johnbuzzed

If there was an opportunity to "measure the heck" out of an actual car, how did the dimensions go bad in the first place? Sounds like the Rat Roaster having the incorrect front axle- wasn't that examined that live and in-person, too? Either way, I will be getting one of the 5.0 drag kits, because I want to build one. But I can still question the principles behind the errors.

Not in my urban areas- I don't remember my sources, but I remember reading that the car was smaller that "normal".

When I set up a long-term-project model for a contest, I make sure that it can be seen from as many angles as possible- usually on a platform made of clear acrylic, elevated by four 1" standoffs, above a mirror. Lately I have made use of a Scale Motorsports display stand. Not inexpensive, but worth every penny. I put my entry as close to the front of the table as possible, which is not always easy, and I'll have data sheets with the model- what it's based on, any added details, scratchbuilt or fabricated stuff, etc. If I don't want the judges to touch a particular model, I will indicate that on the registration form that accompanies the model. That usually works, but not on Staten Island. In those few instances where I have a hinged, moveable part, I'll be sure to change it's position as the contest progresses. Sometimes I'll bring a model that was never intended to be a contest model for various reasons; usually, I won't mind too much if a judge picks up one of them, especially if it's not displayed in an advantageous manner. I'm not saying that I like my models to be picked up but I understand the need to do so. When I do judge, unless the builder has specified differently, I will pick up the model- especially if it is not displayed so that it can be seen. There are all kinds of things that can be hidden in plain sight on that chassis such as missing or loose components, missing paint (i.e., bare plastic), mold marks, tool marks and seams that don't belong there. On more than one occasion, I wanted to pick up a model for a better view- the visible stuff looked good enough to want to see the rest- only to find the body not secured to the chassis. Mind you, these were not funny cars or anything else with a lift-off body. If you're gonna use a stand, keep it basic and simple and make sure that as thew much of the model can be seen as possible. You don't want to detract from the model- the least amount of glitz and bling, the better. Too much might cause one to wonder if you're trying to camouflage something. A turntable is a good idea- as long as you can see the chassis- because the judges would be able to see just about the whole model. Get to the contest early so that your entry can be close to the front of the table- there's nothing worse (well, I exaggerate...) than having to crane and stretch to see what's wayyyyy in the back, especially when it's flat on the table with a "no touch" sign next to it.

Honestly, I've never checked out the entire site. Obviously I am "missing" things, but if I have no interest in certain categories or topics- those that I am "missing"- why go there? I don't arbitrarily buy random magazines just because they are on the rack. I can understand the specific category for large scale models, but along those same lines, I wonder why there is not a category for the smaller scales such as 1/32, 1/43, 1/87, etc.

Looks like a 250 GTO, but I'm not an expert...

If one has the $$$ and the desire to possess, so be it. As I've said in a previous post in a similar thread, I might buy some crazy expen$ive $tuff if I were to hit Lotto.

How about Smokey Yunicks #13 '66 Chevelle that was actually about 7/8 full size. Sorry, I have no picture.

There was a time when the engines used in Cup cars had to be production engines. I think at least 1,000 production cars had to be equipped with the engine if the manufacturer wanted to use it on the track (e.g.,the Boss 429), I believe the term is "homologated". Today, the manufacturers use engines developed specifically for racing. And, there was a time when a certain manufacturer cried because another manufacturer dominated the Cup series with their engine and/or aerodynamics, so NASCAR decided to change the rules in favor of the whiny manufacturer (hey, the NHRA did the same, in that same era), instead of telling the whiner to try harder to be better (isn't that what sports and competition are about?) Since then, that same whiny manufacturer has taken the NASCAR Manufacturer of the Year award at least 10 times (that I'm aware of) in the past 12 years alone, with an engine that has never seen the production line in some of those years. Go figure. If it were up to me, the car would have to be a production car- not a two-door that has never been offered to the public with a production engine driving the wheels that are driven on the production vehicle. You know, the way Bill France intended (I would like to have seen the current Hemi on the track). Then, maybe the races might be more exciting and there would be a lot more R&D by the teams and the manufacturers. And Funny Cars would run engines with the same pedigree as their bodies- a Ford in a Ford, Chevy in a Chevy, etc. "That's just my $.02".

And there was a time when it was said that "ain't isn't in the dictionary". Today it is (including merriamwebster.com), and it is described as an "informal" word in oxforddictionaries.com. As I said: our language changes constantly. You ain't gotta use the word if you don't wanna .

One could equate the word "build" with the word "physique". It is a noun, and whether that noun is used descriptively or not doesn't mean anything. For example : "rat rod".

"Run" is a verb, but it can be used as a noun, too- like, a "5K fun run". "That was a good run". "How did it run during that run?" There are many nouns that can be used as verbs and vice-versa and that changes constantly, as our language does- it has a dynamic characteristic. One has to remember that all words are "made up"- someone at some point in time, came up with phonetics to describe or refer to something. The first one might well have been "Aaaagghhh", or something like that, when Og the caveman was hungry.

There are a lot of genuine, legitimate medications, OTC and Rx, available that are masks- not everything can be cured, repaired or healed.

Saturday, definitely.

In the past I have bought kits as a result of the box art, but not specifically for the box art. The first issues of AMT's 55 Nomad and Revell's 55 BelAir are two standouts; I know there were others but who can remember everything from all those years ago?

That's outlandish and outrageous- really freakin' neat! That has to look great up close and in person.

Exactamundo! I know that I'm not alone in realizing that a lot of model car builders are... "aging", some gracefully, some not so gracefully. Nostalgia sets in. Many of us would like to have the ability to recall our young memories in plastic - what our parents, relatives, neighbors, etc. drove. Nobody I knew had anything with a Hemi.

That's just a little too fictitious... I don't know the actual cost for the Hemi option in any Chrysler car thru it's availability but if total cost of the car was the deciding factor, I would bet my right *** that most people went for the lesser engine. If money wasn't a factor and one didn't mind dealing with the Hemi's tuning idiosyncracies, then the Hemi was probably the option of choice. There were so many engine options available compared to today (one of two Hemis or a V6 in a Charger or Challenger, if I remember correctly) and current Hemis do yield much better mileage than did the earlier engines; you gotta wonder how hard the wallet hit was with each fillup even back then when gas cost less than a buck a gallon- figure things out for inflation and see what it might cost today.

If you're looking for Mopar engine variety, check out what Ross Gibson has to offer in his line of resin engines. There aren't many missing there.

That's really nice; really captures the spirit of the era. But it's almost too clean...

Thanks, Mike. I do believe we'll be there.

Very cool- even more so when you're working in 1/87!

OK, so Revell is trying something old and something new. We'll see how this plays out. But be honest- how many of you haven't built any kind of snap kit just to do something different? You know, just to get something built and on the shelves. Sometimes, building each model to be better than the previous model gets to be tedious. Not every model must be contest-worthy. Or, if you're so inclined, I've seen more than a few snap-kits turned into nice (and successful) curbside/slammer contest entries.

Well, I have a lot of that fancy stuff in my parts box, so I think I'll build a replica of that replica...not

Smooth, clean and shiny. Really, really nice build and photography. Makes me want to build something box-stock again.

Yep, and I would imagine that a majority of NASCAR fans are not car modelers; ergo, die-casts would be the way to go. I have three (one autographed) and my sons have one each (they were freebees at the Hall of Fame- a long story). The finish on the die casts does leave a lot to be desired. I do have the Bill Elliot Intrepid kit; it seems a little heavy-handed and doesn't have a Dodge engine. It will be built most likely with the correct Ross Gibson engine. And I have an old Monogram Pontiac kit that will be built as a "what if", as well as a ... Revell(?) Chevy pickup, which will also be a "what if" build- both strictly for fun. The last contest I went to saw a lot of NASCAR built-ups on the tables and a lot of kits on the vendor tables, but not a lot of buying activity at those tables- and this is in the heart of NASCAR country. And if I remember correctly, the only real aftermarket vendor (that I remember) was dealing strictly NASCAR items. It's amazing how greed can ruin things.