what I've done since being laid off

[samdiego]

So, the high-end signage and public art business is in the toilet here in CA. I haven't worked since Dec 22. Thank God I never throw anything away. I'm pulling from a 40 year stash.

What a mixed bag this was. Some really good, some pretty bad. I like the finished piece well enough, but it has its problems

Anybody ever try this one from Monogram? Why is the front end so wrong? Whose was this originally? I just noticed in the pix that I've nicked the rear bumper during photos, wheres the super glue?

What I lusted for in '75.

Sale table find $4

I'm sure this was on sale too, but I've had it so long I can't remember

OK not quite contest finished but certainly entertainment center ready in this house

and it's kept me from spending money and/or jumping off a bridge

Edited March 3, 2009 by samdiego

[chebbysteve]

Sam...GREAT looking cars! Really like the Pontiac. And that 55 looks fantastic in those colors. You're doing a wonderful job on these cars. Hope the job thing picks up for ya soon.

steve

[fordh8r]

Nice stuff! Looks like a little time off was good ....... in a way.

Hope your job situation changes soon.

[raisin27]

The Pontiac is my favorite, Looks great in white.

Raisin

[Roadkill2525]

Didn't Aurora make the Jaguar first?

The Bonneville looks real classy.

[James Flowers]

I like the Pontiac the best also. You have done some nice work on all of them.

[MrObsessive]

Some nice builds Sam! That '60 Pontiac is also a fave of mine!

The Jag you have was originally an Aurora kit............reissued by Monogram some years ago.

The front end was never correct on that model.............I have this kit and remember swapping the front end off a Revell XKE years ago------looked much better!

I may be in the same boat as you come tonight on the job.............they're lowering the boom on folks as it's near the end of our quarter and some folks have already got their walking papers.

I'm bringing my extra tool box from home tonight just in case they tell me my job is toast. The company supplied me with some tools when I started there, but there's some stuff there I got from home.........I'm makin' sure they leave with me!

[george 53]

Sam, I like the last one best! Ain't it GREAT when you can build a model of your FIRST car? Your a lucky ol dog aintcha? Hang in the Bro, things'll pick up for ALL of us eventually! That 55 ain't too shabby either!

[samdiego]

Actually, my first car was the base model without the fin and the fancy wheelcovers

Thanks guys

[RodBurNeR]

the '55 is slick!

[horsepoweraddict]

Nice builds!!! I hear you man on the job front I am in the same situation right now luckily my family is very supportive. I know for me building models keeps my mind out of the gutter, it keeps me focused on something I like to do instead of the bad situation with the economy.

[samdiego]

What was up with the Bonneville anyway? Are Trumpeter's plane kits the same hit or miss? It was way better than the Monte Carlo, however. First, the inexplicable wrongness of the roof and vent wing shapes. How does that happen? Then there was the chrome problem. Was it just me or did anyone else notice that the sweet replacement chrome tree was always colder to the touch than the original? Really, why would that be? And after touting their tooling made of beryllium spheres, it looked like some spots in the dies never made it to final polishing.The side glass was invisible but the rear window had a slight texture. I was skeptical of the side trim treatment, but in the end that's was one of the standout aspects. it worked better than Revell's trim for the '55. If only the mirrors and and door handles had been included on that tree. The wheels were disappointing, but after painting and mounting in the whitewall sandwich, I like them enough.

As for the '55, I used HOK spray bomb Lime Time Pearl with clear over it and the white base coat on the rear. I really the like simple black grille and the way the green, black, white and chrome work together. The HOK kinda has a satiny glow even under clear. Great kit, wish the decals fit better, like the decals in Revell's Mustang. I used to love the Cragar five spokes.

Edited March 4, 2009 by samdiego

[george 53]

Sam,I have a coupla of the Trumpeter 24th scale aircraft, and they are NICE!.They're kinda a bi#4% to build, but man do they come out nice! Only thing is, they're BIG! they take up quite a bit of room on the shelf. One quick question, How's my favorite physician and personal Dr, Dr. Vinnie Boombaa, of the staff of the California Institute for the Used to Be Alright doin? I sure do miss him AND the Institute! Give him my regards!

Edited March 4, 2009 by george 53

[DR Dubois]

My favorite has got to be that 55, but they're all great!

[berr13]

Some cool stuff, for sure. I also especially like the '55 (I see you slipped in a 409, you dog!),and that color combo really works. Good luck with the employment--things gotta get better soon, don't they?

Jim

[DR Dubois]

--things gotta get better soon, don't they?

Jim

We all hope so!!!!

[BigGary]

We all hope so!!!!

The economy is being repaired like some of my repairs, "The more I fix it, the worse it gets".

Hang in there job hunter. It may be time to take your perdonal initiative and create work for yourself if you can.

I was laid off 10 months. It took a move of 1450 miles to get me back to work. Fortunately I had unemployment. I can't guess how much longer until that tightens up or goes away.

For some reason I didn't get many models built in that time. I guess I'm not obsessive enough. I did spend a lot of time on the MCM forum however.

Gary