GTMust

Looks like some interesting stuff coming our way. The Doc's gonna like it for sure....... right Doc?

I don't think I'll ever do a complete scratchbuild like you do........... But I've certainly picked up some excellent tips and ideas as you've progressed with this build. Thanks for showing us. Tony

If it were me, I'd lose the single storey building on the far left and keep all the rest (if the street is long enough!). I really like "Sleazy Street".

Great start.... Looking forward to seeing the progress.

I agree with the Doc. Put it aside until you feel the challenge again. To good so far to junk it... and you never know when re-inspiration will hit. Personally, I think you captured the Stude look pretty well. Tony

I'm going to be watching Nick....... It's a great kit........ and I can't wait to see what you do with it. I know you'll do it proud! Tony

Skip.... I'm no expert, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.... but I was under the impression that "British Racing Green" was a generic term used during the early days to denote British racing cars. The actual green might vary between different manufacturers, (ie Lotus, BRM, Vanwall, etc. in the sixties) and even between the same manufacturer in different eras. So there is no actual "British Racing Green". Other countries had their own "National" racing colors. Tony

John........ You've only just started and already you're blowing my mind........! Making mine look like a kid's toy! Thanks for posting this. Tony

Hey Mike.... I love that wide bodied roadster. That's the way Pontiac should have built it! Maybe they would if they built it in 2012? But with a small blown V8.

I too built this OOB from the original Airfix kit back in the '70's. Having followed your previous incredible builds, I can't wait to see what you do with this one. Tony.

Excellent work and very informative. Love what your doing... and showing us. I may be weird, and way out to lunch... but why does the last 3/4 side view of the red car remind me of Daffy Duck? Maybe its the long "beak" (hood) and the high "forehead" (windshield)? Stare at it for a while and you might see what I mean.... No offense intended....... Tony

My '99 is a V6, completely stock. For a daily driver it's got more than enough power.... unless the thrill of burning the tread off your back tires appeals! Advantages....... lower insurance rates and better gas mileage. Disadvantages........ no bragging rights! But to a lot of my (non car guy) friends it's "Wow, love your Mustang!" Tony

Can't wait to see what you do with it........ Tony

HO scale?

Beautiful work.... as always. It really looks........... Christmasy! Tony

Paint storage takes up a lot of shelf........ or workbench space. Here's an idea that I use that may work for you. I found a discarded computer desk beside the road, which had a hanging, sliding shelf under the worktop. A couple of screws held it in place. I removed it and screwed it under my side table in the hobby room. It could be screwed under your workbench, but you'd have to move your chair back to use it. When not in use: and when I need to get at my paints or other accessories, it's right beside me........ Best of all.... it was free!!!!

Thanks Stephen.... glad you enjoyed it. It wasn't until I posted it, that I realized I'd almost written a short story! Tony

Back in the '60's and 70's, when I was racing my Mini Cooper 'S' at Mosport near Toronto, the same races were dominated by Camaros and Mustangs, thundering past me at speeds that made my doors shake! But in local club racing, these were not the highly sophisticated GT350R's but regular fastbacks and coupes that had been highly modified and transformed by local owner/drivers, not for monetary rewards.... but just for the sheer thrill of competing with others on an actual 2.5 mile race track. Safety requirements were horrendously low compared to today's. Basically, anyone with a driver's licence could get a National Competion Licence, by completing three (or five... I can't remember) races as a "novice", while being watched and assessed by a panel of judges. Assuming you didn't do anything ridiculously stupid, you got your competition licence and could then compete with the "big boys" (even in TransAm and the other highly spectated series of the day)....... if you had the money to do it. Inspection before a race included a check of your tires, pedal pressure of your brakes, sloppiness in you steering, no broken glass but clipped in placed around the edges, headlights either removed or taped, a simple one hoop roll bar and three point safety harness! Drivers were required to wear Nomex underwear and socks, a fireproof driving suit and a Dot standards helmet. If you wanted to add a fire extinguisher or anything else that you thought might help you in a crash... that was up to you! Most of us just met minimum standards!!!! (It's been a while so if I forgot to mention anything, let me know.) The limited budget guys, who sunk all their weekly paycheck and spare moments into the sport, were usually driving underfunded, slower cars.... but we still had fun competing with each other in our respective classes. "Sedan" racing was divided into groups by engine displacement: Group A for sedans over 2litres (not too many competitive models with slightly over 2000 cc engines were built back then so the class was dominated by Detroit steel with V8 engines.... although I do remember one hardy soul who tried to compete with a 4door Rambler with an in-line six!) Group B for sedans between 1600 cc and 2000 cc Group C for sedans between 1000 cc and 1599 cc Group D for sedans up to 999 cc ( My little mini Cooper S with it's 970cc engine was in this group) You can imagine the speed differential between us and the 5litre Mustangs and Camaros! At a typical club race weekend, even with a Can Am, Trans Am or Formula 1 main feature, we really low budget local boys would show up for the supporting races with our cars on a single axle open trailer, or trailing our cars behind us on a rigid tow bar, but most of the Group A cars were better prepared, some with sponsorship from local dealerships and service stations. Mustangs and Camaros were interesting, in that they could be entered in Group A/Sedan racing...... due to the fact that they had four seats..... or Sports Car Production Racing which was more highly competitive with the likes of Ferraris, etc. Enough of the pre-amble.. hopefully I've set the scene for the background for this build. This model originated from an original Monogram Shelby GT350 kit that I built back in the 80's. Not satisfied with it as a basic street car, I pulled it apart a few years ago, when I was into a racing nostalgia moment, changed the interior and wheels to more of a racing style, added some decals, but it back in it's display case and forgot about it........ until a couple of weeks ago when I was watching Historic Racing from Laguna Seca and got re-inspired. So out it came again....... First I disassembled it again, removed the rear glass and substituted a vented rear window from a glue bomb GT350R I picked up at a yard sale for $2. I modified the interior door panel to a flat aluminum panel, with a leather strap to raise the side glass, installed a spare tire inside the rear of the interior, on the folded down rear seat. Added a fire extinguisher, and a safety harness all as I vaguely remember from the sixties. The engine was detailed with plug wires, etc. and battery cables and an overflow hose added to the radiator cap. An oil cooler also added to the front grille area. The exterior remained pretty much as originally built except for the modified front lower valance that I had previously built from balsa wood. So here are the finished progress pictures as updated. (Remember... this is not supposed to be a Shelby Mustang, but a basic 289 cu. in. 1966 Mustang fastback that has been modified, updated and "Shelbyized" by it's owner/driver to compete in Group A Sedan club races on a relatively low budget.

Nice work! But I'd go with different wheels...... those don't look right to me....... maybe rusted steel rims? The dio looks interesting... can we see more? Tony

Interesting to see a diecast build up/resto. I also have a glue(?)bomb version of this Packard in phaeton body style. I'm going to be watching with interest... maybe I'll be inspired to do something with mine?

Built this Dobbs racing Mustang II sports racer (circa mid seventies) OOB from a Testor's kit back in the eighties. I haven't seen this kit around anywhere for quite a while. If anyone has it, it would make a great WIP as it was quite a well detailed kit, but could really use some superdetailing.

I've had mine for years... probably since it was first published. Maybe because I've flipped through it so often while the commercials on the TV, that I must admit it fails to interest me anymore. Pretty much everything in there seems like "second nature" and pretty simplistic. I believe I've gained more knowledge about building dios by watching the diorama sections of both this and other forums, than I gained from Ken's book. Most of the information and techniques have been covered extensively in both model railway and military modelling magazines and books which are available for a lot less money! It may be of use to those who've never built dios before though........ but there's no way, in my mind, that it justifies the ridiculous prices currently being asked on Ebay. But I'll hang on to mine anyway...... just for nostalgia reasons.

Forgive my potential stupidity and certainly not a criticism as this is a great build........... but why the gold floor pan? I've never crawled under a late model Mustang or even seen pictures of the real underside.... so I'm curious. Could it really be that color on the 1:1 cars? I even feel a little embarrased asking this question.

A couple of nice paint jobs Stephen. I too have had a few successful painting projects done outside in sub zero temps but It's a risky proposition. I've probably stripped more bad ones than achieved anything decent. Now I don't risk it....... I work on interiors, chassis, engines, etc. that can be brush painted inside and leave the body painting until the spring. That's probably why I have so many unfinished projects stashed away.......... I just keep starting new ones during the winter!!!!

Thanks Stephen. Unfortunately, the cold weather has now hit us and this will be on hold until either: a) I get an indoor spray booth ( I'm getting serious about that possibility!) or, The warmer weather returns in the spring. Recently tried a couple of outdoor spray projects and I'll have to redo both of them!!! But I've got some dios to work on , so at least I'll be able to keep warm indoors. Boy, do I envy you guys in those southern climes....... Tony