Ace-Garageguy

I borrowed a friend's old Bentley for a date many years ago, and the Lucas fuel pump decided to quit for no particular reason (notorious for that, they were). I got under the car and beat the thing with a piece of branch I'd found in the ditch. Hit the switch, pump clattered away happily, car started, girl was mucho impressed. And the pump didn't DARE to quit again that night.

Here too, but I've been told by the local PC police that the word "moron" is no longer acceptable in America. Neither, apparently, are pinhead, idiot, stupid jerk, ignorant MF, cretin, dimwit, peabrain, mouth-breather, bozo, butthead or knuckle-dragger. Or most especially, the word that starts with re- and rhymes with canard. Pity. There goes most of my vocabulary.

So, the guy turned out to be straight-up and offered (and already paid) a partial refund. Still, I'm short the parts I needed from this kit.

To people who work around real '33-'34 cars (which I do...and the '35 is entirely different by the way, more like a '36 but different) the AMT kits of the 5-window and the sedan both have problems immediately obvious, but I agree...they're not really too bad. On the other hand, the OLD AMT 3-window kit (and the 3-window is the coolest, most desirable of the '33-'34) is one of the worst messes I've EVER seen. NOTHING is right about it. NONE of the other 3-window kits are right, or even close (except the 1/24 monogram kit and its derivatives). So, there's NO '33-'34 3-window kit that's really any good at all, that doesn't take a LOT of rework if you want a reasonably accurate model that actually LOOKS like the real car.

They make several. Just be sure you get the right one.

The old AMT '29 roadster is really pretty darn good...much better than their '32 cars. The Monogram '30 coupe is indeed getting old, has some proportion issues AND it's 1/24.

EXACTLY. BUT... PERFECT SOLUTION. If Revell even just made parts-pack bodies in 1/25 for the most popular Model A cars that aren't available anywhere else ('28-'31 coupes...yes, I know '28-'29 is different from '30-31...and a '30-'31 roadster...a HUGE gap in hot-rod source material), maybe a stock one and a chopped one of each coupe, I'd buy at least 10 of everything. As noted, Revell's existing model-A chassis tooling, though old, will STILL MAKE A TOP-NOTCH MODEL. (Yes, I could buy resin. I don't particularly LIKE working with resin, and I don't like most of the resin Model-A offerings anyway). THEN build a well-scaled '34. I have several of every '33-'34 kit made to date, and they ALL have serious issues. I'd happily replace every one (and that's a bunch of kits) with something I didn't have to do major corrections on BEFORE I start "building",

What about front blinker-fluid? Is it red too? How does it know what color to blink ??

http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-1363589-4-Gram-Control-Adhesive/dp/B003Y49R7G/ref=sr_1_1/177-2171191-1067956?ie=UTF8&qid=1406761349&sr=8-1&keywords=loctite+gel+control

Glad it's working for you. It also works well for edge-filling on close-fit panels, makes nice fillets on roll cages, and lasts much longer in the bottle than just about any other CA I've used. It doesn't glue the cap to itself, either.

I thought of you, Ray, when I saw that one.

I admit to doing both of these on a chopped-top car I did, mostly because 1) I was really short on time and 2) I didn't and still don't do BMF well. Point taken. Time to learn a new skill, and measure/fit even more carefully next time. I rationalized the missing-window trim by saying it was part of the "shaved" build-style of the car, but I was extremely disappointed when my photos showed the roll-cage fit not-at-all-as-well-as-I-thought.

Here's a general suggestion. Developing an understanding of how cars work, and how the parts fit together and look will go a long way towards helping you make your models more realistic and believable. We're not so much making EXACT tiny replicas of cars, as we're creating the IMPRESSION of realism. Some relatively easy-to-overlook things spoil the illusion. I've seen model engines that were well-painted, wired nicely with the right firing order, detailed with PE alternator brackets and fine mesh in the air filters, nicely done carbs and linkage...and then there's a huge gap between the intake manifold and the cylinder heads. All that extra-mile effort, only to be wasted because of the poor fit of large parts, immediately visible.

Here's an easy one. I see a lot of models with parts shot with Testors Metalizers, and the builders have failed to buff the stuff. Metalizers CAN be shot dry to get an as-cast texture on things like manifolds and mag-wheel centers, but what I'm talking about is just shooting the stuff and apparently not realizing it looks like polished metal if you buff it.

Speaking of expired beef...not too long ago (well, a few years back) one grocery store chain here got caught gassing old hamburger with carbon-monoxide (colorless, tasteless) to make the outside of it stay nice and fresh-looking pink. Gassing meat is (or was until very recently) approved by the good ol' FDA, under certain guidelines. It's also BANNED in Canada, Japan and the European Union. Americans screwing Americans, no Chinese necessary.

I came across this HAMB thread while looking for pix of Hoyt Grimes old Chrysler FirePower-engined blown rail streamliner. My apologies if this link has been posted before, but it's certainly worth a look for inspiration. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/drag-cars-in-motion-picture-thread.228509/page-1190 For instance, one fine-looking '32 highboy...

Never admit to polishing it, either.

Got a Revell "Miss Deal" kit from the bay. Bought it SPECIFICALLY to get the Chrysler 392 FirePower engine (for a commissioned historic top-fuel build), one of the best versions of this engine ever done in any kit, and when I opened the box, guess what? NO ENGINE BLOCK. Parts 1,2 and 3 gone, gone, gone. VERY obvious to anyone with eyes. The kit was listed as "NEW in opened box", by a seller with 100% positive rating, and "plastic" and "cars" in his handle. Seemed like it would be a good bet. Opened a case. We'll see.

I know some of you guys go for this stuff, and I'd buy them if I didn't already have WAY too many. These are up now on the un-named auction site. Not mine, but for anyone interested I'll give you the link...

For the ones who DO know how to do something, as southpier says, this is spot on advice... I remember vividly cutting myself to the bone on several occasions, but I learned, finally, how to do it safely...most of the time. I routinely get minor injuries working on the big cars, and very occasionally on the little ones too...still.

Excellent advice, but the current breeding generation is, for the most part, clueless too.

...and kenniffler-pins should NEVER NEVER be chromed !!!

Yup. And when people see something I've done that took several tries, including failures, and they say something like "boy, you have a lot of talent", well, to a certain degree talent does come into it, but I was God-given whatever talent I may have, so I can't take any credit for it. In the long run, it's not so much "talent" as it is, like Tom said... ...and THAT'S where a heaping helping of personal satisfaction comes in: knowing I stuck with something difficult and beat it. For MYSELF. For FUN.

Looks good, and I much prefer it in orange. Most definite thanks for the heads-up on the red dots. Your drilling of the interior panels is a nice improvement, too.

Every time I find myself to be on the verge of having fun, I jab myself in the eye with a stick.