Tom Geiger

I have my settings so I see all posts in all categories with replies I haven’t seen. I like to follow in progress threads for just about any subject. I build some odd stuff and I’m aware that some folks Just don’t get it. A person can post photos of an unpainted Camaro or Mustang with wheels posed under it and get a bunch of attention. I think people look at my builds quickly, and say to themselves, “Not a Hemi” and click elsewhere!

Bingo! We, as a group, probably account for less than 5% of kit sales. We are the guys who show up at Star Trek conventions dressed as Mr Spock. Over enthusiastic and very demanding. The model companies do respect us, but take us with a grain of salt. The majority of kits are sold to the general public. For a better idea of who and how they are building kits, check out Facebook groups. These are full of guys asking very elementary questions, perplexed when their hardware store paint jobs fail and not knowing the very basics of fine kit assembly. And these are people enthused enough to post on the internet! There's a whole dimension under this of people who merely will assemble a kit with their kids on a rainy Saturday. I don't know a single modeler in my town, but the kits in our Hobby Lobby turn over regularly. Then add in any kit with Coca Cola reference, any connection to TV or movies and you have a whole new audience of collectors who will buy these and never open the shrink wrap. There's a lot of money in this market. Just check out a TV and Movie Memorabilia show! Actually bigger and more monied than our model shows! I remember reading that this group of buyers / builders turns over every 18 months. So when a kit manufacturer brings back a kit after 3 years, it's all new to a good part of their audience.

Super nice truck Bill! The more I look the more I see! Wonderful and I'd be up for the GMC conversion parts once offered. I just created some seat covers. I was over thinking it but tried something simple. Design printed on ink jet printer, glued with Elmer's glue. It went on very well and adhered to all the curves on the rounded edges of cushions I created. Paper got wet enough to comply, but dry on the print side so there were no runs or other issues. I was very surprised!

up their butz

I had been updating this one in the "Bring Out Your Dead" thread, but actually forgot I started a build thread. Above is a photo of the completed passenger compartment. I finished making the rear steps and railings for entry. That left me to work on the cushions. I started out with thick basswood. I made the cushions and rounded off all the edges like foam would be. Then I found this tropical fabric pattern at Joann's .com, stole the image and reduced it to the size I needed. Originally I was thinking I'd need to print to fabric or decal paper. Then I did a test print on regular 20lb paper and it worked out just fine. So I wrapped the "cushions" with the images and secured in place with Elmer's Glue. I was pleased that the ink didn't distort or run at all. This is just a mock up to see how the cushions will look. I'm pleased that they dominate the interior and will add a new dimension of color to the truck!

Hey it's all a part of our motoring history! Little AMC was chasing the Ford Mustang and Plymouth Barracuda in the fast back wars. They had no money for product development so they built off what they had to work with. There was a design study putting the roof on the American, but they chose to go one size up to the Classic to make their entry. The roof line is very interesting and unlike the competition.

Superb Phil! The car is excellent!

I keep on pluggin' along! I found this nice tropical fabric on the JoAnne's site and appropriated the image for my own purposes. I scaled it down to match my vision and printed! At first I thought I'd be printing it on decal stock, or even fabric but found simple is better.. that 20 lb bond paper wrapped around basswood cushions just dandy! I used Elmers Glue. I made the cushions the other evening, all the edges were sanded round like cushions would be. I spent my lunch hour today wrapping them. I was pretty darn anxious to see how they looked, thus the above photo! I am pleased that the fabric will overpower the other elements in the interior, and add another color to the model. Note that they are not in their final positions, just laid in there for the photo. I don't know if I will be able to finish on time. I'm flying out on business on Sunday and won't be back until next weekend. And I'm having a grand time with this one so I don't want to marathon it!

On the show "Yukon Men" about the town of Tanana, Alaska there was a scene at the town dump where people were doing their dumping and a line of bears was sitting there peacefully watching. No doubt waiting for their opportunity at the garbage.

said Richard Rollens

Looks great! And you get a lot done!

The Foose chassis should fit nicely under nearly any full size pickup kit. Someone just mentioned in another thread that it fits under the Moebius 1966 Ford, I'd try any kit that you have in your stash. Now if you really want to have fun and do things the hard way, the Foose chassis is under my Datsun. I added the flares to account for the wider track, shortened it appropriately in the center, and of course things like the drive shaft and exhaust had to be shortened to match the new wheelbase. Other than that I had to make a new floor for the cab since the transmission sits back into it. Something that made the fit easier was that I glued the bed to the back of the cab. Then I didn't have fit issues trying to adjust each end to sit on the new chassis. This was fun.

Good story! Especially the picture of mama and 4 cubs! Many years ago we used to rent a lake front house in the Pennyslvania Pocono Mountains. Within wading distance without getting your shorts wet was a rock sticking out of the water. So I'd go sit on it and watch the bats dip into the lake after dark. I'm sitting there one night with my favorite beverage and got the feeling I wasn't alone. It was really dark, but I could just make out a bear grazing along the shoreline with two cubs, larger than the ones in your photo. I don't think they saw me as they paid me no attention. I sat rock still and waited. As soon as they were out of sight I made a mad dash for the house. And of course I didn't tell my wife and daughters, or we would've had to leave that evening!

Super! I'm happy to hear of your son's progress!

I swung through Hobby Lobby on my way home from Walmart today. They got Foose pickups in again so I grabbed another one with my magic coupon! I can't wait to see what I can shove that chassis under this time (sinister laugh!)

Agreed! This kit just falls together. You will find things like the glass snaps in place, no glue needed. The exhaust snapped in place for me too! I built one stock... I did wire my engine and changed the air cleaner though. And as I was working all I could think was what other vehicles that chassis would work under. I recently cut one down and put it under a Datsun pickup and I was at Hobby Lobby today... they had the kit, so I bought another one. We'll see what that chassis winds up under!

A pair of Plymouth Breezes... reliable little buggers and peppy with the 2.4 engine. We got over 200,000 out of each of them. My driveway in 2003 My 1973 Barracuda probably in the late 1980s 1996 Grand Caravan Mark III high top And can't forget the Mrs and I out for the day in the PT Cruiser

This looks great Kerry! Keep it going!

Nice! I'm itching to build a 1970, I bought a few kits on clearance at Hobby Lobby. I have a photo set of a red convertible that keeps popping up to the top of my mind.

Here we are as of last evening... I fabricated the entry stairs and rails. Next step is making seat cushions. I don't know if I will make the deadline of the end of this month. I've gotten busy with work and will be traveling next week.

I went to an ATHS show in New Jersey years ago and was blown away by the vast array of trucks and equipment that have been saved and restored!

Very cool model! Back in the day, my father had a 1973 Electra 225 4 door hardtop. A very regal car in yellow with a saddle interior and vinyl top! He got into an accident, a young guy ran a stop sign and the Buick needed a new nose. It went off to the body shop and when my dad picked it up there was something strange about it... the shop had installed a 1974 Buick nose on it! We went back to the shop and they agreed to a big refund, which we accepted instead of changing the nose. It didn't look bad!

let's shave her!

Nice weather here in the Philly 'burbs so the cars were out today! Neat early 60s Vette sitting at the light this morning.... Custom and chopped '51 Chevy this afternoon coming back home. Note it has 55 Chevy tail lights. The nose was fairly stock. Maine plates

I have an Aurora Chitty Chitty Bang Bang kit that I bought at Toledo a bunch of years ago. The last day of show I was doing a final sweep of vendors and there was one who had primarily non-auto kits. He had stacks of boxes that were two stacks deep. I don’t know what made me pull a front stack forward, but the very bottom kit in the back stack was this kit! I pulled it out and the box was warped, parts rolling around inside. Everything was off trees, wings brush painted with poster acrylics and some glue bomb assembly work done. The vendor and I agreed there was no way to quickly determine how complete it was so he was happy to get $10 for it! i got it home and did inventory against the instruction sheet. The only part missing? A gas cap!