"Muscle Cars, Resto-Mods and Pro Touring" special issue is out...some details here....

Modeling Subjects Autos
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The FineScale team has just published a special issue that all model car builders should check out…here are some details for you to consider…

  • 98 pages of full color, only ads are on inside front cover and back cover - other than three pages of table of contents and introductions, the rest is pure 100% car and truck modeling.

  • Content is all-new; no reprints or updates of prior Scale Auto or FineScale articles

  • Contributors include Claude Thibodeau, Marcos Cruz, Bob Downie, Mark Jones, Jeff Bloomhuff, Tom Valenta, and Tim Boyd

  • Price is $13.99 and it is to appear on newsstands until July 26 of this year.

  • Topics include several traditional muscle car topics, two resto-mods, four Pro-Touring builds (including a Dodge pickup(!) and an RX-7/C5 combo(!)), and two general technique articles.

A specific list of article topics is here:

Muscle Car buildups -

  • 1971 Charger SuperBee

  • 1976 Pontiac TransAm

  • 1974 E58 RoadRunner

  • 1970 GTO Convertible

  • 1970 'cuda AAR - this story includes fixing the new Revell kit body for a more accurate appearance, and other details to improve the realism of the Revell kit

Retro Mods -

  • 1959 Corvette

  • 1970 TransAm

Pro-Touring

  • 1961 Impala

  • 1978 Mazda RX-7

  • 1978 Dodge D100

General Technique Stories

  • Restoring an old Muscle Car model

  • Ten Hints for more accurate model cars

Other than the two technique topics, all the remaining stories are complete, full build stories.

First impression - there’s a lot of meat here. This will not be a one-hour read, not even close.

If it sounds interesting, recommend you check it out at your favorite hobby store or book seller, or you can purchase it here at the FineScale website.

Finally, greetings to all model car builders, past Scale Auto subscribers, and readers of this forum…

TIM BOYD

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Ordered! I’d like to see you guys take PayPal - much easier.

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I ordered my copy this morning. Looking forward to getting it!

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Hi there Tim.

There are many good modelers in the hobby with the same skills or better as those who are listed as "contributors.

It would be nice to have some “fresh faces” with new ideas in applying their skill to the “limited” topics presented in the past.

I.E.

Painting techniques - prep, and finishing as well as secret techniques not revealed.

Detailing techniques.

Interior work, and detailing

Chassis detailing.

Scratch-building - handmade items - kitbashing.

Opening features such as a hood, doors, and trunks, etc.

Building idea’s for the novice.

I love the articles from the past in Scale Auto and MCM, but it would be nice to see and hear new ideas, and not the same older techniques repackaged with the same recognized skills and approaches. Our hobby has progressed.

An example would be Steve (?), Goofy 62 who posts on “MCM” forum and “Drastic Plastic” forum, and several others.

The hobby can’t continue to grow as we want it to if we are constantly given recycled information.

I hope this doesn’t sound critical and about finger-pointing, because that’s just not my intention.

We need fresh young blood in the hobby to lead us into the future of model car building, who have a different slant on the hobby, so the hobby doesn’t continue on its downhill slide.

Thanks so much, Steve, and thank you for all your contributions in the past, and your ongoing continued involvement in the hobby - Much appreciated.

Tree

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I think basics need to be covered. Frequently. I see many models by builders that should know better skipping very basic things like mold lines, etc.

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Hi Dave…thanks for your thoughts and comments. Recommend you copy your post and send it to the Editor/Ringleader of this project, Tim Kidwell. I’m pretty sure he’d be interested in your perspectives and suggested topics.

Interesting to read your thoughts, particulary so as after I’d gone through the entire mag, I was left with the thought that there was a very large amount of fresh modeling ideas and techniques contained in it. I attributed this to the format of the book, which provided space for greatly expanded articles and no need to make space for advertisements.

Two of my pieces in the book were admitedly intended for much less experienced modelers who might be new to the hobby or at the least, new to the detailing techniques that the more experienced among us take for granted.

I would challenge the contention that the other two articles I did are repetitive in the sense that no one to date (to my knowledge) has taken on the subject of doing a complete correction of the Revell 'cuda body proportions to the level covered in the book, and likewise, to my knowledge, no one to date has provided the level of info on the chart on the last page of the mag detailing possible updated underbody kit sources 1960’s/early 1970’s annual kit bodies.

But to the degree that all my articles could be percieved as not breaking fresh ground, I’d be quick to suggest that the other articles by my fellow contributors, particularly the ones on Pro-Touring subjects, show fresh techniques and new ideas. Plus those modeling subjects (Pro-Touring cars) are of much greater interest to younger modelers than showroom replicas of old muscle cars.

As for the other subjects you’d like to see, a number of those were covered in recent issues of Scale Auto (painting techniques and interior detailling, among them) and those might be repititive to a degree had they been covered as well in the special issue.

Still, to your core point, I agree that there are plenty of new modelers graduating into the world of highly detailed model car building, and like you I’d love to see them contributing articles in future magazine publications. In particular, I’d like to see a detailed, step by step how-to on using 3D modeling techniques for those of us who do not have CAD/CAM experience. Unfortunately, many of these skilled builders just do not have the patience or time to photograph and prepare magazine articles; for them the on-line posting/Facebook/Forums approach is easier and more to their liking. Still, we can hope, and I think that is to a point one of yorur underlying suggestions as well.

As for others reading this thread, I challenge you to find a copy of the new mag, consider both Dave’s and my thoughts, then form your own opinion. Either way, hopefully you will find inspiration and value in the mag, and consider purchasing it for yourself.

Cheers and best wishes to all…TIM

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Hi Tim,

Thanks for coming in and talking about the new special issue (what we call and SIP). It was a great honor to work with everyone on it, and the lineup is extraordinary. I relate in my editor’s note for the issue how it came about, and you and the other contributors delivered. Just amazing work all around, sharing techniques and skills that everyone can learn from, from beginners to modelers who have been at it for years.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t call out the superb work of our lead designer, Scott Krall, and the work that Aaron and Elizabeth did to make sure it was a success. We even brought back former FSM executive editor Mark Savage for some line editing.

There should be no doubt with this SIP that car modeling is part of the bedrock of scale modeling. And just as we do with other SIPs for FSM, we’ll continue to look for interesting automotive trends and subjects to bring to scale modeling.

Keep building!

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Hi Tim.

Thanks for the great reply [Y].

Like I said in my previous post, no criticism intended, rather suggestions for fresh new faces with a “Different perspective” on the same topics of the past, I.E., painting, detailing, etc.

You have always been at the forefront of the hobby, looking for fresh new ways to approach developing new skills and using the latest supplies for the hobbyist, as well as what your doing now, looking for new ways to keep the hobby of interest, promoting the hobby, and wanting to keep us all involved in the hobby, which I’m sure we all appreciate. I know I do.

I’m sure you appreciate suggestions from those of us who love this hobby and have for decades, since its beginning.

Thank you for all your hard work, and also for sharing all your projects with us.

It’s a great hobby, and it’s been my pleasure to share it with you over these many years.

All the best my friend

Tree