Fat Brian

I got some aftermarket tires from ebay that were soft and sticky like that. I washed them to get all the crud off them shot them with Mr. Super Clear flat spray paint to seal the surface.

You are correct about that, when you put the Chevelle headlight surrounds on the El Camino body the gap between them is too wide for the Chevelle grille. I believe the hood is also a bit narrow but it's been a long time since I messed with my attempt at this. I vaguely remember trying the 70 Monte Carlo hood with the Monogram 70 Chevelle grille but the Monte hood is way long. I'd have to dig it out to see.

There's also a Revell snap one in 1/25. It has fender flares in it.

It's a twin turbo 475hp Cummins. If I'm remembering correctly the twin turbo setup wasn't terribly successful so it's lifespan was fairly short. However, the basic engine is pretty accurate for most late "Big Cam" Cummins engines with some mods.

Morgan Automotive Detail makes good ones, then wire is nice and workable.

Depending on how the windows and trim are done on the kit a black marker may be best or you could mask them off after painting the body and hit them with a brush or paint pen. Without seeing exactly how this kit handles the trim it's hard to be really specific.

This kind of paint effect is hard to pull off with a spray can, you really need an airbrush. You paint the body the normal color first. Then you lighten and flatten the color and lightly spray the upper parts of the body to give it the sun-faded look. From there it's chalk pastels or other various weathering powders to grime up the flat surfaces to give it the barn find look.

I've had old foil get a layer of oxidation on it. I learned this when rubbing it down put black streaks all over a flat white paint job. Putting the sheet on a hard surface and rubbing it with a soft cloth should get most of it off.

I have. There has to be some kind of chemical reaction happening since it goes on kind of gray and then the highly chrome surface seems to rise to the top. When my pens went bad the just stayed that mottled grayish silver and the chromie goodness never appeared.

I've had mine over a year and it still works like new. I think since the refill seals tightly whatever evaporates out of the pens and makes them not work stays in the refill.

I think it just means you're a man of refined tastes.

The AMT Sunbeam Tiger has a 260 v8.

This one popped up just now, I'd hate for my wife to see it and think I'm doing something untoward.

They've been having some issues lately, I would hold off ordering until they get going again.

I'm pretty certain the hood does open on the AMT Ford vans.

My first vehicle was an 85 GMC Sierra Classic long bed pickup. It had been repainted 90s GM light blue by someone but was originally a brown on beige two tone. I got it when I was 17 and had it for about three years. I moved out of my parents house with it and it was my wife an I's only vehicle when we were first married.

My wife's first car was an 83 Cougar 5.0 and it was a piece too. Her dad finally sold when the electric fuel pump died he didn't want to drop the fuel tank.

It's a bit lighter than the lid in my experience.

Duplicolor also has a color called performance white that's about half way between Wimbledon white and true white.

There is a version of the Massey Ferguson with wider rear tires and headers.

It is believed the farm implement stuff stayed with Ertl when Racing Champions bought AMT and the model side.

I believe you're right Snake, the 4 doors and formal tops had flat trunks while the hard tops with the curved glass had the dip in the trunk.

Each tool has it's own purpose, pens are great for some things, others are better with a brush, sometimes I use a toothpick with a drop of paint on the tip. You just kind of have to experiment and see which tool works best for the task for you.

There are for and others you can get close. The wagons will be the hardest to find. Starting left to right you've got a big Pontiac you could use the 70s Bonneville kit for, I think a 70ish Chevelle might be next, then a Pinto on top, I'm not sure about either wagon up front. The Atlantis reissue of the old Revell Cadillac would work for the one here, the next one might get spendy for a Johan Dodge or Plymouth you can see the rear of and it's sitting on something GM. The free standing one is an early 60s X frame GM something then it looks like an early 60s Galaxie with a 66 Chevelle on top. I'm sure there are more pictures that can help with more thorough IDs.

I agree, once I get my model room finished an airbrush is the next major purchase. It will pay for itself quickly.