Wickersham Humble Posted December 21, 2024 Posted December 21, 2024 Withe N CA getting a decent rainy season this fall, I've taken a break from doing 1/1 restoration --restomod work, and devoting time to my ancient kit collection. Also, though I do'nt have a shelf more than 18"-wide of old MCM, SA,Model Car Journal, and some other more ancient model car publications, I've enjoyed leafing through the venerable issues for what they can offer -- and I wish I had a 72"-wide shelf, or more! So different than now, but so similar, really. The stuff that supported our hobby before the web became dominant was so chuck-full of advertisers, products, and event notices; fun to read and in many ways sad to be missing now. I realized that I actually got a better impression of all the products that were 'out there' from the print adverts, even those tiny ones (and the classifieds, so irrevocably gone now) than I have with 95% of the sellers being on-line as currently done! Worse (tiny!) illustrations, probably sketchier descriptions, and seldom any reference to prices, but still organized into an accessible array that could so easily be resourced as needed: just fold over the page corner, and draw a circle around the ad or offering with a Hi-Liter pen, huh? And, so many make my mouth water, even now, to purchase even if just for my stash shelf -- modest as it is -- but mostly which are long gone, and if available at all costly as collectibles beyond all possibility! How-tos; always valuable and inspiring, even though the materials suggested (like Shrinky-Dink plastic, etc.) superseded by much better stuff nowadays. I was able recently to scan and share a very old article about shortening a '61 Pontiac Bonneville to Catalina size for some forum adherents, which hopefully avoided 're-inventing the wheel' on that topic. I like MCM's modern version better, of course, with the sharp color digital images, and techniques that take advantage of modern materials, but... Also, I had to face the fact that in performing that trick on my original-purchase annual AMT kit some years ago (and adding a bubble hardtop from a GB Chevy BA kit) I mistakenly shortened the body in the interior tub area, and not the trunk, as was really appropriate! Wipe egg off face... ! My first model kit inspiration was the famous Spotlite Series 'little book' of mostly 'Kustom' car models. It showed stuff a small, rural town kid could only imagine! I didn't even know that Chevy made a 'Cameo Carrier' pickup until I saw one customized in that mag! I immediately got a razor blade and hack saw and began opening hoods and swapping what few engines were available in the very early 'sixties! I'm still finishing up a half-dozen kits from 1960-64 that I saved, unfinished! It was amazing how few hardtop kits the stores which we back-woods kids patronized had; the owners must have assumed that we all wanted ragtops! AMT/SMP especially; JoHan usually sold hardtop models (cheap, at the 88-Cent Stores!) and I'm restoring a number of both. One thing that 'used to be' was the use of every square inch of page for text and illustrations which made for small print (hard for 79-year-old eyes to see!) and some clutter -- the old cut-and-paste school that actually used real paste (rubber cement, actually) that was amateurish in some ways, and also charmingly naive! The newer 'design-school graduate' layouts and designs are certainly more attractive, but I must say don't make for larger fonts and waste white paper space that could be effectively utilized for more, and larger photos! I vote for more, larger illustrations, and less arty white areas! And, in getting my MA in Art, I took all those classes too! One thing hasn't changed: the chagrin and frustration I feel at reviewing all those master-class builds that were (and oc, are) featured: when I realize that even with my liking of modeling going back seven decades, I'll never achieve that level of perfection. And, even in old b&w photos on Plus-X Pan film, it shows! I'm enduring the frustrations of loss of visual acuity and finger-coordination that come with accrued age; I know I've passed my peak as a craftsman, despite my accumulated knowledge and experience! Retired now, with time to devote to a hobby that is slipping away from me, but 'when I was making other plans' life took all that time! So, in summation, I have to say thanks for MCM (and the rest!) and all the great master craftsmen, writers (even with their 1/1 errors that I simply must challenge -- Bob, Larry, Bob, Tim, Gregg, etc.!) and aftermarket stalwarts in general. I still read your stuff cover to cover, and among all the other magazine collections of which I've saved, refer to them the most often! I suppose we'll be losing all the paper-based journals before long... Can't have too many model car magazines! Just sayin'... Wick Humble 2
rrb124@sbcglobal.net Posted December 24, 2024 Posted December 24, 2024 Like all of my saved SAE, MCM and others and my bookshelf is groaning! So many great articles. I try to fold pages over to be able to find my favorites. Many of my kit purchases and builds are a result of a kit or building review. These article will help spot gremlins and devils before assembly!
Wickersham Humble Posted December 25, 2024 Author Posted December 25, 2024 Ain't it great? Happy Holidaze, all! Ho ho hooooo...
thatz4u Posted December 27, 2024 Posted December 27, 2024 Wick, I can agree with you about life taking up model building time....
Wickersham Humble Posted December 27, 2024 Author Posted December 27, 2024 Al (et al)*, "There never seems to be the time to do all the thing that you want to do -- when you find them!" Jim Croce? That's the exact reason I'm finishing up two 1961(2?) AMT Styline Kits: T-bird and Lincoln that I began as a Sophomore in HS! But, so far, they're turning out okay... One is now a Lincoln two-door 'sports roadster' I call "Hyannis' HotRod", with POTUS seals -- for JFK, with a V-12, no less. The other is" Big Bird" a pure streamliner for B'Ville, all painted Krylon Yellow (for 'Cat Yellow) with a diesel V-16 -- I know, I know -- with R-R P-100 headlites and (I claim) twin intercooled turbos in the trunk area, and a removable wing. Also, a rehabbed JoHan '60 Chrysler sitting on a Revell Duke's Charger chassis/tub as "CHIP'S Chizler" a door-slammer (hemi, oc) painted and badged as a CHP cruiser! Actually, I'm glad I waited -- while life got in the way for sixty years! As soon as I get better at photography -- and manipulating images on this #!%**&! laptop, I'll post some fuzzy, ill-lit pics on MCM forum. Thanks! Wick Amazing what I've spent in $$ and time on these!
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