Exotics_Builder

You HAVE to keep this one going! The concept is stunning. Are those the wheels you plan to use? If you're looking for something different, I'd would consider contributing something out of my wheel stash. Even though I just retired, I just missed out on submitting the 41 Chevy P/U for Gearz contest. So I know that feeling. Same thing last year with the 66 El Camino which I just finished in early January. Please carry on with it!!!

Gosh. I meant guitar string, not piano wire. Had pianos on the brain since they were talking about the costs of fiing the church's piano (for some reason the choir director sees a need for both a piano and an organ) If you want some photos of guitar string I can do that.

Look for piano wire in the right diameter and then paint. Certain piano wire has that ribbing. Ribbed piano wire can also be used for electrnic harnesses in modern cars like the Ferrari California, etc. I need to check on Pro-Tech braided fuel line to see how close it is. Will get back on that one.

I've resorted to white glue and Tamiya tape (rice paper). But I understand your dilemma

You are certainly very knowledgeable as evidenced by your replies in other posts. Regardless of the reason, the Revell plastic is quite "soft". Just look at how easily it can be sanded. But, I think your assessment of heavy coating technique is likely the culprit. I admit that I prefer Plastikote and Tamiya primers over duplicolor and have yet to have any problems with them on newer Revell plastic. Have you considered misting two light coats before a heavy coat just as you would base color? That would get some coverage before the heavy coat. Otherwise, as previously mentioned, BIN or Future first may give you the results. I have only used Duplicolor primer on a couple of Fujimi kits. My technique on all primers is a couple of light coats followed by a heavier coat.

It depends on the model and how visibile the finished dash is. I will always do something like bare metal foil, instrument work and perhaps some PE. But, I usually concentrate detail in the most visible areas.

I just did the 41 Chevy truck grill with Allclad using the black base and their aqueous clear. The black base is a lttle too dark in my opinion and I would likely try blue or dark grey on my next attempt.

I've used insect mounting pins, stretched sprue or stainless tube. Here's one with insect mounting pin.

Already announced. Promo only. No engine.

I'd go with the Tamiya. The only kit not yet mentioned is the Protar and it has a mult-piece body.

A few days back I got my order from Kris. Prompt service and great quality.

Nope, no flooding. Rain guage showed about 5 inches since Monday. Sump pump was in overtime, but the backup pump never kicked in. The wetlands down the street used as a detention pond is a pond.

I agree for final primer coat. Gives some "tooth" for the color coat. I wouldn't go finer than 3200 grit.

To be concise: The manufacturers are not as friendly as they were in the halcyon days. This meant the auto, tire, related industry. It also includes some racing teams which apparently want big dollars to license their car. One noted exception brought up at the 2011 IHOBBY was Steve Kinser being very supportive. Gerry

Yes it was at Continental Motorsports. It is an annual event, held recently in mid-March. There are a couple of sources, one being Central States Region Ferrari Club, Continental's own site on events and a message board more oriented to foreign/exotics. Gerry

Try McLaren F1 LM. And real.

I know YOU meant it that way. But your post #203 does make the point on age and taste. At the 2011 IHOBBY Expo (Revell and Round 2) and the recent Ferrari Expo (Revell only), the following points stick in my mind: 50,000 units sold to BREAK EVEN (that includes variations). There are less R&D dollars today than even five years ago and the review/approval process more complex. The manufacturers are not as friendly as they were in the halcyon days. Die casts do dig into the market, particularly for more current kits. This may change as the costs of the metals for die cast is getting pricier than the cost of styrene. Promo type/snap kits are very popular and a way to hopefully introduce new modelers (and if you look at Aoshima/Fujimi, a lot of their models are curbside. Licensing continues to be more and more of a big deal. The manufacturers cannot afford too many “flops” They do a large and varied amount of market analysis through surveys, attending events, trolling message boards, interacting with distributors, etc. The big-box stores were a mixed blessing. Yes, you could get large orders but at a bigger discount and what they wanted you to produce. As a business person I can understand a lot of the above. I just retired last week, but during my career, reviewing projects and benefits and going through the trap line to get go-ahead sometimes took months. And I am not just talking multi-million dollar projects. And please don’t get into the MBA thing. I have an MBA as well, but, in my experiences, there are a lot of morons that also carry that title. But, if you are betting a company on investments, as new models would be, there is a lot of sweat and agony going on. As a modeler, I think that STINKS, especially when some of the models I would like to see don’t appear. But, at least some group of modelers gets to enjoy new issues. I keep hearing raves about the 50 Oldsmobile and 57 Fords and that they are selling quite well. That’s great for that group. I hope the next set of releases will have something more for me.

I would ask that you consider dropping this AARP designation as a way of assigning tastes. I happen to be in the AARP range and like newer and some older cars. FOr example, I haven't bought the 50 Olds or 57 Ford. I like some of the older cars whereas some don't float my boat at all.

That’s just one of the speculations floating out there. Here’s a couple more: Stay tuned I’d say. Although the scuttlebutt is that the retro look is out and both Chevy and Ford will update their Pony Cars to more modern looks. I can’t believe they won’t leave in some nostalgia clues to celebrate the heritage.

Don't consider that if your using synthetic lacquer paints like Testor's. It will rub some of the paint off.

I have yet to try it, but I was thinking of heat shrink tubing. There are several colors available or you could paint it.

I don't disagree with you. I brought this up to Revell the last time I met them. I suggested models such as newer BMW sedans, new Impala SS, modern pickup trucks (especially HD types), Cadillac CTS-V (including wagon and Crossover), modern SUV/COV's. They won't NOT consider them, but only have so much R&D and tooling dollars in any year. And there is that 50,000 kits to sell to break even. The die cast market and actual buyer demographics contribute to final decisions. Along with those of us who favor selected genres. A lot of people were stroked by the recent 50 Olds and 57 Ford. None of those two "float my boat" and I passed on them. I still feel good about the fact that a segment of the market had a need fulfilled with quality product. Meanwhile, I'm still hoping for 1/24-5 Ferrari FF, modern BMW M5, Modern BMW M3, Porsche Cayenne, Maserati Quatroporte, etc. And I also build older cars, as well. Revell is only around 11 miles from my home. Almost in the back yard. At the recent Ferrari Expo held in Hinsdale Illinois there was a bunch of modern model cars, some racing and some street (mainly Ferraris). A Revell leader was there and I and a couple of others brought up, in our opinion, the "crying need" for these types of cars, even if some of them are curbside. Fujimi and Aoshima do a large majority of their 1/24 scale models as curbside, or semi-curside (engine inserts). Here is what I did to a curbside Fujimi M5 about 20 years ago: A lot modern engines are hidden by those ubiquitous plastic covers to hide all the electronics. Admitedly, I like detailing, but am currently building a Fujimi Fiat Abart 695 Ferrari Tributo. Converting it to US spec and detailing the interior is still a lot of fun. I just suggest we continue to let our voices be heard and hope that some of the newer models we would like to see come to fruition. Don't lose faith!

In general I like it. I, personally, would prefer a 5 –star wheel more the BBS-like wheels. I owned a 68 and 70 ½ Z/28 and enjoyed them immensely. Some points on this car were interesting though compared to those two model years: It is a small block, but an LS-7 (427 cubic inch approx.) which would have been a big block COPO in the day instead of 302 ci that came on the 68 and 350 on the 70. Air conditioning optional. The 68 and 70 could not have AC at all because of solid-lifter engines. It wasn’t until 71-72 that the old LT-1 solid lifter was sold with AC and that was rare. Carbon Ceramic brakes. Anybody see a Ferrari, Lambo or other exotic jacked for the wheels and brakes? Manual transmission only. The 68 could have an M21 or M22 4-spedd tranny only. The 70 had an option of a turbo-hydro. I guess we’ll wait and see what the model manufacturers will do. Brent Barrow made a good point about market for newer cars. But I think we will see a mixture of old and new. But there are a lot of newer cars that likely will never show up in plastic simply because not enough market or variant.

The annual event has come and gone. I had to leave about 1:45 PM, so I don’t know the winners of the contest. The GTR club had two tables at the swap meet. Tom Tanner had the contest going. It is a small focused contest, but quality of entries is high. I was working an entry, but I am only 90% complete, so no go. I did sell a few models at the swap meet. Here are some photos of the contest and the link to the album, including the 1:1 cars that were “sitting” around. http://s150.photobucket.com/user/exotics_builder/library/2013%20Ferrari%20Expo%20Contest%20and%20Swap%20Meet

October 3-6. October 3-4 is supposedly the trade only days and the 5-6 is for the public. Don't know yet if a Make-and-Take will happen. Will be at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center which is located on Meacham Road a little south of Algonquin Road. It is about a mile north of Woodfield Shopping Center. WIll post more info once the club learns more.