Aaronw

I don't have much option locally, it was regular or heavy duty Reynolds wrap, I picked regular. I'm sure a thinner brand would be easier to use, but that will have to wait until the next time I get to a bigger town. It actually worked pretty well, it was more the feel of burnishing it that was off.

I recently tried the Mona Lisa and Reynolds wrap. A little harder to use, probably just a matter of adjusting my technique but it turned out well. $6 for 25 ft isn't a bad deal.

Model King reissued an AMT(?) Ford F350 4x4 kit a couple years ago. I don't recall the exact year but it '77 or later. It's getting harder to find but I still see them on ebay fairly often. For the '99- Ford you will have to look at diecast. Matchbox and Maisto did a '99 F350, Testor's issued the Maisto truck as a diecast kit.

Well there you go, thats why I like this place I can always learn something new. Not the most tactful way of saying it, but yeah the "fart can" fits my impression of what makes a tuner. I guess I've been a little narrow minded. Thats kind of what I meant about Tuners being more refined. I see tuners as using the "work smarter, not harder" method, while musclecars are more of the "get a bigger hammer" school of problem solving. Both get the job done in different ways.

I wish there was a reliable way to get one of those other than at a show. I would have some fun turning that into an old CHP cop car. CHP seemed to love Oldmobiles until the 70s.

I don't even know what those are, so... However I would consider the small BMWs (2002, 325 etc), Mercedes (230) etc as tuners if done in that style. I would definately include some of the newer small US built cars, Cobalt, Neon etc in the Tuner category, so I realize they are not all Japanese. However as I said above I am hardly a source of knowledge on the subject, this is just my barely informed opinion.

The one with Burt Reynolds in the background does at least have a more distinct nose with a passing resemblance of TA of Smokey & the Bandit fame, I would have rated it third, but I like the first so much better than the others I didn't bother to go past the second. Most of these are too obviously just Camaros with some minor cosmetic changes for my taste. I like the Camaro concept in you second post much better than what they ended up doing. While the one I like is similar it would still retain a very distinct look seperate from the Camaro. At least on the early cars they did share a lot of sheet metal, the grill is where the main recognition points are for me. Plus I happen to like the first 2 generations of Firebird and Camaro the best, so going retro to those body styles gets more points from me.

This is by far the best, it actually looks like a classic Firebird / Trans Am and is a far better attempt at a retro design than the Camaro. This would be distant #2, because it at least looks like the 80's style Firebird. All the rest are just dressed up new Camaros.

I can only speak for my impressions, and I admittedly don't know that much. Cars in my real life are nothing more than basic transportation and 4x4s are the only "performance" vehicles I can actually claim any personal knowledge of (proud owner of an FJ55 "Iron Pig"). I consider Tuners to be performance enhanced compact cars, typically Japanese but not exclusively. I personally would not consider a muscle car or Pony car a Tuner even if it had the same common modifications, it would just be a modified Muscle or Pony car. That's just me though and one of the reasons I asked the origianl question.

Well there is the base motor too, but the SVO used the 2.3 liter as well so that is not exactly a bad thing and the Pinto never offered a 302 V8 . I think a lot has to do with the time, you know looking back at a Mustang only putting out 139 hp with a V8 look bad, until you realize the Corvette of the time only had 165 hp standard and 200 hp optional. The mid 70's was not the best time for music or cars and the Mustang 2 didn't get the high power motors of the early 70's like the Corvette and Camero, or the less emmision choked and turbo charged 80's like the next serious of Mustang. I originally picked up a Mustang II kit kind of as a joke. I don't have the fanatical love for the car you obviously do, but as I learned a bit about it I've realized its rather poor image is not really deserved. Obviously yours shows with some aftermarket work even the 70's can be overcome.

That would make things easier. I've never bought from R&D, can anyone comment on their quality?

I can't believe I left the Grand National and GNX as etc. Those very much fit in with the SVO, unlike some of the cars I have an easier time accepting as pre-tuners (Probe, Charger). I guess I see Tuners as more refined (for lack of a better word) while the SVO, and Grand National seem to have more of the in your face brute force attitude I associate with muscle cars even if the technology is basically the same. I just have a hard time using Tuner and Mustang in the same sentence. I never would have thought Mustang II fans would look down on any version of the Mustang, I figured you guys were a pretty accepting group. Actually in fairness I have learned most of the derision the II suffers was generated more recently. People have forgotten how little there was to work with the mid 70's. You know an SVO engine in a Cobra II would make a rather interesting sleeper.

I always re-assemble the frame against a straight edge. It isn't foolproof but it does make measurement errors more noticable while there is still time to fix them.

What I don't get is he owns the rights to the Johan kits. Why doesn't he just work a deal with one of the many reputable resin casters and offer real resin re-pops of the Johan kits. This just seems like a no brainer but instead I keep hearing stories about Okey skulking around shows selling indescriminate resin stuff. I'm actually surprised no enterprising resin caster hasn't started popping copies of Johan kits on their own, the prices some of the kits get on ebay go for would make all but Modelhaus quality resin cheaper.

I knew the conversion being that easy had to be too good to be true. The info that I found made me think the CS was just kind of a Shelby without the performance. So to do the conversion right, I basically need 3 kits, a '68 GT500, a non-Shelby '67 or '68 and a hardtop from a '65-68 and a whole lot of work. Well unfortunately that pretty much makes it a someday project, at least for now. While I was looking around for info last night I ran across the current California Special ('07, '08, '09) and it appears that would be able to be done with either the current GT or GT350H kits and decals. Is that right or have I just opened another can of worms. There was a Grabber Orange one that looked rather nice.

I got to thinking last night, typically most high performance cars from the Big 3 fall into the Muscle car or Pony car category (I said most, obviously the Viper and Corvette are exceptions being sports cars). Where would the turbocharged cars of the 80's / 90's fit in? I'm thinking Mustang SVO, Taurus SHO, Probe, Dodge Shelby Charger etc. Being 4 and 6 cylinder cars they don't really fit in with the V-8 powered Muscle / Pony cars, and don't really fit my image of Tuners (well maybe the Probe does) and are not really sports cars since they can actually get people in the back seat (have a back seat).

I spent a little time researching this last night. Am I correct that a conversion from the GT500 kit to a California Special would essentially consist of some badging / script changes, striping changes and a 289, 302 or 390 motor in place of the 428?

I do pretty much as described by the others but have found off setting the cuts provides a stronger joint. When possible I will try to cut one side 1-2" off from the other side, that puts the weak point at differant spots and reduces the tendancy for the frame to want to break in half.

If you mean the green monster truck, no I didn't get any of it. I didn't get to wild taking pics this year.

A few more Old guys playing Checkers by old Chevy truck Large scale car (1/18?) Another large scale car For Ed, some old gas pumps with cars and our thread starter since he seems to be too modest to post his own stuff. Brian took over most of the end of this table.

Here are a few that caught my attention 70's Ford F700 60's GMC B model 1960 Chevy ramp truck A pair of service trucks Generator truck Mobile DJ Hippy van

I know what you mean, but I figure I'll keep trying until the end.

I don't think so, I know if you get into resin there are 50s and early 60s Suburbans and panel trucks, and at least one 82 Suburban, but I think there is a hole for the '67-72 and '73 to 80 body styles.

Thanks for the ideas, this is something I've had the idea of doing for awhile, but am just finally getting beyond the idea and more to a planning stage.

The cab should be the same whether a 4400 or a 7400, its the undercarriage, springs and such that make the difference. We have several 7400s at work and the DG looks more accurate compared to the figure. I'm 6'3 and I can't see into the cab standing on the ground. It's too bad because the Jada one looks like it is better detailed.