Steve Magnante's built model on eBay

[FASTBACK340]

I suddenly have the urge just to call and say "hi"…….

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Altered-Wheelbase-57-Chevy-Bel-Air-with-Magic-Wheelie-Stance-/331268564703?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item4d212526df

[Chuck Most]

I called him once just to say hi. Well, and to order his altered-wheelbase how-to DVD.

[martinfan5]

Who?

[CJ1971]

Who?

X 2!?

[jbwelda]

evidently some dude from barrett Jackson and hot rod magazine. not too subtle a job on those rear tires...

jb

[Pete J.]

I have the urge to call him up as say, "Dude, is that as good as you can do?" and then give him this website!

[Daddyfink]

Steve Magnante is a former Editor for Hot Rod Magazine and a few other rags. He was one of the guys to bring back vintage style cars and models to Hot Rod. He actually did a write up about building models straight out the box, like a kid used to or like someone who can not use paints in a Hotel Room while on the road.

I've met Steve and he came across to me as a genuine guy. At least easier to talk to than the other "Car Show" types out there.

Anyway, I think his build is pretty cool. I would have totally done that as a kid!

[Greg Myers]

You people can't be serious. http://bangshift.com/general-news/funny-car-folk-art-build-yours-or-buy-mine-helpful-tips-for-building-altered-wheelbase-models/

Edited July 26, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Freeman Cars]

Steve's one of the few genuinely nice people I've met. I've known him for over 20 years. We first met when we were both in the same model car club: the San Fernando Valley Auto Modellers. Right before he moved back to the East Coast, he was at our Gold Coast NNL with his car packed up ready to hit the road. I guess we were the last model/car event he went to in California before he left. (He glues models together without painting to see if there are any pitfalls in assembly before he actually builds the detailed model. He's actually a pretty good builder.) I remember he had a ratty but very rust free '64 Dodge Dart that he was going to drive back--packed full of all his stuff. The engine had a couple of freeze plugs that didn't look too healthy. I told him I didn't think it was such a good idea to drive that far with that car. He said he would just keep the radiator cap loose so that the pressure wouldn't blow the freeze plugs out.

He's a really nice guy, if you have a chance to meet him. We miss seeing him around Southern California. I hope he makes it back some day.

[Bob Ellis]

I think the model builds Steve did are very creative. They took a bit of engineering to make them. If you look at them as a finished product, as most of us do, it will detract from what they really are.

[FASTBACK340]

Many years ago I remember seeing a candid shot of Steve rebuilding a vintage aluminum block hi-po slant six. In his kitchen. Dude is IN the game.

I met him at Englishtown last summer. Nice guy!

[Brett Barrow]

I have the urge to call him up as say, "Dude, is that as good as you can do?" and then give him this website!

Dude's got skills.

[jbwelda]

so does that mean that this current model up for sale is one of his "prebuild" exercises? if so he should put that in the auction because to me anyway that would make it a much more interesting item. in fact I might even bid on it knowing that.

but he should definitely ditch that reserve blah blah blah. if he wants a certain minimum price for it he should just make that the minimum bid. reserves bug the hell out of me.

jb

[FASTBACK340]

…... reserves bug the hell out of me.

jb

Me too. I hate when a seller plays the "secret" reserve game. More often than not, I pass for that reason alone. If I ask you HOW MUCH YOU WANT FOR IT let the bidders know! I'm not bidding on something worth $20 if the seller is dreaming about $200….

[jbwelda]

>I'm not bidding on something worth $20 if the seller is dreaming about $200….

on the other hand its kinda fun to mess with them. if you know somehow, or have a strong hunch, that the reserve is 200, bid 199 on it and let it go...the seller is gonna be pissed off that he let that fish off the hook for a mere dollar.

yeah I get bored sometimes.

jb

[Skip]

jb sometimes I think, you're just about as deranged as me! Love your idea of messing with eBay sellers, it's close to something my goofball self would come up with.

Actually glad that some of you explained who Steve Magnante is. His affiliation with Hot Rod Magazine would pretty much be the reason I had no idea who he is. I stopped buying, reading, looking at or paying attention to Hot Rod in mid to late 80's when they became so enamored with the "worlds Fastest Street Driven (?) Muscle Car" thing that they forgot everyone and everything else. They may have changed since then, they lost me and quite a few other long time readers in the process; HRM used to represent a pretty good cross section of what was happening.

[jbwelda]

well I put in a bid but unfortunately less than the reserve. my guess now is he wants at least a hundred for it. with three days to go he will probably get it.

and yeah skip its pretty funny until you play that game and guess incorrectly what the reserve is...then you're stuck with it unless someone outbids you!

jb

Edited July 26, 2014 by jbwelda

[Custom Hearse]

I think it would be fun to buy it. Then put it back to stock configuration...

[jbwelda]

the thing is, when you really look at it close, there isn't much there worth more than the price of the original kit. for instance, look at the photo of the engine compartment. no exhaust headers at all, then look at the pic of the undercarriage. the pipes sticking out the front wheel wells are just glued up onto the fenders. that's fine for a design concept but for sale and expecting 50+ dollars? that along with a lot of other things one can see on close examination of the photos makes me glad his reserve is greater than my bid.

yeah a "name" is worth something I suppose...

one other thing: is this the supposedly "unbuildable" Revell 57 Chevy? if so at least he managed to get it together. I don't know that much about these kits so perhaps I am confused.

jb

[Pete J.]

Dude's got skills.

Yup, it looks like he has some skills. I have been mulling this over for a while and trying to decide what bugs me about it. I guess it must come down to an ego thing, but I am having trouble squaring that too. Several people have attested to the fact that he is an approachable "regular guy" and I buy that. But putting a totally unfinished project idea up on eBay for sale just doesn't quite seem right. I know who Steve Magnante is from watching too many car auction shows, and have a great respect for his knowledge. I just don't see how that translates into putting a rough concept model up for sale. Is he trying to trade on his name and position. Yea, the model is a cool idea and if it was finished to the standards of other models of his, it would probably fetch top dollar, but I just can't get my head around this one. Maybe someone has to have a Steve Magnante built model, but I really don't know who that is.

[Greg Myers]

Did you or any other nay sayers here read this? http://bangshift.com/general-news/funny-car-folk-art-build-yours-or-buy-mine-helpful-tips-for-building-altered-wheelbase-models/ Much less just look at the pictures ?

Maybe a closer look at something he's done in the real world? http://stevemags.com/category/wilshire-shaker/ Yeah, it's for sale too.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Greg Myers]

Lots of good stuff in here to help you with your builds in plastic. http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr84/troublemaker427/Steve_Magnante_in_his_Nova.jpg

[lordairgtar]

Well, all the difficult body work is done. Dismantle the manky header assembly and redo it right.

[jbwelda]

Hey Greg, is that the model up for bid that the thread concerns?

Who cares "what else he has done" when the subject is a model up for sale on ebay?

jb

[JTalmage]

Steve's Wilshire Shaker is what made me want to paint my Rat Packer the colors I did.