Harry P.

Ok, guys, final vote 39-13 REAL. And you're right, it's REAL! (Hey, at least I fooled a quarter of you!) Next ROM coming MONDAY!

As they say, a picture is worth 1,000 words. Dave, your models speak for themselves... your system obviously works!

We'll have to see how it plays out...

Two words: FREAK SHOW...

Also comes in handy when making raisins or prunes...

Hey guys... remember the time capsule they opened up in Tulsa a year or two ago? It had the '57 Belvedere that was supposed to be awarded to the person (or relatives of the person) who had come closest to guessing Tulsa's current population. It was all rusted and looked like a total loss. Whatever happened to it? Was it restored or junked or what???

Is it still under warranty???

Oh yeah! That is BIG TIME cool!

Those photos look great! Colors really pop.

Or make the wooden buck and shape sheet brass over it. Either way, styrene or brass, should do the trick, although styrene would probably be easier. Or.... if you're not too concerned with strength, but want something that'll hold its shape yet be easy to form, try some real thick aluminum foil... the kind those disposable roasting pans or pie pans are made of. Or for something a little sturdier, a piece of aluminum roof flashing from the nearest Home Depot or Lowes...

Gorgeous! Nice color choices, nice foiling job... nice everything! One to be proud of, for sure...

How about this one? Real or model? The answer: REAL!

Uh... the green??? What green?

I sure don't want to knock the aftermarket, because they have a wide range of great products... but sometimes "model-specific" products from the aftermarket are pretty expensive, and you can find a much cheaper (and just as effective) substitute elsewhere. This pastel set is a perfect example. Great tip, Chilly...

Quick update: Thanks to all for adding your opinions. I decided to go with a satin black panel. I used Rustoleum "Maximum Durability" semigloss black auto paint. It has UV protection and is supposedly "weather resistant," so the black should stay black for a long time. And even if it fades a bit way on down the road, I still have about 90% of the contents left in the can! It turned out real nice... I'll try to get a photo and post a pic of the results...

I built this same kit many years ago. It was incredibly detailed, tons of parts, but everything built up well... no problems that I can remember.

You did a pretty nice job, except of course for those ignition wires, which look to be about the size of a heavy-duty garden hose! Not too late to take them out and add a distributor and in-scale wires...

Never built one, but you can guess what the results of hitting a wall would be...

I think I figured out your problem. You're in Australia... so you're probably seeing the photo upside-down!!!

Don't be so sure...

Looks mighty fine to me!

Sorry, professor... I forgot about those icebergs up there you Canucks call Nunavut...

The question "what type of paint is best" has no answer, and there is NO consensus. There are so many different brands and types of paint out there that it's a nightmare for a beginner to even try and sort through it all... so I'll do my best to give you the "Reader's Digest" condensed version, or Model Painting 101... Ask 100 guys what's the best paint to use, and odds are you'll literally get 100 different answers. Everybody basically comes up with a type of paint and a technique that works for them after trying various paints/methods. It's basically a trial-and-error process, and there really is no one, clearcut answer. However, I can give you an overview of some basics. I'll assume you're new to the painting game, so I'll start at the beginning. 1. Almost ANY type/brand of paint can be used to produce a quality finish on a model. It's all a matter of proper application and a certain level of skill. There definitely is NOT one "correct" paint to use. You can use either "model paints" or "real car" paints (Duplicolor is one well-known brand, and my personal favorite paint to use on models). 2. For the sake of simplicity let's stick to the 3 main families of paint: lacquers, enamels and acrylics (there are others, but let's keep this at beginner level for now). Enamels are what are traditionally known as "model paint". However, model paint manufacturers now also offer a wide variety of lacquers and acrylics. Pros and cons: Enamels: Pros-relatively cheap, wide variety of colors, available just about anywhere. Cons-tend to dry very slowly, therefore picking up dust and things might be a problem. They tend to stay soft for a long time, even after you think they're "dry." Drying time can be speeded up by using a food dehydrator (oops... that's in Painting 102)... Lacquers: Pros-also available in a wide variety of colors, available just about anywhere, very fast dry time, very easy to polish out to a great shine. Cons-somewhat "hotter" than enamels, can attack the underlying plastic depending on the brand of paint, so a good lacquer primer is necessary. Pretty strong odor. Acrylics: Pros-water based, so fumes are non-toxic (at least not as toxic as enamels or lacquers), also very fast dry time, also polish out nicely. Cons-maybe slightly fewer colors available vs. enamels or lacquers. For a beginner, I'd strongly suggest either a lacquer or an acrylic, both available either in spray cans or for airbrush use. I'd stick to a spray can for the time being. You can get a spectacular result by using a spray can. An airbrush will give you greater control (over both paint flow and air flow), but using an airbrush well is a whole nother skill set... it takes some practice to get the feel of it. For a beginner, a spray can will do just fine. I'd also suggest staying in the same family/brand as far as primer, color coat and clear topcoat (if used). I know that many people mix and match brands and even types of paint, but again, for a beginner it's much easier to simply stick to one type/brand of paint and avoid any possible bad interactions between paint types or brands. Finally, the "great equalizer:" a polishing kit. Using a polishing kit to rub out you paint job will result in a spectacular, smooth finish no matter what type of paint you used. It's possible to get a nice smooth finish without using a polishing kit, but polishing out the paint can remove any orange peel, dust specks or other minor imperfections in your paint. Obviously a polishing kit is used only after the paint is thoroughly dry. That should get you started in the right direction...

That's the best thing about this place: We're all part of the "in group"...