Modelmartin

Back in the day when that kit first came out I combined it with a MPC 1/20 AMX to make a Gremlin pro-stock! Never quite finished it but it was cool. There are a bunch of Monogram, Lindberg and MPC 1/20 Vettes Firebirds and Camaros that would be good donors for a street machine type conversion. 1/20 is still odd though unless you are a F1 builder. Andy

That seems to me to be a direct result of business and government leadership not leading but pandering. We all know what is the right thing to do for the good of our society. Building and selling big gas hogs and people driving 4WD crewcab 1-tons on their daily commute to work just don't make sense. Gee! Gas prices shot up and people can't afford to fuel their monstrosities. Who could have seen that coming!!!! Probably one out of 50 SUVs and pickups are actually used for the intended purpose. Ok pickup owners - hit me with your best shot and make it good! Andy

Those Germans should have taken their Mazda 6! ( I know! It's not in italian. To be safe everyone should drive cinqecentos!!) Andy

The English excelled at badge engineering also! The Mini came out as an Austin, a Morris, a Riley, and a Wolseley and much later as a Rover. The basic Austin sedan from the 60s came out as at least 5 different makes. I think they added Vanden Plas. I have noticed that badge engineering progressed form shared platforms with different body/interior/engine in the 50s all the way to actually just GLUING on different badges and applying different stickers in the 80s and 90s. Sort of what NASCAR is now!!! The American car companies would be smart to do what the Japanese do and have one brand with a full range of cars from economy to luxo-barge. The Japanese luxury divisions(Acura, Lexus, Infiniti) actually have different cars for most part. I am not aware of too much badge-engineering going on in Europe aside from the English. I personally think it was a shame that GM let Olds go as the Corporation was started with Olds. They were the original division. The are tossing out their history and heritage. They kept Saturn which seems to be just selling Opels now! I would rather have an Opel. It is an actual marque with a history! Don't get me started on SAAB which was always an interesting and unique car. Now it is basically Opel powered and they use the same platform as the Malibus! You got to love (NOT) the SAABaru and the SAAB badged SUV. OY! Andy

I would not dare to challenge Art on anything Indy! He's forgotten more than most other experts can even remember!! My semi-educated guess on that engine is Frontenac designed by either Louis, Gaston or Arthur. It looks fairly early judging from the updraft carb and exposed flywheel assembly. Is that the engine from one of the Monroes? or earlier? Only guesses as I don't know that stuff real well. Ask me about Bugattis! Andy

Good to have you back in the mags, Terry! I wasn't aware that Rick actually got anything cast! He showed up at NNLs and shows for years with the same half finished masters. He was talented but didn't finish much as far as I know. Andy

The original cast of the NNL included Host with the Most - Tom Woodruff, Tim Boyd, Chuck Helppie, Bob Bost, Alan Cozby, Gary Dale, and myself. I can't remember if others were there or not. Forgive me if I have forgotten anyone. Lyle has the story essentially correct about the formation of the NNL except that only one person entered Mark Gustafson's contest.......me! I was actually the named National Luminary except my luminescence is not that bright. The first Toledo NNL was held in the Toledo Turnpike Motel in Jim Kampmannn and my room. Models were placed on the nightstands and credenza. Gary Schmidt and several others were there also. The next year it got bigger and Mark G. showed up! Those were great times and wonderful memories. Andy Martin

It depends on the resin. Most modern urethanes have neglible shrinkage. I need a caliper to measure the difference. I would say go for it. You won't notice it at all on a model car. Andy

It looks like pininfarina styling from the late 60s- early 70s. I was going to guess Opel but I really don't know and don't have spare time to find out. Andy

The engines on one side hooked up to the front, the other side to the rear. It was a pair of double inline setups. There has been every possible combo of engines, drivelines, and hook-ups devised over the years. Ray Keech had three Liberty airplane engines all driving the rear axle direct drive! 81 litres and a push start! on the sands of Daytona! Anything can be devised or imagined would probably have a real world counterpart. Andy

This is merely an educated guess based on my experiences and a few reports from others who have had business dealings (not retail purchases) with the proprietor. He has a very unique way of conducting business that does not involve paying bills promptly and also making big big promises of the amount of business he will do with you. My guess is he wore out his welcome at most of his suppliers. Remember when Car & Driver started selling Exoto diecasts? They were payment for his big 2 page color ads! I insisted on full payment at the time he ordered and I would deliver in 60 days. I never heard from him again. Andy

Is that another GAZ? Gregg Kluck posted one earlier in this thread.

Howdy Zeb, Glad to see you are back on the forum. Me not so much lately - kinda busy. By the way I like the pics you put up of the 1970 Vauxhall SRV concept car. That is a good looking car. I like the way you snuck that in after everybody was just talking about Vauxhalls. Here's one for you to guess at. Later, Andy Martin

Yes. Completely. Smiley face better? Andy

You are close. If my memory is close to be being useful Wolfsburg was in the British zone and the Army officer who headed up the plant was a car buff and had followed the VW's development prior to the war. I believe that he was actually angling to be assigned to the job. I have read that Ford Motor Co. turned down an offer to buy the whole thing cheap. Thank goodness for that. The Brits eventually found Heinz Nordhoff, a former European GM exec, who very successfully ran VW for almost 20 years. There are a couple of the original 1938 beetles that survive. I don't know their history but they did end up in private ownership eventually before VW acquired them back. The story and history of the Beetle is fascinating. It and the Model T are the 2 most significant cars manufactured in terms of putting the population on the road. Obviously they both set records for production and longevity. Andy

Jairus! Such hostility! I think you are proving my point. Andy

Whose political correctness nazis? Yours? Or Mine? We all are a bunch of superstitious, ignorant savages in the first place. You can put clothes on us but we all still want to kill a lot. Given the right opportunity any group of people in the world will commit atrocities upon any other group of people. No group is intrinsically better than any other. If you think your group is superior to any other then you are a few short easy steps away from genocide. Back to the original subject of the Imai Beetle. It probably just seemed like something cool to do by someone not familiar with Western history or sensitivities. I would venture a guess that he was going for a rebellious attitude with that look. Why is the Maltese cross and German helmet popular with bikers and show rod guys? I think it is poor taste but it is certainly no big deal to me. Imai kits are pretty crappy anyway. I wouldn't bother with them. Andy

That's the airplane version. Andy

I have seen it before and am trying to get some memory synapses firing ! The RR inspired grille is the clue. Is it a Roamer with the Rochester-Duesenberg engine? Or is it something more prosaic like a Chevrolet touring car with a RR copy grille on it? Andy

You poor dear! PPG DCA468 Hi Performance Clear lacquer. Andy

Still slower flowing than frozen molasses here! Probably a great relief for most forum members because it keeps me off the board a lot more and they don't have to endure my tedious posts as much! Andy

I would add to Tim Boyd's recollections of early NNL events that one of the thoughts we had was that NNLs were a scale counterpart to events like the Street Rod Nationals. Model car contests were the counterpart of judged car shows like custom car shows and restored car concours. Most of the street rod type shows had some type of people's choice awards and Street Rod Nats always had a top 10 or some such for those who wanted to be judged and compete. Harry! I knew you were just asking a question so please don't think I was jumping on you. I took no offense whatsoever from your query. I would like to see some hybrid type model car events where one side of the room was an NNL with no awards and the other side of the room was a full-blown contest! Now that would be fun! I would have models for both sides! Andy Martin p.s. Beating a dead horse is a good way to release excess aggression that builds up!

I am never funny when I try to be. It is always an accident when I am funny. I just want to know what everyone is gripping. Their hat? Hatting, gripping. I hate to gripe but our collective spelling could use some improvement. EX; Andy is hating on the griping. Lesson over. Andy Martin

Lyle, The Mid-Atlantic NNL sounds like a ###### fine show! I wish I didn't live so far away which makes it very difficult to attend. Perhaps one of these days I will. I can relate to everything you mentioned! Our NNL North has experienced most of it. Our favorite was a lady who was always trying to make sure her hubby won something by bussing in friends to vote for his models, etc. We changed the voting system every year to foil her! Andy Martin

But what are you doing here? Bitching about those of us who occasionally like to debate something or have some fun tweaking someone's nose. Half of the threads you take offense at are tongue in cheek humor. Lighten up, Man! Andy Martin