Harry P.

Whoah! Now that is cool! Never saw that concept before, but me likey that view!

I'll give it a shot when I get the time. Within the next few days for sure.

No doubt that as the technology evolves, the price will drop. Electronics generally follow that pattern. Computers, TVs, VCRs (remember those? ), etc. I have absolutely no doubt that a $100 3-D printer will be sold at every Office Max, Staples, and even Walmart before the decade is over.

Where?

Not just your opinion. I've been saying it here for a long time. The day is coming where making your own parts via a 3-D printer is going to be as common as having an X-acto knife.

No need to apologize for the photos. Nothing wrong with them.

That looks really good! I love the flat black hood and side stripes and the black wheels. Everything works well together, it looks like a well-planned overall look and not just throwing something together. Nice work!

I have no idea.

Yes, there has to be an explanation. But so far I haven't heard it. The closest thing to an explanation is Gregg's story about minimum numbers of magazines being packed in bundles to each zip code, but even that doesn't explain why some people always get a damaged magazine and some don't. Must have something to do with how each regional PO handles them... I guess there are differences.

Yeah, we still have a few problems here. A large-scale drag model, for example, could go either in Drag or in Big Boyz. I personally don't like having a separate Drag and NASCAR section at all, I'd rather just have one new "Competition" category with sub-categories for straight line (drag) and all the rest (NASCAR, Indy, F1, etc.). So yes, we have some overlap and vagueness. Most of the time it's pretty obvious where to post what. When in doubt, use your own best judgement. Just try to avoid things like posting a finished model in the Workbench sections or obvious stuff like that.

It's definitely more eye-catching than what it replaces. For better or worse. I like it, more or less. I'd like it more if it had a little less, styling-wise. But in general I think it looks pretty cool. Except for the back end.

I wish I knew the answer. But my Hemmings mags (Muscle Machines and Classic Car) have never once arrived damaged... and I've subscribed to both of them from day one. Strange.

I agree with you 100% on the unhappy customers thing. But I'm not in charge at GBP, and I don't really know how much a magazine bagging machine costs, but I assume it would be a lot. Upwards of six figures, I'd guess. And then there's the question of where to put it... they might not have the square footage available to even have one. And maybe postage for a bagged magazine is also higher, too. A big publisher that puts out several large-circulation titles can afford to do it, a small publisher like GBP, and with a small-circulation niche mag like MCM... my guess is that it's financially unfeasible. There are a lot of factors that would have to be considered... factors that the average subscriber doesn't even think about when they get their magazine all mangled. But I definitely understand why people are getting tired of the torn up thing. Guaranteed!

With all of those sharp folds and creases, polishing the paint will be an adventure...

jbwelda lives in California, I'm in Illinois, George53 is in Michigan... and we all get the magazine all torn up. We're pretty much spread across the country, so I doubt that we could pinpoint the problem to any one specific region. I doubt we'd see any geographic pattern. Gregg explained it once... something about how six is the minimum number of magazines that the PO would "bundle" together and ship as a "brick" to a particular zip code. So if there are less than 6 magazines going to any one given zip code, they are shipped individually... and somehow, being shipped individually is what's causing the problem. However, that doesn't explain why every other piece of mail I get comes to me in perfect condition. I find it hard to believe that MCM is the only piece of mail that goes through whatever USPS process it goes through, and nothing else goes through that same process.

I don't get any magazines that come in plastic wrappers, and none of them ever arrive damaged. That's why I wonder what's so different with whatever is going on with MCM.

Already thinking about doing that! I'm with you... there's basically a good-looking design under all those scoops, creases and add-ons (which, I'm pretty sure, came courtesy of "focus groups" telling GM that they wanted a more "aggressive" design). But you can't really debate design, it's subjective. No "right" answers... you either like the look or you don't. I like the basic design, but could live with fewer of the "styling touches."

I don't buy the "sorting machine" story. ALL mail goes through some sort of sorting process, and I doubt that there's a special process that only MCM goes through. What about all the other mags I get that are never torn or mangled? Why do they come through whatever process they go through but MCM doesn't? I also have my doubts about the story that they are shipped solo and not in "bricks" like other mags. There must be other mags out there that are shipped by the exact same process that MCM undergoes... but again, only MCM is constantly mangled.

The '68 is still my favorite, followed by the original.

I've built quite a few. Very nice models, no complaints from me.

Another winner!

Does anyone here know the rules regarding damaged mail and if the USPS is responsible in any way? I mean, the damage is obviously occurring somewhere between the time that GBP ships the mags out and when they arrive at your home... so the damage is not being caused by GBP. I don't want opinions, but actual facts. Any of you guys work for the USPS, or know the answer?

Sure would. And a Viper, too!

I like it. Not thrilled with the "Camaro" rear end, but overall I think it looks pretty cool. Doesn't matter one way or another, though, there's no way I could ever afford one... so what I think of it is irrelevant to myself!

Holy cow! That's gorgeous! I like the wide whites. Maybe not 100% "period correct," but they do give the car a vintage vibe that I think is pretty cool. I'm pretty sure that wide whites were still available from tire stores back then, so you're not necessarily wrong. BTW, nice pix, too.