traditional

This nicely done and well detailed resin model just arrived after being pre-ordered a couple of months ago. My only modification has been to add copies of the licence plates from our own 1/1 restored 1970 version. Below are two pics of our full size version that we restored years ago. We generally leave off the add-on side curtains, since we only drive it in nice weather

This 1/8 scale (huge)model was originally available as a subscription that you put together over a year or two with parts kits that arrived every couple of weeks. Well, now it's available from the factory in completely built condition albeit without the working lights, etc. It wasn't' cheap, but I think it's pretty cool for the money.

Back-up lights were standard on only the Impala in '61. On the Biscayne and Belair they may have been optional, but they certainly weren't present on our Biscayne. You will see them on some restorations, but seldom on period photos of '61 Biscaynes

Back in 1983, my brother, Cliff, and I purchased a full-size1961 Chevrolet Biscayne 2 door sedan and began a 2 year total 'body off ' restoration. This car has a radio and heater delete option, is equipped with a 'tri-power' 348 'W' block engine, an aluminum cased Borg Warner T10 4 speed transmission, a 'posi' rear axle, and a factory tachometer (mounted at the 10:00 oclock position on the steering column) . As a passionate model builder, a 1/25 model of our car has always been on my back burner and has finally come to fruition over this past winter and late spring...my model building season of choice. Although there may be simple resin versions available, no kit or toy manufacturer produces a 1/25 or 1/24 '61 Biscayne so I began with a TESTORS 1/25 kit of an Impala hardtop, a bit basic but appropriate starting material. including the obvious absence of most exterior trim, a Biscayne is remarkably different from an Impala hardtop in roof, door, and trunk structure, front, side, and rear glass form, as well as incorporating an entirely different interior...headliner, door panels, seats, dash trim, etc. Since I always like to fabricate operating features into my models, for durability, the entire roof, door and window frames and their hinges, hood and trunk hinge detail, opening gas filler door, and much of the steering, all coil suspension springs, etc have been fabricated in soldered brass. The entire array of interior side and interior upper roof panels, visors, armrests, seats (hinged backrests on front assemblies), and dashboard modifications (including opening glove box) have been fabricated in styrene, and the added windshield trim, door release handles and window cranks, brake lines, engine wiring and plumbing, etc.were all done using varying gauges of plated and black jewelry wire. In April, I traveled to my brother's home to use his all season paint booth where I applied base coat/clearcoat 'factory' Seafoam Green to the various body assemblies, with Humbrol, Testors and Tamyia paints being used for assorted additional details. Though this model was really time consuming, it is a major delight to finally have the planned model completed....one that has certainly been on my mind for close to 35 years.

Peter, That looks OUTSTANDING!!!..... beautifully finished and really nicely photographed.

Nobody does truck models like Jurgen. All his models are outstanding. And really nicely photographed as well.

On versions with functional side-pipes (often, they were for show only) they would often be capped (removeable) at the end, or else be operated with a mechanical cutout from inside the car. They were noisy (unmuffled). The dry-lakes racecars that inspired the custom 'lakes pipes' would typically use the removeable cap at the end of the side-pipes to plug them for getting home from the races or for normal street driving. When the late'50s and early '60s custom car trend of including bodywork from which the 'lakes-pipes exited, they were generally non functional to avoid the potential heat charring of the custom paint and bodywork. As muscle-cars replaced customs in popularity by the mid '60s, tuned headers completely superseded lakes-pipes. Nostalgia is the only reason they're seen on todays customs.

Although they were totally impractical, they were a ubiquetous custom trend during the '50s and early '60s.

Yup, that's exactly what it is. Not all splatter guards are expanded aluminum. If it's simply screening, it'll just fall apart. I've been using the expanded aluminum from mine for a few years, but soon I'll have to hunt up another.

John, you always make super attractive, period perfect customs. This one is perfect in paint , material choices, and detail......gorgeous!

A really good guess. I actually used the transparent red housing from a 'dollar store' ball point pen. A toothbrush was going to be my next try if the pen didn't work out. Very observant of you. Renshape is a modelling resin block used by design firms to machine prototypes, etc. It carves or machines like wood but doesn't show any grain and is stable over time. it also takes paint easily. I, fortunately, have a bunch of small blocks left over from my old designer days.....saved for this type of ocasion.

I'd picked up a cheap 1/24 Ford parts car to complete another project, but I felt kinda sorry for the remaining hulk now sitting in my parts bin. I figured that if I constructed a Semi-Custom (definition: more radical than a mild custom but not chopped, channeled, or sectioned) I wouldn't need the now missing parts, and I could save the poor car from its present fate. The project took a lot longer than I expected but, heck, this is winter and I needed a project to keep me busy, It now uses a detailed Cadillac motor, modified from a basic Revell parts pack and I've formed a complete new rear design as well as a custom grille area. The new side trim is fine jewelry wire, the hood has an indented scoop, headlights are 'frenched', and I fabricated a custom 'west coast style' Carson top from Renshape. There are handmade custom details throughout, including polished aluminum battery box, polished brass radiator, custom air filter (Renshape and brass mesh), and molded in side lake pipes. The suspension is lowered and the wheels are Pegasus on AMT wide-white tires from a parts pack. Paint is custom mixed basecoat/ clearcoat, and the interior is white roll-n-pleat with white felt carpet. The '55 Ford 'semi custom together with my previous customs

I do love Crosleys!! My brother and I built the 1/1 kit of a '49 Crosley and even collected a few motors and Braje speed equipment along the way.

This was just an enjoyable little project from some time ago. I'd picked up a couple of Mattel 1/43 HotWheels custom '55 Ford panels and thought it'd be fun to make one of them into a stock '54 ......wheels and basic chassis from an old toy 1/43 Road Champs Ford pickup, handmade '54 grille, scratchbuilt Y-block V8 (wired and plumbed), modified the hard cornered custom rear fenders to look stock, formed a wire exhaust pipe, fabricated a brass stock outside rear-view mirror, and applied basecoat/clearcoat red paint. The model only took a few days and I'm really pleased with the finished product. I modified the Mattel HW box to look look like it was an original model (personalized)

I did not watch the race (I'm a sprintcar fan only) but I read some comments from the post race and here is what the fellow who was blocking and got wrecked at the end said. His comment is quoted below (Jeff Gluck was the interviewer) Jeff Gluck ✔@jeff_gluck I asked Aric Almirola if Dillon was being too aggressive with that move: "Ha! He's not driving too aggressively, he's trying to win the Daytona 500 -- just like I was." https://twitter.com/louis_wagner/status/965373811574165505 … 6:57 PM - Feb 18, 2018

I took these pics in answer to a post in the 'general' forum so since I have them, they might as well be on here as well: The D-type Jaguars were one of my favorite sports racecars (from an era when style mattered and racecars were easily identified). As well as building models, I also collect some diecasts and this 1/18 metal model (mostly stamped metal body) from EXOTO back in 2011 was without a doubt the most I've ever spent on a model (even though it was on sale at the time of my purchase), but It remains, however, the most absurdly detailed model I've ever acquired. Although some versions of the Exoto D-types are still available from Exoto, the prices are now in the stratosphere. Because of the extensive detail, the model is quite fragile and just about every time I remove it from its display case, there's some part that I have to fasten back in place. This particular car evidently won the Reims 12 hour race in 1954, driven by Whitehead and Wharton.

The d-types were one of my favorite sports racecars (when style mattered and racecars were easily identified). As well as building models, I also collect some diecasts and this 1/18 metal model (mostly stamped metal body) from EXOTO back in 2011 was without a doubt the most I've ever spent on a model (even though it was on sale at the time of my purchase), but It remains, however, the most absurdly detailed model I've ever acquired. Although some versions of the Exoto D-types are still available from Exoto, the prices are now in the stratosphere. Because of the extensive detail, the model is quite fragile and just about every time I remove it from its display case, there's some part that I have to fasten back in place. This particular car evidently won the Reims 12 hour race in 1954, driven by Whitehead and Wharton. I hope my photos do it justice. This post on D-types seemed like a good time to finally take a few pics of the model.

I've gathered reference of 1959 to 1967 VW Double Cab Pickups over many years and planned a full feature model (opening doors, steering, etc). Wanting to build a '60 to '61 version, I've opted to rework a 1/24 MotorMax '64 diecast toy for durability. My previous attempt to modify a plastic VW bus model (Revell) 25 years ago was less than successful. It became fragile and unstable as I added many working details and features. The MotorMax toy, though interesting, is very basic with no opening doors, no steering, no engine, very limited interior and under floor/chassis detail, and disproportionate rear side windows, wheels/hubcaps, etc. I had also acquired a badly damaged donor VW Bus toy that was reasonable starting material for floor/chassis, engine, etc. My project got underway as I stripped the paint off the MotorMax, and carved open all doors and access panels using my rotary tool, razor saw and files. I scratch-built the complete styrene '61 style interior (including folding seat access to spare tire and storage bin), door jams, brass window frames, spare wheel, brass and styrene steering, assorted engine details, wiring, brass canvas rear cover and hoops, brass door and panel hinges, brass gate panel retainers, styrene wheel rims, brass and styrene European style bumpers, etc. As well as adding details such as inner and outer door handles, wipers, chassis jacking points, inner gate structure, etc., the model now features opening front and rear doors, opening gas filler door, opening action for side gates, opening engine access panel, full chassis, and full engine detail. I've filed off the '64 era directional signals and substituted my own '61 style units. Paint details: -Main body, correct Dove Blue (basecoat/clearcoat) -wheels, bumpers, correct Silver-White (automotive touch up) -hubcaps, correct grey with white inserts (enamel) -interior fiberboard panels, satin grey (automotive Duplicolor primer) -assorted details, (Testors, Tamiya, Humbrol paints)

Hello, Evan, Although I'd never seen the real trucks from Japan in that era, I found the following info translated from a Japanese site and just assume that it was accurate. This is where I got my timeline info for the change to set-back axle. Perhaps the change just became a complete change at that time while the non-set-back was available up until then as well. I have no first-hand knowledge about that era of Japanese trucks: Hino HE 345 information In 1971 Hino introduced a totally new version of its heavy tractor HE, produced since the beginning of sixties. Projected both for internal market and for the great exportation, it was equipped with the same cab shown in 1970 for the vehicles of the medium range KB. Because of the larger dimensions of the engine, the cab was mounted on a higher position, with a very particular look produced by the short frontal overhang and by the larger width at the mudguards height (2490 mm) compared to the cab width (2140 mm at windscreen height). The HE series was available only as tractor: in Japan and other Asiatic countries was available with Hino engines from 235 to 415 hp (a real record for that time). It was produced in two basic versions: HE 445 (with 270 hp EF100 V8 aspirated engine) and HE 435 (with 235 hp ED100 six cylinders in line engine). For models with right hand drive the code names were HE 345E and HE 335E. The HE remained in production up to 1982: in 1980 it was renewed with a longer front overhang now at 1270 mm and a cab completely renewed inside. The renewed HE was available also with 260 hp EK 100 engine. From 1971 to 1982, the HE was produced, in the various versions, in almost 12.000 units, of which near 4.000 sold in Japan. It was also sold in different countries of Central and South America, in Mediterranean Africa (particularly in Algeria with almost 5.000 units), in all the Eastern Asia and in many European countries such as France, Portugal, Greece and Ireland. This last was its best European market with 1833 units sold.

There's a plate of aluminum epoxied into the back before the styrene finish detail was added, and a strip of brass sheet is epoxied around the exterior of the window area to give it structure as well.

The pics wouldn't appear in this post

I seem to be in a bit of a rut doing mostly Sedan Deliveries this winter. I've just completed this hot rod project using a Speccast '34 Sedan Delivery body that only had a rear door opening coin bank. The doors and hood areas were cut away using my rotary tool and ' two-door' doors from a derelict '33 diecast sedan were shortened to fit (sedan delivery doors were 'four-door style) as well as its hood/grille area. new hinges were made for the rear door and the window area cut out with the rotary tool. The 283 fuel injected small block engine was modified (finned valve covers and handmade air cleaner) from Revell's Black-Widow kit and detailed with fuel lines/vacuum lines as well as the usual plug wires and cooling plumbing. The complete interior (seats, door panels, floor, cargo area) was scratchbuilt from styrene and fine plated wire, etc.), and the underside modified and opened up (to fit an engine), coin-bank filled in, and the whole chassis finished with a later model rear axle and handmade aluminum leaf springs/shackles, radius rods, etc. The painted 'chrome reverse' wheels are from Pegasus with the front ones narrowed slightly and fitted with larger rear tires as well as the standard Pegasus ones in front. The small ford caps are from the Revell/ Monogram Deuce Roadster kit. Paint is custom mixed basecoat and a fine orange pinstripe added before the two-part clearcoat, and the simulated carpeting is felt. My two Sedan Delivery projects this winter

These two 1/18 resin models traveled from one end of Canada to the other before finally arriving in Ottawa. I'd bought them in plenty of time to have them for Xmas, but due to lots of post office blunders in both Germany as well as Canada, they finally showed up yesterday.They're both beautifully proportioned and finished, but the real surprise was how attractive the Studebaker's color looks compared to the color shown on the web sites. Judging by American Excellence's as well as Car Model World's pictures I expected the Studebaker's 'Rose Mist' color to be less than ideal, but the real thing is stunning.

Hi Geno, Those Rancheros are so nicely proportioned and you've done a gorgeous job on yours. Just a quick hint: when photographing metalic finishes, try taking the pics on an overcast day....the paint will look a lot more natural. Actually, overcast days make the details show up nicely since there is less hi-contrast. Have a great Xmas my friend Cliffo