Not Your Father's Oldsmobile

Green Hornet frame, Beverley Hillbillies body and a "custom engine". Tom Geiger, please stand up and show us what happened to this cool Olds kitbash?

JB

Canary

Without a doubt the pic above, entitled 'canary-v1.jpg' and downloaded from some unknown source, is my favourite model photo ever. A gorgeously presented and executed display of how modelling used to look, I could look at this pic all day. In fact, I look at it a couple of times a week and it always makes me think nostalgic thoughts of brush painting kits as a kit, getting sticky smelly enamel fingerprints everywhere and not achieving anything as beautiful as the rod in the picture.

I'd love to know who took it - any leads anyone?

JB

Postscript: This blog was inspired by ANOTHER great Bob Black post on Automod. Thanks (again!) Bob!

Beautiful Brake

This should probably be a 'Junkyard Jewels' post, given that this beautiful finned drum came in a big parts lot, but this bit's Deuce-bound and ready for primer and Alclad as we speak. Yeah, drums arent as hot as discs when it comes to stopping and longevity, but you gotta admit there's something pretty gorgeous about this finned example. Not got a full set, anyone know what they're from?

JB

Sepia Styrene

Thetre's something perfect about hot ros, Mexican blankets and sepia. Bob Black captured a whole folder to demonstrate the point beautifully. Check it out.

JB

Tank Girl

In WW2, American and British pilots used to write messages on the bombs that they were about to drop on the enemy, in chalk and enamel. Getting your name painted on a tank, however, is a whole different matter. Thanks to Katie and Neil, both AutoMod regulars - you guys rock!

JB

Nothing like a good blog...

...to inspire a build. Bob's gorgeous 5 window, featured below, inspired me to put some primer and filler to plastic and crack on with a brown primered 5 window that I've been planning for quite some time now.

Rain stops play, but soon as I work out how to improve the weather I got a nice matt chocolate brown acrylic, a Nailhead and an AMT five window kit that need to meet...

JB

Kudos / Kudos

Bob Black's full of surprises. Not only his stunning builds, which we've featured before and will no doubt feature again, but for being a real nice guy.

Bob wrote an awesome blog on OUR blog, and also on AutoModelling. Check it out:

"In my position as one of the most active model enthusiasts for online modeling, I have
keen senses to recognize another modeler that is taking extra strides. Now, don't get me
wrong! This is not a put down to anyone, whatsoever. I just have to hand it to James "the
Flame" , Administrator for the automodelling.com forum. This guy has shown nothing but
respect to each member of his forum, including myself. When I first joined the forum a
few months ago, I just wanted to see what I was missing out on. To my surprise, I was
treated like a star by James and all the members I encountered. I was really honored to
be added to the galleries and to be "blogged" on his site! I didn't ask for any of that,
didn't even think it would happen...but it did and that makes me proud of myself and to be
a member! I am old fashioned when it comes to respect and to me, a little goes a long
way! Aside that, I wanted to say James does an awesome job on the forum. I see that he
is a busy guy like myself, taking a lot of time out to help anyone and everyone with little or
no profit for self other than "self satisfaction". These days it's very hard to come by an
individual like James. As many forums and groups there are out there on the big WWW,
do yourself a favor and join automodelling.com to experience a group of lively modelers

with the spirit of the hobby from all perspectives. Thank you James for your hard work
and dedication to the hobby and for always making those you don't know very well feel at
home! My user name is rodburner on most all forums, so say hello if ya' join up!"

I couldnt think of a better way to repay the favour Bob did by simultaneously promoting AutoModelling and warming my heart beyond measure, than linking back to him. Check out his site here and that gorgeous Deuce 5 window build show above here. Thanks Bob!

JB

Amazing Aleks

Here's a builder who's work I've been saving for a little while now, but I finally got myself together enough to share it today. I've been struggling for a few weeks to think of a fitting description to best present the work of German Model Cars Mag board member Aleks and I've killed a LOT of time on his site trying to work out which incredible build to feature as the header pic for this blog.

There's a Fiat 500 with a brass tube frame and a scratchbuilt V2 hemi. A killer lime coloured soapbox derby racer. A Revell Smart car with machined rims. A streamlined slat flats car, and dozens more all worthy of space and their own write ups here. That amazing T that I eventually settled on was picked for my love of the old school hot rod and for it's excellent demonstration of the kind of multimedia build that Aleks enjoys. But its by no means the only one. They're not even all cars, theres an incredible compresor, and little scale metal tools scattered around some of the pics. SOOOO much inspiration.

So much in fact, that evry time I went to check out Alek's site to find out some more about him, I got lost in the gorgeous shots of his projects and sidetracked for hours. Truely a craftsman, truely a master, and truely inspirational.

Check it out

JB

Caddy

It takes me a lifetime to finish a box-stock kit, perfectly moulded in virgin white plastic, so heaven only knows what I was thinking taking on this old resto project.

The adjectives 'rare, 'old' and 'cheap' probably swung it I think. Thanks Arc!

JB

Beer Wagon Mania

I'm saving a full critique and evaluation of the Beer Wagon for another day, but its an evergreen classic that I've alway loved. One of my first model kits purchases, I still to this day haven't actually competed one for my shelf. A little 'dissecting the unicorn' metality going on maybe? Once I know how it goes together, the majic might be gone.

Lucky then, that there's not one, not two, but THREE wild Beer Wagon Builds going on on the Coffin Corner right now. Interesting they all involve stretching it out - maybe time for a shortened Beer Wagon project? Maybe, but I oughta finish this one first...

JB

Little T, Big Wheels

Inspiration is a funny thnig, and something I think about a lot. My plans for a day, week, or even the rest of my life can vary depending on what I've seen, done or been in the last hour. It hits at funny times too - I can build a model for days and days, thinking of nothing else, then suddenly get un-inspired and not touch it for months or years, if ever. I'm skitty like that.

Sometimes I'm inspired, and I don't even know what to do with that inspiration - usually by something so off the wall, my brain can't quite work out what it's meant to do the feelings it's feeling. This build is just such a thing. Posted by Model Cars Mag forum goer Crap'n Blaque, this T breaks every rule I've ever set myself - and I love it!

Mixing 1/25th and 1/32nd parts isnt something I'd ever considered before, but that undersided Lindbery T body, mixed with oversized Boyd Coddington AMT Deuce wheels make for a really original build that Roth, or anyone form my beloved Coffin Corner would be proud to have come up with. It looks cartoon-y, but also possible in 1:1 (lets face it, some crazier stuff than this got built in the 60s), and beautifully proportioned. The frame is a stunner too, in case you were wondering.

Be brave, mix it up a little.

JB

Drug Racing

You know it makes sense...

JB

Temptation

It takes a brave man to undertake a scratchbuilt frame for his build. All the measuring, planning, blu-tacking things together - it's a big undertaking. But to go the brass and solder route? And in 1/16th? That's a lot of bravery.

Check out Temptation.

JB