Biscuitbuilder

At the start of the "500", major entries, such as AAR's cars, were very nearly show car in appearance, but by race end, they were pretty grubby--lots of debris chips in the leading edge of the nose, oil stains all over the front of the car, and if the racing was close, rubber powder (the tires of the day tended to grind off powdered rubber, not the gumball "marbles" of today). They got pretty dirty, and kinda beat up. Biscuitbuilder

Ismael, Someplace, BURIED in a box, I have perhaps 100 color pics I shot of the AAR Eagles at Indy in 1968, in Gasoline Alley, as well as down in the pits (Yup, used to spend my days off from the hobby shop where I worked at the Speedway every May!). The color used back then by AAR (1966-71) was a very dark "Midnite Blue", I believe a Fomoco color from perhaps 64-65(?). Two caveats though, with this kit: First, and the easiest to correct, even though it takes a second kit, is that the tires seldom all four came out of the mold decently, EVERY one of the dozen or so that I built back in the day (did all the variants of the '68 Eagle--68-71, then Larry Rice's 1978 ride, the last of these cars to make the race). The second is tougher: The right front suspension has a problem, making the wheel lean WAY inward at the top, negative camber. Granted, there is a little bit of negative camber on that wheel on an oval track, but not as much as the kit. Takes some tweaking. Also, don't be too quick to eliminate all the seams in the tub, they are there in 1:1, as you no doubt remember from seeing Bobby Unser's 1968 Winner, the Rislone Eagle, the Offy powered version of the car you are building (AAR designed this particular Eagle to accept either the 4-cam Ford [either 255cid normally aspirated. or the 168cid turbocharged version] the Gurney Weslake, even a small block Chevy (for the very similarly set up Formula A car). The tub also has a lot of exposed rivets, common for a monocoque chassis of the day. It was so cool watching that race, as Gurney's pit was directly across the front stretch where I was sitting with Larry Rice (ESPN race host, Rookie of the Year at Indy in '78-shared with Rick Mears--and soon to become USAC Midget Champion). Every pit stop was like AA-Fuel at the drags--that Weslake had awesome power right from a standing start, no pushing out of the pits by the crew, Gurney simply dropped it into 1st, stood on it, white smoke boiling from the rear tires! Biscuitbuilder

Billy, you have hit one of the nails on the head, as has Harry Pri. With virtually any model or toy of a car, there will be at least licensing of some sort (anywhere from "go ahead and do it" to full approval process followed by a "guarrantee" and royalty payments). With any race car, there will be a lot more licensing involved. Not only will the car need to be licensed in all likelihood, but perhaps even the engine as well, then the wheels, the tires, perhaps even the chassis builder will have his fingers in the till as well. THEN......We get to the sponsor of the car--who's name is on the sides of the body--add to this all the accessory contingency decals (and those can get sticky!--sometimes Company A will tell the model or toy mfr "If Company B's decal is on there, we won't approve you using outs!). Even the driver is likely to want some compensation. In short, this can all add up quickly. But, perhaps the biggest reason that kits or diecasts of modern drag cars seem not to sell at the mass-market numbers needed is that they are often simply too obscure to the general public. Beyond a Force, a Pendragon, etc., the visibility of just about any drag car drops way off, not to the enthusiast, but the general public. Lotta factors at work, Biscuitbuilder

Andy, My first 50 or so Cord sedans were based on a massively cleaned up ScaleKraft body (it was horrid, to be polite). After an exchange of letters with Guido, I determined to make a sedan that was truly correct (his wasn't, having clearly used the roof section of a Monogram '37 Ford Tudor. My second sedans (trunkback supercharged, and flat back non-supercharged) were done with the generous reference assistance of Josh Malks, President Emeritus of Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club, long time technical guru of the 810/812 Cords. Josh brought his '36 Cord 810 Westchester sedan to the 1994 NNL-West, where I photographed it extensively, then took a hot, fast ride (with Lee Baker in the back seat) down the 101 Freeway through San Jose, out into the countryside and back again. The second-series AAM Cord sedans (both with Westchester interiors, BTW) were evaluated by Mr Malks, and other Cord authorities, and they pronounced them "dead on" accurate. Dave Lindsay's pics are of a first series AAM Cord 810 Sedan. Biscuitbuilder

Outside rear view mirrors weren't all that popular back the day. Most people simply ignored the concept--and perhaps that was OK, after all, that was the era of very large glass area all around, no wide sail panels, nor high rear deck, and of course, less than half the traffic on streets and highways than what we have today. Biscuitbuilder

I can see a stock '32 Ford Tudor coming off my workbench (yeah, Ford build Deuces stock!) Got a 98% stock frame done already (built it back in 1999): http://images107.fotki.com/v548/photos/4/4...terFrame-vi.jpg Biscuitbuilder

Andy, YOu got the early version, IIRC. I corrected the angle of the sail panels about 1994 or so. Biscuitbuilder

The Studebaker GT Hawk I cast up was an early one for me--done originally by California legend, Mike Carroll. Mike did a ton of work on that one, I had to go in, do some rework to get it to look like it should (My eyeballs VS his, I think). Looking back on it now, there are some things I should have done differently, such as making the grille a separate part from the hood so that it could be plated (hindsight is perfect vision every time!), but I also consider that I got that master way back in 1990, and both my modeling skills, and my casting capabilities were far less advanced than they became in following years. On a model such as this one, so much depends not only on modeling skills in doing a master, but references as well. I did have unlimited access to a 1:1 '62 GT Hawk (have a scar on a finger from the very ragged edge of the left rear quarter panel, at the door jamb to prove that!). I had to look at another 1:1 at the Studebaker National Museum in late 2002 when doing product development for Johnny Lightning (we wound up doing the '57 Golden Hawk), and found a lot of details that I missed back in '90. Of course, in this day and age, a clean casting (no goobers, no airvoids, no pinholes) only makes sense. After all, guys like Don Holthaus and even myself figured out how to avoid those years ago--so anyone willing to send out such castings just doesn't get it. Oh well, enough of a rant, I think. Biscuitbuilder

Actually, it was Kelsey Hayes who pressed out the steel 5-slot wheels for the AA truck (Budd at that time was only doing body shells), but they were, and are available. I used to cast them, with tires, under the All American Models brand, the late Ron Cash did the wheels only, without tires, and they have been done innumerable times on 24th scale diecasts, most of them very inexpensive. One thing to bear in mind: Ford offered 1.5/2-ton trucks with those same 7:00-20 wheels, identical in all respects, from 1929-1952, so they are around in model form. Biscuitbuilder

Hmmm, Now, that does look FAMILIAR! Bsicuitbuilder

One has to remember, too, that in 1964, AMT was coming to the end of an absolute FAD called model car customizing. While nobody could really predict it at that time, the clouds were already on the horizon--slot cars were already taking the $$ that kids had been spending on customizing kits, they were going slot car crazy. The model companies, AMT, Revell, Monogram, Aurora all put very serious dollars into engineering, tooling, producing slot racing sets, slot car kits, to the detriment of capital available for new model kit tooling. That sales figure of 25 million kits is, of course, a bit misleading, as in those days of the $2.00 retail kit price, AMT was getting only 95-cents per kit, FOB the factory loading dock. At less than a dollar per kit, their sales don't look all that huge, even by 1964 standards, IMO. But, the 60's were a magic time to be into model cars, for sure! Biscuitbuilder

At least, on the rare (or so it seems) occasion I actually do finish something, it's a work of Art! Biscuitbuilder

It's actually lots easier to make forming bucks for most windshields and back windows by starting with a clear plastic part (the glass) that at least comes close, then modifying it with cutting, adding strip styrene, and using gap-filling CA glue, with whatever filing, sanding and polishing needed to get a good fit. You needn't bother with clarity, as this is simply a form for vacforming or stretch forming. With wood, so much time as to be spent filling, sanding, and then polishing the surface, in order to avoid the grain of the wood from showing in the "glass". That is the method I used for virtually every vacformed windshield or back window glass I made for resin kits. Also made it much easier to allow for the material thickness of the .020" clear plastic I used. Biscuitbuilder

The old Monogram Beer Wagon (Tom Daniels kit design) had some very well done wooden barrels in it, to be mounted in the bed. Biscuitbuilder

Needs to be stretched, of course, as the Fleetwood Brougham was a longer wheelbase car (similar to Olds 98 and Buick Roadmaster). Reshaping the rear of the roof will be the biggest challenge, probably sheet styrene work there. Side windows will be different, of course, but windshield, hood and front fenders are the same as the Caprice. Have fun! Did this one in resin back in 1994. Biscuitbuilder

1962 issue of the '57 TBird was in the Trophy Series, and yes, it was, to that point, IMHO, the quintessential Trophy Series kit to that point. I still remember the sweaty palms, the puddle of drool on the floor at the LHS when I spotted that kit for the first time! Biscuitbuilder

Turn back the clock and calendar to February 1962, for the AMT Trophy Series '57 Thunderbird kit. That's when this kit first turned up at my LHS. AMT also repopped the '57 TBird promo as a Craftsman Jr kit, with a porthole liftoff HT, completely different tooling, but very nice just the same. Biscuitbuilder

Billy, A quick rundown: The engine in that Rolls is an inline 6, with a cast aluminum crankcase (the barrel-shaped portion of the engine that forms the lower part of it, above the oilpan. The cylinder block was cast iron, and was bolted down to the crankcase. The cast aluminum crankcase on that engine was probably polished at the factory (Rolls was known for highly finished mechanicals), the cylinder block, head, valve cover, intake and exhaust manifolds are all very shiny black. Biscuitbuilder

Rolls was quite conservative, yet committed to absolute quality and the utmost in appearance then, so that engine would reflect that. The Phantom engines I've seen in restorations have all been done in very shiny black enamel, with the exhaust and intake manifolds in black porcelain over the cast iron. Beyond that, cast aluminum, such as the crankcase (this was an "assembled engine" with cast aluminum crankcase and iron block bolted down on top of that) would have been polished, fittings done in either chrome, polished bronze and polished brass. Bolt heads (Rolls used very few nuts exposed to the outside, and those were "acorn nuts", leaving no exposed bolt or stud showing through) were chromed, I am pretty sure. Hope this helps a bit! Biscuitbuilder

Hey Chopster! Good to hear from you! Perhaps it will be much closer to finished by Good Guys at O'Reilly Raceway Park (used to be Indianapolis Raceway Park) in Clermont IN (only a stone's throw from Indy, BTW) in June. Mebbe we will see you and the Bondo there?????????? (I hope?) Biscuitbuilder

Or years? Bear in mind, I started on this project only a couple of months ago, about April, 1987 to be exact! Yup, 'tis true--it's been 20 years since I built up the basic frame for this one. Lotsa things got in the way, most of them off the radar screens, not the least of which were a need back then to "Sieg Heil" the Wifenfuerher I was unfortunately married to, and the more direct problem of simply getting into a project WAY over my head at that point in time. Oh well, I have, for years, used Orson Welles to describe my way of building models: "I will finish no model before its time" 8) Biscuitbuilder

Andy, Dunno if I will "speed" this one to completion--having to stop and figure out just how I am gonna work out each part of it as it goes along, not to mention the rather delicate nature of things such as that roof structure. Biscuitbuilder

Nice site, but I saw nothing at all regarding box art models. Biscuit (who built a bunch of box art models for AMT Corporation and Lesney/AMT)

And, my hands will applaud you every step of the way as YOU build it! Biscuitbuilder

At long last, I get to try my hand at building a roof for this cab. I decided early on to try and build it up pretty much the same way that the real one was done, with a wooden frame around it, bent wood bows, and with wooden slats laid fore-and-aft on top of that. Masking tape (my favorite top material) will get the call for finishing it off: Here's a look: Bending the soaked basswood strips over a curved surface (OK, so an antipersperarant package had the shape I needed!): Starting the assembly of the framing, along with the front bow. At this stage, the side rails and front & rear headers have been carved to shape, with a reinforcing rib glued to the inner side of each header: All the bows installed. At this stage, I've already block-sanded the bows and headers, to give them a smooth transition to each other: And, voila! A completed roof structure sitting on top of the cab for the first time! Finally, after 20 years, this thing just might make a truck: Biscuitbuilder