Merkur XR4Ti

Easily made with the AMT '58 Plymouth kit.

If we're talking about kits that will actually sell, and sell a lot, then the S&H Torino has to be at the top of the list. Why hasn't this one been done yet?

Still waiting for a Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino in 1/24 or 1/25 scale. AMT/ERTL produced a 1/18 diecast of this one, so at some point they had figured out the licensing. Unsure why they haven't pushed forward to produce it in plastic. Modelers would jump all over it like a hobo on a ham sandwich. And for a more recent movie, why not the other Gran Torino prominently featured in film? I mean, this is Clint Eastwood's car! I want to build it!

That's a beautiful job! I loved building mine. FWIW, the Modelhaus now has the stock hood (without the scoop) available in resin for those looking to build a SST or mainstreamer Rebel. Unless you pay big bucks for an unmolested original kit, most of these now available are built-ups and glue bombs, and almost invariably someone's cut a couple of holes in the hood.

No, it's small for me as well. I thought I could click on the pics to see larger sizes, but I cannot.

While working on my '66 I remembered I have a '65 Impy kit that has everything except the body. What other GM models ran that chassis? I'd like to try to get a resin body for another car to put over the '65 running gear.

I got mine from the local hobby shop this week and just grokked and started it last night. It certainly looks like a '66 and so far all the parts just fall together. I really like the kit and can't wait to get some paint on the body.

Seeing this built up makes me even happier I pre-ordered one from HLJ a while ago. Can't wait to get started on it when it does arrive; methinks Aston Martin Racing Green is a perfect color for my DBS. Such a beautiful car. Maybe this means we'll get kits of the DB9 or Vantage at some point?

Absolutely stunning, John. I love it.

Thanks for the advice, guys. For some reason I thought clearing the pearl would remove the effect of the paint. Off I go to shoot some clear!

So I've just used a pearl color (Tamiya Pearl Green spray paint) for the first time, on a Monogram '59 Eldorado, to represent Hampton Green. The color went on beautifully and pretty smooth, but there's not a ton of reflection there. After my first spraying, I started rubbing out the paint with some auto rubbing compound and then some Tamiya compound, but noticed that the peal in the paint seemed to get silvery and uneven and lost some of its luster. So I put another coat on and that's where it stands now. So, should I clear the pearl green? Would that cause it to lose it's pearl-like luster? Should I just wax it and forget about getting a shiny finish? Any advice would be appreciated.

Is there any way to easily tell from the box if it's an older issue or the reissue? I want to buy the kit but don't want to deal with the green windows.

God that Aston is beautiful. Can't wait to get it. When is it supposed to be issued?

Nice catch, Harry! I should be able to touch them up very easily.

Since you guys were so nice about the 300, I'll impose one more time. This is the newly re-released Tamiya kit, with Studio 27 decals. This is the '89 Le Mans car, which didn't finish the race due to an engine fire IIRC. I was drawn to this version due to the orange winds at the back of the car, which provide more visual interest than the all-aqua cars run in previous years. Having the windows molded into the body was a PITA when it came time to paint it, but overall this is a pretty nice kit. Color is Tamiya Coral Blue, which was a close match to that Leyton House aquamarine they used to run. The Studio 27 decals were OK, but the orange wing decals weren't the right size (perhaps sized to the 956 kit instead?) so I cut my own decals out of decal film painted orange.

I finished this one a while ago but am just getting around to taking pictures of it now. This is Jo-han's '68 Chrysler 300. I found a very nice built-up kit on that auction site that had not a spot of paint on it, so I disassembled it and built it from the ground up again with all the proper coloring. The paint is Turbine bronze from MCW, with a topcoat of Testor's Wet Look Clear Lacquer. I didn't really add anything fancy to this one (I forgot to take a shot of the engine but it's just box stock). The only real modification I did was to add spacers to bring the wheels/tires out to their proper positions (otherwise they're way too far inward on the chassis.) I need to create license plates, but this one's otherwise done. I really enjoyed building this huge beast.

Well, I took it back yesterday. Just too loud and too clunky and my Aztec didn't work with it anyway (the Badger external mix one I have did work fine). I'll keep looking around for a better solution for my needs.

Holy smokes! I finally got all the accesories I needed for the compressor so I finally fired it up for the first time tonight for its 30 minute break-in procedure. It's louder than an airplane taking off! Are all the Campbell Hausfield compressors this loud? I seriously am not sure if I can like with the noise this thing makes, although I'm sure it's a fine compressor. I have a wife who works long hours and cannot be woken up, and I've got a baby on the way in a few months and there's no way I can run this thing when either will be in the house. Any reasonably priced, quiet alternatives? The one i have now has a one-gallon tank; does it fill up quickly so the thing will shut off fast?

Michaels also carries embossing powder, which works very well in place of flocking and IMHO doesn't come loose as easily once applied. I bought a jar of block powder for use as carpets and it should last a very, very long time.

Just bought a Campell-Hausfield 1 gallon compressor over the weekend. I like it because it's compact and won't be in the way in my hobby room. Waiting for some airbrush accessories to arrive so I can hook everything up and get to sprayaing.

Just picked up mine yesterday. Your builds have certainly been an inspiration. Thanks again!

Awesome. Just awesome. I have some 1970 Cutlass/442 parts at home already, so the inclusion of the W27 diff cover may well mean I can build a 1970 442 right out of the kit with just a few parts changes. I cannot wait and already have Agean Aqua paint ready to go.

Sorry to bump this old thread, but I'm in the market for a compressor as well and Harbor Frieght has a bewildering variety of them. Is this one a good choice? It looks like it to me, but I have zero experience with compressors. And $70 strikes me as extremely reasonable. It puts out 30 PSI, which is just about the maximum anyone would need for airbrushing, and has a regulator to get it down to the 12 PSI recommended for the "Norbie Technique." Here's another at $80 that also looks good. Any help?

They have orange-flavored Beck's? Just kidding, looks like you're off to a good start.

I am blown away by how good that looks. HOLY SMOKES. What paint did you use for the black interior? The satin finish looks PERFECT.