traditional

I usually use the chrome wheels and small Ford caps from the often reintroduced (and reasonably inexpensive) Revell/Monogram Deuce roadster kit. The tires come from my stash of old tires (from various old kits through the years) based on the sizes that seem appropriate for my various current models......usually traditional bias-ply type tires, but generally slightly taller and fatter in the rear.

I've just finished building this '41 Ford rod from a damaged DM 47 Ford sedan (scuffed and missing hubcap, both bumpers, and a mirror) that I bought really inexpensively on Ebay from a Hong Kong vendor. Just to add a challenge for myself, I decided to completely change the details to a '41 sedan version which has completely different front end sheet-metal, trim, as well as no rear fender 'spats', etc. I figured that I could use the grill pieces from the AMT '41 woody kit. I added some louvres on the hood and deck-lid, styrene tuck-n-roll interior with felt carpet (the stock model had maroon 'flocked' seats and carpet), a super-detailed twin-carbed 283 Chevy (from a basic Revell engine parts-pac), handmade brass rad, later model open drive-train (with split radius rods), lowered suspension (with handmade aluminum individual leaf transverse springs,etc.), nerf bars front and rear, and custom 'steelies with small ford caps. All the trim is made from plated wire, the exhaust is polished tubing and the paint is basecoat/clearcoat.

I used, mostly, just the body from a First Gear Ford Model A promo bank, and added hand-made deuce rails, Revell deuce grill shell (with MCG photo-etch grill), cut open the doors, modified the deck area to be a trunk rather than a rumble-seat/bank, modified and detailed a '50s Cadillac engine (from a basic Revell engine kit), built a radiator in brass sheet, formed the hood in aluminum sheet, used wheels/tires modified from my parts-bin, fabricated the front axle/suspension (in brass, aluminum, and styrene), fabricated a traditional transverse rear spring suspension, built a tuck-n-roll interior from styrene sheet, added fabricated bobbed rear fenders and front cycle fenders, and used craft plated wire and aluminum sheet/tubing to make all the various details. Paint is basecoat/clearcoat. ​My wife tells me that I've spent almost 200 hours on the model.....all pleasurable hours.

Hi Harry, There's a place in Ottawa (Lee Valley Tools) that carries 'cabinet hardware', with hinges in all sizes down to very tiny. I bought a couple of the tiny brass hinges and cut them to the length that I needed.

I bought this simple (and somewhat crude) Russian plastic model kit (I would guess around 1/20 scale) at a toy show at least 20 years ago. The truck is a 1924 AMO, one of Russia's very first manufactured trucks, and evidently based on a Fiat design. At the time that I bought the kit, I had no reference to the real vehicle (no internet then) so I decided to build it just as the kit intended........simply cleaning up the fairly rough molded parts and replacing the glazing with clearer plastic. This was one of the first models that I painted with automotive basecoat/clearcoat....something that I now use most of the time on my models. I've never seen another of these original Russian model kits, so I assume that they were (and are) quite rare and, although certainly not a detailed model, one that I really enjoy having in my collection.

Jurgen, that's one of the nicest truck models I've ever seen. I'm impressed with everything about it....the choice of truck, the expert scratchbuilding, the fit and finish, the beautiful photography....it's all super-impressive!!!

This is pretty much 'box stock' from the original kit but it was missing its windshield, so I formed one in polycarbonate since it can be bent and folded without turning white at the stress points. Paint is mostly basecoat/clearcoat with small details in Humbrol and Tamiya. The model was completed over 15 years ago, but kept in a display case so it still looks fresh.

This is, of course, Revell's (of Germany) Opel blitz truck with the addition of hinges to fold the hood, discrete hinges for the doors, and some engine compartment detailing. In the original kit, the doors and hood are intended to be glued in position. I painted it (basecoat/clearcoat with Humbrol details) to represent a brand new truck in the early post-war period using factory photo reference.

These kits certainly didn't seem to fit into the 'Big Rig category so decided to try them in the lighter duty category forum. I bought the two Fuso kits while visiting Singapore about 15 years ago.....they are both from 'Sparp Models' (I assume from Japan) and intended to be built as over-decorated cult-Japanese vehicles. The picture on the box certainly put me off, but a quick look inside convinced me that they could easily be built as stock vehicles. The instructions were extremely vague and it took some time to figure out how the small mixer details should be assembled. I redid the mirror brackets and the side 'safety railings (based on truck-book reference) on both vehicles in soldered wire because the originals were crudely molded and then I painted all the various assemblies of both trucks in basecoat/clearcoat. Although these aren't high-detail models by any means, I find the proportion and finished look of both of them to be very satisfying. I'd actually like to find the kits again, but they seem quite rare and seldom come up on ebay, etc.

This is a simple build from a VERY old Premiere Kit originating in the late '50s or early '60s. The model is a rebuild of one I'd finished relatively badly back then, still had in my toy-room and, fortunately, came apart fairly easily for a quite simple refinish. Paint is automotive basecoat/clearcoat with Humbrol and Testors used for small details. Years ago, I found another one new in the box and I've kept that one in unbuilt form since then.

Can't wait....see you there

These two micro-trucks were built 'box-stock' from two different 1/24 Fujimi kits......same vehicle but different box-art and with a couple of different bed and spare tire options. The 1/1 Daihatsu MidgetII vehicles were manufactured between 1996 and 2001 but evidently still have a cult following in Japan and since my brother and I have a passion for 1/1 microcars, building these kits was a 'Must Do'. Paint is custom mixed automotive basecoat/clearcoat to match a photo that I have of a 1/1. Although the pics show a bluish color, the models are actually sort of a turquoise but, for some reason, my camera doesn't pick up the added green.

I built this maroon '40 Ford Deluxe Sedan 'ensemble' in the late '70s just for fun from various kits in various scales.......AMT in both 1/25 and 1/32, Renwall in 1/48, and Jordan Miniatures in 1/87. The 'Renwall' had such awful wheels/tires that I wound up turning wheels/tires in aluminum and used the Renwall hubcap only, and the 'Jordan miniatures' was a '39, so I had to make a tiny '40 deluxe grille. Paint back then was mixed and thinned Testors, sprayed with my old BINKS airbrush. Chrome modeling foils were just becoming available but I've always had better luck using muffler tape for straight trim. They were built sequentially, so my color matching wasn't always 'bang on'. Fortunately, they all look quite close in color on my indoor shelf. I've always kept them all in a display case so, as you can see, they've stayed in pretty good condition all this time, and I think this is the first time they've ever been photographed

That's really gorgeous!! Great stuff!!

A few years ago, My twin brother bought, on Ebay, a couple of damaged DM diecast stock '32 Ford roadsters in order to combine the parts into one complete one.....leaving one incomplete, derelict scrapper model. Just as 'nature abhors a vacuum', I hate to see a model go to waste so.....enter the traditional full fendered Deuce hot Rod. The body was disassembled, stripped of paint, filled (bondo), and repainted, the windshield is from a Revell/Monogram Deuce, and the hot-rodded 'Flattie' came from my old parts box with hand-made finned heads ( scorred styrene with filed wire used to simulate the studs), lathe turned aluminum beehive filter, twin carbs, and polished aluminum tubing dual exhaust. The wheels are from my parts bin with the rears enlarged with plated wire trim-rings to mount on larger rear tires. The suspension, of course, had to be modified to give an appropriate ride height and the body paint is custom mixed automotive 2-part base-coat/clearcoat. The apple-green wheels are painted with a mixture of green and yellow Humbrol enamel. Anyone who knows me is aware that I no longer limit myself just to plastic as a modelling medium....I'll take my project subjects and materials from whatever turns my crank......the look of the finished product is all that matters to me. Modelling is modelling! The Deuce Hot rod beside another modified diecast....my Olds powered '31 Ford panel The starting material....A stock diecast. Except mine was abused and missing so many parts.

Back around 1978, I was on a busuness trip to Palo Alto California and there was a large hobby shop (San Antonio Hobbies) that had accumulated a slew of original early '60s AMT,SMP, and Johan kits, and were selling them for about twice the price of the current kits.......I paid between $5 and $8 each for (two of each) '60, '61, 62 Chevies, Fords, Pontiacs , Dodges, and Plymouths. I also bought an Imperial, and Cadillac. I couldn't believe my good fortune...it was like a dream. These two models were immediately built to relive the early '60s drag racing days....a '61Pontiac Catalina (body and chassis shortened from a Bonneville) and a '61 Ford . I added homemade headers, tow bar connections, traction masters, etc. and paint was Testors... mixed, thinned, and sprayed with an airbrush. Lettering was done with Letraset (pressure sensitive lettering) since, back then, I had an aversion to any kit decals. I've always protected my models in display cases, so these have stayed in good condition for the last 35 years. Of course, now-a-days, I'd add lots more detail, and better research original interior colors etc., but I enjoy keeping these just as I originally built them

This factory lightweight 427 Ford Galaxie was modified from an AMT Galaxie 500 kit around 30 years ago.....and kept dust-free in a display case. Although I'm kind of a Chevy guy, I always thought these '64 Ford lightweights looked really tough, and in '64, I didn't have a lot to cheer about in the Chevy camp. This model was done from some basic magazine pics and a bit of guesswork, since the days of easy internet research were decades away.

This is my first attempt at a diorama of any kind and it seems more appropriate in the 'Drag Racing' forum than in 'Dioramas' so here goes...... I used my Studebaker Gasser (extensively modified from a damaged DM coupe) and my brother, Larry's, '48 Studebaker M16 race car hauler (mostly scratchbuilt using a much modified Ertl pickup cab) to try and depict a circa 1962 drag strip pits scenario. The 'players' all had to be modified to suit the scene including craned necks and hands/arms re-positioned to suit their given tasks. Paints are mostly acrylics with model railway grass and gravel, and the abused 'chain-link' fence is scratchbuilt using tubing, wire and screen etc. The torque wrench in the 'engine-guy's' hands is hand-made from aluminum tubing, sheet and wire. For obvious reasons, I call the diorama "Distraction In The Pits".

Ken, The steel wheels, as on your car, are available on Yatming's 1/18 1971 E type.....usually available on Ebay for $30 or less

Hello Ken, Your car looks great and elegant. Neo did make a model of the Jag version of the coupe, with the wheels that were on your car.....but it's out of production and quite difficult to find. As to the aluminum wheels on the Neo Daimler version, they were evidently available on the Series II as well, as they're shown on a 1975 Daimler brochure. I agree, that the steel wheels were more attractive (and more prevalent on those cars), but at least Neo did an accurate job in replicating the Daimler version.

Hi Harry,....All of Neo's 1/18 scale resin models seem to be in the $230 to $300 range, depending on their complexity.....more than I'm generally willing to spend. Recently, however, 'American Excellence' had a 30% off sale and this model was offered at around $180.....still expensive, but I pulled the trigger. The models are made in limited numbers of only a few hundred, and are REALLY nicely finished. I've only bought a few of these Neo 1/18 resin models in the last few years, and never at the full asking price.

I must admit, this is a very impressive model. Although Neo's resin models don't have opening features, the finish and presence are outstanding. I noticed that as soon as I bought the model (during American Excellence's recent sale), the model disappeared from their website, so it may have been the only example that they had in stock. It is still available on other websites, but seldom at a sale price.

Yeah, I know.....too much time on my hands. The 1/87 is Wiking, the 1/43 is Welly (I have others from various manufacturers, but Welly's is here because its side door slides open), the 1/25 is also Welly, the 1/18 is Schuco, and the 1/14 is Dickie (a toy division affiliated with Schuco).

Harry, following is a quote from one of Danbury's main guys as stated on the 'JSS Software' diecast site. He goes by the pseudonym 'Moe' on that site.: As always, I can't say too much, but I feel sorry for those who ordered cars that they will not get, so I'll try to clarify. The "L" factory has been around for years. Look closely at the ends of your white boxes and you will see an "L" in a square on some of them. L has brought us some great cars including the 58-60 T-Birds, '58 Bonnevilles, and '41 Chevys among many others. The '48 Chevy is one of their best. The tooling for the '37 Stude and '47 Ford were shifted to the new factory, (let's call them "N"), from the "C" factory before "C" was closed. That is why those "C" molds survived. "L" is still in business because they have raised their prices to keep up with the rising labor costs in China. Thus the price increase for the 48 Chevies. Once again, I want to thank all of you for your patience and enthusiasm. I know you are getting tired of pictures of Junior's dump truck, and I'm working on getting something else for you to talk about.