Zoom Zoom

Don't sell yourself short! The first time guys in my club did a 24 hour build (we do it annually for LeMans and build models of cars that raced LeMans), we had a younger member of our club join us who had *never* built and finished a model *ever*. He did a Revell Corvette C5R...and it came out fantastic. You'll see his work on this forum under GTMike400, he scratchbuilds nearly everything now...he still needs coaching on building something OOB but if he starts from scratch and machines/fabricates it...watch out! He asked questions when necessary, we coached him on what paint to use, we have a "dehydrator farm" to force dry painted parts. I've seen enough successes from these builds to know that nearly anyone can pull it off if they try, and not be embarrassed with the results. First, pick a subject suitable for the timeframe. Curbsides/snap kits are abundant, many are excellent, and they generally have very manageable parts count. Second, familiarize yourself with the kit before the day of the build. Sometimes there are rules, like no pre-paints, only glue X number of parts ahead of time, start unpainted, or start w/the model in primer. Rules are good, but don't be afraid to stretch them a bit...remember, you want to have fun. Every race team stretches rules... Our group allows fully primed bodies for the LeMans build. A builder can show up with all the parts clipped, nipped, dressed and ready for paint/assembly (our group allows that). So you can spend time getting the model prepped to a point, getting your ducks in a row...it's not like you show up w/o cracking the box ahead of time. Again...this maximizes fun and the ability to finish on time. Endurance race teams don't show up cold, they've built/rebuilt their car repeatedly, they show up with tons of preparation. Last year I cheated like mad...my "primer" was gloss white paint that somehow was miraculously polished ahead of time though I did have to mask/apply racing stripes w/my airbrush. I had already built the subject before, and knew it was fairly painless. I ended up w/a nice model, and about 5 hours of sleep that night. Again, while the challenge is in the building of the model, at least in a group setting it's really about being with friends and having fun. That also is important to have "group support" to help other builders if they reach some sort of snag. Sometimes we'll help each other, I'll help someone w/paint, they might help me w/some decals. That kind of thing. To those previously uninitiated in that kind of building, it often really opens up their eyes and creativity, and they usually accomplish much more than they ever expected, and learn techniques that they can use on every model...endurance racing is a team sport, a 24 hour build can be similar. We've thought about doing a group build sometime, building one fully-detailed model, with people responsible for different areas of the build. Or doing assembly-line style, all building the same model, one person working body, another interior, another chassis, another engine, combining effort for some areas and finishing. There are lots of ways to approach it. Avoid old-school supplies that hinder progress...don't use enamels, tube glue, and old-fashioned air-curing putties. Lacquers, super glue and kicker, and dehydrators are all highly recommended, and exploited for all they are worth by the group builders.

I have some limited experience w/Mr. Surfacer 1000, both from a jar and spray can. Also some limited experience with Tamiya bottled primer. With Tamiya spray primer gone from store shelves for who-knows-how-long (they wouldn't answer that question on their Facebook page), I was looking for an alternative. I've had a couple jars of Mr. Surfacer 1000 for years, so I tried it through my airbrush. Thinned w/their own "Mr. Color Thinner", I was amazed at how smooth/glossy it lays down. It could totally make me never miss Tamiya spray primer again, if not for the convenience factor of shooting their primer w/o the need to set up/clean the airbrush. Thinned w/acetone, I didn't get nearly as good results...it dried too rapidly when atomized, so much thinner was required to keep it wet when it hit the surface, that it just didn't work well. I did not try it with standard lacquer thinner. That said, I always have Mr. Color Thinner on the bench, it's perfect for adding a few drops to decanted Tamiya sprays, or even Testors lacquer sprays. As far as I'm concerned, that is the only thinner I need to use w/the bottled Mr. Surfacer. I never have airbrushed the bottled Tamiya surface primer. I did use it doing some bodywork. I had a custom model that gave me nothing but problems with blistering when I put it in the dehydrator. I figured it was something to do w/the putty, or the final paint reacting with the plastic, or putty, or primer...it wasn't until the next model, where I did some very prelim. work and dabbed just a bit of the primer on one joint...and it blistered...that I realized that 6 months of agonizing custom work on a model that nearly saw me destroy it, was due to the Tamiya liquid primer, brushed on vs. airbrushed, that did not like to be put in the dehydrator. Lesson learned, it never happened again

The "Ultra" isn't. It's awful. Get the newest, latest "improved" plain old standard chrome foil, and it works properly. That said, a couple years ago they came out with a "new, improved" formula that was horrible in every way possible. BMF had a distinct problem w/the foil shrinking/cracking on the backing sheet over time, they reformulated it, and after that it I could not trim it properly, it tore most times trying to remove it from the backing, even with brand, new blades. The adhesive was far too strong, it left a lot of residue, and to top it off...the adhesive was applied with a foam roller...this gave the foil "built in" orange peel. You could apply the foil over glass, and there was no way it would be smooth. Not only that, but they also coated the outer surface of the foil, so you couldn't buff it to a high gloss sheen. It was a complete disaster. But...they reformulated again. Early last year I bought a new sheet, and it was back to being a good product. I will say that sheet has shown signs of minor wrinkling on the backing, but I do not see any cracks. So far it has worked well...I don't use a lot of it since I build so many Euro, Japanese, and modern subjects. Problem is the new packaging that says "new and improved" is identical to the earlier "new and improved" that was absolutely horrible. Make sure you are buying fresh stock. And stay far away from "Ultra". Anyone who can buff paint w/compound can make standard BMF chrome look 10X better than the phony looking "Ultra".

I'm pretty sure the trailer got added to the '72 Impala kit; I had a '71 when I was a kid and also a '72...the '71 had all that nonsensical optional "spoof" stuff , whereas the '72 came prepainted like a promo and with the trailer that continued until the end of the line in '76.

Japan to China...faster, more fun

Or shoot the model in hobby lacquers; I built two DBS kits and primed them w/Tamiya primer, and shot them with decanted Tamiya sprays. The synthetic lacquers like Tamiya and Testors sell don't cause any ghosting...or I have yet to experience any. Though if automotive primer is used and that causes ghosting, it can reappear w/subsequent coats of Tamiya or Testors. The idea is to use hobby primer too, that doesn't begin the whole process of ghosting.

Very nice, my buddy in HS had one that looked identical (he bought it from his grandmother when he wrecked his '64 Chevelle), but it had a 307 w/3 speed automatic. Sure brings back memories...nice work

You wouldn't have to cut, I'd gladly let you take the spot. Now if it were a Caribbean...all bets are off

Oh boy...if Moebius were to do either early or late '40's Packards Could be the swoopy '47 or the pregnant elephant '48. Yeah, I'd be very much in line with my cash

I really love what you are doing to this model; it's got a lot more character than the "plain white" original

I could live with that, but in the interim I really...really want Revell Germany to do the 599 GTO. I'm about to embark on the GTB, now that I found a color scheme that I like.

It's not based on the 612, it is the replacement of that car, much as the 612 replaced the 456. I like it...it's definitely a polarizing design, much like the California which I continue to despise. I'll have to wait to see it in the flesh, but I assume I'm going to like it a lot. I hated the 599 and 612 when they came out, now w/time and better colors & wheels & packages, they're favorites. The 458 was lust at first sight...even more so in person. The California...complete disappointment, even worse in person. Like black stretch pants on a 350lb. woman in Kmart...you're not hiding anything back there. At all. If one is registered on Ferrarichat, on the FF thread there are more photos of the car from inside Ferrari. Lots of people shocked/amazed/terrified/hateful of the kammback, but it serves its purpose. It looks 10,000 times better than the bulbous Panamera which tries to hard to look like a Porsche but utterly fails due to horrific proportions. It should have been a kammback, not a "potato butt"

Looks fantastic, and considering the improvements they are making, should be an incredible model

Thanks, me too It should be on the bench in a week or so...will be a good follow-up to their 458 which I am very impressed with...it's one of those "I'd build a case of them if I can" kinds of models for me, and those are rare.

I can't tell whether the list is of stuff that is available now, or ?? I rarely walk out of a shop with a model. I get models online or at shows or one-at-a-time w/coupons at craft stores. I can't imagine going to any hobby shop and picking out 20 models of existing kits-I don't need them! I have enough already for several lifetimes...everything I want is either not available, or not on the shelves yet. Kits that I plan to get in 2011 (ones that I know about): Moebius Chrysler 300, Hudson, Lonestar Revell Mustang GT HT & CV, Camaro SS Tamiya Lexus LFA Revell AG Mercedes SLS & 458 Italia (I just finished 458 review kit, will build multiples when in US packaging) Polar Lights Batmobile Fujimi Porsche GT3-RSR Aoshima Subaru WRX-STI AMT Meyers Manx Lindberg Dodge Charger Police (I'll believe it when I see it) Academy Cobra Daytona Coupe (if it happens) It will probably take all year to get 20 "new to me" models, and that's more than enough

There will be ZERO live racing televised by ALMS this year. ZERO. Their "big announcement" this week was a huge step backwards for TV viewers. Races will be televised by ABC or ESPN2...a day late. The TV coverage will only be highlights..."The 90 Minutes of Sebring". Races will be live via the internet (ESPN3 or ALMS websites)...and fans are livid I can't exactly invite friends over to huddle around my laptop to watch an endurance race There isn't enough sponsorship $. So when they need more fans and more $ by sponsors, they're forced into less. ALMS is loved by the fans, but it is having a terrible time getting enough sponsorship $ to keep it going. This is why there are sports car and open wheel drivers who choose to go where the $ is. Aka "NASCAR". It's not because they love driving the cars or the races. It's because it's where they have a chance to make a living driving by following the $.

Those are very cool; you should take it up again!

B)

They run two per year; Infineon/Sears Point, and Watkins Glen. New life? Hardly. The cars look silly and uncomfortable on those courses and there is no way that sports car fans are going to flock to NASCAR regardless.

Site has been either down or painfully slow for awhile. Right now it's in the "painfully slow" phase, before the next "forbidden" aka "site is down" message

Looks great, nice that you took a different path building compared to most others

Excellent! I'm sure this transparency will result in a better final product. I'm looking forward to it.

I am a scale snob, but generally only between 1/24 and 1/25th. Other scales don't interest me to build, but that's just from my own "continuity of scale" perspective. I do prefer motorcycles in 1/12 scale...which end up size/volume-wise very similar to 1/24th scale cars. Hmmmm... I like both 1/25 and 1/24; I build a pretty eclectic range of models because I like so many different kinds of automotive subjects. This past summer saw me building a '57 Ferrari Testa Rossa, an Aston Martin DBS, then Revell's '62 Impala and Viper ACR. Only the Viper ends up in a gray area; because of it's sports car/exotic persona, it does look kind of small next to a modern Aston or Ferrari. I probably would have preferred it in 1/24 scale. I feel strongly that when a model is kitted by a manufacturer, that it should be in a traditional scale for the subject matter. Sometimes there are gray areas, like we see in discussions of modern big rigs. Traditional American subjects should be 1/25 scale. Imports/exotics/tuners/sports cars/compacts should be 1/24 scale. It bugs me to see the excellent Revell tuners look puny next to similar subjects made by Japanese companies, just as much as Monogram's 1/24 scale musclecars look too big next to vintage kits of the same subjects. I can't re-write history, it's not a huge deal, but I readily admit being a scale snob. I tend to look at car models on a global scale, and in that respect it seems silly for any company to go against the grain scale-wise.

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Mazda fan. I currently own two, and in the past had a B2200 SE5 and RX4 coupe. I'll always be a Mazda customer

Nice conversion so far It's my favorite current Ferrari. I'm in the same quandary; do I make one of my own, or wait and see if Fujimi or Revell step up? Or do I take a Revell kit and make enough modifications that may not be an exact replica, but in the same spirit as the GTO looks so much better than the standard 599, even if it's relatively subtle. So c'mon guys, take one for the team, do the conversions so that Fujimi and/or Revell do it for the lazy amongst us As for tires, Pegasus still sells the Bridgestone tires that Tamiya made for the 350Z. They're great modern tires, stretch easily over 19's and 20's, and they're very affordable. They're a great replacement for Tamiya's DBS tires, for instance, that are far too tall.