Vince Nemanic

I think the engine & transaxle from this kit are in the Depth Charger and similar kits.

Put a drop of liquid glue in the sink mark, then top it with a small piece of plastic flash on the glue and let it dry. Put a drop of glue on top of that and let it dry again. Sand and repeat as needed. if the original kit had some flash, the repair will even match the body. Often I don't even need to use putty, or the layer of putty is VERY thin. Yes, there IS a use for the dreaded plastic flash!

Thanks. You have to protect your position, but you still gave hope. Quite the tightrope walk! And your builds are fantastic!

Mike, are the original custom parts in the kit? If so, how do they fit the new body?

I always stretch sprue outside or in the garage. It has quite an odor, plus sometimes the sprue will catch on fire (easily blown out) and produce black smoke which can stain the walls and the ceiling. But it is very useful for filling seams and holes, using liquid glue. It is also great for reinforcing joints where body parts like custom noses and tails are installed- the joints are much stronger than parts attached with super glue. I still use putty, but many times it is not needed.

Try stretching some sprue and installing it with liquid glue. It will melt into the styrene and it sands well. You may still need a tiny amount of putty.

Best wisher for recovery. I have several modeling friends in Sacramento and the Bay Area, but Covid has preventing me going up there.

Tom, thanks for the pics of the ZZ Top shuttle. Mike built this shortly after the album came out. I have long forgotten, but he told me exactly which kits he used. I'm sure the car was the 1/32 Eliminator snap kit, but I don't remember what scale or manufacturer the shuttle kit was.

I first met Mike when he showed his ZZ Top Eliminator Space Shuttle at NNL West in the mid 1980s. He was always nice to talk with.

Roy Sorenson did a few for AMT, including the black and orange '33 Willys and the first issue of the new tool stock '60 Chevy pickup.

The beginning of the end for stable prices was the oil embargo in the early 1970s. Since styrene plastic is petroleum based, the price of raw material skyrocketed. Another factor was the decline in car manufacturers ordering promos that the kits were based on. A third factor was the car companies demanding licensing fees for the use of names and designs. All of these occurred in a period of about 10 years. I'm sure there were many other factors, but these were the catalysts for the first big price jumps.

Randy, MPC did a 1/25 2000GT convertible from the Bond film, and some of the Japanese companies did the coupe in 1/24 and 1/16 scales.

Stretch some of the kit sprue then cut it in two parts. Insert one of the stretched ends into the hold and pull it through until the "cone" contacts the hold, then use liquid cement to bond it. The liquid glue will soften the sprue a bit so you can push the unstretched part of the sprue into the hole a little for a tighter seal. Then trim the excess and sand smooth. You often don't even need putty, and the filling is very strong.

There was a photo in a magazine with the Petty car in pit lane next to another Plymouth in it's pit stall. It really showed the differences in the cars Unfortunately, I don't remember what magazine it was in.

Tim- one of the owners of Atlantis models is named Peter Vetri, so he is likely the Peter V that reviewed your book.

So Atlantis won't be supplying Revell decals for the Mooneyes dragster?

Now I have a parts question. What were the front tires that were used on the first issue of the AMT Double Dragster? My guess is either the original Trophy Series tires or the Firestone Supremes used on the '60s annuals. I think the tires in the most recent issue are way too wide.

Number 5 is a scoop from a Revell VW Bug, but it is meant to be used on the roof. The other scoops are paired up and replace the rear side windows.

Good to see you here, ol' buddy!

The only 1/24-25 El Caminos of that body style were the MPC in 1/25 and Monogram in 1/24. Revell Germany owns Monogram.

Two of Steve's builds are on pages 30 and 31 of the SA Contest Cars 2020.

The Brabham/Matra, Ferrari P4/Porsche907, and Renault Alpine/Gordini kits were Heller kits sold in AMT boxes. Some of them have been reissued as solo kits by both Heller and Union.

I remember your stuff pictured above. Very nice. The 2021 show has been cancelled by Santa Clara County. I haven't heard about 2022 yet, as I'm sure the Bay Area guys have not heard from the County. We will just have to wait and see.

Those tires were in the original issue of the Willard Battery Indy Roadster and also in the Bonneville-only issue of the '53 Studebaker (orange car on the box). At some time they were replaced by a two piece version. The two piece and solid ones might have also appeared in other kits that I don't know of.

Hello John! I see one of your photos is from NNL West. I have been on the staff since 1990 and my job is to show vendors to their tables before the show opens. I'm one of the guys walking around with a cane and I often stash my stuff behind the registration table. Did you know Randy and Cassie Vandraiss from San Jose?