jsimmons

I used to live in Hyattsville, on Naragansett Parkway - back in the 60's...

Well, let's see... I keep a pistol and at least three spare mags on the end table, so that means the first 21 people that come to my door to take my guns is going to end up in a bloody heap on the front porch. I figure it'll take them long enough to clear the obstruction at the front door for me to get my rifle and another 12 spare mags (six 20's and six 30's). I figure 300 rounds of "we the people" will hold them off for a little while longer at least.

I don't get upset. I simply redouble my resolve.

I thought I'd post a picture of why we're here, and the tools I use to defend why we're here: All I need now is a flag that say "Can't Tread on Me".

I found out that not only is the chassis from the Glidden pro-stock T-bird has the correct wheelbase for the Revell 1965, 1966, and 1970 Mustangs, but the wheelbase is also correct for the 19664 Thunderbolt Fairlane. All of the cars require the engine compartments to be removed and the chassis roll cage to be modified, and the Fairlane requires a little material removal at the top/rear of the wheel tubs for the chassis to tuck up under there. Now, if only we could convince Revell to re-issue the Glidden kit so we can stop having to pay eBay eScam prices. I currently have two with a 3rd one one the way.

The foam gaskets have always melted on me - even with MM enamel that came from a jar (as opposed to being decanted). I simply don't use them any more (nor plastic lids). I have a dozen bottles, and they all now wear metal lids with cork gaskets. When I decant, I just put the lid on top of the jar without screwing it on. That allows the gas to escape, yet keeps particulate matter from entering the jar (the next time a wasp flies into the garage and lands in my paint as I'm decanting, I'll snap a picture of it.

Instead of using the camera's timer (I have a Canon PowerShot S-3IS), I connect my camera to a laptop and use the software provided by Canon, make my adjustments via that software, and even snap the picture. I don't have to touch the camera, once it's on the tripod. I also plug the camera into the wall instead of relying on batteries because then it doesn't turn itself off between shots.

When you're building a model car, you either go for "realism" or "artistic freedom". Sometimes, you can successfully mix both. It's much more difficult to go the realism route. At the same time, all of the stuff you mentioned are a reality in show cars. Personally, I'm pretty boring and not very artistic, so most of my (street car) models will have a semi-gloss black chassis and engine compartment, gunmetal suspension, and most likely a black interior. Further, they'll sit the way I like - realism be damned. All I have to do now is finish one.

Hmmm, I smell a high-horse...

I leave mine sitting for three hours. When the moisture has dried from the outside of the bottle, it's pretty much good to go. To keep "things" from getting into the paint as it gases out, I place the lid on the jar without screwing it on. That way, I don't have to touch the jar trying to put tape on it - just touching the jar is enough to make the paint boil if it's not properly gassed out because of the heat from your fingers.

I started the model with the KA stuff, and decided I didn't like the car. Here's the WIP page: Revell GT-500KR WIP I've cut out the grills and assembled the brake rotors, but other than that, I haven't touched it in three months. One of these days I'll get back to it, but probably not before next year. The PE stuff is pretty nice, and appears to fit the car very well. I got mine from StradaSports.com

That's the easy part: Parts Preparation (including how to remove parts from sprue, removing mold lines, etc) Painting Decals General Assembly Tips (what types of glue to use, etc) Detailing Engines Detailing Interior Suspension Modifications Parts Sources Supplies and Tools

Not with your spelling skills (or lack thereof)... It's "Techniques" (and while I'm here, you spelled "section" incorrectly as well).

Yeah - the Badger paint jars with the black plastic caps come with those foam gaskets, and the solvent in the paint causes them to melt into the paint. I ended up buying a bunch of Paasche metal lids with the right kind of gaskets. What a pain. That's not going to solve his problem with melting lid gaskets...

I've always had a problem with "Eleanor" because it's not a real Shelby (nobody in their right mind would do that to a real Shelby), even though it's billed as one in the movie from which it originates. I also think the "Eleanor" front-end treatment sucks donkey balls from the hood scoop all the way down to the bottom of the front air dam. That being said, you did some real nice work there. The blue is very nice. Your yellow problem is that the camera is forgetting its white balance settings for some reason. You can fix that with some post-processing of the photo in PhotoShop or PaintShop Pro.

Truer words were never spoken. If a model has presented a problem you don't feel like dealing with, don't just say screw it and rush through the model. Put it aside, and start another one. I've currently got four on the bench, and work on the one I actually feel like working on. I was actually in the middle of a critical step on one build, and couldn't get my mind off the pro-stock version of the same car, so I whipped up a test assembly, took some pics, made some notes, and with that out of my system, I went back to work on the other model (12.5 hours, and I haven't started painting yet).

I was thinking PE parts when I said expensive. Your description of "detailed" is what I was talking about. If they're building OOB or just add spark plug wires, I consider a floating alternator to be acceptable.

Floating alternator - I agree that it looks weird, but the solution to it is expensive when you compare it to the cost of the kit. I don't mind that kind of stuff as long as heroic attempts weren't made to super-detail the engine compartment. Free-floating fenders - I'm guilty of that, but only on cars that I've kit-bashed into pro-stock versions. Granted, it would be better to make a flip front-end, but anything more involved than simply cutting out the engine compartment (back when I did it 20 years ago) was kinda a) beyond my level of comfort, and would have taken too long given my level of patience. Giant wheels/tires - I assume you mean the 23-inchers that everyone seems to like to use nowadays. Again, I don't really mind that kind of thing if they look right on the car or give it a better stance than stock (and gluing the suspension to popsicle sticks would give most OOB models a better stance). I don't think there's a single car in my queue that won't be modified in some way with regards to the suspension or wheels/tires. In the end, I think we all build the best we can, and simply try to do better and/or try something new on the next model. I think the most important aspect is the quality of the paint and detail on the body. If it's not that well done, no aspect of the model will be nearly as impressive - regardless of what that aspect might be. there've been many times when I've thought to myself, "Interesting, but too bad about the paint."

Coolness.

Mine is equally keepable. For our anniversary last year, she got me an AR-15, and she regularly gives me Michaels and Hobby Lobby 40%-off coupons for model kits.

Where does one locate such a service?

Yeah, eventually. I have other builds in the queue before doing it though. The two Boss Mustangs that are already underway, 65 GT-350R, 66 Mustang bracket racer, 427 Cobra bracket racer, a Group-88C Toyota pro-stock, a Thunderbolt Fairlane pro-stock, and a 69 Shelby road racer. And that's the short list. I hope to have at least two cars ready for a model show/contest they have here in San Antonio in February.

You're building a model car - anything can fit with the appropriate modifications (and you don't need to have "friends" come over to help you sort it out while they drink all your beer).

Yeah, I know. I like 'em better sitting closer to level and as he said - in the weeds. I won an auction on eScam for a Glidden donor kit, so when I get it, I'll start working on the rollcage. By my count, I need at least two more Glidden kits for what I have planned with other cars. I'm also thinking the frame needs to be lengthened a bit so the motor can sit just a tad further forward than it does now (and so that the radiator is closer to the grill).

Update - fixed the tilting problem and de-chromed everything, and performed the final mockup. Next task is painting all the big parts. Link is in my sig.