Biscuitbuilder

Considering that model kit boxes are produced in runs of several 10's of thousands at a time, the error boxes aren't at all rare, not such as this anyway. Now, perhaps my still shrinkwrapped MPC '88 Chevy Silverado Pickup kit, with the very clearly printed "Licensed by Ford Motor Company" on the box sides might be worth something? Not really, just kidding, but it sure is a conversation starter! Biscuitbuilder

Jim, If you (try getting Mark to help!) could find that court case, it's cause number, and a copy of the decision, that would make some very interesting reading! I suspect that it was a lower court ruling, and didn't make it past the Supreme Court, which did rule on this very issue, rather decisively back in the late 1980's. Biscuitbuilder

The automakers, for decades, have required licensing and royalties to be paid. Tire companies didn't, for a long time. If you'd followed this issue for as long as I, and others have, you'd remember the huge broughaha about 20 years ago when various Taiwanese companies (and from some other Pacific Rim countries as well, were shipping all manner of parts (mechanical parts, "crash parts", even tires!) to this country, not only branded as the OEM, but complete with counterfeit packaging as well. American automakers took up the banner, went to court, and the cases went all the way to the US Supreme Court, which said, in effect: "In order to protect a design, a trade style, a trademark, or trade dress from unauthorized use, the owners of such MUST control that usage, and protect their intellectual properties against ALL users." In other words, there could be no selective enforcement, lest a licensee come back on their licensor. Goodyear is perhaps the most recognized of all tire brands, World-wide. As such, their stuff was ripe pickings for counterfeiting, knockoffs and such. So, in order to gain control over the use of their designs, their tire names, their logo, and the type font used, they had little choice but to institute a licensing program for their products. This includes not only what they make in the 1:1 field, but toy and model car stuff as well. The design and production of model kits is a game not so much of dollars, but all the way down to mere fractions of a cent, and every cost, every added expense threatens the expected price-point, and of all model kit manufacturers, those based in the US (while not necessarily producing here) were perhaps the most subject to price points (the expected price that the mass merchandisers saw as the maximum they could sell the kits at, and maintain their expected volume and profitability). For nearly 15 years, that price point for an ordinary AMT or Revell-Monogram kit was pegged, by the mass merchandisers (Walmart, etc) at $10 MSRP, without regard to constantly rising costs, for tooling, materials, factory overhead, wages and salaries. So, when Goodyear, for example, came forward demanding a royalty (and it was small, still is), that was just one more thing to "break the back" of the cost structure. At Johnny Lightning, where I headed up Product Development 2002-the end of 2004, we used Goodyear tampo printing very sparingly, and avoided Goodyear logo's on race cars wherever we could--even though it might have cost say, half a cent per piece to do so. It was a matter of half-a-penny here, half-a-penny there, pretty soon we could be looking at real money. In addition to such little royalties, you may not realize that every Tampo, or "pad print" step (one for each color, one for each section of that little body shell) could cost as much as half a cent to lay on there as well. It's not that much different with a plastic kit either. In all this, bear in mind (and I've no flag to wave for Goodyear, or any other manufacturer at all!), the logo's, designs, trademarks and trade names of any product BELONG to that manufacturer or whatever industry it is, and there is no way around that--just as you own the rights to any likeness of your very person. Those are basic property rights, and last I looked, property rights cause more angst, and more court battles, in the US than just about anything else. I've said enough, I think. Biscuitbuilder

No, there is no way that I will ever either restart AAM, nor will I do any casting under any other name. Simply put, I wound up spending far too much time at it, seldom less than 12-14 hours a day, counting casting, cleaning parts, packaging and shipping kits, fixing masters, making or working up new masters, all of that. Frankly, it go to the point that when I would even go out for dinner with friends, the finest steaks in town tasted like resin, potato chips looked just like the pieces of flash that fell on the floor in the molding room, and I couldn't even get the odor of resin out of my clothes. I had no hobby anymore, and no time or energy for one either. Even after closing it down, and going to work for a salary again, it was almost a year before I could even pick up a model car kit, break it open, and seriously do anything with it--and it's still a modeling block problem today, 8 years later. So, if you see any AAM kit out there on the 'Bay, or one that looks like it, it's either one that someone hasn't built yet, or a recast done by someone else. Biscuitbuilder

I plead guilty to producing this one. It was mastered by installing the '59 Oldsmobile "flat roof" onto a Revell '59 Impala convertible. This one was mastered in 1994, and stayed in the line until about 1998, when orders for it dried up completely, the master needed major repairs, and the body mold was shot ('59 Chevy fins were MURDER on the RTV, no matter the mold layout). The kit included not only the body shell, but also all the needed modified interior parts: Floor pan with rear seat, side panels converted to Impala 4dr, front seat, and vacformed glass. Biscuitbuilder

Doing what the help always does! Off to the side, loafing, talking about the boss! Biscuitbuilder

Drooooool! Dang it! I just washed this pair of jeans! Man, that is a must-have kit. Biscuitbuilder

Aircraft grade paint stripper is the stuff to use on diecast, it's made for non-ferrous, works every time. For stripping Tampo printing and "spray masked" second-third colors on diecast, enamel thinner, lacquer thinner, 91% Isopropyl all work quickly, and won't hurt the underlying base color, as that is baked on. Biscuitbuilder

Check out the detail parts in the model RR section of your LHS, or go to walthers.com and check out the plastic hex nut detail parts there. Ready made, and they look good! Biscuitbuilder

I've used self-etch primer with perfect results not only on diecast, but over putty and styrene, both with no problems whatsoever. In fact, I recommend it. Biscuitbuilder

It's hard, even for us older guys, to remember a time when virtually all automobile specs were the province of the various state governments--no USDOT back in the 50's. Headlight laws were a 48-state (50 after July 1959) mish-mash. Some allowed this, some forbade that. Headlight laws in about half the states allowed for only two headlights (Tucker, for example, planned to cover the center swivel headlight with a chomed cap for sale in those states), and were very recalcitrant about any changes. Beginning in the early 1950's, an interstate compact (like a treaty, but between the various states) began to circulate, allowing for multiple headlights on cars. That agreement became effective on January 1, 1957, but it's ratification by the final state legislatures came too late for automakers to make the change for 1957 (only Chrysler and Ford were planning all new bodies and styling across their lines for '57, GM, AMC and Studebaker-Packard were to make do with serious facelifts only). Chrysler was the first to offer quads, beginning installations in the 300C for delivery in states where they were allowed, in December 1956. Nash and Hudson followed very quickly, as did Lincoln (the '57 Lincoln was an odd mix--6.5" dual filament sealed beams above, 5.5" high beams below). Cadillac, and the rest of GM held off until the '58 model year, as did Studebaker (who stamped up some pretty ugly fairings to bolt onto the front fenders which dated from 1953, giving them an almost "bug eyed" look, not at all attractive. Biscuitbuilder

Was me, most likely. Nope, it won't go to a resin caster, this one is gonna get stuck under a 2dr sedan. Biscuitbuilder

There is a God! Thanks for the announcement, Lar'! Biscuitbuilder

Just here locally. But there are a couple of clubs in Indy, Hoosier Model Car Association (been around for about 30 yrs or so now), and Circle City Modelers. Down at Columbus, South Central Indiana Model Association. Biscuitbuilder

From just up the road from ya, in Lafayette, if that helps. Biscuitbuilder

kk, Essentially, what you are wanting to accomplish is the '49-'51 Lincoln Capri series, which was simply the Mercury body and chassis, with Lincoln styling elements. Basically, the only real difference is in the front fenders and grille (I believe the hood is the same basic unit. Simply whittling back the headlight area of the Merc front fenders, then some catalyzed puttywork to fill in, round that out, add back in the recessed headlights (check out using the appropriate diameter of K&S Aluminum tubing for the headlight tunnels, and you will be there. Revell's new '49 Mercury already has the taillights nailed for you, those are '49-50 Lincoln units. Have fun, this one shouldn't be major surgery! Biscuitbuilder

It's pretty much done off the older Monogram '30 Model A kits, but with a street rod only chassis. It's also quite accurate in the body department--those wood blank off panels make it into the ultra-rare Model A Station Wagon Delivery (yes, that was a factory option!). It can be combined with the other Monogram Model A kits, to make a stock version, but for absolute correctness, one does need at least the right front fender from an original edition '30 Coupe/Cabriolet, for the side mounted spare (station wagons used that as standard, on the left side, right side optional). Biscuitbuilder

Izzy, Make sure to get the correct left turn bias in those coilovers! Nice, very nice work, indeed! Biscuitbuilder

And to think, I like a hot cuppa coffey at breakfast! Hmmm! Biscuitbuilder

Take a look at the Revell-Monogram '39 Chevy front clip! With a bit of pie-cutting, and a new grille (pretty easily scratchbuilt BTW), the hood, hood sides, and grille area will work just fine. Some shortening of the Cord Fenders and reshaping the bottom edges of the rear of the front fenders will get you where it needs to go. Biscuitbuilder

A 427 side oiler in a Cobra can give your teeth a sonic cleaning your dental hygienist would envy, but the 255cid 4-cam? Those felt like someone twisting screwdrivers in my ears! Biscuitbuilder

Izzy, Now, are you gonna connect up that shifter to the transaxle? Really, it's pretty easy. Email me, I can describe it to you. Biscuitbuilder

Actually, those side-mounted fuel tanks, by 1968, were quite safe, especially in wall contact. Beginning with the 1965 Championship Season, USAC mandated that all cars (rear engine AND roadsters--yes, there were still roadsters running!) have their fuel tanks fitted with Mil-Spec aircraft style fuel cells. Proof of the efficacy of this rule was quick: In the second week of practice that year at Indy, Jim Hurtubise smacked the wall in his new Halibrand Shrike, grinding the aluminum shell off the right side fuel tank (that tank was slung on the side of the tub). The damaged tank, with badly scuffed and scraped fuel cell exposed, was on display for several years in the Speedway Museum, testifying to the ruggedness of the fuel cell system. There were a few occasions where drivers were burned by spilling fuel in crashes, most notably Mel Kenyon, at Langhorne PA in 1968, and Mike Mosley in the 4th turn at Indy in 1971. In both crashes, the rupture of the fuel cells came not from wall contact, but from their cars having been hit hard by others caught up in the incidents. In 1973, David "Salt" Walther's McLaren climbed the outside wall just at the start/finish line just as the green flag was dropped, and the entire front of the McLaren's tub was literally sheered away by a catch fence post, including the ends of both fuel cells, causing burning methanol to spray all over the place, including the front row or two of spectator seating. Swede Savage's crash at the head of the front stretch in 1973 resulted in the total disintegration of the entire car, with fiery results. However, the side mounting of fuel tanks has by and large been pretty safe, once the installation of fuel cells, and for 1974 and beyond, fuel was limited to the left side of the tub only (the side that seldom ever hits the wall at any serious velocity), and beginning with IRL's own chassis formula in 1977, fuel tanks were moved to the centerline of the chassis, between driver and engine. Biscuitbuilder

Dan, I think he's right. There would be enough lift at anything near the LSR to raise that fuselage off the salt, disastrously. A raising flap would only serve to slow the vehicle, not destroy all that lift, it seems to me. That said, it is your project, should be interesting. Biscuitbuilder

What was really neat to watch, was the starting of a 255cid 4-cam Ford. That engine was the first in the US to regularly get wound up to 10,000rpm plus, which meant that those injector horns, and the throats themselves, were so large as to preclude enough vacuum at the speed a Joe Hunt portable starter could turn that engine over. Solution? A pit crew person, on each side of the car, with an old-fashioned, trigger pump oilcan filled with methanol fuel. Each of these crewmen had to know the firing order of their respective cylinder banks, and they performed quite a "dance" with their cans of fuel, squirting shots of methanol directly into the injector horn, in correct sequence, each shot on time. This would fire the engine pretty quickly from cold, and within seconds, the driver could blip the starter for an amazing, raucous exhaust sound. That engine had, of course, dry sump lubrication, with 7 oil pumps handling the chore in the crankcase, so it warmed up pretty quickly, and within 30-seconds or so, the car was ready to be pushed away, either from the pits, or from the starting grid. There was nothing at all like the scream of the Ford 4-cam at speed either! Those trumpet exhaust pipes simply magnified the sound, which could be heard all the way around Indianapolis' 2.5 mile oval, no matter where you stood. Strangely, the "Doppler Effect" when coming at you down the front stretch quieted it down a lot, enough so that if you were in the South pits, beyond the start-finish "Yard of Bricks" those cars could be heard making the first "cannon shot" sounds as their tires hit the short bit of brick. Ahh, those were the days! Biscuitbuilder