highway

The reissue of the 1/16th General from about 2010 still was just the stock car kit with the full racing chassis and no "real" interior, just stock front bucket seats, interior door panels, and a very poor attempt of a stock dash. The rear window was corrected as it was in the 1/25th scale Chargers, the Daytona/500 flush window was changed to the coved window.

Though Clayton's idea might be stolen for my custom Ford , this is the way I mounted my fenders on it, just 4 pieces of aluminum tubing and some careful drilling and a little carefully placed gel superglue. And yes, that was done after painting, and the frame is painted with $20 a can Rustoluem Colorshift paint, so you can just imagine how nervous I was taking a drill bit to a $20 paint job! This is before I bit the bullet!

Funny, a couple of TV kits just followed me home yesterday!

These followed me home from a hobby shop within walking distance of the Walmart I was delivering to in Elyria OH yesterday. That's what happens when I finally had both a few extra minutes on the load and a little extra money in my wallet! (rofl) There isn't really much difference between the two with the only differences I have found in a quick glance through so far being a slightly different steering wheel and the season 4 dash has one large TV monitor instead of 2 small ones in the season 1's dash, and a little different front bumper. I was hoping the season 4 had the option for the Super Pursuit Mode but it is another separate kit, this season 4 builds only the "stock" KITT so the SPM KITT is still on my wish list. Of course, depending on the differences, one of these just may take an evil turn and become KARR!

Yeah, it sure did get a workout yesterday! I need to stop pulling new projects off the shelves and get the started ones finished! I seen that build yesterday too before this even came off the shelf, and when I finally noticed this has a sleeper, the RD instantly came to mind! I'm thinking of converting this to a daycab using my AMT R model as a guide, but that is not a certainty yet.

I stumbled across an interesting Alclad color during a trip to the hobby shop (sort of an extended area LHS for me, since it is almost 90 miles away LOL! ) yesterday, it's called Holomatic Spectral Chrome. It looked interesting in the bottle, and first thought was it may make and interesting color for the fuel tanks on this. I happened to glance at a grille for the reefer while getting some stuff cleared off the desk to set up my spray booth and thought I'd see what it would look like on them. The first pic doesn't show the prismatic effect very well, and just a little shows in the second, but this pic is much better at showing the effect. Yes, I decided to paint the roof and floor with it too! The roof and floor aren't finished yet, I have to wait until I go back to the hobby shop again to get more!

As if I don't have enough projects fighting for space on the desk with a personal deadline of September to have the custom Ford, the BRBO "BJ & the Bear" custom, and my 1/16 scale Kenworth done to debut at a show, I start this tonight! I started with the trailer, I had the airbrush out and the spray booth set up, so I glued the tank halves together and spent about an hour removing the center seam, I then primed it with Rustoleum filler primer, then followed with Alclad Black Base. I then sprayed Model Master Metalizer Aluminum plate on for the color. I guess now I'm going to have 4 big rigs to debut!

I agree, but on the other hand they aren't that hard to scratchbuild either. A friend of mine made this from .040 plastic sheet.

It's that time of the month again , IT'S THE MONTHLY UPDATE!! I'm sure as in previous months, this will not be the only one of the month, but it is the first one of July, and just a little was done on the remanding hours of my 4th of July after getting done work. I've only had 2 days off since the middle of June, so time has been short at the bench, but I did manage while at work a couple weeks ago to get some shiny stuff for the truck at the truck stop! How did I get shiny stuff for a model at a truck stop you ask? It just so happens Ryan Mlynek that has Rhino's Custom Model Truck Parts doesn't live all that far from me, and just so happens to live close to a truck stop I would be passing by with enough time to stop, and after a few messages, we arranged to meet up mainly so I could pick up an airbrush he was selling, but to get stacks for my Ford, some light panels for it, and to order stacks custom for this build, and I bought a Meng D9 off him just for good measure! These are Ryan's 10" curved tip stacks with elbows, and I asked him to custom bend the elbows so that they would curve under the cab instead of towards the frame. The mount is the biggest thing I have been working on, but you will have to wait to see what is hiding under the white film! A second air filter was added to the passenger side from the old blue clunker that was so nice to "donate" it, and the battery box was relocated behind it because I wanted the two air cleaners to be directly across from each other. I also mocked up a couple pieces of aluminum tubing for the intake tubes, but these will not be the final height nor will they be these tubes, I have already told Ryan I will be getting the intake stacks from him to match the exhaust. I'm thinking the size is right, and after bends are added, it should lower these 6" long mock up intakes to the height of the end of this ruler if the final height of the intake stacks are 3 3/4".

I'm not sure of the older ones, but the newer IFTA stickers are probably about 2" by 2", and some of the old stickers look similar in size. As you can see, placement is also optional but today's are on both sides, and technically if I remember correctly (you'll have to wait for Dec if you want me to be 100% sure ) but I think the backing on the sticker states the sticker SHOULD be placed on the bottom front of the door windows, but I don't think I have ever seen one in that "correct" location. Also, the new NY HUT (Highway Use Tax) sticker goes on the driver's side of the hood. That is the sticker in front of the hood mirror near the left edge of this pic: The older NY HUT stickers (older meaning since I started driving in 1998) were on the driver's side front bumper, and also until maybe the yearly 2000s, trucks operating in Oregon regardless of the state they were registered in had to have an Oregon plate. Even though this isn't the one I drove way back when, this Werner Classic had been to Oregon, the Nebraska plate is the white one on the bumper and the Oregon is the red one under it. Hope this helps a little Brian, and just in case anyone is wondering why the pics of my Schneider ride look a little strange, I was experimenting with the picture mode of my dash cam, and the cam has a 140 degree field of vision.

You are quite right, even big rigs are going automatic. I have driven trucks for 18 1/2 years, and this is the first time in my career I don't want a new truck. I drive a 2013 now and it is due for trade in and my dispatcher recently told me I'm up for a new truck soon and I flat told him "I don't want it"! The only reason, it will have an automatic. All I have to do is walk out to my car! Yeah, it's an 8 year old 2008 Chevy Cobalt, but it came with manual windows and manual locks.

Greg, if you want to order one, here is a link for the one I bought at walmart.com: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Portable-Hobby-Airbrush-Paint-Spray-Booth-Kit-Exhaust-Filter-LED-Light-Set-Model/44419374 It is supplied and shipped through there by TCP Global Corp, I don't know if that is just a distributor or the manufacturer also, and it is a Master Airbrush brand model # B440DCLK. They also have the same unit without the lighting kit and also another without the exhaust tubing kit. Thanks for the tip Mike, and I was already thinking about overspray issues, though I was more concerned with getting paint on the lights! I was thinking of putting some clear tape over the lights as like a "tear off" like they use in NASCAR for the windshield.

This came in the mail yesterday, my very own Transformer! What does it transform into, you ask? Well, it transforms into this... ...a spray booth for my desk! I got it on Walmart.com, and it comes with the lighting kit and a vent hose kit, and also includes a turntable. It's quite roomy for the compact size, that is the frame for the "BJ & the Bear" custom I'm working on and I also tried it with my 1/16 scale Kenworth. Obviously with the Kenworth, it does have some space limitations and trying to get a 53' trailer into it should be a challenge, but it was affordable and I thought since I am just beginning with an airbrush, it would be a great beginning booth. The lighting will also allow it to double as a photo booth until I get better lighting for my model desk.

This came in the mail yesterday, my very own Transformer! What does it transform into, you ask? Well, it transforms into this... ...a spray booth for my desk! I got it on Walmart.com, and it comes with the lighting kit and a vent hose kit, and also includes a turntable. It's quite roomy for the compact size, that is the frame for the "BJ & the Bear" custom I'm working on and I also tried it with my 1/16 scale Kenworth. Obviously with the Kenworth, it does have some space limitations and trying to get a 53' trailer into it should be a challenge, but it was affordable and I thought since I am just beginning with an airbrush, it would be a great beginning booth. The lighting will also allow it to double as a photo booth until I get better lighting for my model desk.

The Revell snap 359. No big issues if this is the one you are inquiring about, since it is a snap kit even though the reissue doesn't state that on the box. The only real issue that many will agree is the sometimes poor fit of the tires to the rims mainly caused by the way the wheel halves "sandwich" around the inner webbing in the tire to hold everything together. I changed the wheels and tires on mine to Peterbilt Oval Alcoas out of an Italeri 377 A/E, but you could also use a Moebius Big RIg wheel and tire set to replace the ones in the kit. Oh, and please read the second line in my signature.

Very nice, and you can deliver that load of Birds to my driveway!!

Cool! Did you get a chance to see the Pete with the V12 Cat too?

You're welcome Gino. Well, spending a little time after work before it's time for bed on this, and was going to do a little engine work and do a little modification to help the beast breathe easier by adding a second air cleaner and found I have to track down a little snack sized baggy that has the extra pieces for the second engine I used! As of now until I find the other baggy of parts, I'm short at least 2 valve covers and an air inlet to the supercharger. So, a funny thing happened when I came back out of the model room to get on the computer and thinking I have one 71 air inlet and one 92 turbo from the original engine from the kit, plus I have the turbo I could steal from the blue rebuilder I used as an "idea" mock up early on. Thank you Google for warping my mind just a little more than it already is!!! Yes, that is a twin turbo 16V92! Even though that is not my pic, I shared it from a Photobucket Google led me too, I do know the truck is in quite well, I always wanted to take it for a spin when I worked at Werner, and sorry for the bad pic, the day I seen the truck in the museum Werner has at their main terminal in Omaha, most of the lights inside were off! At least I now remember where I originally got the idea for a V16 Detroit build!

The cab on the Allison is the T600, and they used the T600 on MOST of the transporter kits. These are the two exceptions (one I mentioned in an earlier post, just couldn't remember what tractor it actually had) to using the T600. Earlier issue Earnhardt during the Lumina era (this is the one I need to match my cars ) with a Peterbilt 359 tractor: John Force with Kenworth K100 Aerodyne cabover tractor: I also got a laugh out of the Kyle Petty rig, the pic on the box top of the actual rig is an International 9400, and I just find it very funny Monogram tried to make the Kenworth T600 look like an International! My biggest laugh is the "window" stickers for what are actually windows in the sleeper of the real International 9400 (I should know, I've driven a few in my day) that are on nothing but an air fairing the way the T600 kit is done, Also, another interesting side note resulting from all this truck talk, I discovered looking for a pic of the Michael Andretti hauler, Monogram also offered a 1/32nd scale kit of the car for it as well, but forgot to save the pic of that box. I didn't come across any pics, but now I'm wondering if maybe there wasn't an "Oldsmobile" for the John Force hauler as well.

Actually, the square headlights that are in the kit ARE correct for a late 78 and 79 model, the round were early 78 and prior years, and only early 78 with the kit's grille. The grille that Dave (towman1271) has a pic of is a 77 and prior grille.

I forgot about the CART and NHRA offerings, and now that you brought them up and the Aeromax since a lot of Ford teams did use the Ford tractor back in the day, I thought one of the white transporters did have an Aeromax power unit. If I remember correctly, to be correct unless it was when Force was still racing an "Oldsmobile" (in quotes because I've always thought of a funny car as just the car the nose is supposed to represent, not the real car), the power unit for that transporter was probably a Ford too. I never really paid attention to the front of the Allison rig yet, I haven't started mine, but the Earnhardt has the shop also. And yes, Monogram did do the Monte Carlo also, I just found this one with a quick look on eBay. And if you look closely at the box art of my Earnhardt transporter, that issue of it at least was post Lumina, because it has the early slabside Monte Carlo on the decals. That was how I discovered I bought a lot of 4 of the Luminas off eBay and bought the wrong car for the truck!

I just looked at the price of the Super Boss coming next month on Round2's website earlier this morning, and they have it for $39.99. It would seem stupid to pay anything more for either of the upcoming releases, but if you would like, I have a vintage Papa Truck that I'd be more than happy to sell you for 4 or 5 times what it will probably cost when it is supposed to be released in December, eh. Simple answer, all sarcasm aside, they have already lost or will very soon lose their value as a "collectible" kit. It simply is not smart to pay someone $200 for either today when in a short time that will buy 5 reissues for the same price.

I had forgotten MPC had one too.

There were also the race car haulers and cars to go with them. I don't know how many different teams they offered, but I know that I have this newer Earnhardt (they also had an older version with either a Chevy Bison or maybe a Peterbilt 359 cab) and also a Davey Allison transporter and the matching cars in the stash, and still have parts of an old Kyle Petty "Hot Wheels" transporter floating around in the parts boxes, not sure if there were others. One side note, the cars in this one are Luminas, but they also did offer the Monte Carlo as well. I didn't realize until I actually received the kits off of eBay I didn't pay attention that they were the wrong car for the transporter!

And actually, since the Revell 80-86 Ford Bronco most commonly found in the Mach 1 racing boat sets is a 1/25th scale, and AMT made at least 3 separate versions of the 92-96 F150 (longbed, shortbed, and Flareside), a 92-96 Bronco is not completely out of the realm of possibility. A little front clip work and swapping a few interior pieces to both, and one could have O.J.'s Bronco and an 80-86 F150, and just don't forget to swap the taillights too. The taillights were the same shape and size, just the older had four "sections" (for lack of a better term or description) molded into the lens and the newer 87 to 96 lenses were smooth.