Tom Geiger

The VW van came in yesterday’s mail! Interesting piece that I couldn’t pass up! It’s the Fink’s Garage Bugburban. I saw it here on the board and ordered from eBay. Shipped immediately and received quickly! Larry included two sets of wheels. It’s made to fit the Tamiya Beetle and doesn’t include a hood. It would be more versatile if hood was molded in place.

Interesting save on Hot Curl! I had a figure I got in a parts box that was missing both arms and a leg. My save? I cut off the remaining shoe and used it in my camper

Rookie Resin makes the V6. He is a member of this board

Ha! I received my copy of that resin body in the mail today. So I will definitely be watching this thread!

Like teenage girls

Yes! Chrysler was predominant as well. Nothing like seeing diesel PT Cruisers. One of the managers at our facility had a Chrysler 300 shooting brake, which I got to ride around in.

Absolutely! Which is why Tamiya did at least two of them in the past. Last time u was abroad, in England, nearly all the US vehicles I saw were Jeeps.

USA is a minuscule market next to the global market, and primarily the Japanese market Tamiya caters to. Note that this kit and other US vehicles they’ve done in the past have that global appeal.

To ben.franklin@gmail.com address

Agreed. If you showed the underside to 20 people, maybe one or two would notice. But you know and that’s what matters!

Per your Fairlane, there’s nothing wrong with restoring an old built up in the manner you choose. There are old builds that exhibit a classic build style from the past and I will preserve them as the folk art of our youth. There is nothing significant about that Fairlane so anything you do is an improvement. Per your Barracuda, that’s exactly how I’d be building it! Creating a modern full detail model of an old subject.

The leaders in bringing new things into the hobby are often those who use those skills professionally. Followed by those who buy the equipment but often underestimate the time and effort to master those skills. Like you, I am no longer interested in competing, but I do like to show my models just for the fun of it, because I’m proud of my work. I do try new techniques and the “let me see if I can do this...” on every build. I’m just not concerned about being on the cutting edge of contest building. I like to see and admire the work of those who do, it’s just not for me anymore.

Ben Franklin’s kite

Another way to do a convertible top.. how many do you actually see with a boot cover snapped in place outside of a car show? Hint- the boot cover for my 2006 PT Cruiser is still wrapped in plastic. I did this 59 Chevy a while back and created the folded top. Not hard to do!

Very cool 53! Is that a modern 6 in it?

Ron will like this, it's about trees! I reported here that I had a large cherry tree come down in a storm a few weeks ago. I was successful in getting a guy to come to harvest the wood and take it away for free. The tree is at the very back of my property, which is adjacent to common property owned by the HOA (Home Owners Association). Picture a big grassy field that the HOA has mowed. Behind that is Gary the leaf fiend. A picky neighbor who runs his very loud leaf blower all year long, even if there is one leaf on either his own or the HOA property. He pretty much treats the HOA property as if it's his own... I've watched him chase kids off the field. The guy shows up today to start cutting at the tree. He pulls his pickup up on the HOA property (which I have permission to do) and no sooner fires up the chain saw and here comes Gary! Before I get there, Gary is yelling at the guy that he doesn't want anyone on the grass! Um, it's not your property! Gary makes a big stink, my tree guy gets insulted and friggin leaves! Guy says he's not dealing with a pain in the tail neighbor. So I go grab Gary and give him a piece of my mind. Pretty much told him it wasn't his property, and all I had was one guy with a chain saw there... And when I get a tree service (which I"ll have to pay for) to come they will bring a whole mess of trucks and people to be on the grass! I put my "free cherry wood" ad back on Craig's List.

once electricity ends

Very cool!

In the model car world the equivalent of hot rodding or customizing a nice stock car would be the “to build or not to build” a mint in the box unbuilt kit. There are collector types who want to preserve that kit and the there is the builders contingency who would say a kit was made to be built. As far as monetary value, the mint boxed kit will be worth more than the average built kit. As far as how you build it, that’s up to you. For instance if I was building a 66 Barracuda kit (note- I used to own a 65) I’d be going for more detail than that original kit included. I’d be putting the more detailed modern tool AMT 71 Duster chassis under it, fully detailing it out under the hood etc. And in your case, I’d go ahead and build a replica of your 1:1 because it would make you happy. Of course how you build and your skill level comes into play. There are guys who build poorly and essentially devalue the kit and there are talented guys on this board who have sold gorgeous models for over a thousand dollars.

Or cow pies

Great photo! Does anyone make the decals for this car? ?

I am building a pair of Jeepsters. One will be the pickup version. The floor is flat in the kit, but in 1:1 photos I found on the Internet, there is ribbing in the bed. Since this is the focal point of a pickup I couldn’t let it go. My first attempt in the above photo was to measure and glue in some very thin Evergreen strips. I was happy. Using this old partial built up of a later Jeep Comando version, and mocking it up with the body and roof... horrors! See the front of the bed down at interior level? Not right and it looks unfinished. So I decided I needed to create a bed floor. I had done this with my Trabiant van and Dodge Caravan CV van, using Evergreen ribbed sheet. I had people asking how I did it, getting it even on both sides, so here is the process. Nothing high tech.. Step One - Never waste costly material like Evergreen sheets! I always make templates first from card stock, this time old business cards. First I measure off one side. I use a pencil and straight edge to get everything true. Then I cut it out. If I get it wrong, I whittle into the cardboard with a small scissor. If I mess it up, it costs nothing to start over. I’ve achieved my goal in the above photo. Step Two - Flip over the finished right side card and trace it onto another business card. Step Three - Cut it out and trim to fit. I actually did this side twice because I found an error in this old kit.. the left wheel well was a scale inch more narrow than the right side! (no I’m not cutting it all up to fix it) If you noticed that the left side card template is too wide... Step Four - The two sides overlap on purpose. You cannot, or shouldn’t try to cut it as one piece, not only worrying about the edge fit, but the side to side overall fit. Place both templates so they fit the edges and simply tape the overlap in the middle! Now you have a template! Step Five - Here’s the template on the back side of our ribbed Evergreen sheet. Trace it with a pencil. I’m still very careful and go over it with a straight edge, making sure it’s all true. Now remove the paper template and cut your Evergreen sheet with exacto blade and straight edge. Step Six - Once cut, try it in your bed. You may have to do some trimming and definitely will need to sand edges. I have successfully filled in the void and made the bed pleasing to the eye. I’m happy with the results, and maybe a half hour of work. Do not throw out the template! You may want to do another someday, or something else close where you can use it as a starting point. I have a folder with all kinds of templates in it. I hope this helps someone!

Agreed! I have no machining background and have no interest in working a lathe or mill. Also had no interest in learning home photo etching. I do have ancient CAD skills where early on I was pulling decals off a pen plotter in the early 1980s. Today I make a lot of decals in computer graphics and print on my inkjet. I have an interest in Cricut and 3D printing, but my model building isn’t at a volume where I’d make the investment right now. I do think we all need to employ any skills and tools that we care to. And if we choose otherwise, hey it’s just a hobby. Let’s do what interests us and makes us happy. Otherwise it’s called “work”!

Steve, what kits have clear steering wheels? I know the custom wheel in the old Riviera kit.. that one is in my 1950 Ford pickup ratrod... other sources (and / or aftermarket)?

Spent some time on my pair of Jeepsters. Both engines have some paint on them and 8 wheels done and sitting in a pile. I found that the pickup didn’t have a complete floor so I made one. Look for my quick tutorial on making a floor mat. It was relaxing and I’m feeling a bit better for it!