Monty

I'd love see these hard-to-find wheels. I think the 1:1 versions were made by ET. I don't recall seeing these in any other MPC kit & wouldn't mind having a few sets for current projects. MPC included a set of two larger Keystone Klassics as the "front" wheels in the '68 Cuda kit issued in the mid-'70s. Why not issue them as a set of four? Lastly, I'll add the Motor Wheel Spyders from the MPC mid-'70s + Firebirds.

Even if you just end up doing a spoon test, please post pics of your results. If it's not too much of a hassle, it'd be great if we could see your results in inside and outside lighting. Thanks!

Keep in mind that Ford & GM numbered their cylinders differently:

If you want to go old school and use the kit distributor, it's not that hard. It will probably have raised projections on the top which you'll need to file down so they're even with the top of the cap since they'll be too small to drill out. Now you'll need a pin vise. If you don't have one, they're available at hobby shops and hardware stores. It wouldn't hurt to have a decent selection of bits either. IIRC, drill bit size #74 is about right for the gauge of wire you're using. On the top of the cap near the outside edge drill 4 holes in a North South East West pattern. Now drill 4 more holes, each halfway between the original 4. Finish by drilling one in the middle of the cap for the coil wire. The holes should be arranged in a circle as shown below. Note that the holes are at the tops of the "towers". Your kit's distributor will probably have those molded into the side of the cap. Use them to help line up your drill bit. Find a picture of a cylinder head for this engine so you can see where to drill the spark plug holes. Let about 1/8" of the wire go through each boot so it can be glued into the plug hole. Cut a scale 1/2" of the boot material for each of the plug wires (and coil wire) going into the distributor. You can also buy or make 45* boots if you desire. Take a look at some small block Ford pictures to see how these wires should look. Don't stretch them too tight or arch them. If you're feeling ambitious, you can also wire them in the correct firing order. HTH

Agreed. I'll see those and raise you these hard-to-find wheels. I think the 1:1 versions were made by ET. I don't have the AMT Starliner kit. Are the wheels on this Charger similar? I don't recall seeing these in any other MPC kit & wouldn't mind having a few sets for current projects. MPC included a set of two larger Keystone Klassics as the "front" wheels in the '68 Cuda kit issued in the mid-'70s. Why not issue them as a set of four? Lastly, I'll add the Motor Wheel Spyders from the MPC mid-'70s + Firebirds.

If you need help with your next version, I owned a red/red 1980 Corvette for 20 years (but had to sell it recently). We also have a Texas member who has a '78.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who likes Indy cars from this era. Looks like yours is coming together nicely. I wondered if the AMT decals would still be usable after all this time, but I'm glad to hear you found a decal source that you're happy with. Have you found it difficult to find reference pictures for the engine? When I first started one of these kits over a decade ago, there didn't seem to be much info about it on the internet, so it went back in its box. Thanks for the link to your decal supplier.

I'd be thrilled beyond belief if they came out with a '70 Charger R/T as it's always been my favorite. OTOH, I hope they'll make the reverse door scoops optional. I hate those things.

Pierre, you've done some very nice work on a tough old kit. I like the way you weathered this truck, but I must admit this picture made me think the Interstate Motor Freight guys had taken to hauling cattle. (You don't want to be anywhere near those trailers when they finally come to a full stop). I hope we'll get to see more of your work soon.

Here's some advice I've been giving new modelers as well as modelers who've been out of the hobby for some time: Don't rely on box art for accurate reference material. Use the internet - it provides some of the best reference pictures you could ask for. This pertains more to the OP's build, but it helps make a point. Here's a 1:1 '78 Corvette engine bay. "Detail" starts with small things like noticing the number of shades of black you can spot just in the engine bay as well as other important colors, such as the engine, valve covers etc. Shots like this also help confirm where things go (dipstick location etc) and may inspire you to make or adapt more detailed items (A/C lines, vacuum lines).

It's the Mayberry mafia staff car! (I saw where you're from) That's a sinister-looking build thanks to that killer black paint. Did you use Tamiya lacquer?

That's one of the best attempts at replicating the 1:1 paint job I've seen in years. Well done! What paints did you use for the red/white on the body?

This guy just astounds me. His color choices and paint application always result in beautiful bodies and realistic interiors. Question for Yuri: Are the wires at the back of the engine meant to be vacuum lines? Plug wires?

Wow, these are some incredibly eye-catching builds you guys have submitted. From what I've seen here, White Lightning looks great by itself or in conjunction with a number of other colors. Now I'm convinced this is the paint I want. Thanks to all who posted!

Agreed. Sometimes that happens when thousands complain, too. AMT & MPC managed to get a somewhat accurate grille & front end on their versions of the '69 Mustang, while Revell's version, with arguably better detail elsewhere, is a snub-nosed beast. Allow me to coin a new term for it: Palmer-lite.

I've got a project that this paint may be perfect for, but I'd like to see what it looks like before I buy any. Indoor and outdoor shots would both be appreciated if you have them. That should give me a much better idea how the paint will turn out. For those who have used it, did you have any issues with coverage? Any clear coat needed? TIA for all helpful replies.

The last time I paid any attention to anything Archie-related was 40-some years ago, but back then he had a fairly stock 4-door jalopy. Not being a comic book fan, I have no idea when their 25th anniversary was. I happened to find this image by Googling "Archie's jalopy". As you can see it shows some obvious modifications were made to the original. To my way of thinking, the "Archie" artists may have actually come up with the car the OP is showing. By combining aspects of the jalopy with somewhat more modern items ('73 'Stang front end etc), it may be meant to symbolize Archie's glacial transition from Old Skool comic character to a more current version. Or it could just be due to mushrooms.

You'll be happy to know you can still build it if you have a '73 Mustang parts car.

Looks like Archie made some changes since the last time I checked on him

There are some things you'll need to decide on yourself before whittling down your choices, such as whether you want a single or dual action 'brush; gravity feed or a siphon feed; internal or external mix, etc. Fortunately, our board has an airbrush expert with all kinds of info you'll need to make your choice. I'd suggest you study the things I mentioned so you can make the most intelligent choice for you. (I'm trying to get this typed before the drones start posting that you need to start with a Paasche "H'' setup (single action). Once you learn what you can do with a dual action 'brush, you'll never look back. Incidentally, our expert really likes the Badger Anthem 155 (dual action). Affordable and not terribly complicated. Here's the link to all the info you need: https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/ For the record, I have a Paasche VL and a Badger Crescendo and like them both, but I'm really intrigued by the 155's design..

Nick, would you mind posting a link where we can check out those paints? I Googled Paints by Bob and got 2 pages on Bob Ross. I want to be happy in my hobby, but I don't want a "happy little car".

I can see both sides of this. I can't imagine Zeppelin, the Who or Pink Floyd without the qualities the original members brought to the table (Yeah, I know, Roger Waters is a dorsal orifice, but he wrote a lot of quality material). OTOH, I used to have a Uriah Heep album that showed all the different people who'd been it the band during its most productive years. If you didn't know better, you'd assume they just used the swing-a-dead-cat-till-it-hits-a-replacement method, with Mick Box as the only permanent member.

Oh, if you only knew the mental gyrations I went through trying to work "cagey bee" into that, all because of his avatar.

I'm always amazed by the amount of detail you manage to Putin to each of these old kits. It's obvious that you'd rather take your time and do a nice job instead of Russian to get something slapped together in a couple days.

I've only got the Monogram kit, so I've been trying to find the review of the new-ish AMT kit I'd read somewhere. IIRC the author was someone whose judgment I'd trust since I generally shared his opinions on kits we had in common. Unfortunately, the review in question may have been on the now-defunct Brian's Model Cars site. For the record, it wasn't like he was saying that AMT got everything wrong; it was just that, after reading his review, I felt Monogram had done a better job overall. I'm guessing by your question that you have both kits, and as a fellow 1:1 Corvette owner, I'd trust your judgment., too How do you think they stack up against each other?