highway

Obviously to IPMS there's a difference. I feel it should be like every non IPMS contest I've ever attended, IF IT WASN'T PART OF THE KIT WHEN YOU OPENED IT, IT'S NOT ALLOWED! Well, glue and paint aren't (normally) in the box either, so I guess box stock should be who can pile the parts the prettiest!!! Chrome foil is allowed at most contests because it is a finishing product just like paint would be.

Yeah, but Robert clearly mentioned that it was the Chevy Titan 90 in his first post!

Yep, that's the only place I've found it, too. The last time I was at my local Lowe's, it was $14.97 a can. Whenever Richard finally posts the pics of the Galaxy Blue Ron, I think you'll be on the way to pick up both!! I have used the blue on the same truck that has the frame in green I pictured, over $60 just in the paint for the frame and truck cab!!

Since when did a Titan become a pickup??

Good to hear that the seller would work with you, but since it was resealed, how do you know for sure Minicraft made the mistake?

Just as I said earlier, I could probably do just as well myself!

About the only things I can think of is if the lens of the backup light is supposed to be white, paint it with some white paint. If it is a clear lens where you can see the silver reflector, use some BMF to make it look like the reflector. In both cases, to make it look more like a lens, use some clear epoxy over the paint or BMF to replicate the lens.

That's the ones I REALLY roll on the floor laughing my rear end off at!!! I don't want your built model, and some I've seen I could build better myself! Robert, you also hit on two of my other favorites, the "RARE" and "VINTAGE" kits I can go to the hobby shop and buy for 1/10 the price! I REALLY laugh myself to tears when I see those!! Geez, maybe I can sell my "Rare Vintage" Lindberg Crown Vic Police Cars I bought at Ollie's for $7.99 for $50 a piece!!

James is so right!! After I lost my original collection in a fire in 1997, I started rebuilding by the time I met my fiancee in 2001, I had just about the number of kits you have now, Don. When we moved out of her mom and dad's basement in 2004 and I had more available income to spend on my plastic passion, it exploded!! Here's a few pics of my collection, and it all started with the three shelf bookcase that has the 1/64 scale diecast trucks on top of it! And another more recent pics, after I added the three shelf bookcase with the helicopter sticking out of it, and there are kits stacked 5 high on top it, too! By the way, since that pic was taken, the nice path to my bench has disappeared, it's getting clogged off with even more kits!! Also, before anyone asks, yes, the two cabinets in the hutch as well as the entire bottom of the old TV stand that makes the left hand side of my desk IS filled with kits also!!!

Another thing you need with the Colorshift paint is a black basecoat. As for the Colorshift colors, I'm very pleased with the Galaxy Blue and I also tried the Green, I think the name might be Gamma Green. You should try it when you get the chance, it's a nice color too.

Would the top hat work with AMT wheels with the open centers too?

X2, and make sure the kitty doesn't think they're play toys!!

My fiancee's uncle, who passed away a year ago last Saturday, served in the battle on D-Day. God Bless all who served there.

A fine example, the Nissan Skyline.

Is there an echo in here!?!?!

Oh, you mean this one?? This was issued in 1996 if I remember the copyright on the box correctly, and the Pete 359 transporter was issued in the early 90s, perfect for the two Luminas I have inside the later one with a Monte Carlo on the side!!

We have one close to where I'm at here in West Virginia too, across the river in Ohio. And if you're talking about the 1/200 scale Shuttle w/ Boosters, I'd like to know where you seen them for $45-$55 so I don't EVER shop there!!! I bought mine at a local LHS here for $19.99! Oh and by the way, don't believe the box when it says it has all 6 shuttle names in it, either. Challenger is NOT on the decal sheet!

No, regardless of the fact of making them out of sprue just simply because it's in the box as John said, that would be a direct violation of the rules, as seen in this rule. The way I read the areas I hightlighted in red, to plumb and wire something, even with sprue, I concider MANUFACTURING. I also not seen any wiring or plumbing shown on instruction sheets unless those parts are ALREADY INCLUDED in the kit, such as some of the late 80s/early 90s kits Monogram issued under the "High Performance Series" name or some of the kits that include molded plastic heater hoses or other plumbing such as some of the Monogram NASCAR kits that had plug wires molded to the distributor. As for your opening question Darin, as a judge for the contest the former club I was a member of, I would say taking the small 2mm off the suspension to correct ride height would probably go unnoticed by most judges, just don't mention the modificationon your entry form!

Don't forget Subaru and Kia, too. If I remember correctly, there is a Subaru plant in either Indiana or Illinois and a Kia plant in Georgia. I forget what line it is, but there is a Toyota plant not too far from Charleston right here in wild, wonerful West Virginia!!

Yep, they are nice to come by!! My fiancee is the same way even though I hear from her quite often that she feels like we live in a hobby shop because my "model room" is actually half of our large living room. There's been a few times I'd have a $300 bill in the hobby shop, but as long as she got something green and yellow for her John Deere collection, she was happy!

No Donald, you're not in a rut, it probably happens to everyone here, sometimes you just need a break. I know for sure it happens here, I haven't been at my bench for over a month either, I just haven't felt like it. I'd say go ahead and get what you're looking at from Jiminohio too, you never know but there just might be one that screams "WORK ON ME!!" when you look through the box and next thing you know you'll be back at the bench. That's worked for me in the past, well at least until the modeler's A.D.D. kicks in and I lose interest in that kit!

I like the fact you kept to the original builder's idea! You saved that nicely.

Bruce, I know you are still trying to find that "just right" look, but I'd like to offer a few (hopefully ) helpful suggestions. First, is there a way to lower the cab down on the frame a little more? I know you need to keep the body line straight between the cab and bed, but in my opinion I think if you could lower both to just around where the two posts on the bed widen from the round part, then use some tubing the same size as what is left to fill the rest of the gap, it would still have the look you're working for. Second, I think the one ton wheels would just be to small, the normal Top Kick has either 19.5 inch or 22.5 inch wheels. If you have any 1/32 scale big rigs you could sacrifice for the wheels, I think those would be better. If you can find them somewhere, there are 1/32 scale diecast trucks from a company called New Ray that have nice wheels and tires, and I've seen them at some places for less than $10. Even though it not the best pic, this is the closest pic I have of a New Ray truck and the wheels. I'm not sure, but I may even have an extra set, but I'm not 100% sure. I'll check for you if you're interested. Keep up the good work, this is getting very interesting!