Best Reissue
AMT Buyer's Choice '65 Chevelle Station Wagon (31219) - Station wagons seem to be garnering a fair amount of interest in the 1:1 world. While they once carried a stodgy stigma they are again being recognized for their potential as street rods. Many came replete with big displacement engines and luxury accessories. They were the SUVs of their time. AMT thought it was a good time for this 4 in 1 kit too. AMT first issued a 64 Chevelle wagon (8744, now a very difficult kit to find) and followed it with the '65 annual version (8745). These were the only two years for the Chevelle wagons. As a 4-in-1 It can be built as either a crew car, stock, custom, or drag racer. It was last released in the late 80s through AMT/ERTL. That box art featured a blown car on drive-up ramps with the hood up. It was molded in the dreaded bright yellow plastic. Earlier issues had more interesting box art. I particularly like the early AMT boxes that have no text on the cover. That one had a blue wagon with gold painted "steelies" on a white background and a black border. The "Superwagon" version shown below featured an action shot painted by artist Steve Wlazlo. A one-time release was the Surf Wagon that included two surfboards.

The kit itself is classic AMT. You know, lots of molded-in chassis detail that would now be molded as separate pieces, a full interior tub including molded-in front bench seat, metal axles front and rear, and some genuinely funky custom accessories. Ahhhhh. Isn't it wonderful? As is now common practice, the chrome trees and clear parts are packed individually. There is a small decal sheet of racing sponsor logos only—no gratuitous graphics or witty nick names included. It's the best of old and new. Until some newly tooled station wagons/sedan deliveries come along (yeah, like an Olds Vista Cruiser!) we utility vehicle rodders have very little to work with. It's good to have this one back in circulation.

Favorite Builder
Juha Airio - This may come as a surprise, especially to those that know I have very little interest in showroom stock buildups. I prefer customized cars/trucks. But once you've seen an article written by Juha you will realize that his work involves a tremendous amount of elaborate customizing to achieve a unique showroom stock replica. Often much more than a radical custom would. I first remember seeing his byline on a how-to article about kit-bashing a '55 Chevy Vanomad Concept in Scale Auto Enthusiast (#104). I blew me out of my socks. I still don't understand how he got from square one to that beautifully finished result in 3-pages. That story needed about 10 more pages. I'm not even sure that would have done it justice. The skill and determination he displayed during the construction sequence riveted me. It became very clear that Juha is a passionate and skilled craftsman. I thought GM's "L'Universielle" Concept was a striking, if ham-fisted, effort at an period sport-utility market. .Anyone that would spend so much time to produce this kind of subject is A-OK with me. Especially since Juha's design is so much cleaner.

A couple of months later his name appeared again. This time on an article about kit-bashing a stock ’71 302 Comet GT in the November 1996 issue of Car Modeler. I owned two 1:1 Mavericks at that time so the subject grabbed my attention. That article solidified my admiration for this guy.

I've never met Juha (I believe he resides in Finland) nor have I ever seen his models in person. Those that have, confirm they are indeed works of art. Thank you for your efforts When it comes down to it, Juha Airio is a tremendous inspiration to fledgling builders. He builds interesting subjects worthy of his talent and is not the least bit shy about showing you how he did it. For these reasons Juha Airio is Bonediggers Favorite Builder.

Best New Car Kit
Revell 41 Willys Street Rod - While I've always liked the old Revell Stone-Wood-Cook Willys kit for the subject matter I had great problems with it as a kit. It was a royal pain in the butt to build. The big nasty hole in the cowl for the pivoting hood, the opening doors and trunk, the multi-piece engine and countless thin plastic parts foiled my building spirit time after time. Talk of Revell issuing an all-new kit of the Mazmanian Willys was great news. When that kit was postponed my hopes waned. But then, in 2001, the kit hit the shelves to rave reviews. The new tooling made short work of most of my problems with the S-W-C kit. The second incarnation, the Street Rod, was even better. Okay it's not technically new because the Mazmanian kit came first. but this one may see more sales because it offers a street version. It doesn't include the photo-etched grill of the Mazmanian issue but thems the breaks. This is no simple rehash of the Mazmanian kit with street tires either. There's a bunch of different parts in this kit. It has a modern suspension, interior, and engine treatment. The weakest link is the wheel/tire combo. But that is usually the case for any street rod kit. Trade 'em with others in your parts box . It is a good example of the industry keeping up with the desires of its customers. That in itself should deserve a round of applause.

Best Online Hobby Shop
Hobby Heaven - ModelCarKits.com - I have exactly three places where I buy new kits. First, the local hobby shop. It is a nicely stocked and relatively friendly establishment with a seasoned history in my community. Second, the local toy wholesaler; a limited line of models but brand new kits cost almost half retail. The trouble is, they are calling it quits. The Third place I discovered while perusing the pages of Scale Auto Enthusiast. They are called Hobby Heaven. They would run a full page listing of new or recently released kits for sale. Their prices were very good. I requested a free catalog and was stunned at the selection of new and OOP kits available for purchase. The catalog itself, a photocopied bubblejet printout, was a treasure in itself. New and future kits are listed up front. The prices are discounted very nicely. Discontinued kit are next. They are often discounted even more. Special sale prices were highlighted in bold face. These represent the exceptionally good deals. OOP kits were next, grouped by vehicle types. The main body of the list consisted of stock kits with optional building themes. These kits were in order by Vehicle Year (not date of release). Other sections include Show Cars, Resin Bodies, TV-Movie-Personality Cars, Boats-Motorcycles, Trucks-Trailers-Farm-Construction Equipment,NASCAR, Indy Cars, Drag Cars, etc. Each and every kit is graded for completeness and condition. Short abbreviations are used to express these qualities. A comprehensive legend precedes the list to explain what each abbreviation means. Each entry names the manufacturer and kit number. It may also include vital info about a particular release, such as:

MPC 1-7111 1971 GTO HT (includes SS option and Christmas tree) had been "set together", slight body twist.....................$165

Their web site is much more than an extension of their mail order because their mail order business isn't just a mail order business. You'll find new kit announcements and inside industry info, usually before it hits the other venues. There is almost always some sort of sale going on where you can get recently discontinued kits at bargain prices. Of course you'll also find another Bonediggers Best at the modelcarkits.com site—the Model Message boards.

The prices for the OOP kits are not the cheapest around but if you didn't call right away you've probably missed it. That's because Hobby Heaven has a HUGE clientele. One you don't fabricate overnight. It takes a long time to establish yourself in mail order. It takes product, price, patience, efficiency, humility, sophistication, humor, conviction, and a darn fine business mind to make it all work. Tom Carter and his staff at HH has it.

Best Online Source for OOP Kits
Fred's Model World - Fred Sterns is just your average model-type guy that took his hobby more seriously than his everyday job. He threw away the corporate "good" life to follow his dream of selling OOP model kits at a discount. Thank goodness. Fred responded to a loud cry from modelers for affordable classic kits to build. What started out as a part-time service to friends later grew into a legitimate full-time endeavor, Fred's Model World. Starting as a mailing list Fred eventually moved into cyberspace with the help of John Tulley. His website picked up where the mailing list left off. Fred's listings are grouped by manufacturer. Each has a kit number and name for identification. Every kit is checked and obvious problems are reported. That's all nice but the real treat is the pricing. It is possible to see kits go for 30-50% less than their eBay counterparts. That is not just a treat, it is a prize. Fred also holds "want lists" for his customers. If a specific kit on your list comes in he will inform you. This eliminates the need to inquire each time about models you want. Kits that are not sold are eventually offered on eBay. They usually show up on two lists before this happens to ensure each of his customers has a fair chance at it. Last year he struck a deal to cosponsor Jason Keller's Albertson's Taurus in the NASCAR Busch series. His list is updated upon new arrivals. You can access his current offerings at http://members.aol.com/jftully/fjs/

Best Modeling Magazine
Scale Auto Magazine- Scale Auto (formerly Scale Auto Enthusiast) magazine has had its fair share of troubles. The use of polybag sleeves for shipping was curtailed, a redesign changed everything that was familiar, the subscription price climbed, subscribers were not receiving issues, the appropriateness of some subject material (diecast) was called into question, and internal structure changes rocked an already wobbly boat. BUT...with no serious competitors in the car model magazine publishing industry SA does a very respectable job. I've grown to like the new look. It meets a high minimum quality in both appearance and content. It also has decent advertising and a good subscriber/newsstand audience. As a Kalmbach title it takes itself seriously and it shows. With established talent like Tim Boyd, Terry Jessee, Rick Hanmore, Pat Covert, Drew Hierwarter on the contributor list it's a powerhouse. Some content may be too "blue sky" for cynics. Even columnist Terry Jessee says he is reluctant to address the negative aspects of product evaluation. However, he set a precedent with his frank discussion in June 2001 of the Mad Max Interceptor resin kit from VisionQuest. It was refreshing to read. Though they seldom take the lead in tough criticism, I find the reviewers fair. As for diecast items encroaching on styrene's turf, I understand that this is a marketing decision. I'm not gonna slam them for trying to stay liquid. Another editor change announced in February probably won't help matters. At least with the momentum revved up by its long history and the power of Kalmbach's wallet SA will improve in the future. If not lets hope we get some significant competition that will raise the bar for everyone. Let it be known that I am not a subscriber. I pick up issues at the newsstand when they interest me or I read hand-me-downs. I may not buy every issue but it is still the best thing out there for this segment of the hobby.

Best Book on Model Cars Collecting Model Cars and Trucks by Tim Boyd One of my teachers in college said this about inspiration, "Some things inspire you because you could never do them and some because it is just what you would do." In the case of Tim Boyd's book Collecting Model Car and Truck Kits, I plead the latter. I was delighted by this book in every way. The depth of the history, the kit releases covered, even the listing of modeling magazines was so close to what I want to do that I shot him an e-mail complaining that he was stealing my thunder. In a very gracious tone he encouraged me to continue on my own path regardless of any crossover. Of course he was right. He's a great representative for car modeling and he's also an all-around good guy. A peek inside the book will convince you of his dedication to the hobby. It's full of beautiful color photos of box art and buildups. Many of which Tim built. There are several large photos of very rare kits. I found myself oooohhing and aaaaaahhing on every page. It's not just kits either. Behind the scenes anecdotes can be found throughout. Important contributors to our hobby are featured in short bios. A healthy respect for the business of models is obvious. What I find exciting is Tim's tribute to the often maligned idea of collecting model kits. An entire chapter called, "So you want to become a kit collector?" addresses the love of older styrene. For this alone he deserves a Pulitzer darn it! That same love launched this site. So do I really like the book? No. I love it.

Best Modeling Bulletin Board
Model Message Boards - hosted by Hobby Heaven -When the "Modeling Talk" story was written for Bonediggers well over a year ago the Hobby Heaven Message Board was in its infancy. Even then it was a wondrous place. I remember posting one of the first messages thanking Tom Carter for offering up an all-new meeting room in cyberspace for us to converse. Tom lined up top notch modelers to get things rolling. You could find postings by Terry Jessee (Scale Auto Enthusiast and Hot Rod Model Kits) and Dean Milano (Revell-Monogram) early on. Tom's customers were invited to join in on the fun. Word of mouth spread and the population burgeoned. Representatives from around the world and from every niche of car modeling made the HH boards their regular hangout. The list of modeling luminaries is impressive but one of the best fringe benefits is the every day contributions made by people you've never heard of before. There is spirited discussion about all things car modeling and even some appropriate OT (off topic) subjects. Thankfully the HH boards are moderated fairly by Hobby Heaven's arc angel Tom Carter. The board rules are simple and common sensical. Tom has the final word and as such there is no cottoning to personal attacks, foul language, obtuse political discussions, or activities that interfere with his business, and therefore the boards. As one that enjoys a good thing and spirited banter, I have yet to run afoul of the imposed etiquette. That says a lot about Tom's good nature. He is a moderator in the best sense. He keeps things focused without leaving his thumbprint on everyone's remarks. Because of the environment I rarely inhabit any other message area. HH is poised to receive its 5 millionth hit. Wow! At a million Tom offered up a prize for the board member that guessed most accurately what time the counter would roll over. Long before that board members were already very appreciative. Regular board contributor Mike Pelfry began the ruminations of public appreciation. The actual words began life at the hands of member John K. Dezan with the final polish by Raymond Gallant. It is simple and honest.

Tom Carter,
In 1999, you took the initiative and launched The Hobby Heaven Message Board. Now a million hits later, that initiative has grown to reach modelers the world over, from North America, Europe, through Australia and many countries in between. You took a chance and brought us together to share and to learn from one another. We were modelers from all walks of life with varying skill levels and building interests. You Tom, are the one that brought together this community of individuals who have one obvious common goal, that of enjoying and sharing life through our great hobby. It is for taking that initiative that we the Hobby Heaven Message Board Contributors would like to thank you most sincerely.

'nuff said.

Best Cool Kit Website
Dave's Show Rods Rally - ShowRods.com - A lot of things can make a site enjoyable to visit - information and art is an excellent start. One of the best for both of these can be found at Dave Rasmussen's site. His navigation page leads you to places like: the Show Room where you'll find kit box art and capsulated kit reviews; The Bad News where interesting show rod stories can be found in PDF for downloading; Guest Gallery, featuring built-up kits; Flat Out Crazy, a page of cool automotive artwork by Dave Marek; and other spaces for a discussion area, show rod cards and stickers, and links to other interesting sites on the web. You won't want to leave though because you easily can spend hours at showrods.com. I can't possibly do justice to it by talking it up. You have to visit. I especially love the Show Room. Dave's closet is full of the best show rod kits. He presents them on a list in alphabetical order. A click on the desired kit brings up scans of the box top and sides to accompany a small informational text box about the kit. It is clean, clever, and very thorough. Tom Daniel likes Dave's work too. Enough to ask him to be his webmaster at tomdaniel.com.

Best Online Modeling Showcase
C.A.R.S Model Car Gallery.- While BSA has few buildups. shown on the site, CARS (Chattanooga Auto Replicas in Scale) makes it their goal to display the handiwork of their fellow modelers. There are six major categories: Stockers, Sports Cars, Trucks, Competition, Modified, Other Scales .Within each reside more specific sub-categories. Miscellaneous galleries include Emergency, Weathered, Diorama, Engines, Juniors, and "Best of Show" Winners. Five personal galleries exhibit the work of styrene artists Juha Airio, Pat Covert, Bill Cunningham, Doug Whyte and Roy Sorenson. There's also a spot for Models of the World (India is nearly the only entry with 14). Don't forget to scroll down to visit the Contest Archives. There is a lot to see here.

There is also a lot you don't see unless you probe deeper. Each photo is a thumbnail which links to a larger image. Below each is the builder's name and some descriptive text explaining the kit used and the buildup.

Beside the photos the CARS guys also feature a number of great links to very useful information on their home page. Well worth a visit.

Best Auto Reference Source
Special Interest Auto Magazine - from Hemmings. SIA is unlike any other magazine. It's combines historical perspective with technical specifications in a very readable, if somewhat dry, manner. It seems to covers nearly every significant automobile in an amazingly thorough manner no matter how obscure. The photography is often archival but modern restored examples are sometimes used. It's tough enough to find one page on some vehicles let alone a full 4-page story, but this is the norm for SIA. They offer specs, road tests, photos, spotters guides, history, and firsthand information about the subjects they cover. It becomes an unsurpassed encyclopedia of automotive genius when you build a large library of past issues. It is well worth the price if you are serious about reference material. Some magazines are nice to have, but SIA is a must.

Unlike other landmark events, I don't remember the date I first read Randy Lammers request for modeling help on the Hobby Heaven Message Boards. What did strike me was the tenor of his query. You could see by the subject responses that something was amiss on the usually cordial message boards. A peek inside a few messages told an ugly story. Gentleman Randy asked a question of his fellow modelers. A simple question. Perhaps too simplistically stated. "I can't get Bare Metal Foil to work. How do I do it?" Without looking too deeply it is obvious that more information was needed in order to aid Randy properly. Even so, some tried to help by posting the basics of BMF. Others requested more info and gave him especially considerate attention. This seemed to rile Randy. He proceeded to lash out at those offering him help. He became frustrated at his inability to squeeze any useful information from these knuckle-heads populating the boards while assuring everyone that he was not the stupid one. His posts were typed in all-caps (indicating, perhaps inadvertently, that he was shouting) and no attempt was made to use a spell checker.

If it's not rule number one, it should be - You don't disrespect the people trying to help you. The kind souls on the board still tried to discern his problem despite the melee. Others had read enough and were starting to question his angry demeanor. He started a new thread asking the same question. A few new responses were offered. They were very much along the line of the previous posts. Randy just couldn't get it off his chest. He berated the host and his fellow modelers for not "helping" him. All he really succeeded in doing was to alienate himself from even the most selfless soul on the board. I don't think we will ever truly understand what Randy was looking for but he left and indelible mark on the HH boards that is felt to this day. There's hardly a BMF post on the message boards that doesn't have an answer referencing Randy Lammers.

In respect to RL, I'm sure the HH board members did not get the best he has to offer. This is an open invitation to Randy to contact us here at Bonediggers and arrange a reintroduction to the modeling world.

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