MrObsessive

Best car in the snow was a 1965 Dodge Dart Convertible I owned many years ago. Better even than my Saturn Ion Coupe which is FWD. Worst car ever in ANY bad weather was my '69 AMX 390. A short wheelbase + high horsepower = a nasty surprise in rain or snow if you weren't careful!

BEAUTIFUL paint Mike! Absolutely flawless!

I didn't see anywhere one could make a reservation Len. I would call them directly (the number's on the "how to order" page) and see if they can take a reservation on the phone. Sounds like it's going to be a neat set! I'm curious as to how much it will cost WITHOUT buying the kit as I already have one.

Here's the link more zeroed in...........scroll down a scooch. Some other neat items coming soon too! Pretty much what's below is there.........I'd love to get one of these sets! 1966 LeMan Winning Ford GT40 MkII Super Kit / Planned June 2010 Release We had the distinct pleasure of being granted access to the actual 1966 LeMan winning Ford GT40 by it’s kind and gracous owner. We have photographed the car for our research and product development and will return to photograph the car once again to create our exclusinve reference CD. The CD will be included with the Super Kit and will also be available in our “On the Grid†series of reference CD’s at a very nominal price. The GT40 is a car that put Thunder Valley on the map as a high quality after-market kit manufacturer and with the release of a long awaited 1/12th scale GT40 kit (Thank You Trumpeter!!!) we will once again offer a fantastic upgrade kit at a reasonable price. As with all our Super Kits, this one will agian contain a great deal of photo etch, cast metal and resin parts as well as machined fittings. We are accepting reservations for this kit and as soon as we are close to shipping we’ll contact each customer to confirm their order. 1966 LeMan Winning Ford GT40 MkII Image Copyright 2009 Raterink Group, Inc. / All Rights Reserved

Sorry for the long wait for an update fellas.......the last couple weeks I haven't been much into a building mood as you can see by my signature picture. Add in also that I went back to work last week after my foot injury, things have been rather upside down lately. KitKat had been sick off and on for the last six months or so------he ended up having liver failure which led to him eating very sporadically, and eventually he stopped drinking water. It is hard to come home from work and he's no longer at the door like he always had been. I'm not sure exactly how old he was------- when the Vet checked him out they had his birthdate as January 2001. I got him from a lady I worked with back in June 2002, and I don't think she was sure how old he was as she had guessed his age when she originally had him to the Vet. I figured he was somewhere between 9 and 13 years old. More than likely closer to 13-14. The good news is, I'll be getting a new kitten this weekend. My cousin has a couple kittens she has to let go as that makes four cats in her place, and that's too much for her she tells me. I told her to bring him over Saturday, as I want my other cat to see her bring him in and not me. I now have to "kitten proof" my place as I have don't want him in certain areas in the house. Places like the model room, behind the washer and dryer, etc. Thanks once again for the condolences fellas.........some who don't have pets don't quite understand, but they do become part of your family and when they pass away, it really hurts deep.

Hi Denis and welcome aboard! If you click below, it'll take you to the thread I have going for beginners. I haven't added anything to it lately as life has gotten in the way. Hopefully soon when I can get back on track I'll have some more to post. Mr. Obsessive's Modeling 101 Tutorial

Tom, if you can get yourself to a GOOD hobby shop-----you'll see that there are all types of spray paints for models. Forget the department stores and such for these paints. They may have a few, but you'll find a lot more variety in a Hobby/Train shop. Some rare examples I'm sure are out there, but I've yet to see a nice paint job evolve from a paintbrush. Not saying it can't be done, but the results are much more even (not to mention cleaner) buy using a spray can and or airbrush. Most of your kits sold in the hobby shops are plastic with a few diecast kits thrown in. Your specialty "Cottage Industries" do most of their kits in resin. The difference is plastic must be painted differently than resin as plastic is a lot more porous. For example, if you were to use automotive paint over a plastic kit body, prepping the plastic is paramount! This means using the proper primer, in some cases a barrier coat to guard against etching, and proper technique when it comes to applying the paint from a can. Resin being a lot tougher material to work with in regards to painting, is a lot more forgiving in as much you can paint anything over it and it won't harm the surface. As far as appearance, most resin kits have a slight yellowish or tan appearance to them. However, I have a couple resin kits that are molded in white that are hard to distinguish from plastic. You won't find resin kits for the most part in hobby shops-------99% of the time, they have to be special ordered online or snail mail from such places as The Modelhaus, R&R, Time Machine, Etc. Hope this helps!

Bob's right about the scale differences with Johan's Cadillacs vs. Revell's. I built the Modelhaus 1961 Cadillac 2 dr hardtop a couple years ago------when it was done it WAS noticeably longer than the original Johan '61 4 dr. it was based on which I also had. Don tells you on his website the wheelbase and fenders had been corrected to the proper length due to the initial "shrinking" of the car by Johan. I also have a Johan (nee X-EL) promo of a '58 Cadillac Sixty Special----a BIG car in its day! Comparing it to other cars in its "scale", it also appears a bit smaller than it should.

Nothing like the sound of a V-12 at full song! Who needs music when you got all 12 cylinders firing away in such unison?

First model I ever built was Monogram's '57 Corvette. I built this in the fall of '78 when I was 17..........it was a total WRECK when I "finished" it! Glue smudges everywhere, and the glue was put on so thick that there's no way one could have taken it apart! I had no tools, just my fingers to pull the parts off the trees, and the Testor's orange tube glue to get 'er all together! I wish I had kept it, as it's nice to look back at stuff we thought was fantastic. I remember giving it away to my younger cousin in the early '80's when he was about 12 or so. I think he demolished it with firecrackers or some such thing!

Hey Gregg that's excellent! I know what you're dealing with! I was at 320 lbs and I'm down to 270--------I was wearing nearly a size 50 in pants, and now I'm down to a 40-42. I would like to lose another 15-20 lbs........at least the shape I was in when I got out of the Army in '92-------------the best shape ever! I've learned to eat the "bad stuff" on Saturday's only..........that way I'm not tempted to cheat during the week. Yes, this time of year can be tough though with all the good stuff around all the time!

Harry, I think your poll info is behind a cloaking device!

Some kits are just born classics, and the original AMT '58 Chevy kit is no exception. I think that car would look nice in gold which was offered that year-------although since you're doing what looks to be a mild custom, a candy green would look sharp too.

:lol:

Jon's 1958 Plymouth pics Pt. 1 Jon's 1958 Plymouth pics Pt. 2

Jeff, good look luck with that kit---------------it looks great from my standpoint already! Once you get past the body troubles, it shouldn't be too much difficulty for you after that!

The '66 Olds convertible top while it's the same scale, might not fit so well unless you're willing to do some tweaking to it to match the 1:1. GM changed the top shape somewhat for the '68-'72's to be a bit "bulkier" looking, as opposed to the slimmer profile up-top look of the 1966-67's. I have one of the resin tops (don't remember who made it) and it will NOT fit the upcoming Olds kit. I test fit it against an AMT '69 Chevelle convertible (same basic body shell), and the top is both too wide and too long. I think the top is actually a 1/24 as it looks to scale out at that. Sorry to be such a killjoy, but that's how I see it from my end.

I'm one of those that normally waits until the END, before I do any painting and such. The exception is the Mercury build which is more of a tutorial than a build for a show, display, etc. Especially with the work I do with opening doors, trunks, etc------I want to make sure there is absolutely NO drama trying to get the body and chassis together, glass fitting, interior clearance and so on. Now some may say that they can get the rest of the model together while the paint is drying------sounds nice until like you said Jeff, they crack a panel, or they put a gouge into that nice shiny paint job. My advice is to just start on something else if you're at that point in the build where you can go no further waiting for the paint to dry.

Bruce, the pads are okay------for mostly flat surfaces. I like the cloths because they can be folded up and into tight corners if needed. For broad sections such as roofs, trunks, or hoods for example the pads are great!

Sure there were, but they were all recalled! Thanks for the nice words Mike! I say go ahead a build it with those mags--------------Dodge and the Feds will never know you're runnin' 'em!

Welcome aboard Mike! GREAT subject matter you're starting with! One of the things to watch out for when building the Daytona------and this would go for all of Revell's '68-'69 Chargers, would be the rear wheel placement. When I built mine years ago, I did a working suspension for mine, but still used the kit's locating points. Well, after it was all built, I noticed the rear wheels a scooch too forward in the wheelwells. Not very noticeable, but I noticed it. Anyway, keep us posted on the progress! I did the same as you--------raided other kits to get a decent stock Hemi. Why Revell chose not to include this option in this (and their other '68-'69 B-Bodies) is beyond me. It's only one of the rarest cars out there with that engine! ...................And so you don't get picked on later............DON'T forget to use a three speed wiper motor in the engine bay!! I forgot this detail on mine and the result for those that know me is legendary!

Charlie, while there's probably no clear cut answer to your trouble, you might want to check your thinner to paint ratio when airbrushing. It's hard to describe here in text, but I like to thin my paint to where when I swill the jar around, the paint leaves a slight film on the inside of the jar before it settles. I guess the old "consistency of milk" adage comes into play here------that's pretty much what I try to shoot for. Also how far away are you holding the model when spraying? For me, no more than six inches or so is sufficient. Too far away, and the paint is drying almost before it hits the surface, and thus making the orange peel appearance. The type of thinner makes a difference too. Most of the time I'm using acrylic enamels for paint. I've found that acetone (readily attainable in the hardware store) is better at cutting acrylic enamel than lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner cuts it, but I notice inside the jar when the paint is "washing away", there are tiny particles of paint clinging on the inside of the jar. Almost as if the lacquer thinner didn't dissolve those little particles. The acetone cuts right through that completely. Hope this helps!

Hmmm..............I built the convertible Brian years ago and found it one of the easier kits to build. Yours may have had some warp perhaps? The hardtop I've always had some issues with, but that's due more to some proportions that aren't right to me, but you're the first I've heard that's had a real problem with it.

If I didn't know better, I'd say that the toolmakers at Monogram did that car from memory and not from photos or any blueprints in front of them! That's one car BTW, that's begging to be kitted (properly)! We've got just about every other tri-five Chevy, but not a decent '56 210 or Belair hardtop. A modern '57 Nomad would be nice too for good measure! B) I like that! I have to remember that line!

............And thanks for the compliment Jeff!