Steve_L

I used Duplicolor Gray Filler Primer over the body work and lightly smoothed that with a polishing pad. I followed that with Duplicolor White Sandable Primer and smoothed that, too. The base was Spaz Stix Silver, followed by the Spaz Stix gold. Hope that helps...

This is the tenth one I have built and I have that many or more on my shelves remaining to be completed. I have collected over 10,000 digital images of custom 1949 Mercurys and have not seen one done with custom rolled pans front AND rear. So that is the direction I went with this project. I combined a Revell Custom 1949 Mercury styrene donor kit and a Modelhaus resin body for this build. I lowered the chassis further for the stance I wanted and used True-Spoke rims with Pegasus tires. I installed 1955 Chrysler grille bars in the front and rear rolled pans and added 1950 Ford taillight lenses to the rear. I chromed the engine and transmission with Spaz Stix Mirror Chrome and invited my wife Dianne to choose the body color. She responded with Copper Pot, a nail polish by Sinful Colors. I used Rustoleum clear over that and polished it to the glossy finish I wanted. The quality of the Modelhaus resin body was superb and helped make this the fun project it was!

Here is a picture of the parts from the Model Car World 1957 Chevy Nomad resin kit: You get the body, side and rear glass, rear bumper, chassis insert, tailgate interior panel, rear seat back, and interior. It uses the Revell 1957 Chevy 2-door Sedan kit as the donor. Enjoy!

Over time, I’ve spent money with ChromeTech and Little Motor Kar Company for chrome plating services, but there are often times when I want to use Alclad II to apply a chrome finish on some model car parts myself. In the past, because of a serious case of OCD, I have often been unhappy with the gloss or shine of my completed Alclad II chrome projects. Through trial and error and experimentation, I am now using an alternative process for applying an Alclad II chrome finish. I have long used automotive paint products for my model car projects and that is where I looked to try to improve my Alclad II results. I found that applying a three part base of Duplicolor automotive paints would give me the high gloss chrome finish I am looking for. I am sharing it with Y’All so you can also get better results with Alclad II chrome. I begin by ensuring that the items to be chromed are clean and ready for paint. The first step is to apply one medium coat of Duplicolor sandable black primer. After observing the dry time specified on the primer can, I apply one heavy wet coat of Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel Gloss Black, making sure that the paint is not so heavy as to cause a “paint run.” After allowing the gloss black to dry in accordance with the instructions on the can, I apply one heavy wet coat of Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel Gloss clear, also making sure that it, too, is not too heavy. Once the gloss has dried in line with the instructions on the can, I have created a very glossy base for the Alclad II chrome finish. I most often let the parts dry at least for a day or two before I apply the Alclad II chrome. I use a Paasche VL double action air brush with #3 tips and needle at 12 PSI. I apply a light coat or coats of Alclad II Chrome, in accordance with commonly accepted practices, making sure that I don’t apply too much of the Alclad II product. The enclosed pictures show pictures of the three Duplicolor products I use as well as vintage mag wheels that received an Alclad II Chrome finish. Try this and I think you’ll like it! (Note: Automotive paint products like Duplicolor are often more expensive than other paints I use. I frequently shop prices at the local automotive parts stores and most often buy at the places that provide the military discount I am eligible for. A few local automotive parts stores will sometimes run sales on the Duplicolor paints. I have not yet attempted to buy what I need online, but that may be a good alternative to get discounted prices. Another Note: Along the way, you will undoubtedly notice that the Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel clear provides a very high gloss shine. Yes, you CAN also use it on your model car paint jobs. Two mist coats and two wet coats of clear (applied in accordance with the can instructions), followed by careful polishing can provide a near-show quality finish for your model cars. Experiment with it and I think you’ll like it!)

This is not a new build, but the photos and polishing job are brand new. (Yes, I still have '57 Chevy fever...) These are pictures of my 1957 Chevy Candy Red Custom car. It is based on the AMT/Ertl Boyd Coddington American Hot Rods release. I liked their look so I used the custom parts from the kit and also pancaked the hood and hinged it from the front. It is painted with Varsity White primer, Krylon Gold lacquer, Black Gold candy red lacquer and topped off with Tamiya clear lacquer. The interior is a flat white, and is detailed with Bare Metal foil and paint. I installed the Revell parts pack chrome 283 engine, topped with an aluminum air cleaner from the old Ala Kart kit. I used Pegasus disk brakes and the big and little mag wheels from the Pro Modeler 1959 Corvette kit. Enjoy!

I have been quoted by my model car buddies as saying, "You can't have TOO MANY '57 Chevys!" I am true to that word because I have build more models of that year and make than any other. When I browsed the Model Car World web site and saw that Dave Dodge had created a resin kit of the 1957 Chevy Nomad, I knew I wanted to build one. I combined the MCW resin kit with the Revell '57 Chevy 2-Door sedan. I swapped in a Chevy LS1 motor and 6-speed transmission. I left the interior pretty much standard and used the lowered suspension from the donor kit. I had a set of rare True-Spoke wire wheels and decided to use them for this project with a set of Pegasus tires. I primed the body with Duplicolor white primer and smoothed that with polishing pads. Based on advice from my friend Steve Boutte, I used a base of Rustoleum bright gold, and air brushed Spaz Stix Candy Red over that. Many coats of clear and a lot of polishing brought me where I wanted to be with the finish. It was a fun project made easier by the high quality of the MCW resin kit. I had no issues with fit and the quality of the kit glass was superb compared to other resin offerings. Enjoy!

I am pleased to finish this build of a 1940 Ford Custom Rod because it was stalled for over eight years. In 2006, I began this project with an AMT 1940 Ford kit, a Revell 1940 Ford kit and a Ron Cash Resin body. I made good progress and combined the Revell undercarriage with the AMT fenders so that I could use the Revell street rod type chassis. The project took a bad turn with a failed paint job followed by a disastrous attempt at stripping the paint and primer. The parts went into the build box and it went on the shelf in late 2006 and stayed there until about three weeks ago. I am happy that at long last, the project is successfully completed, with custom features such as a chopped top, frenched head lights, custom frenched taillights and a Ford small block drive train. I covered the body with Duplicolor Corvette Torch Red paint and clear, followed by vigorous polishing. I have been working at improving my use of Alclad and am pleased with the appearance of the custom mag wheels. Seeing it on the shelf for all those years wasn't fun, but being able to finally finish it up definitely WAS fun! Enjoy!

These are pictures of my 1950 Oldsmobile Custom car. I combined the Revell 1950 Oldsmobile kit with a resin body from Morgan Automotive Detail. Custom features include a chopped top, extensive lowering with a 1950's rake, de-chroming, custom floating grille and bumpers, 1958 Chevy roof scoop, frenched and tunneled headlights, 1960 Corvette taillights, custom wheels and tires from the vintage Revell 1960 Corvette kit and a 1958 Chevy steering wheel. I swapped in a 1969 Olds 442 engine and transmission and added ignition wires and rubber radiator hoses. I finished the build with Spaz Stix candy gold. I learned some things along the way and had plenty of fun with it. Enjoy!

Thanks for your feedback. I used Duplicolor Tan Upholstery spray paint for the interior. I find it (and other upholstery colors) at our local auto parts stores.

The closest color for a 1957 Corvette was probably Harbor Blue. However, I was more interested in a color pleasing to me rather than 100% historical accuracy. Thanks for your feedback.

The Atlanta Car Model Enthusiast (ACME) Southern Nationals show was held on November 15, 2014, at Smyrna, Georgia. At the ACME meeting on November 9, I realized that I did not have entries for the Southern Nationals show theme of "Race on Sunday, sell on Monday." I, like some others, interpreted the theme to require two models, a racer and a stocker. So I decided to build a stock 1957 Corvette to go with my 1957 Corvette gasser race car. These are pictures of the car I built. It was very much out of the ordinary for me, since I completed the build in only 5 days. I used Duplicolor primer and Duplicolor GM Bahama Blue Metallic paint with Duplicolor clear. I added ignition wires, rubber radiator hoses and a fuel injection unit from my parts box. I enjoyed the challenge of the short time frame, although the two builds weren't award winners. Enjoy!

Here is a 6-step method to have fun with the Revell Ed Roth 1957 Chevy model car glue kit: 1. Buy the Ed Roth 1957 Chevy Bel Air model car kit. 2. Remove the decals and instructions from the kit box. 3. Send what's left to me -- I will reimburse your shipping costs. :-) 4. Buy a Revell 1957 Chevy Bel Air snap kit. 5. Build the snap kit, but add the Ed Roth decals. (They are not a 100% perfect fit, but are certainly workable...). Based on my experience, your final assembly could be quite enjoyable, compared to the glue kit. 6. Sit back, look at your completed project and enjoy your handiwork!

These are pictures of my Slingster Dragster project. When it was released, the Monogram Slingster Dragster was well received. When I bought my kit, I was pleased with the many build options available. Of course, I decided to "do my own thing" and build it as a show car, similar to what might be seen at World of Wheels shows. I chose the supercharged Chrysler engine and the streamliner body configuration. I partially assembled the kit and sent it off to ChromeTech USA to add some bling. They chromed the chassis, engine and accessories, drive train and the wheels. For a smoother appearance, I glued the three bottom body panels together and smoothed the seams. I decided to leave the top body panels loose for display purposes. I added detail with a distributor, ignition wires and coil. I also added a fuel system, photo etch accelerator pedal linkage and a tachometer on the steering column. I painted it with Duplicolor paints (primer, Ford Sonic Blue color and clear.) It was a fun project with a well designed kit. Enjoy!

These are pictures of the 14th project in my build theme of "Models of Cars I Have Owned or Driven." In February of 1974, my wife and I went to look at a 1972 Kingswood Station Wagon. It had all of the space we could ever need and was air conditioned. Despite my misgivings about low performance and low gas mileage, we bought it. After a few weeks of driving, the gas mileage and performance were ridiculous. During a tune-up by a country mechanic, I was blown away by two things he said. 1. GM used a Transmission Spark Control emissions device in the vacuum line between the carburetor and distributor to limit ignition advance to only when the car had been in high gear for more than 20 seconds. He recommended a simple bypass of that device to allow the car to run cooler and provide better performance and gas mileage. I reluctantly agreed and said I would test it for a while. 2. He also said that my car had probably been affected by the GM dual layer exhaust system (one pipe inside of the other). After a few thousand miles the inner pipe often rusted and exhaust gasses would get between the two layers and the inner pipe would implode. Sure enough, that is exactly what happened to our 1972 Chevy. He replaced the whole GM exhaust system with a heavy duty single layer Napa system. On the way home, I thought I was driving a different car. Both the gas mileage and performance were noticeably better. I ended up "testing" the Transmission Spark Control bypass for the next five years we had the car. The model project got started when I saw the Modelhaus complete resin kit for a 1973 Caprice Station Wagon. I thought, "Maybe I could make that over into a 1972 Kingswood." While I was waiting to receive that kit, I noticed a 1971 Impala resin kit on EBay. I said to myself, "Maybe I could graft the front clip of the '71 onto the Modelhaus '73 and save a ton of work." That is just how the project progressed. I removed all the '73 Caprice trip and slightly modified the '71 front clip to fit a Modelhaus '72 Chevy front bumper. I added side trim with .040 half round styrene and also used it for the roof rack runners. I used parts box items for the rest of the roof rack. I shot the custom-mixed Aegean Brown Metallic paint through my air brush and covered that with Duplicolor clear. I used Krylon Satin Brown Boots paint and matte clear for the interior and added some detail to the steering column plus detail painting. After marathon polishing and BMF sessions, I was good to go. The build was one of my more ambitious (and expensive) projects, but it was high on the fun meter! Enjoy!

These are pictures of my Chaparral Daytona Coupe, built from a vintage 1966 Monogram styrene kit. It is built pretty much box stock, with the addition of the Daytona race-time oil cooler add-on plus detailing with AMT fuel injection velocity stacks. I painted it with Rustoleum primer, Duplicolor Gloss White and Duplicolor Clear. The decals are, of course, the same age (48 years old) as the kit and they tested my patience. I wish to thank Henry Trent and Norm Newcity for their interest in this project and the ideas and tips they provided for it. It was a fun build and neat to complete something (for once) that makes turns on the race track! Enjoy!

MJS, Dad was proud that he had gotten "the big motor." However, with only a two speed automatic and the weight of the 4-door wagon, the car did not perform well. I pushed it hard for two years, though, and it never let me down. Steve

Charlie, The only in-progress pictures I have are the two I posted. Sorry about that... Steve

These are pictures of the 13th project in my build theme of "Models of Cars I Have Owned or Driven." In late 1960, my Dad brought home a new 1961 Ford Falcon Station Wagon for our family car. I immediately hated the looks, color and gutless performance. However, I said nothing because my Dad originated the phrase "It's my way or the highway." I had a lot of "first dates" in that car, but not many "second or third dates." That was because many girls did not want to be seen in a station wagon with a fold down rear seat. LOL! I combined an AMT 1961 Ranchero styrene kit with a ModelHaus resin 2-door Station Wagon kit and converted it to a 4-door. The good news was that I found a reference picture of me and my brother John next to the car. The bad news was that I found that reference picture; I realized I needed to add the side trim and roof rack to the build. And I needed to take out a loan for the BMF, too. LOL! I modified the front seat and painted the interior with Desert Sand Duplicolor Interior paint. I followed that with BMF and detail painting. I made the side and rear window glass from clear .010 styrene plastic. I used .040 half round styrene for the side trim and made the roof rack supports from .060 half round. I adapted other roof rack parts from a 1959 Rambler kit and my parts box. I had the Mint Green paint custom mixed at a local auto paint store and shot it through my air brush. I covered that with Duplicolor Clear and finished up with polishing pads plus Novus and Meguires polish. I had a lot more fun building the model than I ever did driving the 1:1 car! Enjoy!

These are pictures of a model 1965 Thunderbird I built for my good friend, Ron Nelsen. Ron and his son worked on a 1:1 '65 T-Bird together, but his son passed away. I found a vintage AMT 1965 Thunderbird screw-bottom metal-axle kit on EBay and was off and running. I used Duplicolor Ford Sonic Blue Metallic Paint for the exterior with a polished Duplicolor clear coat. The interior was completed with Duplicolor White upholstery paint, Bare Metal Foil and other detail painting. I added chrome pieces and headers to the engine as described by Ron and finished up the project with two license tags and a rear window sticker found on the real car. I hope Ron likes it and that it brings back good memories of working on the 1:1 car with his son.

Wrecker388 -- Good point, I guess. I just looked at many similar 1988 Chevy pickup promos on EBay, and none of them have mirrors. If you will supply me the mirrors I need, I'd be glad to install them.

These are pictures of my 1988 Chevy Custom Pickup. I keep a supply of snap kits on hand to provide an occasional "slump-buster/morale-booster" project. But this time I chose an inexpensive 1988 Chevy Pickup Promo I bought for $8 at a model car show. I slammed the chassis, added Pegasus Chrome Rims/white wall tires and covered the body with Spaz Stix Candy Gold over a Silver Base. I cleared it with Rustoleum 2x Gloss clear and polished that with pads and Meguires Ultimate polish. Some detail painting, a custom bed cover, bare metal foil and a custom license tag finished up the low drama/high fun build I was after. Enjoy!

Thanks for your comment. The custom '60 Mercury grill I used came from my parts box. When I tried it in position and it fit, I located the Lucas clear headlight lenses and went with that combo. I regret to say that I don't recall the origin of that grille. Maybe someone else will recognize it.

Thanks for your feedback. The taillights are deeply tunneled, with dark red flat plastic lenses. They are so deep and so dark that they don't show up well on the pictures. I am out of town just now, but when I get back I will try to take a better picture of the rear. If the lenses show up, I will post the new image.