IPMS OC Newsletter Jun 2020

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY

Newsletter – June 2020 Volume 28 No. 6

Southern California’s Premier Model Club

The President’s Column In This Issue By David P. Frederick Table of Contents Page Perfect model for a Pandemic/civil protest Meeting Time and Place 3 Due to continuing Covid-19 virus shelter in Monthly Contest Themes 4 place/distancing rules imposed by Federal and State Financials 6 Government the IPMS June IPMS meeting is cancelled. IPMS USA Membership 7 Hopefully July??? IPMS OC Membership 9 Modeling Shows and Swap 10 As I watch with amazement of the civil protest which Keep on Truckin Group Build 11 provided cover for burning and looting Los Angeles and Tony Dominic 14 major cities of America, I wondered what a good model Mondorfer Motor Yacht Apollo 15 would be to build while I view the country in turmoil. Back What have You Been Working 18 in the 1980’s LS Model Company in Japan manufactured a Corriganville Ramblings 22 full line of 1 to 1 scale gun models. LS manufactured gun The Happy Wanderer 42 kits prior to the regulations for the orange tips on the barrel. Upcoming Events 63 Most kits have working features, like ammunition magazine and bullet advancement, trigger safety and other spring- loaded real gun features. They are made with hard ABS plastic and are durable for use in costume or prop use. They cannot be converted to real gun features. I always wanted the assault rifle when I was growing up, it was never offered in the states to the best of my knowledge. In fact, a copy of Pacific Stars and Stripes July 1981, a military publication for armed services overseas was in the M-177 box to keep the pieces from moving around. It also had a YEN price on the box. Handguns were available stateside but, had to save on the allowance to purchase them.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

The President’s Column

This is what the gun looks like in the box. It is a Colt M-177 Commando, a Vietnam version of the M-16 Assault Raffle. There was no painting on the model but that did not make the build easy as there were a dozen springs of various sizes that needed to be identified and placed in the correct position. It is much like building a real gun as it is in 1 to 1 scale. I was able to pick this up from a collector. Sadly, as you will rarely see gun model kits in the stores again because of the anti-gun trend/regulations. This kit was in my closet for ten years and was glad to finish it. I had purchased a Scope made by ARII which is made for colt guns and fits like it was designed. The scope has magnifying lenses with cross hairs made from thread. This is the completed version ready to display on the wall.

Hopefully all of you are using the time from the pandemic/protest to work on kits that have been saved for the rainy day. As far as I am concerned, with 2020 the time is now. Enjoy the hobby…DF

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Meeting Notice & Agenda Date: MEETING CANCELLED THEME: For July - High Doors Open: 7:00 p.m. or earlier Meeting: 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. Location: La Quinta Inn & Suites 3 Centerpointe Drive La Palma, CA 90623 Right Off the 91 Fwy at Valley View 2020 Chapter Officers

President David Frederick

1st Vice President Sean Fallesen

2nd Vice President Position Retired

Treasurer Jeff Hunter

Secretary Split Duties – Nat Richards – Badges or “batches” Mike Budzeika – Scribe Gordon Zuther – Audio

Contest Director Dan Matthews

Volunteers Chapter Contact Mark “The Duke” Deliduka [email protected]

Newsletter Editor Terry Huber (714) 544-8908 [email protected]

Webmaster Julian English

[email protected]

Mail IPMS Orange County Club Website www.ipmsoc.org P.O. Box 913 Garden Grove, CA 92842 National Website [email protected] www.ipmsusa.org

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Orange County Contest Themes for 2020  JANUARY - First Class: Any subject that was the first or lead in its type or class  FEBRUARY - Tri-Motor: any subject that through intentional design possesses three power plants.  MARCH - Korea 1950 – 1953: Any subject in use during the years on or off the Korean peninsula  APRIL - Black out: any subject whose paint job is predominantly black  MAY - Spanish Civil War: Any subject (in appropriate paint and markings) actively involved in the Spanish Civil War July 17, 1936 – April 1, 1939  JUNE - Russian Road to Berlin: Any subject in use by any parties in the engagement zone covered by the Russian advance to Berlin.  JULY - High: Any subject, auto, armor, aircraft etc. in a high visibility colorful or predominately white and bright paint, no greens or greys  AUGUST - Low: Any subject, auto, armor, aircraft etc. in a low visibility paint scheme; primarily grey or green, no hi visibility colorful white etc.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Orange County Contest Themes for 2020

 SEPTEMBER - From a Picture: Any subject made to replicate, in detail, (i.e. same marking, vehicle number etc.), a picture found in a personal collection or from a published source (including internet) showing an adequate portion of the subject to make certain the model represents the subject in its entirety. The model does not have to but may if you so wish, include the background in a diorama/ vignette format; or it may be just the subject. The picture used as reference must be included with proper reference citation and presented itself in a format no larger than 5”x7” and placed on the table along with the entry detail sheet and model.  OCTOBER – BUILD NIGHT - NO Contest: Bring in your newly acquired kits from OrangeCon or grab that shelf of doom kit for next month’s meeting, anyway you want, come and enjoy an evening of building models together. ORANGECON 2020 October 10th, 2020 Hotel Fullerton  NOVEMBER - Shelf of Doom: Any subject you’ve had on your shelf of doom or recently acquired thru the distressed kits auction  DECEMBER - Non-Traditional: Vacuum, Resin, Paper “Non-Injection” media any subject  JANUARY - Tribal: Any subject with a Native American or “nonwestern name”: i.e. Iroquois, Pontiac, Apache, etc.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

From Our Treasurer Current Financial Statistics as of June 2020

Admission Distressed Kits $ 0.00 Members 0 Monthly Raffle $ 0.00 Non-Members 0 Juniors 0 Total Income $ 0.00 Paid in Full 0 Total Expenses $ (150.00) Guests 0 Profit / (Loss) $ (150.00)

Total Attendance 0 $ in Checking $ 1853.58 $ in Savings $ 4853.39 Memberships / Renewals $ in PayPal $ 167.02 Regular 0 Total in Bank $ 6873.99 π Youth 0 Full Year 0

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Or use Form on next page….

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Club Membership Renewal Form Print this page, fill it out and bring it to the meeting. It is also available on-line at www.ipmsoc.org.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

2020 Modeling Show and Swap Meets David Frederick revises the Model Show Listing for current information as of June.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Keep on Truckin’ Group Build By Steve Taylor and Foster Rash

Hey guys, how about a pickup truck “quarantine” group build? What do you have in your stash? Build is open to any pickup truck, civilian or military. Lots of good, inexpensive kits on eBay. Build something and send work in progress photos to Terry ([email protected]) for inclusion into the newsletter column.

Steve Taylor Trucks This picture shows the 1950 ford truck (unpainted) and the 1934 Ford truck in primer (minus the engine). The picture of the 50’ Ford is just showing the body sitting on the chassis with no interior or engine. It is still in build. The 34’ Ford has been modified to sit lower on the chassis and the top was chopped lower as well. The bed of the truck was shortened and the front fenders were scratch built from other parts.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Keep on Truckin’ Group Build Steve Taylor Trucks

This is the completed 1934 Ford truck built as a hot rod. I added some aftermarket slick tires and wheels, scratch built the exhaust pipes. The flame decals are from another kit. The ‘34 truck has been a fun build.

Foster Rash Trucks

'34 Ford built from a DKA "junkyard" win. Engine is from an International Harvester Scout. Multi- color bodywork suggests a vehicle assembled from swap meet parts. Almost finished, needs interior and weathering.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Keep on Truckin’ Group Build Foster Rash Trucks

'33 Willys pick up kitbash from AMT "Leapin' Lorry" gasser dragster panel truck, 4 cyl. "Go Devil" engine from "Hogan's Heroes" Jeep and a scratch built bed.

Roadster pickup. '29 Ford body from Revell Rat Rods kit on ‘32 Ford "Phantom Vicky" chassis with a '53 Corvette 6 cylinder engine.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

~TONY DOMINIC~ Hi guys, It breaks my heart to say, Tony Dominic has passed away. This ends a 42 year friendship for me and I know that among the IPMS members he had a lot of friends. I believe Tony was one of the original members who started this chapter in Orange County.

As some of you might know or might not know, Tony has been in and out of the hospital and in rehab, in between, for almost 5 years. He fought hard but the COVID -19 got him.

Please make the announcement at the club and know that the thing he loved most was, IMPS and had a high regard for the members. Tony was rough around the edges, had a difficult life and yet, in all the years I've known him, he never had a harsh word to say about anyone. He never even used bad words, even when he got angry.

I will miss him, Tony Laspada

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Paper Model Mondorfer Motor Yacht Apollo By Bob Penikas “The model has 197 parts and is in 1:40 scale. Its stand is a kithara, in Greek mythology, the God Apollo is often represented with this instrument.” Printed on 110 Card stock

Simultaneously cut out parts for the kithara stand.

Reinforced the deck by laminating stiff card and allowed to dry weighted overnight.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Mondorfer Motor Yacht Apollo Hull sprayed with Krylon shaky can acrylic clear gloss and allowed to dry overnight.

In- process

Bow detail

While sitting, my apron is clamped to the work surface to catch tiny parts that drop onto my lap.

Engine

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Mondorfer Motor Yacht Apollo

Except for antennas the Apollo yacht is completed: Length 9.5 inches 5 inches high.

Free paper Downloaded from: https://www.kallboys.de/mondorfer-bastelboegen\

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Jake Holshuh sends in an update on a couple of his builds……… I am sending you a finished picture of my AMG. This is the Tamiya kit and went well but I did not do a good enough job on the paint so it will not be entered in the “mostly black” contest like I had hoped.

I am starting the Tamiya Ford GT for the Tamiya contest. More later.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

I have also finished this Takom Mark IV “hermaphrodite” tank. Did not realize until I went to paint that this is a theoretical tank, not one used in WWI, so I used my imagination a little, especially since decals were not included. But great workable tracks that went together like a champ.

Anyway, I did most of the work while self- quarantining in our 5th wheel trailer in AZ last month. Brought it home for paint finish and just as I put on the tracks, one of the guns popped back into the shell, so now I have a rattle toy. ☹️ 19

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

And Michael Bare is nearing the completion of the PT-73 McHale’s Navy patrol boat conversion from the PT-109 1/72 Revell kit ...…… Here’s a preview. Nothing glued down on the deck yet. As you see there’s a lot of tiny bits to glue. After weathering the hull a little more, then it’s time to put on the high magnifying goggles on.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Next up we have some builds by Oscar Garcia via Michael Bare………….

Of the trio photo, the left and the right kits are old Revell Monogram re-pops of original Aurora molds. On the left is The Phantom of the Opera and on the right is Dracula. In the middle is a Frankenstein Moebius kit. All three have alternate heads from Escape Hatch Hobbies. Superman is a Polar Lights kit based on a famous comic book cover by Neal Adams.

The Seaview’s are Moebius (black), Polar Lights (gray) and the two small ones are Union kits from Japan.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Terry's "Happy Wanderer" series has brought back a few memories for me. In the February Newsletter he described a trip to Corriganville which reminded me of my own visit to that long gone amusement park. Taking Sunday drives after church was a family activity when I was a kid. Dad was still in the Navy when we moved to Long Beach in 1958 and on a Chief's pay, providing for four kids and a homemaker mom did not leave a lot of extra money for entertainment. We made an annual summer visit to Disneyland but most of our family outings were to parks, historical sites, and museums etc. that were free. Corriganville advertised on the local children's TV shows like Sheriff John, Skipper Frank and Engineer Bill. And even though there was an admission charge, my brother and I pestered dad to take us to Corriganville until he finally gave in.

Ray "Crash" Corrigan was an athlete and body builder who got his start in the motion picture business as physical trainer to movie stars. His nickname "Crash" came from his hard hitting tackling style when he was a football player. 22

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

By the early 1930's he was working as a stuntman in Tarzan movies and often donned a gorilla costume to play an ape!

Corrigan played the character of Tucson Smith, John Wayne's amiable sidekick, in the Three Mesquiteers series of westerns from 1936 to 1939. By 1940 Corrigan had reached leading man status in The Range Busters series of films.

In 1937 Corrigan bought 1500 acres of land in the Simi Valley. The terrain was varied and picturesque and Corrigan developed the property as a movie location, especially for Westerns. He built a western main street, a "Fort Apache" frontier cavalry post and a Mexican village. Many of the structures were complete working buildings and not just typical set fronts. There was a sound stage and some of the structures had living quarters, showers and other facilities for the cast and crew. Onsite housing for movie crews meant producers could save time and money by not having to transport people and equipment back and forth to a location each day. The Corrigan Movie Ranch was very successful and hundreds of movies and TV shows were filmed there from 1937-70.

Western Main Street at Corriganville

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Lawman (1958-62) was one of the many productions filmed at Corriganville

In 1949 Corrigan began opening the ranch to the public on weekends as an amusement park. He enjoyed greeting visitors, signing autographs, posing for pictures and appearing in live stunts, such as gunfights and fist fights that were staged on the western main street. Other weekend attractions included live western music, Indian crafts, stagecoach rides, pony rides, and boating on the ranch's artificial lake.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Corrigan had plans to further develop the ranch as an amusement park but his divorce in 1954 left him short of funds and the future of the park in doubt. Visitors to Corriganville began to decline due to competition from Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and other attractions.

Crash Corrigan and his wife Elaine Dupont performed for visitors at Corriganville

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Corrigan was 53 when he re-married; His second wife was a 22 year old B-movie starlet, Elaine Dupont, who worked as a showgirl at the ranch. After a lengthy community property dispute with his first wife was finally settled in 1963, Corriganville had to be sold. Bob Hope bought the property and subdivided a portion for a development named "Hopetown" and the amusement park was closed in 1965. The ranch was struck by wildfires in '70 and '79 which destroyed all of the Corriganville structures. Ray Corrigan was living in a mobile home park when he died in 1976. In 1988, 190 acres of the property were purchased by the City of Simi Valley and developed as Corriganville Regional Park.

Corrigan's second wife, Elaine Dupont, appeared in horror films and beach party movies but is best known as Ricky's girlfriend "Sandy" and other characters in the long running Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet TV show (1952-66)

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

The Badass Bros, David with Ricky behind the wheel of "The Ricky Nelson Roadster."

Ricky Nelson started singing when he was a teenager at Hollywood High School; He said he did it to attract girls. His father was savvy enough to work his son's singing into the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as a means of attracting teenage viewers. Good looking Ricky soon became a teen idol with an impressive record of 30 top 40 songs between 1957-62; he was second only to Elvis in hits prior to the Beatles. Nelson said he was strongly influenced by the rockabilly sound of Carl Perkins and much of his material had a country feel. His days as a teen idol abruptly ended when the Beatles and the British Invasion took over pop music. After the Ozzie & Harriet series folded (1966), Ricky was free to pursue his own interests.

Nelson changed from "Ricky" to Rick and began to reinvent himself. He was a capable guitar player and wanted to develop himself as a serious musician. Drawn to the LA folk rock scene, he was especially interested in the music of Buffalo Springfield and the Byrds. The Byrds were folk rock pioneers (Mr. Tambourine Man, Eight Miles High) who had turned their attention to country music with their 1968 album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Rick liked the sound of combining traditional country vocal harmonies and a pedal steel guitar with a rock and roll band.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Nelson formed the Stone Canyon Band in 1969. Randy Meisner, on Nelson's left, would become a founding member of the Eagles. Watching this 1970 video one can hear an early version of what would later be popularized by the Eagles as California country rock. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WpqrO4cBsM)

Nelson's cover of Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me" made the Top 40 in 1970; "Garden Party" reached number six in 1972. However, his country rock music failed to re-ignite his career and "Garden Party" was his last top 40 hit.

The Palomino in the 1970s

In 1969 I worked in "The Valley," in North Hollywood, and the Palomino was a nearby bar where we sometimes went for a beer after work. The Palomino "had been country before country was cool," but the rundown venue was also booking a lot of "roots music" (Blues, Cajun/Zydeco, Tex-Mex, country rock) type bands and had an "open mike" talent nite. 28

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

It was a fun night out for not much money and over the years we saw talented artists like Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Emmylou Harris, Byron Berline, Rosie Flores, Doug Kershaw, Dwight Yoakum, Flaco Jimenez, and the Flying Burrito Brothers perform there.

Rick Nelson at the Palomino, “If memories were all I sang, I’d rather drive a truck!”

When Rick Nelson was booked at the Palomino, we went expecting a "greatest hits" type show. But what we got was a rockin' country band with Tom Brumley on pedal steel guitar. Wow, what a great sound the Stone Canyon Band had! But Nelson was not the only musician experimenting with country music and many of the acts we saw at the Palomino were blending country, blues and rock; “Cosmic American Music" as Gram Parsons of the Flying Burrito Brothers put it!

You could have seen Linda Ronstadt at the Palomino for $3! Video here of young Linda performing "Silver Threads and Golden Needles." you gotta love that little hip shake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmQpYSBkwag) (There are two kinds of men in this world. Those with a crush on Linda Rontstadt, and those who never heard of her. Willie Nelson) 29

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

One of the first to have a country rock hit was Linda Ronstadt with "Silver Threads and Golden Needles." When she went on tour in 1971, her band included Randy Meisner from Rick Nelson's band and Bernie Leadon of the Burrito Brothers. Ronstadt's band became the enormously successful country rock band, the Eagles, when they struck out on their own in 1972. So what does Rick Nelson have to do with scale modeling? Not much really... Corriganville and Elaine Dupont just triggered my rambling recollection of some good times and great music!

Building a Couple of Model Cars

Hunkered down to avoid the Wuhan Corona virus, I dug through the stash and found material to build models of my family's old '57 Chevy station wagon and Ricky Nelson's '32 Ford roadster.

Ricky Nelson Roadster "spoof" box art found on the interweb to get us kit collectors excited!

David and Ricky "working" on their hot rod in an episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. The car is known today as "The Ricky Nelson Roadster" but it was never owned by Nelson; it was just a rented prop in his family's TV show.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

The "The Ricky Nelson Roadster” was actually built by Ray De Fillipi in 1951 and was powered by a modified flathead Ford V8. Originally painted red, it was featured in Hop Up magazine in 1952.)

By 1956, when the car appeared in Rod & Custom magazine, it had been sold to Tony La Masa. La Masa, a founding member of the Los Angeles Roadsters Club, installed a '56 Corvette V8 and repainted the car metallic green accented with white pin striping. The roadster won numerous car shows in addition to appearing in movies and on TV.

The roadster appeared in this 1960 Hot Rod magazine article that mentioned “Sharp roadster has been used on TV by Ricky Nelson.”

The car passed through a couple more owners before it was acquired and restored by Don Orosco. 31

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Orosco entered it as "The Ricky Nelson Roadster" and won 3rd at Pebble Beach in 1997. You can see a photo album of the restoration here:

http://hotrodcraft.com/theGarage/index.php?threads/tony-la-masa-roadster.315/)

The car is currently owned by collector Ross Myers

I based my model on the AMT '32 Ford "3 in 1" kit because I already had a Pro Shop reissue in the stash. This ancient kit is slightly undersize and does not measure up to current standards of detail. It's an OK kit for around $5-10 on the secondhand market but I would not pay full retail for one. 32

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Late '50s issue box art for the AMT '32 Ford "3 in 1" kit. I remember building the competition version with the blown hemi when I was in junior high.

The Revell '32 Ford "Rat Roaster" would have been a more accurate basis for the car, important if winning contests were in mind. But like I said, I already had the AMT kit and this was just going to be a "quarantine" fun build. I was going to build the very best model I could with what I had on hand without fretting over minor details that might not be perfect.

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

To get a low stance, the body has been "channeled." That is, the floor was cut out and repositioned to allow the body to fit over the frame rails instead of setting on top of them (as can be seen in this photo during the restoration of the car). Channeling looks cool but makes for a small, cramped cockpit.

Fortunately, the AMT kit was designed with the option of building a channeled version of the car.

The Nelson roadster has cycle fenders which reveal a very visible "dropped" front axle (to lower the car) and a chromed front suspension. I replaced the AMT suspension with the delicate chromed suspension from the Revell '31 Ford Sedan Hot Rod kit. The AMT front suspension (the gray plastic axle, brake backing plates and spring on left) is molded in one piece and is very clunky looking. 34

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

I fudged a bit on the engine. I used the flathead Ford V8 engine/trans from the old AMT '32 Coupe kit which is a drop-in fit to the roadster chassis. But I installed Chevy heads, valve covers and manifolds from my spare parts bin on the flathead block to represent a small block Chevy engine.

The Nelson roadster had a '56 Corvette small block mated to a Lincoln Zephyr (Ford) transmission.

Since the lower portion on the engine is hidden by the frame rails and exhaust system, I think my short cut looks OK and saved a lot of time and work that would have been needed to make new motor mounts to shoehorn a complete Chevy V8 into the model. 35

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

I cannibalized some junk "seriously started" models: The front cycle fenders are from the AMT "Double T" '25 Ford, rear fenders are cut down from the fenders in the kit, steering wheel, column and dash from a Lindberg '40 Ford and the chrome wheels with Baby Moon hubcaps are from the AMT '29 Ford roadster kit. I always keep my eyes peeled for cheap kits and "glue-bomb" junkers at collector shows and our "distressed kit auctions" as sources for parts for other builds. Much cheaper than buying aftermarket parts!

I "sectioned" the radiator shell and grill about 3/16" to compensate for the body being lowered over the frame (channeled); otherwise the hood would not have fit properly. The car was painted with Testors metallic green accented by some generic white pinstripe designs from the spares box. Note the shifter on the steering column which was common on many early hot rods to conserve floor space. 36

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

In summary, it's a 60 year old kit that is not highly detailed. But everything fits well and due to many reissues you can find them cheap on the secondhand market. There are also a coupe, phaeton and Vicky sedan versions of the kit that provide even more parts swapping options for the builder. To my eye it built into a reasonable representation of the Ricky Nelson roadster.

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The family bus that took us on so many adventures was a 9 passenger '57 Chevy model 210 station wagon.

The car that Chevy actually built in 1957 was a stop gap when the car they had planned to produce was delayed. Chevrolet began a 10 year plan of two year model cycles with the 1953- '54 cars. They were to be followed with all new designs for '55-56, '57-58, '59-60, and so on. When the planned '57-58 model was delayed, the '55-56 model got a quick facelift and remained in production a third year; today the '55-'56-'57 cars are referred to as "tri-fives." 37

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Stylists added a massive chrome grille and bumper, hooded headlights and the rear fenders were extended as tailfins. Chevy was outsold that year by the all-new, longer, lower, wider '57 Ford. Dad bought our family car at a large discount in the summer of '57 from a dealer who was making room for the arrival of the new '58 models. The '58 model was a one year only car as Chevy got back in synch with the planned two year model cycle for 1959-60. Ironically in today's collector market, the '57 models are the most prized of all the post-war Chevies. I thought building a model of our family car would be fairly easy as there are many variations of the popular '57 Chevy in the plastic model world. Unfortunately, none of them are 4 door station wagons. I looked in vain for an aftermarket resin body and decided a conversion of the '57 Nomad would be my best option. I had a "seriously started" Distressed Kit Auction Revell '57 Nomad in the stash. However, the Nomad is a 2 door with canted roof B-pillars and the 210 wagon I wanted to model had 4 doors and vertical pillars.

The Nomad seems to be a variation of the Bel Air hardtop kit from 1963. This kit took model cars to a new level of detail at the time with lots of separate trim pieces and operating doors, hood and trunk. 38

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

The body shell had a couple of broken roof support pillars, probably damage from storage. But not really an issue because the distinctive Nomad angled B-pillars had to be cut out and new vertical door posts added for a four door anyway. New door lines were scribed. Nomad trim and ornamentation were sanded off and the ribbed Nomad roof was filled with plastic rod and a little Tamiya putty.

My DKA Nomad junkyard included a couple of engines, a dual 4 barrel big block and a fuel injected small block with a 4-speed, neither of which was correct for a 210. However I was able to find a suitable generic small block Chevy engine with an automatic transmission in my spare parts bin.

Fortunately, all of the chassis parts, including wheels and tires, were still in the box. Nice level of detail on the chassis with separate exhaust pieces and shock absorbers. But the multi-piece tires and wheels with molded-in hubcaps leave much to be desired. 39

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Nomads had Bel Air trim which I altered to resemble the simpler interior styling of a 210. The door panels were re-scribed for a four-door and I converted the split back front seat of a two-door into a non-folding bench seat of the four-door model.

In retrospect, grafting the station wagon roof to a kit of more modern design might have been a better way to go.

I would have to say this kit builds into a disappointingly mediocre model. OK, to be fair, the mold is over 50 years old and I did start with a $5 glue bomb. But the chrome parts have heavy mold lines and the headlight bezels and hood ornaments required trimming to fit and still are too large. The opening hood and tailgate do not align properly and as we say in contest judging, extra features poorly executed are a negative. The unrealistic looking multi-piece wheels and tires are a funky design, maybe unique to this kit that would be easy enough to replace. I see these kits on eBay for $50-100 so they must have a collector following, it can't be because they are such great kits. 40

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

This $5 distressed kit auction win kept me busy for over a week, but if you want a kit to build, I would look at something of more recent manufacture.

Tamiya metallic brown was a close match to 1957 GM Sierra Gold paint.

I was not feeling good about the way the build turned out when my sister stopped by for a visit and said, "Oh that looks just like our old station wagon." Thanks sis, mission accomplished!)

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Reference Page

WW2 German Revi gunsight

Model Club Meetings in the SoCal Area The information for each club meeting has been Archived for the time being due to cancellations or different forms of meeting taking place.

I will bring each club back and list them here once I confirm they are actually having a physical meeting. Will not be posting Zoom, GTM, Room or WebEx meetings without specific requests to do so. If any clubs are having meetings and would like to be re-listed please email the Editor at [email protected].

IPMS ORANGE COUNTY Newsletter

June 2020

Upcoming Events

Sunday, June 21, 2020 Brewer Brothers Model Kit, Hobby and Toy Expo Old World Village German Hall & Restaurant 7561 Center Avenue #49 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission $6 [email protected]

Sunday, August 23, 2020 Herb Deeks presents Rolls, Floats, and Flys kit show Holiday Inn Grand Ballroom 7000 Beach Blvd. Buena Park, CA 90620 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. $5 Admission

IPMS National Conventions Locations 2020 San Marcos, TX 2021 Las Vegas, NV 2022 Omaha, NE Dates of events could change, Check with your local club for more information.