Fat Brian

I noticed the same thing with Squadron white, the most recent batch is too wet and dries much harder that it used too. I tried mixing the tube with a bamboo skewer but it didn't get much better.

I was looking at getting the SMH body, what exactly is wrong with it?

As much as I would love an obscure old Dodge or International I have to agree with Mike that the most bang for their tooling buck would be a 67-72 Chevy kit. It's an incredibly popular body style and the current kit is dated and surprisingly hard to find given said popularity.

As a relative youngster around here I had never worked on a truly old original issue kit until fairly recently so I had no idea how bad modern plastic is but man, the difference is incredible.

I've seen this truck running around for a while and finally found it sitting to snap some pics. It's a Ford Louisville cab that's been narrowed to a single seater. This truck is used to haul telephone poles offroad for installation, you just stack them up on either or both sides of the cab and offload them with the crane. The cab has a rear exit door so you can block both sides if you want.

I can count on one hand the number of builds I've finished without having to strip something, it's one of the reasons I buy two of almost everything now. On the L9000 truck l did I couldn't even get a flat black paint job to turn out right, in my younger days I'd have taken it out back and set it on fire. Sometimes you've just got to wait on your mojo to come back. I usually go play a video game or try to figure out the guitar for the 500th time and come back to it with fresh eyes. I try to plan my projects more carefully too to make sure I have enough steam to finish them.

Yeah, I guess that normal does belong in quotation marks doesn't it.

Take the money and hire a hit man, totally worth it.

Nope, that's the earliest version of Bigfoot 5. When Bigfoots 1 through 4 ran the 10 foot tires they rode between them and looked like a giant roller skate. Here's a picture of 1 on the 10 footers with 4 on normal tires and then a pic of 4 on the 10 footers.

The land train is where the tires for Bigdoot 5 came from.

I hope they bring it back out, I more than doubled my money on the last one I bought so I'd get a few this time.

The Cummins straight six will not fit in the new reissue of the California Hauler with the little window cab. I had to recess the firewall a quarter inch and modify the interior tub to get one in there. Much easier to switch the bodies like Hakan suggests.

The transfer case from the Firestones Ford is correct for this, Ford and Dodge both used the NP205 in a divorced configuration around this time and the front output shaft is on the correct side. After a quick Google search it looks like Dodge 4x4 pickups of this era were leaf sprung and I imagine this company used off the shelf Dodge parts where possible. The axle looks like a Dana unit, easily found in many Dodge cars with a Hemi motor. Just rework the tubes and you're good.

I had a hard time finding any other 1/24-25 motorcycle kits so I ended up getting Maisto 1/24 diecast ones. They aren't great but aren't horrible either and have some potential I believe. There is another brand, I think its Araya or something similar, but they are hard to find and usually come from European sellers so they're pricey. They're better detailed than the Maisto versions but several times the cost. Search Ebay for 1/24 motorcycle and you'll find them.

The Monogram Mack AC came in two flatbed varieties, a log hauler and a stake bed. I dont know what the availability is like since it hasn't been out for so long but someone may have parts to trade.

That kit has a sleeper in it, make the bed you're building as wide as the sleeper and you'll be fine.

They're based about a mile from my house so I'm sure they get up your way from time to time. The driver said it's a 1980 model with a 350 hp Cat motor but he didn't know which one.

I finally found this truck stopped somewhere and got to take a couple shots of the real deal.

Without know the specific builds you have in mind I'd venture that they are 1/24 or 1/25 scale since those scales are 95% or better of what's posted here.

The Revell 71 Bronco kit has the correct Dana 44 front axle, it just needs to be flipped over so the differential is on the passenger side. The beefier Dana 60 is in several Hemi equipped Mopar kits, the Revell Hemi Dart and 68 Charger kits and the AMT 68-70 Roadrunner/GTX/Superbee kits to name a few. Use the center section and remake the axle shafts from Evergreen rod. I just think the blobular Deserter parts will look out of place on a more modern kit.

I did something kind of similar. In my build I replaced the rear bumper with pieces of Evergreen stock with a notch in it and mated the end of the chassis right to it so there was no gap. The only thing I didn't do was add the vertical slats but I was going to use thin strips of Evergreen for them.

When drilling tiny holes I start by using a new #11 blade to make a little divot where I want the hole because the bits tend to walk around a bit without something to guide them.

That engine needs just a little work, the top of the block and the bottom aren't parallel and it looks like the crank sits at an impossible angle. Also, the transmission points down when installed. You dont really see it when its installed but on the bench it's a bit wonky

For styrene red tube glue has its uses but there are also Tamiya brushable glues for applications where you want the glue to flow. For clear parts several companies makes non fogging glues and epoxies that dry clear, personally I've started using Testors waterbased clear brush paint. Photoetch and metal parts either need super glue or small pieces could use clear paint or Future as you mentioned though it will be a bit fragile. Resin and 3d parts need super glue or epoxy depending on the size of the job and the strength desired. For holding small parts I typically glue the part in question to a bamboo skewer or piece of extra sprue. Almost every part has at least one area that wont be seen once everything is together.

Finally found a set of the MRC Goodyear tires I'd been looking for so I bit the bullet and got them. I didn't really like the all terrain tires on the front of the beetle, these street tires give it much more of a pre-runner look.