Exotics_Builder

They all have pluses and minuses. The old IMC (Testor and Union variants as well) are not bad, but require a good bit of fitment as everything opens. They are 1/25 scale. The LeMans Miniatures is 1/24 and also everything opens. It requires lots of fitment, and is resin. That kit is lower right in attached picture. Less finicky are the Fujimi kits, even with the HRM transkit. And yes, there also is a HRM Daytona Coupe and Cheetah there as well.

It varies. I use a headset magnifier with LED lights for very detail work. For general work, I use over the counter reader glasses in 3.0 magnification to do general detail. Just don't look up when wearing these things and look at anything a few feet away

How about pins with coated heads?

Agree with the quality, but HD is a Chinese company that does aftermarket for a lot of the Japanese kits as well as some Revell of Germany. They also have a lot of aftermarket resin including wheel sets.

Are you suggesting this as an option to trying find the MPC Mark IV? Otherwise, why not try to find the MPC Mark IV?

That is the Fujimi 1/24 scale plastic kit.

Wallet is safe on this announcement!

Getting closer. Here are most of major parts/subassemblies: Here is a better idea of the woody concept on this early 60's bus Conceptually, this is reminiscent of the 60’s wagons where the wood siding was an applique. I am attempting to recreate that here. Also, since this is applied to the body, I made allowances for gas filler and side vents. Since the doors create an asymmetric design, the wood effect reflects this. For the interior, I went with a tan naugahyde theme in keeping with older woody interiors. Since this is a mid-60’s theme, I placed a record player and some photo-reduced album covers as part of the interior layout. Even the roof area of the van gets some wood trim and I am working on how to get the surfboards and carrier mounted with clearance for the sliding canvas roof part. I have a week and a half to get this done. It will be tight.

In the basement stash I still have the Coyote and Mark IV: As stated earlier, the Coyote was non-prototypically based on the Mark IV chassis and engine and perhaps other parts: Here is a shot of the Coyote body top:

I have both the Coyote and Mark IV downstairs, and Ace hit it on the head. The Mark IV was first and it seems they used that as the basis for the Coyote rather than do a prototypically correct version.

I have until January 10 to finish this for the CARS in Miniature Club Banquet theme. Wish me luck! The idea is to do a mid-60's style VW bus as a Woody, but with applique as station wagons of that era were done. Had a little extra bleed through on the chrome strip separating the white from the orange, but BMF will take care of that. Needs a little touch up and then clear coating. Just a hint of what is going on:

That is not all the tire collection, but about a third. Kit count is only about 450, if you exclude the HO train stuff still in the moving boxes.

It seems that these topics generate a range of opinions across the board and never get to a real conclusion because those that generated the price do not post their reasoning for it. For us, there is something called marginal utility. Rather than go through the economic theories, the gist is that there is a price point where the value of the object is not worth the price. And, that price point may be different for each of us and at different points in time. For the example stated in this thread, the value may not be worth the $15 price usually, but could be if one were trying to cobble together a contest entry of a drag car that requires this wheel set. Notice, I said could be. I don’t know if it still holds true, people like Art or Dave could confirm, but the suggested retail price used to be about twice what the manufacturer sold to the distributor (with no allowances for additional discounts). Thus, a $20 kit at the local LHS would get the manufacturer $10 (gross not net). Various cost components of making a kit (or parts pack) have already been stated, so I won’t belabor them. One thing both Revell and Round2 indicated to me in interviews, though, is that they cannot just run a partial or specific tree through the molds. This goes for producing a parts pack or any kit variation. Molds usually carry multiple parts trees. If you look at the big block Chevy engine Revell offers in many kits, they don’t have a specific mold for it. They have the design and they move it into another mold pattern for another kit. They may also need to modify the design for the engine bay, mounts, accessories, et al. I’m positing the tires are mass produced separately and just need to be packaged. Getting to a comment that we car modelers in general are cheap, I have heard that from multiple sources. Even a few local LHS’ that have recently closed felt that. I was cited many cases where modelers would come in and window shop (even looking at kit contents) and then go for it at Hobby Lobby, Michael’s or online. The LHS’ said they couldn’t survive on just selling paints or tools and couldn’t match discounting. So, the inevitable happens. We all want a fair price, good deal and quality for our money. So I can understand why that seems a tough price to pay. But, I suspect for pricing, the manufacturers looked at their potential market; the cost to produce, package and market; and the projected sale loss of a donor kit with the parts. Personally, I have amassed a stash of different wheels and decide their value before I put my money Down (sample below).

Hello John, since you show your are in Bothell, have you yet connected with the Puget Sound Auto Modelers Association yet?

Good start!

The album: http://s150.photobucket.com/user/exotics_builder/library/2014-11-23%20MCACN

TDR's cross-ram FI is for a BBC, see their pic: The original issue AMT 70 Monte Carlo had a BBC cross ram weber if I remember correctly. I still think I have one in the parts stash (not trading). I used one in the late 90's on a 33 Ford street rod:

Still editing the 300 plus pix. Posting later today, I hope. Saw some of the D.A.A.M. folks at Des Plaines Hobbies.

I was told at IHOBBY that Greenlight was going to be bringing back the GMP brand through their distribution. They had GMP products at their booth.

Looking good so far. If you need more views, I have a few shots in this album, start around page 8: http://s150.photobucket.com/user/exotics_builder/library/2013-08-10%20Weekend%20Car%20Show%20Pix High-res on my hard drive if needed.

Have some commitments tomorrow so I plan to go Sunday and camera is charged (along with an extra battery).

The closest to Rosemont is Des Plaines Hobbies, a few miles north at Oakton and Lee Streets. Although train focused, they have a large assortment of plastic, paints and some detail items. There's Ron's Mundelein Hobbies quite a bit farther north that has train and plastics and paints, etc. Haven't been to them for about a year, so don't have current knowledge. I have yet to stop at this one, but a lot of people like Forever Timeless Hobby Shop several miles to the east of Rosemont in Chicago. A much farther run would be to Model Empire outside of Milwaukee in West Allis, but is easily 80 miles away.

Very nice. The additional detailing time was well worth the effort.

Since I have 5 of the original issues sitting in the basement "store", I wasn't of a mind to get in line to buy more. I got 4 of mine when a hobby shop was closing and he had big markdowns on scads of kits.

In the Ron Pratte collection along with a Superliner. Being sold at January 2015 Barrett-Jackson Auction along with other stuff in Pratte's collection.