Harry P.

Pretty sure they did. BTW, how cool would this model be with the blade down and the head in the basket? Now there's an eye catcher!

That exactly right. At MCM we try our best to feature the whole wide range of the model car hobby, which includes a lot more than just 1/25 scale plastic kits of American cars. And yeah, sometimes the occasional boat or tractor even sneaks in. But that's because we're quirky...

Progress report... I added the rest of the mounting straps to the gas tank. I used the "sprue" part of a photoetched sheet to make the straps (lesson: Never throw anything away!), and I also added the external fuel lines that were originally molded onto the tank's surface (not exactly prototypically correct). The fuel lines are insulated copper wire, which is perfect for this application because it bends easily but holds its shape once bent. The small square blocks that the fuel lines route through are pieces of square Plastruct rod, drilled for the wires to pass through and painted semigloss black. BTW, the fuel lines were a HUGE pain... I don't want to go through that process again! The kit's tailpipe has a giant peg molded into it; the peg is supposed to be glued into a hole on the bottom of the gas tank. That is not how the tailpipe is really mounted. In reality the tailpipe hangs from a triangular mounting strap. I created this detail with more of that leftover PE "sprue," bent to shape: In the above photos you can also see the convertible top boot. The kit part was molded perfectly flat; in reality there is a noticeable sag in the middle. I heated the part over a candle flame and formed the sag while the piece was hot. Eventually I'll add a scratchbuilt full tonneau that covers up the whole interior from the front seatbacks to the folded top (that's why I didn't bother installing the rear seat... the tonneau will cover all of that up).

It'll be back next issue.

Well now... there's a model you don't see every day! Looks good, nicely done... but one question: Blood on the blade BEFORE it came down???

If only ALL the kit manufacturers would run their business that way!

Not to rain on your parade... but IMO, trying to make the headlights light up is a major project in itself. Trying to make them actually pivot open and closed is an almost impossible job. How would you hook up the motor? What type of motor? Where would you mount the motor and yet still connect to the headlight opening/closing gears? How would you you be able to reverse the motor so the lights would close? And if you somehow managed to overcome all of those obstacles and actually got the system to work... how many times before one of the tiny gears strips, or a shaft breaks, or... well, you get the point. Making the headlights actually open and close is Gerald Wingrove-type craftsmanship. No offense, but I seriously doubt you could pull it off. Not saying you shouldn't try, but my guess is the odds of you (or anyone) being successful are very slim.

Those tires aren't tiny... they're normal size! You know... before the whole "clown wheels" fad... I would add some foil to the vent window frames, though. No Charger ever had those painted body color...

Just an "educated guess" here... but I think it all boils down to money. 1/43 scale models (both diecasts and kits) are aimed squarely at the adult collector market. Just a quick look at the subject matter offered in that scale will tell you that the manufacturers of 1/43 models are not trying to attract the kids and teenagers. Their target market is adults; and adult collectors are willing to pay the price for high quality. The fact that the average 1/43 model sells for more than $100 would tend to back up my theory. On the other hand, 1/24 and 1/25 scale kits are aimed at the mass market (well, as "mass" a market as there still is for model car kits)... and the "average" builder is very price conscious. In fact, I'd say the average model kit buyer is more concerned with the cost of a kit than the kit's accuracy, which explains why kitmakers continue to churn out reissues of badly done kits, or badly done new kits, and those kits continue to sell. I would say that as far as 1/24 and 1/25 kit manufacturers are concerned, keeping the price down is more of a priority than absolute accuracy in the vast majority of cases, and that's because "average" casual model kit buyers are cheapskates! Look at how much crying there has been the last few years as kit prices have steadily risen. The average kit buyer is moaning about the fact that model kits don't cost ten bucks anymore! And in those rare instances when the kitmakers did step up with more realistic, "adult-oriented" kits, those kits sold poorly, or even bombed outright. The average kit buyer (I mean the casual buyer, especially kids, not the "hard core" guys like most of the members here) expects a low price, and is willing to overlook inaccuracy... and the manufacturers know that, and tailor their releases accordingly.

They could offer far more realistic wire wheels, and separate chrome trim (assuming we're talking about a newly-tooled kit and not a reissue)... but it would cost more $$$ to do a kit right. Unfortunately, doing a kit right isn't exactly Job One for most manufacturers.

Good rule to follow in most cases... but not when the photo you posted is supposedly an example of the "right way" to build a model!

Wikipedia? I don't need no stinkin' Wikipedia!

Look carefully at the diagrams. The secret is cutting the frame rails at an angle of at least 45 degrees. That way you can glue the cut sections onto the top of the rest of the rail, but the overall length of the frame rail stays the same. If you study the illustrations you'll see why that's possible.

Is that painted, or bare yellow plastic?

I think it was a Juha Airio feature. BTW... no models of a Cadillac XP-74 as far as I know, but just out of curiosity, which one are you talking about? There was one from '59 and one from '64.

John Adams had it right... it's just everyone else that blew it!

Continue partying, but just to set the record straight... The vote to declare independence was actually taken by the Continental Congress on July 2nd. John Adams predicted that future generations would celebrate July 2 as Independence Day. "The second day of July, 1776, will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illumination, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore." The official signing ceremony was on August 2nd. We voted for independence on July 2 and made it official on August 2. So why do we think that July 4 is "Independence Day?" Because that's the day that Congress officially adopted the Declaration document. Happy Independence Day... whenever it actually is!

Real or model? The answer: REAL!

You can always get back to the store another time. BTW, the car in your link is gorgeous in the way that only an early 60s Mopar can be... I like that color, looks very good on the car.

Same kit, different decals???

Cut it out of a piece of sheet styrene. Use a photo as a reference for the correct shape.

The refrigerator. 'cause that's where the drinks are...

Pictures, please!

Nice attention to detail, things like the dash gauges and body scripts. Very cool model of a very cool car!