressed a couple of issues that you might run into trouble with.

I LOVE Hot wheels! I was into a collecting binge back in the '90's/early '00's, but I bought them not so much to make bigger money down the road. I bought them because they were a BIG part of my childhood as every kid I knew had a ton of 'em. I even have a couple of the playsets and unfortunately, lost a few sets when my place got flooded back in '11. Here are just a few of what I have..........like Carl, I'd like to keep mine in a case, but for now, they're wrapped up in individual tissue paper, and put in a box. A few I have sitting out---------I don't mind dusting them off occasionally. It's easier to dust them off instead of model cars! The Charger in the above pic I no longer have-----I sold that to a fellow in Australia a few years back and now I wish I had kept it. I'll probably get another one down the road, but the prices for them can be outta sight!

JJ, it was really great to finally meet you at The Tilted Kilt! I have to say that impromptu pic you took of me didn't turn out so bad! I don't consider myself to be the most photogenic guy out there!

Excellent work Jonathan! I like these a LOT better than the Toyota versions, and it's neat to see these on the road instead of the "everybody has to have one" CUV/SUV's out there!

Thanks Tyler! And yes, foiling this car is NOT for the faint of heart! Total time was probably a bit more than a week working a 1/2 hour to one hour at a time. Not to mention along the fins particularly, I had to scribe in the chrome trim ahead of time before painting as I knew that would be a troublesome area, as the trim was quite faint and not as well defined as I'd like.

Wow! That was fast!! I love it! GORGEOUS!!

I believe it may have been Reliable Resin (!), or perhaps Mini Exotics----I can't quite remember who as well. Either which way, it's pretty much unobtainium unless one turns up on the 'Bay and for sure it'll go for a CRAZY price!

Russ, also your friend might be thinking of a 1954 showcar which previewed what was to come for '56. This was basically the standard 'Vette, but had the '56 style bolt on hardtop with the taller windshield. Chevy didn't offer this for '54, but it made the auto show rounds back then with the Nomad wagon, Corvair "Coupe", and the standard Corvette. OK, just found this pic on the 'net. Note the Gold/Yellow car------notice the windscreen that's a bit taller than the standard 'Vette next to it. This was the showcar I was referring too.............. As I mentioned, you'll need to do some mods to get it to fit correctly......

You'd have to do some cutting and trimming perhaps to get the windshield contours to match up. Being that '56 was the first year for the factory hardtop, the windshield naturally was taller, and looks to me like it had a slightly different shaped header. Of course we're dealing with models, but the rear deck of the car, namely where the hardtop sat over the conv. top lid, would be shaped the same in 1:1. BTW, the '57 AMT kit (newer tool out of the '90's) did NOT come with a hardtop-----the MPC issue did which was (I think) reissued by AMT/ERTL at various and sundry times.

Great to meet you Tom, and thanks so much for the compliment!

Thanks Carl! That one was a very much wanted car in my collection! Why no one's never kitted this car ('56's and '57's are everywhere), I don't know. '55's are my favorite of the two seat 'Birds, followed by the '57 and then the '56. I was never crazy about that Continental spare in the back, but someday I'll probably build one.