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Tiny Car Podcast Episode 7-2024, The Year in Review.

Tiny Car Podcast

52 Plays10 months ago

Torben, Bob, and Jim discuss all things that happened in the year that was 2024, on a small scale.

Transcript

Introduction and New Year Hopes

00:00:03

Torben Rothgeb

Welcome to the Tiny Car Podcast. This is your host, Tori Ross-Gibb, and my co-host, Bob Madridge, coming to you live from the Lake Creek Studios in beautiful to Minneapolis, the coolest city in the world.

00:00:18

Torben Rothgeb

All right. Well, hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Tiny Car Podcast. We're coming to you live from the Lake Street Studios on a blustery cold day in Minneapolis. I want to wish everybody a happy new year. I hope 2024 brought you everything that you wanted. We're going to be here today to talk about all the wonderful highlights, lowlights about 2024. But first, let me welcome in our co-hosts, Jim and Bob. How are you guys doing?

00:00:47

Torben Rothgeb

Great. Thanks for the invitation. Yeah, thanks, Marvin. It's great to have you here.

Organizing Model Car Parts

00:00:51

Torben Rothgeb

Well, I know New Year's resolutions are cliche and overused, but self-improvement is something most of us strive for. If not self-improvement, maybe just getting rid of the things that irritate the hell out of us. And i I, for one, hate losing things. And so one of mine, I'm always trying to get more organized at the workbench and other places too. but since this is a model car show, keeping the work bench organized. How do you guys do it? I just lose stuff all the time. Yeah, I do too. i I end up buying another kit so I can get the parts that I need. Yeah, I just lost a little tiny part on a 43rd scale white metal kit that I'm probably going to have to order another one from me Spain, you know. it's a site no I usually try to keep everything in, like if I'm not working on the model itself, I put it in a box or something so that

00:01:44

Torben Rothgeb

It'll always be there when I come back to it. Cause otherwise it's notoriously on the floor or, you know, it's missing and and you don't know where it is. Yeah. On the cat. Um, you know, it's, it's going to happen because it's, you know, it's a law of averages. And you're usually working on a couple of kits at a time. Right. That's the frustrating thing. It's like all of a sudden and be like, didn't I have that for that kid? No, no, no. This, and and I'll lose a kid for, I lose the part for each of so and I know people that when they build something notoriously, they will buy two kits just for that very reason. In case they lose something, screw something up, the paint, you know whatever it is, and you got something to fall back on. right so you know Once upon a time, I remember somebody had this like lime green piece of paper underneath their workbench ah to catch all the little pieces.

00:02:40

Torben Rothgeb

um However, I try to do stuff like that and it just irritates the heck out of me. sure And then I end up getting rid of it and then like a week later I'll drop a small piece ah down there. like but word well I have one of those roller chairs and it's like this great big octopus that rolls over everything. and so um trying to I tried to do that before and then another thing I've seen people go to is the apron that hooks onto your workbench and that creates this pocket that will catch everything.

00:03:11

Torben Rothgeb

However, I know, and some people commented, Bob Kay, I think, did, ah that I would do it all the time, is I would get up and pull the workbench over, or pull myself back into the workbench and probably onto an exacto knife in the eye or something. So, yeah, I guess there's just a certain amount of ah lost pieces that that you have to just live with.

00:03:34

Torben Rothgeb

Now, ah there have been a few things that have worked for me. like um I used to go through my decal collection and building a lot of NASCAR kits and racing kits. I do have a lot of decals. And it took forever to get to things. And then a really easy solution. One time I thought, well, they have numbers. Just put them in order. Start with one through 99 and put the things in order. So that has helped me for all my decals.

00:04:01

Torben Rothgeb

Not done help with the drag ones, but maybe I if I got enough of those I put them in alphabetical order maybe butter Either by driver or whatever it is my socks or Martin so and Martin of that ah another thing I used to do that I had the the scale autos kind of before all the digital stuff and online stuff and And I would remember an article from 1987 and I would go through my things and two hours later I hadn't found what the hell I had. And I read three or four different things. And so one summer, you know, one of the advantages to teaching is you get the summers off and so you come up with these projects. One summer I decided to cut up all my scale autos and put them in order.

Digital Resources in Model Car Building

00:04:47

Torben Rothgeb

So I had a one three ring binder with just NASCAR articles.

00:04:51

Torben Rothgeb

And put that in order from oldest to newest ah Type cars and then drag and then other racing and then pickups muscle cars and so on and so that cut down a lot on the Good idea the best lost of time, but now of course nowadays is with digital stuff It's a lot easier just to google something whenever you're starting Absolutely young people today will never realize the hell and Some people like, I know Andy said it was his favorite part of doing the project, was doing all the research. Oh yeah, Stangram used to say that too. And Cameron i too. Yeah, that's one of my favorite things too. But then you got to keep it organized. And then it helps if you're focused. If you're like me, one day I want to do this and I get all this together, but then the next day it's on to another project. And then once I ah circle back around to the first project, where the hell are all these pictures at?

00:05:49

Torben Rothgeb

So but now that's the challenge always is to try to stay organized I've seen some people who have those little ah little toolbox things or little like Tupperware containers They have all these little things and they have all their parts box Organized and that just gives me a headache even thinking about that so or even remembering where everything was i did anything like that Yeah, I did the parts Whatever you want to call them the little boxes, like ah you know hardware store type thing where you have different size screws but this was like you know one would have mufflers in it and one would have you know different kinds of wheels stuff that you used a lot and you know it would be easy to get to because you you know you're gonna use it so and um've I've still got it I've had it for I don't know 30 some years so it's it's worked for me but you know to each his own

00:06:45

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah, over the years I've accumulated usually from like those combo kits or the big three or five car kits, these great big boxes, and I have all my junk parts in there. And I usually just have to go through all five boxes when I'm looking for exactly a gear shift. or And then you find something else that you want to build. Yes. Yeah.

00:07:04

Torben Rothgeb

okay no yeah and ah it's but Yeah, was part of it is just something we're always trying to be more organized.

New Year's Resolutions and Gift Traditions

00:07:12

Torben Rothgeb

But hey, um there's worse things than rummaging through your parts box or yes reading old-scale autos, right? There's worse things you could do. A lot worse. Yes. Well, speaking of New Year's resolutions, do you guys have anything that you want to improve on, try out, get better at for 2025?

00:07:33

Torben Rothgeb

um in the modeling world. yeah well it's not they want to share anything else you know no i'd rather not you know but i mean I think just in the modern world i think this to continue to be real real varied in stuff just to try to do lots of different kind of subjects. This year I got really nice white elephant stuff you know we have a white elephant in like three or four different clubs I'm in I usually don't bring my own kits, but I mean... No one would do that. No one would do that. but I don't know if I'd say it, no one. But I'm going to try to complete at least a couple of them and just do it just a basic job on them, and so they're done so that it moves forward. And the challenges the clubs have, which are are really fun to have, is obviously the Five Alive Challenge, the three kits in RPM. There's a Fokker D7 Challenge and our in the TCH Club.

00:08:27

Torben Rothgeb

So it's just fun to, you know, to try to shoot for those plus the stuff you want to build yourself. So that's it. That's for me. Yeah. Just in case ah you haven't heard of the white elephant, it's just a lot of the clubs up here. You bring a gift and then you can steal a gift. And here are advantages to completing your gift for the next year. And so, um, and what, uh, what kids did you get for that?

00:08:52

Torben Rothgeb

Got a really nice Tamiya Nissan Skyline R35, race car from the mid 2000s, shake and bake. I mean, it'll be really nice to do. You say that now. I say it now. I bought the paint, I'm all set to go. Well, you're done. I'm done. Yeah. So yeah. And yeah. Yeah. How about you, James? I don't really do the New Year's resolution thing. Okay. Because I don't subscribe to that. Well, no, because I can never get it you know They say two weeks, I think they even said it. I saw a commercial issue where like Friday, January 14th or whatever is the day that you give up. but Don't give up on it this year. Fight through it with whatever we want to sell you, whether it's our gym membership or your organizer. bill my my Typically, I shoot for the moon when I start the year out. I want to get stuff done.

00:09:47

Torben Rothgeb

and whether it's an incomplete, incomplete project or something I've always wanted to build. So I mean, the the whole, the one theme that you had with, you know, unfinished projects is ah I've always enjoyed that. It's a great theme. So I'm looking forward to that because maybe I can finish something I haven't, you know, done that yet. So. Yes. Yeah. Well, in the RPM club, we had the, uh,

00:10:12

Torben Rothgeb

the stall challenge. it I suggested it so over the years. It's called the Torben Challenge. i'm Not that I'm ah egotistical or I like to put my name on it. I mean, I don't even have my name on the podcast, right? right um But ah no, it it ah you originally he came up with three stall projects and the club members voted on which one they wanted you to complete.

00:10:36

Torben Rothgeb

Now we added a caveat to our latest one where you could also have kids that scared the heck out of you. So if you know because some people are so organized they don't have any style projects. So they come up with kids that they've been you know, scared to build either because

Choosing and Organizing Model Kits

00:10:53

Torben Rothgeb

it's a really rare or expensive kid or they've heard bad things about it. And so I think I'm gonna go more in that direction with the three that I'm thinking about. Well, I got four, maybe you guys can help me out. um I have the, cause I didn't get enough of accurate miniatures with this Corvette I'm working on. I got the accurate miniatures, um McLaren.

00:11:15

Torben Rothgeb

I have this ah Javelin Trans-Am car, Mark Donahue car, ding d and I have a 1 16th Funny car, because I've bought probably seven of those over the years, and and then I had ah the Dictricle modified Mustang.

00:11:36

Torben Rothgeb

And so, ah sure you not narrow it down from I to narrow it down and i at least if I'm just going by you guys, I'm going to probably, you you think I should take out the Accurate Miniatures McLaren. Yes. Well, I would i would do the javelin. That would be mine. It is hard because I've had that papaya paint forever and I wanted to paint something with it.

00:12:02

Torben Rothgeb

And over the years, I've had every just about every Accurate Miniatures. I don't have the Fisher High-Dollar Resin one. But I do have the Tamiah 118th one. I have both versions of the MPC one. And then I have the Accurate Miniatures with a great photo etch kit from my my butt and any KLD cast. But you're telling me to leave that one off.

00:12:25

Torben Rothgeb

And OK. All right. for but yeah I mean, the thing is you have plenty to choose from. So I mean, you can write. You're still going to have ones that maybe be would be not your ideal kit to finish. no I mean, because don't you have you have any resin stuff in the in that list?

00:12:43

Torben Rothgeb

ah No, I think with this Bobby Allison W knows I think I might need a break from resident Plus I have these other three early petty kids Do the travel that'd be really unique. We haven't seen it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, i it's a great car great car great driver no I think you know you do a great job building it. So yeah, and you get it done so well Well, we'll see which one gets the boats, you know depending and you never know which is going to get voted in or voted out on those things. So ah yeah, what what three are you going to bring? So I have, um to been challenged i don't this is for the unfinished projects. Yes, either stall projects or kits that scare the hell out of you. Or whatever I pick, you know, for the three, the one that I really want to build is not going to be the one that they pick. so all this Well, that's what happens to me. So anyway, so I have a,

00:13:41

Torben Rothgeb

68 Hemi dart that's basically needs an engine a few odds and ends and it's done So that's gonna be one of them. So that won't get picked I may have a couple that are a little bit more I would say in the realm of scary projects. Okay, so I have a 550 spider that's a resin kit from Ukraine that sounds scary that well, I mean it's like the good news is it's it doesn't have an engine Okay, but the bad news is it's it's a little finicky with the resin and you know You don't want to screw it up because you know I pick up another one at hobby Yeah, the kid the kid you know is over well over a hundred bucks and it's a great car great it's It's actually a nice kit. It's really a nice kit, but it's it's gonna be some work and then I have a um an original issue um little T mm-hmm that I picked up not that long ago actually and it's a glue bomb it's gonna need some work so that's the other one I mean it's gonna be less work but it's still gonna take some time so okay but you know I want to do something that's fun and maybe a little different than everybody else I mean obviously that's probably gonna happen with everyone so sure so yeah so that's what I got sure well that is an advantage to doing these stalled kits you're making it easier on yourself because essentially

00:15:01

Torben Rothgeb

depending on how far along you got, you know, 70% of it could be built already for you. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. How about you, Bob? Well, I got one of the Fujimi Enthusiast series kits, which are always a challenge. I want to do a Dino. So I've got, I bought one from Jim, the Dino. Are you doing the Andretti version? And I'm going to do the Mario Andretti version, the purple one, you know. Which we saw at El Carle Lake. Which we saw at El Carle Lake, and it's a beautiful car.

00:15:29

Torben Rothgeb

Torvin graciously gave me one with a warped body, so I have all the extra parts in case I you know mess up, which I never will do. No, you'll be thrown that away. Yeah, thrown that away. And the other two are Heller kits. So there's a Ferrari 512, which is the car that won Sebring in 1970.

00:15:52

Torben Rothgeb

And it's a Heller kit, so it's got its problems. And then the other one is a Citroen, the 15th CV, and I know that'll get picked. So it's a Cabriolet, no, it's a sedan, a 30s French sedan from Heller. So I built it years ago, didn't do a very good job. I'd like to try it again. So they're both, they're both challenging kids. So that's it for me. Well, now Eric was talking about doing his Indian, what is this motorcycle? Oh, he has a swash, white metal,

00:16:26

Torben Rothgeb

35th scale in the end kit. The thing with Eric though is that he would do a nice job on it. It wouldn't matter what it was or what scale it was i mean because he's built some really horrible kits and he made them into a silk purse. Very true. Out of a sousier. You got it.

00:16:50

Torben Rothgeb

All right, well, moving on, we're going to talk about the year that was 2024. And the, why don't we start with ah the new

New Model Kits of 2024

00:17:01

Torben Rothgeb

kits. Now off the top of my head, um I know they had a 64 Shabil they came out with. Now was it last year that they had the Craftsman It was probably a couple of years ago. The way things go, I think it's a year ago and it was three years ago. But I know the Craftman's kits, they did the 65 Mustang and that was the way it's ago. 63. And the Nova Wagon. And the Nova Wagon. But those are all not in 2024. Right. But the thing with the Malibu was that it was only, um, it wasn't one that had an engine in it. Okay. So, I mean, I'm sure they're going to probably do another one that'll have the complete

00:17:39

Torben Rothgeb

You know all the detail in it, but this one was a Craftsman plus and I wasn't a craftsman. It was just a craftsman or whatever. Okay, but it did really well is all new tooling um I wouldn't give that like a best kid of the year. No, we're just a new one. It's sold really well I mean you know there's there were some really good new kits I tell yeah well, I mean and these are you know right up my alley, but ah Mobius finally got the 65 Dodges out late last year and those have been selling really well and also that just in the last probably two or three weeks of the year Mobius came out with their F350 pickup tow truck. Yeah, that looks really good. That everybody was looking forward to and it's selling like popcorn so

00:18:30

Torben Rothgeb

It's a little better than the CUDA, the CUDA pickup truck. Yeah, a little bit better. Very toy-shocking boom. Paul, I'm looking forward to one of the club members who did the Plow, the Ford Plow. And he built the model with the Plow separate, sitting next to the truck. I want to see if he actually puts the tow truck parts next to the cab. That would not surprise me. But yeah, I'm sure that we're going to see some of those. We're thinking about the same amount of club members. Yes.

00:19:00

Torben Rothgeb

yeah Yep. All right. um Then I know, speaking of trucks, we also had the 64 truck. Yep. And the 63. Yep. And those both did really well. We had the 2022 Corvette Stingray that Revell did. Yes. I heard really good things about the instructions on the kit. They're really thorough. And that it was also really well engineered. Yeah. And then there's the, from Atlantis,

00:19:28

Torben Rothgeb

they finally got that US Marines grandam funny car out and that's doing really well and that's basically just a reissue but it's a new company so I would consider it a new kit um and then also another kind of a they haven't done a lot of car kits but they're they're doing really well with the car kits they're making so this one was an ICM 1934 and A fit and Um, that, uh, I don't know how it's done sales wise, it's, it's from the Ukraine. So it's rather expensive, kind of hard to find. Um, but that's, that was a really interesting kit I'd say for the last year. who Um, and then of course, probably, I think, you know, obviously Selvino's always hasn't a lot of new kits. I counted, I went back to 2024 is, you know, coming soon list and they had like,

00:20:26

Torben Rothgeb

24 or 22 Camaros that they were coming out with in the year and they actually did that many yes, yep Yeah, this year was a little hard for them as far as It took them over a year for the dark horse Mustang they have that and that's going to be coming out early next year but so they didn't have the Mustang that was raised this year or the Toyota because both of them had minor changes to the bodies and And so pretty much all their new stuff this year was the Camaros. And mostly a lot of the Hendrix stuff. Rick Salvino always talks about how well the Chase Elliott cars sell. um So a lot of different variations of of those cars. They also had the 40th anniversary of Rick Hendrix racing. And so they did both.

00:21:23

Torben Rothgeb

the William Byron 24 Ruby Red car that won in Martinsville and then they also had Kyle Larson's one they just released recently of the Ruby Red paint scheme for the 40th anniversary and then also speaking of Kyle Larson they had the salie special ah McLaren edition that he was gonna race ah for the Coke 600 Um, but then, uh, he didn't make it because of the rain delay and and other stuff, but then he did turn around and win, uh, for the brickyard 400 in that paint scheme. oh So they did a lot of different Camaro schemes, uh, mainly for the Hendrick cards. Um, but also, um, they did, uh, you know, the Ross Chastain, they did Daniel Suarez, um,

00:22:13

Torben Rothgeb

and a few others. so But then the big news from Salvino's for this year as far as the 2024 highlight was the Indy kit. um Now this was this was groundbreaking as far as not having an Indy kit since I know the AMT and Monogram ones were late 80s. When were the Tamayo ones Bob? Tamayo's were 1993 cars so they came out in 94.

00:22:43

Torben Rothgeb

At the end of the 90s, the cart cars came out, the Renard chassis ones came out. They had a whole slew of those. Those were the Ravel ones. It had been 25 years. Good for Salvino's. It is nice. I know we always have a big Indy 500 party and watch a race over at Bob's house. Just having the option of watching that race and being able to build one of those cars.

00:23:12

Torben Rothgeb

is nice. Yep. And, you know, ah Bob was able to complete his and nice, nice work.

Challenges with Salvino's Kits

00:23:22

Torben Rothgeb

I have one that, you know, if I wanted to just kind of be lazy for the Torben Challenge, I would just bring that indie kit because it certainly is a stalled one. It's been stalled a couple of different times, um but I'm halfway through mine and hopeful that it'll get done in 2024.

00:23:39

Torben Rothgeb

So that that was a a new kit the groundbreaking kit um and then ah you know I they kind of Had to take a step back with the funny car because Toyota pulled out a funny car and so they were aligned with Ron caps and So and then also with the body change that they're gonna keep they're gonna change bodies not this year But next year so the funny car thing is awful until at least 2026 now. really And um ah they have had, you know, kind of, ah they haven't completely decided on what to do with their next project, whether they're going to go forward with the Mopars that they were going to do at one time between the Plymouth Superbird and the 70 and 68 Roadrunners, or if they're going to try to do a gem six car

00:24:36

Torben Rothgeb

um I don't think they've ever found the molds that Ravel did with the chase Elliott kit or the really Danica Patrick or or um do you think those would say Kevin Harvick. Oh They well, you know, it's one of those things it's funny because looking back over the year the 68 Dodge Cornet Which was a kit that probably went for three four hundred the original use and then the Dodge Demon that probably went for three or four hundred And then they made those this year as well, while we're talking about Kistron this year. And I haven't seen an explosion. So it's kind of funny that it's just like, it was so sought after, but part of being sought after was how rare it was. And that was it. But you haven't seen an explosion of one that had been built. There's been a fair number of demons built that I've seen online on YouTube and on Facebook and stuff. Yeah.

00:25:30

Torben Rothgeb

If we're talking about the demand, certainly the Chase Elliott kit goes for like 80, between 80 and 100. The SS ah Napa 24 one. s And then the two glue kits for the Ford Focus was the Danica Patrick Aspen Dental and the Kevin Harvick Jimmy Johns.

00:25:53

Torben Rothgeb

of those and those are creeping up to about 60 or 70 you know because but part of it is there's not ah you know there's not going to be any more made so that creates its own demand right so if Salvino's went back and did that and like I said I don't think they have the mold so they'd have to redo ah redo some of it um yeah I think they would sell some they would certainly sell ah some ah how would it be a moneymaker form I don't know according to them the Indy cars were a moneymaker for them and they're glad they did them and they're still doing more yeah and they're doing more wow so and you said they wanted to backdate some of these to

00:26:33

Torben Rothgeb

um 2022 Yeah, they're trying to decide the winners the indie winners They want to do the sado saddle car and then also talking about that chocolate one that i want to do oh while yeah yeah Marcus Yeah any winner from yeah, 2023 22 22 And then to also the multimedia kits apparently the Jimmy Clark ah Lotus is at 38 Lotus 38 is ah

00:27:04

Torben Rothgeb

Very close to being done, so. That would be, that's that's a great car, and there's only been the old IMC kit of that, and that's it. Now, they did not give a ah set price, so pricing is still, I don't know, they mentioned between two and three hundred. Oh, yeah. Multi-media. So, I'll take two. Yes. Well, because they talked about there's a Jimmy Clark paint scheme, and then there's ah a couple others, right? They ran quite a few of those lotuses in 65.

00:27:34

Torben Rothgeb

Is that Graham Hill or something? Graham Hill ran one. Parnell Jones ran one. There were more than a couple. Because at 65, there were less and less of the front engine cars. By 65, there wasn't a whole lot of them left over, the Watsons. OK. So we'll see how those sell. And then after that, they mentioned the Lotus 64. That was the one that Mario Andretti wrecked. That's a weird choice. Yeah, he wrecked the car. It's a four wheel drive car. He wrecked so it never really ran.

00:28:04

Torben Rothgeb

and he smashed it up and then he... They want to do that car? That's the next one. yeah it's so I mean, I don't know if that choice is odd because it never really raced anywhere. Yeah. And then Mario got into the Bronner Hawk and won the race. Yes, you would think he would do that one. I would buy that one. That one is even if it's 300 just because, you know, I built Mario's Daytona winner and it'd be great to have. to team i get that writing

00:28:29

Torben Rothgeb

i don't I don't want to lose track of we haven't talked about, you know, what I thought was the kid of the year. Yes. Well, I wanted to get all of those out there. i need And I don't know if, well, the 71 Mustang and it's so funny in our industry about how um we dream about these kits and like in different phases of our lives.

00:28:54

Torben Rothgeb

and Like I remember like really wanting the 66 and pallet when I was building all the in palace But then by the time they came out with it I wasn't really built I was building a lot more race cars and and still haven't built it same with the 70 charger I could not wait that was just my favorite charger and I wanted to build that but They even reissued it and I still haven't built it. Yes. Yeah, it's coming and I'm out again with another Mm-hmm. It's a cool-looking box. I love the box on that um But then the 71 Mustang was another one like that, that I really wanted to build, but I didn't want to mess with the AMT one. But they finally did come out with the Revell one. But thank God, I finally got this one done. Now, the original one came out about two or three years ago, but they did do a new James Bond version this year. So we could add that to the kind of new kit. Yeah, well i mean it wasn't really available when they said it was going to be. i mean

00:29:48

Torben Rothgeb

Lately, Revell has been delayed in getting stuff out. Like they have the, there's like four kits from last year that Stranger Things series. Oh yeah. The good old Hopper Blazer. And those are still, they're supposed to come out this next, this first quarter is what I just saw online. So there's a Blazer, there's a Camaro. I don't remember the other, there's a Volkswagen bus. Pizza van. Pizza van. Yep. I mean, they're interesting.

00:30:16

Torben Rothgeb

you know ideas so I'm sure they'll do well. That's a great show did you guys ever watch? No. It was the first season. Okay. Yeah it's good show. Was that a Netflix or something? Yep, Netflix. I think it's a Netflix series. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So NU 71 turned out really nice. Yeah very nice. Yeah. A rare color and... I just and you've heard me say this before but I just love that color and I remember um Tim Boyd doing the colors muscle car colors and that being like wow I'd like to do a car but at the time What the hell were you gonna build a 71 with you know when they came out with 71 with that color? It's like ah a pinto a Maverick. what What am I gonna build that with? um But then so when they came out the Mustang that was the one that I had to had the build. Yes So would you call that the kid of the year that's what I would say I

Domestic Kit Reflections and Reissues

00:31:10

Torben Rothgeb

Okay. Um, just from, I mean, I looked at just domestic, domestic only. I actually included, you were up upstairs that ICM fit and was, was an interesting kit because it was someone that hadn't done car kits like that before. Um, but other than that, I mean, there really wasn't, um, you know, domestic kits was a lot of reissues. Um, I didn't see.

00:31:37

Torben Rothgeb

You know, Ravel really hit that one out of the park. It took him a long time to do it. I mean, it's it's really well done. and you know Yeah, I mean, if you're looking for a combination of accuracy, but then really well engineered um and the decal sheet is really great. It gives you everything.

00:31:58

Torben Rothgeb

um It's hard to beat that 71 Mustang. I think it sold pretty well, too, actually. Would there be a Mobius kit in the mix for the kit of the year? I mean, yeah, you're more, you did the 69, or 65 Dodge. I did the 65 Plymouth, which basically is the same, only the one that they came out with is a Dodge, so it's just a different body. ah But that's doing really well sales-wise. I'm sure it would go together well. It's the Mobius style kit, so you have to put the windows on in from the outside.

00:32:28

Torben Rothgeb

Which it's a little tricky, but you know, it's, I think if you, if you take your time and be patient about it, I think you'll be pleased with the results. Okay. Cause they do some stock, some factory stock. They do stock ones. They have two stock, um, regular, you know, uh, they call one it's like the little old lady from Pasadena type car and then a factory race car and then the ultra wheel based car. So they've got, you know, three kits out there now. Wow.

00:32:56

Torben Rothgeb

It took them a while to get them out, but I think its it was well worth the effort and so um you know to me that would be up there too as far as best kits of the year because You know it's just not something you're gonna see a lot of as far as new kits Well, what about the tow truck we talked about? The tow truck I think too I haven't seen I've only seen the box our model built, but it looks really really good I mean it's well engineered it's it's like a contemporary version. It's not a Kooter tow truck. Oh, the 34 Ford. Yeah, the Sven, John Svensson built a box art and did the hard work and everything. And so it's fantastic. He weathered a little bit, stuff like that. Cool. Now, if you're wanting something quick, though, I did like the 64 pickup truck. Oh, okay. Looks like it goes together really, really quick. Yeah. And nice. Eric Zabel's building one. He likes it a lot. He says it's engineered really well.

00:33:54

Torben Rothgeb

you know It's got kind of a promo style chap. He says he's just going to flat black and he's going to be visiting care. yeah well i mean Otherwise you're going to have to find something to write its place to put place. What then is the mercury pickup too? right but that's That's really basically a grill and a few other parts. But still it's it's a you know modified reissue so technically it is a new kit. so but yeah no I think there's a lot of things out there that could get people interested, I think. so And you guys talked about the in the indie kits, which are new. Yeah, well, why don't you ah tell us about your experience as far as? Well, i just and it was a tough kit to build. but Now, if you built one again, what would you recommend people doing? Either blow it all open, like Claire Camp has done. you know And then you then you can super detail it. um I mean, so many of the of the cars now, everything is all tightened up. yeah So it's hard to see. but you could put in some more lines and things like that. And you don't have to worry about fitting the body to that pan or else I would glue the body all together and then glue it on to the chest. It's because I had trouble getting the body pieces to all fit together. And there's some unsightly gaps in mine and stuff, you know, but, um, you know, it was, it's great to have the kit. I mean, you know, I mean, and ah and I, I'm fairly built it next to the Tamiya.

00:35:18

Torben Rothgeb

1993 Lola. I built Ari Leindeich's pole winning car and that literally fell together. I mean, it's so well engineered. Yeah. And so it's not fair comparison because this is the first kit from them and Tamiya did those kits and it's a Tamiya kit. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I, you know, I, I am so appreciative for what Salvino's has done for the hobby and Rick Salvino, uh, and all the stuff, he list but I would, I wish she would stop saying this is gonna be like a tamayi. I think it's unfair. It's just like um You know maybe can comparing your significant other to a supermodel where I just think I think it's our The new cars and yes, because they were as they weren't not a piece of cake not a piece of cake and you have ah What I would tell anybody for that is and they even make their own jig that you can buy to put it on there

00:36:17

Torben Rothgeb

The um the bottom of the chassis pan making sure that is not warped needs to be your first thing because a couple times I should have learned from the first time that i've gotten halfway along in the project i'm like Why are the front wheels uh not touching the ground? Oh because the chassis is warped so far down. Yeah, that it's not touching yeah so then now i'm curling up with the whole car glued together and what should go wrong go wrong then Dropping it back down and then the front wheels raising up again. Oh, I didn't bend it enough then isn't that so um You know starting with that and then even I had a couple of stall projects I know that's very shocking you guys, but I decided to pick up on I had a Ford Fusion ah One like the Ravel gem six car we talked about um and I had a Toyota

00:37:12

Torben Rothgeb

um the number 19 Bass Pro shops, Mark Truex. And so I decided to start on those two. And the Ford Fusion went together so much easier for a lot of different reasons. One, the windows were already painted. I mean, the decals are great. It's great they give you all these decals. But man, that's time consuming putting them on the windows. And another tip I would do again is put future on the windows Because the decals don't stick really great for those window decals. But that is very time consuming. And it's great. This is on the Salvino's. Yeah, I'm comparing the Salvino's to the Gen 6 one. Yeah. And basically, I put the Ford Fusion together. And that had a lot of decals too. I did the Richard Petty, or it was Eric Amarillo, Smithfield Meats, 43 car. But I did that in probably 40 hours.

00:38:09

Torben Rothgeb

um On this Martin Truex one, I've already got 40 hours and probably got another 20 in it ah to get done. so um it's ah It's a grind. It's a grind for the indie one. It's a grind for the new ah the new cars. I'm glad to have them. Very thankful to have them. Absolutely. some Just know that it probably needs to be a labor of love, which i you know as I start that accurate miniature Corvette, that I am i really love the car. And I love the paint scheme. And so um if it's just a kit you're looking to build, just for something fun to do, you know do the 64 pickup.

00:38:44

Torben Rothgeb

or you know or something else yeah that's going to go together. You know but shes always you never achieve that balance of a car you love. That's a pleasure to build. but that's That's a rarity sometimes. yeah yeah so So now ah you are much more of a ah mopar guy, muscle car guy. and the So what was your thoughts on the demon? I won't get into it too much. but um it's ah It's a mixed bag, I would say, as far as the kit goes. And then what I mean by that is that it was a kit that came out in 71, MPC brought it out, and it was in their typical style. So it had a halfway decent chassis, but it wasn't perfect, obviously. But the body was right to a point. The wheel wells in the front were weren't correct. They were like a duster.

00:39:41

Torben Rothgeb

yeah They were not correct. But I mean, it was a hard kit to find. It's always been you know expensive you know from a collector's perspective. So when they did the kit, you know everybody expected it was going to be all new tooling. And basically, the body was the only thing that was that was new.

00:40:02

Torben Rothgeb

um The chassis was the, it's kind of a combination of the duster chassis, um which which is decent, but it doesn't fit very well with the but the demon body. And it has a molded in drive shaft, all kind which is, ah in my opinion, a big no-no. But they wanted to duplicate the feel of the original kit. So that's why they put that drive shaft, because that was in the original one. And so if you want to if you want to go back in time and you want to relive your childhood and you built a demon when you were a kid, it's perfect.

00:40:39

Torben Rothgeb

But if you want it to be take today's technology with separate you know wipers and things like that, which I would prefer, you're going to have to grind them off the hood. And it's not an easy thing to do, even if it's because you know the 10th one of those you've done. It's really hard to do on that particular version. But um you know it's there's some 3D parts out for the Demon now that are really nicely done. They do some grills and things like that. I'm sure it's still selling.

00:41:09

Torben Rothgeb

But if I was to say that was probably one that there was a hit and maybe a miss, I would say that would be my opinion. His hit and miss. OK, because yeah, the duster that came out in what, mid to late 90s, was really well engineered. Yeah, it's a beautiful kit. It really is. So all they really had to do was come out with a demon body that would go on that. Yeah, pretty much. I mean, obviously, you have different seat patterns for the seats and things like that.

00:41:39

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah, no, I mean, it was, um, that would have been my choice and that's what I kind of expected. So I was a little surprised when they didn't do it that way. Um, so anyway, you know, you win some, you lose some, um, I'm happy to have the kid, like you said, yeah it's better than not at all. Cause then you're going out and looking at a resin body or you're going to have to find an original and start with that. So, um, yeah, I'm happy to have it. So, uh-huh.

00:42:08

Torben Rothgeb

Yep, and now what was different with the 68 Dodge? It was a hard top or is a convertible which wasn't you talking about the cornet? Yeah, well no the MPC did 69 cornet convertible, okay um And a 68 the one that they brought out was a 68 convertible. I believe as well so I mean they've they've done both versions in the original kits, so I'm expecting them to do a the same thing with the 68 and 69. So the 68 was the first one to come out was a hard top, I believe, and it was a convertible. And then they've since done the hard top. So I expect that they'll do a 69 convertible on a 69 hard top. So those sold really well. Once again, those are the same kind of thing where they had the original chassis and all that stuff was just like the original. That's what they thought everybody wanted.

00:43:05

Torben Rothgeb

So like hotcakes, no yeah you know, it can't be that. No, I mean, it's and it's everybody raved about it. So I mean, yeah, it's it's it's what everybody wanted. Scratch that itch, you know, so okay. Okay. Good. Yeah. And ah so then what what was your consensus for the kid of the year for 2024?

00:43:28

Torben Rothgeb

I was going with the Mustang. You're going with the Mustang. How about so about you, Bob? I don't know. I haven't gotten, you know, I haven't um thought about it that much, but it sounds like from your guys' opinion, I would, I don't know, I guess I've seen yours built. It was really nice, you know. I've not built the ICM Mallet, and it would be interesting to see what that's like, if that's if it's really, I mean, i I have one and I'm going to kit bash it into it with a pickup, but you see in a built, it looks really nice. I mean, yeah there's a, you actually they did a YouTube video. ICM did building the kit right and they did like a time-lapse photography. And it was really interesting how they did it because the body actually goes like on from the outside. So it's a multi-piece body.

00:44:22

Torben Rothgeb

And you have different assemblies that you have to assemble first and then those all go together. And engineering wise, I thought it was a really interesting, uh, kit. Um, so yeah, no, it's, it's, it's just, have I seen a lot of them built? No, no, I haven't seen a lot of them bought, let alone

Innovative Engineering and Reissues

00:44:41

Torben Rothgeb

built. Right. And I see him does a lot of car kits now. Yeah. They're all through the fire trucks and they did cheese and they were doing A's. yeahp Um,

00:44:50

Torben Rothgeb

I guess I would have to concur with you guys on the Mustang because it's a kit that people really like. The Chevelle would be another choice. We've got a guy in the club that did a really nice job on one but he didn't use, he just used the body from the kit and that's not it. But I would go along with you. I think the Mustang is a good choice. I think it's a Chevelle had an engine and things like that. I think I could lean a little bit more towards it but the fact that the Chevelle's kit is all new tooling.

00:45:19

Torben Rothgeb

for something they've never done before Mm-hmm, you know NPC had had one obviously back in the day and they reissued it around to reissue that so I just think with everything that's That's out there right now to me. The Mustang was Okay anything else so Yeah, I mean as far as buying I was proud of myself for some self-control I the only ones i I bought And I had the older version of must of the Mustang um But I did buy the Indy kit, the Joseph Newgarden one, and then the 64 truck. And I wanted to buy the Demon, and I wanted to buy the 63 Ford truck, and but you but and the tow truck, but I held off. so up Did you guys talk about any foreign kits that are out at all? No, go ahead. just a couple i mean I really haven't followed as much as some people do. um But I mean, the kit that everyone really likes, and there's a lot of them coming out, I was the Audi R8.

00:46:19

Torben Rothgeb

touring car that races in Europe and Meng has it. It's $100 for the kit and but they they've made numerous markings for it. all Okay. You know and you can you know we have a certain John Z in our club who's got a few ready to go. You know but it's got a full motor and it's really really nice. Tamiya I can't remember what they've done this year. I know they did a little motorcycle that was really well receive a little DAX motorcycle. They did the 240Z or whatever. The 240Z they did is kind of a custom. Right. And that's a new kit. That's a beautiful kit though. It really looks gorgeous. And as far as there's of course no new Formula One cars, no Le Mans cars, they just came out with a Porsche, and I'll take the back, a Porsche 993, which is a brand new kit.

00:47:11

Torben Rothgeb

ah My classic built one and it's gorgeous. It looks really nice. So that's a good looking kit. So those are the ones i I've seen as far as Nunu and B-Maxx and all those companies are are doing things. They're coming out with a couple. They're you're trying to do the Hawaiian Tropic 935 that Paul Newman drove in 1979. I have one on pre-order. I'd love to build that car.

00:47:37

Torben Rothgeb

That would be a cool one. V-Maxes are similar. They have no engine detail, but they're really nicely done. Would that be the same darkish red that Donnie Allison's NASCAR was? Hawaiian Tropic. Hawaiian Tropic, yeah. It's a darker red, I think. Yeah, that's why the NASCAR almost. Yeah, right. That one. Yeah, exactly. That one. And there's an already touring car, that A4, which is a real famous car. That was out this year.

00:48:03

Torben Rothgeb

and our Chad Trust was jumping all over that baby. you know So yeah, those are the ones i I can think of. I'm probably missing. What about that fair lady? what was Was that new or is that a reissue? That's a reissue. And that was from both. Tamaya did one and then the racing version. Was that Fujimi or another company? When we were at the dungeon there, other they had two ah of the Well, those are that's the Tamiya kit. They're custom 240Z. And then the rally car is the, that's ah I believe it's a Hasagawa kit. So that's the Safari rally car. Yeah. Okay. All right. Awesome. Awesome. All right. Well, um talking about 2024, how about, we talked about the new kits

00:48:56

Torben Rothgeb

How about the completed kits? How about for your own? ah but What was your favorite kit that you completed this year? Well, I only completed one, but it was it was ah it was a... What do you want to call it? Holy grail kind of a thing. Because I love the carbas, the Melrose missile. yeah like It was a kit bash type of thing, but I put a lot of time into it. An NNL North top 10 winner. It is. Thank you.

00:49:24

Torben Rothgeb

So yeah, so that was my big win of the year and and I was happy to do that. But yeah, I mean, if I was going to, you were asking you like, what's my favorite model of the year or something like that? Yeah, would be it would be a slam dunk for Mr. John Z's Cobra Daytona Coupe. Yeah.

00:49:43

Torben Rothgeb

to which he won at the Nationals was best automotive subject. And there was a lot of nice models. Yeah. But I mean, that that was my favorite. right And clearly, um he did a phenomenal job on a Model Factory Hero. i That's a tough kit, too. It wasn't like a Tamiya kit. Yeah. But yeah, so that was ah nice a nice thing to and do you know celebrate. de How about your completed kit store?

00:50:10

Torben Rothgeb

ah The kits that I completed this year. Did you have a favorite that you completed?

Favorite Model Kits and Building Challenges

00:50:16

Torben Rothgeb

You know, I guess I would, you know, we've talked a lot about it. That that Mustang was a long time coming. ah For me, it's been an underrated a car. You know, I had a friend in high school, Tom Nagel. Don't know where he's at right now, but he had a He had a ball. Yes, actually don on the line. What about was there a favorite NASCAR bill that you did that you really enjoyed? A favorite NASCAR bill. Because you got quite a few done. I did a lot of petty cars this year.

00:50:51

Torben Rothgeb

um You know, off the top of my head, not right now. I can't. What about the Bomb Pop? I think that was done a year before. a year ago I probably would have had that the the Bobby Allison Matador. I threw in the you know tribute to him since he passed away too. you know Yes, yep yep we we we did lose a couple of great, great race car drivers between Bobby Allison and then also Cale Yarborough this year. And now Fred Lorenz. And Fred Lorenz and Fast Freddy.

00:51:26

Torben Rothgeb

Just in the last couple of weeks, oh yeah and he's been in hot in's been haa song time yeah he's been in dementia several years. yeah so and you know I almost got done this, it would have been my favorite, but it it stumbled along. I made the mistake of thinking it was going to fit right over the polarized chassis, but um a lot of different modifications.

00:51:50

Torben Rothgeb

And if I did it again, I would just shorten the chassis because I ended up having to move the rear axle up a little bit to fit in the rear wheel openings. But then now I got to cut off some back just to put the back bumper on. You notice the back bumper's not on there. And so, ah but that would probably be my favorite NASCAR. I think when push comes to shove, I like the old ones. I guess I did have fun doing the Jeff Gordon Star Wars one. That was...

00:52:18

Torben Rothgeb

yep Yeah, that was fun. And kudos ah to the decals, because it was just want to build a decal, and it was um you know over 20 years old, and a full body wrap. so And it went on pretty good. So yeah um kudos. said Speaking of decals, since yeah we've been really positive, and it's good to be positive. Maybe even a New Year's resolution or two would be more positive. I always laugh when One of the funniest things that my wife, Leah, ever said to me was, I don't think you're as positive as you think you are.

00:52:56

Torben Rothgeb

yeah You know, there's probably a little bit of truth. I don't know. There's probably a little bit of truth to that. I do ah yeah ah do occasionally. You're a nitpick and stuff. But um speaking of decals, probably the hardest, ah ah most of the setbacks I had, I had a pretty good year as far as not any major disasters. The only paint I had to redo was The 71 Mustang, I did make the mistake of going over 2K clear with the little part on the hood that needed ah lacquer, MCW, and that bubbled up. So that was the one paint mishap. But other than that, all my other mishaps had to do with slicks decals, which is unfortunate because they make a lot of great drag racing subjects. But you know I did the Mickey Thompson of mustang Mustang Funny Car.

00:53:46

Torben Rothgeb

And the whole side is light blue, and the stripes on the top are light blue. And I put liquid decal film over the one, and that went bad. So I ordered two off the website. And those and the first one, I thought it was brand new. I'm not going to put anything on wrong. That crumpled up in the thing, or cracked, cracked in the thing. And then the second one, I coated it with liquid decal film. And even being new, um that didn't work out. We tried the hairdryer method,

00:54:16

Torben Rothgeb

Oh, I mean, ah putting the hair, well, I didn't get to that point. You couldn't get it to stay. it wouldn I didn't get it out of the water. okay on it And I had warm water, and then I tried one with cold water. And so this last time, um because I'm building this racer's wedge, and I'm going to try to use a couple decals that were meant for the Corvette, but I'm decorating the racer's wedge truck, because I'm going to do a Bruce Larson Vega on the back of it. So I want to use the stripes.

00:54:46

Torben Rothgeb

um But this time I went with a different method. I tried to just ah spray some clear coat over it. So i I sprayed some of the testers wet look clear over these slicks decals. And I'll let you know if I'm able to get, because I'm going to try to put the red and blue stripe on the hood and the roof of the bracer's wedge truck and maybe use a couple of the stars and maybe some USA ones. I'm going to try to use those Hopefully they work. Luckily for the Vega, I have kit decals. So those should be all right. But we'll let you know if I ever get that one done. Yeah, the kit decals will work well. You don't have a lot of wiggle around with them once you put them down. That's my experience with the new stuff from round two is that it goes on well.

00:55:36

Torben Rothgeb

You don't have a lot of time then. You got to keep them really wet or? Yeah, yeah yeah you keep the water on it. and So when you want to move them around. Sure. I would say that with the Ravel ones, too, for that. Because the whole bottom of the 71 Mustang is but as all decal. And that is, ah you get a very small time. I would not have anything, any distractions. And when you put it on, really be focused. Because, yeah, that doesn't move. They settle up quick, nothing.

00:56:05

Torben Rothgeb

yeah Yeah, so um yeah my my ah problems with the year model of related problems were all ah mostly decals. And certainly not to to throw slicks under the bus because ah you know i've I've built a lot of cars with slicks decals over the years. But this year you know between the Mickey Thompson one and I did another, speaking of petty cars, I was trying to do the 25th anniversary petty ah STP scheme that was silver and petty blue.

00:56:36

Torben Rothgeb

um And I had a couple different sheets of those and those went sideways and so the kit went back in the box So um and I would definitely say anything fluorescent Give it up because that that is just not the the roofing of on the petty car Anything that was that rocket red? ah Fluorescent stuff just cracked completely went into a hundred pieces when I put it in water So, and that was in spite of liquid decal film and stuff. and Wow. Um, so, but, uh, so that, that was, uh, mine mishaps. How about you guys? What kind of mishaps, uh, did you have, uh, for 2024? Yeah, for me, just, it's the same old thing. It's the paint, you know, you try to use something that you rely on forever and it doesn't work like you want it to. And. You know, what do you do? So, you know, it's, it's just a lot of,

00:57:32

Torben Rothgeb

averages or whatever. So I went up and down this year with some, I was amazed at the cars that went together well, and that didn't go to well together well. Like I built two Trans Am cars. And I built the Camaro, Scott Sharp Camaro, the yellow. What was the sponsorship? Raynex. Raynex. Just a bear. I mean, whenever I talk to about epoxy and clamps, it's not good. And so it came together and it looks fine. But it was a bear.

00:58:00

Torben Rothgeb

On the opposite part, I built the old Mustang from 1986. This got through. Motorcraft, oh yeah. Motorcraft fell away together. They used indy-cal decals. It was a piece of fake. And they're the same company. Fake, right? Both of them were Ravel, right? Yeah. Both were Ravel. Funny. It was great. I did some pickup trucks last year. I went from the yin and yang of the old 56 Ravel one, which was a real bear to do. I'm sorry.

00:58:24

Torben Rothgeb

I mean, but at least I'm in a good company there. It was a bear. And then I built another 50 Ford, which is one of my favorite kits to build. And I built three of those and that just was glos together glorious. And, um, and then the, um, the other kit that really went together well was the VW convertible. Uh, Ravel did a VW convertible like butter. I mean, it was just a really nice kit to build. And then the open wheel cars I love to do the Lotus 49 from Ebro was a real bear to build.

00:58:53

Torben Rothgeb

I had our time and it's really annoying when another member of our club, you know built it and just said, ah, it was fine, you know, I'm just like, did you do that? You know, and that makes you want to punch somebody in the face. I know, I just had such trouble with it. And then of course, the Indy cars were the yin and yang as well. You know, the one and done, one and done. The one was like, I could build six of those, you know, and the, and it's print you know, the other one, Salvino's I'm done with it, but okay Well and I go back to that guy that we met in Nebraska. He won a lot of awards and was a real good builder. um But he said he wouldn't even, his life is too short not to build a good model and there's enough yeah really good models out

3D Printing and Customization

00:59:34

Torben Rothgeb

there. The problem with me is I love cars too much and I love racing and so because of that the subject is more important than the kit yeah sometimes yeah and so then

00:59:46

Torben Rothgeb

You know, like with this Bobby Allison W knows resin kit or but some of the Richard Petty resin kits like I did at 60 Plymouth and trying to fit stuff on there. Um, but it leads you down a road that is not always enjoyable for building it does and even results, right? Cause you tell yourself, I could put 30 hours and into my kit and they'd be, you know, pat me on the back saying, Oh, that's awesome. And even like during the white elephant, I was like, if I really just wanted to build stuff that was impressive, I probably would have,

01:00:15

Torben Rothgeb

Taking one of those Mercedes-Benz Goldwing cars, right? yeah And people have been like, oh, that looks great. You know, but because I love what you're doing. You don't want to build stuff that you don't want to build. It's a hobby. Yeah. and And it's not if you and we've talked about that before. If you buy something for price, oh, I got this for five dollars.

01:00:33

Torben Rothgeb

Or um you know it's probably not going to get billed because your most important in investment is the time. right And if if it's not followed up with passion, you're not going to be able to put the time into it. And so while it's a great deal, you go, oh, I got a $50 kit for $5. That's not always the best predictor on how you're going to get done. How about you, Jim, this year? Anything?

01:01:02

Torben Rothgeb

Anything else stand out as far as products or anything or ah things that are good or bad? and I don't know. I think the 3D printed stuff is continues to blow me away with the quality of what they're doing now. I just saw online today there's a company up in Canada that's doing Pontiac conversions for like the um Nova and things like that you know because they had different different grills and different body. Is it a Ventura? Yeah, well, the American version is a Ventura, but I think there's a Parisian, I'm not pronouncing this. Parisian. Yeah, there's a Acadian, which was the Canadian Nova. Oh, really? I didn't know that. So they sell like a grill conversion for that. And they just came out or they're coming out with a Chevelle, like a 68-69 Chevelle, which there was a Canadian version. And I think those are

01:02:00

Torben Rothgeb

do really well for the muscle car, cool builder, whatever that was, that was really interesting. But like I said, the three 3d printed stuff is just crazy. What's coming out? And um it's, you know, obviously, everybody knows that but it's, it's still fun to watch. I'm not going to be buying a lot of it. But no, but it is fun to look at and see what it is something I can use. I'll take an interest in it. and Guys in the club.

01:02:25

Torben Rothgeb

add Stuff to their cars. I mean, you know Don and the two Steve's and they'll read it a really cool watching those those wagons come together yeah he did a lot these park they do a lot of great stuff for him and and steve hanen was yeah was beautiful yeah but Even are talking about the Broncos cuz oh yeah before white elephant we had so many Broncos um but then um The the ah what was the one with all the 3d parts? Well a couple of them don't static did really help and had both of them and steve heman's family turn out really were really nice yeahre really yeah yeah really So, you know, I that was one of those kids you look at the box But they looked really great in the 3d part one of the my i don't know call surprises and one of the things that I really I Didn't know a lot about it when you suggested the five alive challenge. Uh-huh

01:03:18

Torben Rothgeb

But actually, when I started looking up research and things like that, I really got interested in that because there's a lot of race cars with five on them. ah um So that's kind of, you know, um I'm going to focus on that pretty heavily. So, okay. Yes. Well, and I think I told you what I wanted to build. So yeah. Yeah. It's a drag. It's a funny car with a five something on it. Tiny one. Tiny lawns car. yet Okay. Oh, yes. 55.

01:03:48

Torben Rothgeb

yeah Yes, and they go orange 55 you know 55 was his number because he he caught a 55-pound bass at his fishing camp a 55 55 pounds which was not a problem for him because he was a big boy six four and But anyway, yeah, so I've always liked the car. It's well photographed There's some really nice decals for the car the hardest part is going to be obviously Building a kit because there isn't something that you can shake and bake No, no. It's going to be criticized immensely by the Mopar mafia. yeah yeah yeah See, yeah I got to be careful with it, but yeah, no's I'm going to have fun with it. It's something that I think I could do. So so what are you going to do for the Five of Life?

01:04:33

Torben Rothgeb

Well, I am doing, and I've always had this odd thing of of the Indy pace cars and like the pace cars. It's always been a perfect combination of a stock vehicle, but then a racing vehicle and it captures a lot of, you know, what was going on during that time period. So um yeah, the 55 Chevy kit too. Yeah. It's a nice kit. And hopefully while the decals might be old, they're not super big. So hopefully,

01:04:59

Torben Rothgeb

Some liquid decal film will be enough to keep those together. I don't think they do. Or Val or Monogram. It's a Ravel cat. Yeah. should be l it It started out a Monogram or Val and now it's just Ravel. But yeah, I think the only, especially over the white, the old decals don't give you a problem. But then the part that goes over the red, there might be a little bit of bleed through because it's Chevrolet on the red part of the car. It's a two-tone car. So that might be a little, might have a little bleed through.

01:05:27

Torben Rothgeb

Well, maybe I'll double up on decals. Fred Katie did those decals because he did all the paceal out of the pace cars. And I mean, you you could make those work because they have the separate colors. Yeah. yeah So you know the white would be opaque enough that it would work. Are those the decals you have? Yes. Well, I can't remember if I have the Katie decals. But I do, I mean. But they're readily available on eBay. I mean, everybody sells them. Speaking of Katie, my five, the two, I found another one I didn't want to go, but the first one was Marshall Teague's 55 Chevy.

01:05:57

Torben Rothgeb

And so now I know that Eric is also interested in a 55 Chevy you are you may have a bunch but he drove a blue and white 55 It's a beautiful a car. It's a cool car. The other problem is I've got the 1978 world champion car Mario Andretti's Lotus 79 and that was number number five, okay, you know, so that's a tough it's for you of time I have time so we'll see yes Well and one of the many projects have bounced around in my head as I was talking earlier of the um And this probably has a 10% chance of come fruition, but bear with me. Um, it was the 40th anniversary of Hendrick and, um, they had all those Ruby red paint schemes. And so William Byron one and a really good looking Ruby red with the 24 flame flames on it. And, uh, so I was thinking about doing a 40th anniversary. And the reason they did it Martinsville is because, you know, the team was really struggling and it was almost going to shut its doors. And then Jeff Bodine one.

01:06:55

Torben Rothgeb

a race at Martinsville for Hendrick and that was the 40th anniversary of that and that's why they ran that. So my thoughts were to do, and shockingly I have the details for this, to do the Jeff Bodine car that won alongside the two Ruby Red, ah William Byron and Kyle Larson cars, if that comes fruition.

01:07:18

Torben Rothgeb

but You've got all these McLaren Can-Am cars to do. Yes, you know I do have all those. Denny Home was number five. Yeah, yeah so yeah that is another. So Yeah, absolutely. it lot of A lot of A lot of five alive stuff. So yeah, so i think it was I think it was a great idea. It's a stroke of genius. Yeah, no, I think it's it's very interesting. I'll be interested to see what other people come up with for their You know, because it opens up the door, like you said, with maybe wanting to do more than one car yeah to fit, like you said, a theme kind of a thing. You can do a 65 something. I mean, you can do five of something, technically, right? Yeah, okay yeah yeah so um you good. know, get really busy. I mean, 55, 65, 65 can take any year you want it. You can do cars that have five in the number of race cars, yeah obviously, you know.

01:08:16

Torben Rothgeb

I think that is a good a theme when you have a lot of flexibility in it. You know, that really helps. to write in If we just said, we're only doing... Well, and I do, and I have, ah you know, some clubs have done like pick one car, and but yeah, it it really limits you. It has to be a kit that a lot of people are excited about coming out of a groundbreaking kit or something. You know, you can't say, we're all going to build the brand new 55 Chevy. and A lot of guys are going to be like, pfft. Why would I do that? Why would I do that? you know so yeah so yeah Well, and then i'm moving away from kits, but I know different products that I tried. ah you know I was experimenting with the XG100 Clear with the self-leveling center. And then the self-leveling center, highly recommended for anybody who hasn't. I've found it really has helped me with other paints that I

01:09:14

Torben Rothgeb

didn't want to use anymore. Like with the ah True Match Enamel that I had a lot of bottles of, that really helped them. They sprayed on what? Oh, I sprayed my hardy's car with the True Match Alenco with the orange fine and it went on great. um It also helped the that Nassau blue to testers. Model Master it when I decanted it. Oh my God, it was thick like molasses.

01:09:43

Torben Rothgeb

And I'm like, man, am I going to be able to use this? But then I cut it with that self-leveling thinner, and it went on really well. He wiped out the bottom of it. Ah! And poured it in there. Yes, yes. It looks fab. Yeah, it looks really nice. Thank you. Yeah, that has really been a product that helped. This year, and Johns Weber put me on to the 2K Clear. I tried the stuff from the automotive place, because Tom Finch was real bad. And I didn't really like the automotive stuff.

01:10:12

Torben Rothgeb

um But the Splash Paints 2 clay, um ah really what I love about that is that it dries so hard that you can go down to 2000 and not cut through the color coat. um ah and But it takes time to if you want to to sand it down really flat. But you have that option without cutting into the color coat.

01:10:38

Torben Rothgeb

Not a lot. i don't I didn't put any more than I normally put on any other clear. Wow. Interesting. But again, you know you have your safety concerns. Of course, absolutely. I'm a cancer survivor, and certainly don't recommend getting that. and so But you know do do take precautions. because And I've painted a lot of stuff. And when I put that activator in there, the second that goes in, even through a ventilator mask, you can smell it.

01:11:06

Torben Rothgeb

um So take all the safety precautions if if you want to or if you don't um but that That has been a good product ah for results. So do you have a hazmat suit down there? because i'm i yeah house If you can to paint it outside that what you did no

01:11:30

Torben Rothgeb

was everybody at the yeah Everybody at the house was empty on the deck with a um towel over your head um somebody we know yeah right I probably i should have I would have been much better off probably um Now, once you get it on, though, it is it doesn't smell any worse. But, you know, I know that's not the dangerous stuff. It's the small particles getting in. I did have an N95 mask under my ventilator mask. Oh, my God. Ready to go. So my face was turning purple from lack of ah lack of oxygen. But none of the bad stuff was getting in. Oh, wow. You know, the two things I use, I tried splash paint for the first time this year. And I really liked it.

01:12:17

Torben Rothgeb

because this so What's his name? Sam. Sam is a great guy. Sam was super nice at the Nationals. yeah Sam, I am. Yeah, green eggs. And we're ready. he I got the golf colors from him and then he said, try this blue. And so I just did a little Porsche 550 Spider with the blue and God, it was out went on beautifully. Didn't have to thin it, just blew it on and cleared it with GX100. And it was just, it's a paint I would use again.

01:12:44

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah. And I know I've used this for a couple of years, but my favorite glue now is that Ravel has a line of paints and glues. That Ravel glue is the go-to glue. Really? It's got a long thin tube. I do like that about it. And it wasn't actually until I did the Salvino's cards, the new NAS cards, where the fit was so tight, you had to get the plastic to melt together, or the car wasn't going to fit on there. Because I had, for a long time, just gone lost patience and used super glues.

01:13:14

Torben Rothgeb

um But with the melting glue, I do like ah how the Revell one has that long one. Now every once in a while the thing will fall out of it. Or it'll get plugged up. You had to fall out of it when you were paying for it at the registry. and like So what about how does that compare to the oily glue? I have no idea. ah oil The oily glue... Did you get some of that? I did and it is ah average as far as super glue.

01:13:43

Torben Rothgeb

ah Didn't go on as good as the superglue, but then the thing is it doesn't get your finger stuck together But I tried to not get it on my fingers, and I know that's easier said than done But I usually use toothpicks and stuff so it hasn't been a big problem for me What did you see be a problem for the mad scientist? Yes? mad scientists We had a guy in our club quad, and he is always experimenting new yeah And he is every and every month he brings these new things He gets these really great deals on Amazon. I still got a couple of those cases that he bought. He sold them for $6 apiece. That was a good deal. The only thing I didn't realize that he bought, like you have to buy them in 12 packs. So that's why he was selling them. Selling that thing. Because I thought, hey, I'm going to order some of those, but I don't have things for 12 of them. He has another glue there, an armor friend of mine was showing me. And it's say it's a photo etched glue, and it's a white glue.

01:14:40

Torben Rothgeb

And so it's a photo etched glue that goes on and it gives you time to set up. So we've all used photo etched, where you're using super glue with it. And all of a sudden it's like, I have it. Oh, God. Too late. Now you lose it in the middle of the hood. And you either drop it or it's glued in the wrong spot. So then this stuff, he was just telling me it's great. You put a little dab on and it's got enough viscosity that it'll hold the part.

01:15:10

Torben Rothgeb

and then it glues on and it gives you time to move it around a bit. okay But it's really not that much different than... Future? Because I've heard future. You don't like future for photoettes? No, that's for floors. But I mean the... No, I've used it. I didn't have any problem with it. Yeah, you can use that for photoettes. But the other thing is the is ah they make... a What's the the glue we all love, the photoettes?

01:15:33

Torben Rothgeb

s that use your words, super glue that we use, it's got the twist top, the clicks. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got some over here. Yeah, you get it at Home Depot. Yeah, and they have a slow setting. Yeah, I love that stuff. Which like a yeah which works Yeah, that that works good for photo edge. Yes. And so this other stuff was interesting too.

01:15:53

Torben Rothgeb

Lock tight. lock ti that yes like yeah so It's appropriate name because it locks it down. I mean, it's it's fantastic. It's great. Yeah, the lock tight extra time control as I've used a lot lately. Okay, and then the gel control. Yeah. So anyway, that's just interesting the adhes on my adhesive front. That was the way and I like the Mr. Hobby stuff um that you apply with the brush.

01:16:19

Torben Rothgeb

so yeah yeah up bro yeah what's that Well, of course, it's not going to be Mr. Hobby Glue. It's going to be Mr. Glue or Mr. Sticky Stuff or whatever. Mr. Sticky Stuff. Come on, let's get out of the gutter, please.

01:16:34

Torben Rothgeb

well I mean as long as you as long as you're talking about new products or whatever the Ravel chrome I think is Oh, I've heard great things about that. I've had a chance to use it as several times down now Okay, so this is a glue. Oh, okay, mr. Samantha mr. Samantha And I've and I've used it in my one too ah But it gets everywhere. It can be pretty messy. It can be if yours does. Yeah And if you're like 3d printed base for that, then to hold it, how would you knock this one down? I'll tell you the one I do is the, um, Microsoft. Those put on all the time. right those those I have a 3d printed base. yeah i do too now So this, the thing about this stuff is that you have to, you take it off and you go to put it on and it does go everywhere, but you just have to wipe the wipe the brush off and just put a dot on it. It's great. yeah It fills in a lot of gaps. I like it for that.

01:17:29

Torben Rothgeb

But then sometimes it takes the paint off and then you put the paint back in the jar. If you use it enough, it ends up with a lot of paint. I try not to do that. I do, too. And I know it's probably sand all the paint off before you glue it. Well, on the adhesive front, we've covered quite a bit. And the Ravel chrome is fab, you said, right? Yeah, I mean, with the exception of it, though, is the price. Was it $30 a month? Oh, no, it's more than that. Really? I think if you can find it for like 31, I think some of the mailer houses. I know Amazon has it for like 41. Holy crap. The thing is, it works. And you don't have to put a different color as a base. You don't have to put black down? No.

01:18:16

Torben Rothgeb

I had primer on these parts and it covered really well. I mean, it goes on because it's a spray can. It goes on smooth.

2024 Shows and Experiences

01:18:25

Torben Rothgeb

You just have to let it sit for a couple of days. That's what i I'm wondering how durable it would be. um I think it's pretty much like everything else. okay I think it's you' not going to fondle the part. It's like the Molotov. You know, you might get arrested. But no, the thing, the way that I would explain it is that If you engineer it so when you put the part on, you're not touching it yeah with your fingers like on an area that's exposed to you know the you know the face of the grill or you know whatever. right I think you'll be fine. I try to engineer like a pin or something in the part that I can hold that's not going to see.

01:19:04

Torben Rothgeb

and no it's it's you know You get past that price point, that's the hardest part about it. well because i've used Jim Allen's got a really good technique of getting it out of the store in his prison pocket.

01:19:19

Torben Rothgeb

Well, but I don't know how we're going to top that. I think maybe to you know go to the next subject. But but yeah, i mean ah you know there's a million you know Chrome options out there. Every every time every time you turn around, there's a new one. right Well, I like the green stuff as an airbrush. Now, one thing I did, I heard the spaz sticks has a clear that goes over the Chrome.

01:19:44

Torben Rothgeb

um But I found that it did kind of to it still took a little bit adults adults adults it Plus uses the space stuff and he really likes it. I use the 8k extreme chrome and I think that works really nice It gives a nice whatever, you know, whatever works enjoy whatever brings you joy. Absolutely um yeah Yeah, well um Products I think that covers products. How about shows for 2024? What were some of your highlights?

01:20:14

Torben Rothgeb

Uh, yeah, I would say, um, for me, our N and L north this year was, um, obviously the best ever, but it, it just, the quality of models, the, um, the number of models, uh, we had really good, um, vendor show there. Um, it just, everything went without a hitch. I think it was very successful. I think the nationals, the IPMS national is always fun for me.

01:20:43

Torben Rothgeb

um It was a little bit more strenuous this time because of the judging but all in all it was a great show and the location was beautiful. It wasn't that far away so you could get there in four or five hours. um yeah no I enjoyed the Nebraska show because that was the first time I'd been there you know when we went there in the spring.

01:21:05

Torben Rothgeb

We just had the smells. Minus the blizzard. yeah Yeah, I mean, the blizzard, we got through it or whatever. But that was ah that was a really fun show. um Going to some new hobby shops in town you know in Nebraska. Yeah, that is fantastic. Meeting some of those people. Yeah, no, it's it's always fun. um Keep an open mind. Make sure you bring plenty of cash, and all that stuff. so Yeah.

01:21:31

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah, our NFL North was really good, really fun. um You know, the ah the top 10 is just getting harder and harder. You know, the casters were out and they had great stuff. yeah They're like the Waynes brothers as far as they're just keeping more getting more and more of them and and they do super super awesome paint jobs.

01:21:53

Torben Rothgeb

And you know, John's Weber has been an awesome addition. You got the guys from Canada. yeah They came back finally for the first time. yeah Right off the bat. So that's all of a sudden your top 10 is down to four spots. And yeah it's just ah you know really competitive. ah But for a show, it's just great stuff on the table. And so that was really fun.

01:22:15

Torben Rothgeb

um I enjoyed the Milwaukee show now I I do it is disappointing that they with the year before we had the trunk sale and um my My big buy from there was that dick trickle Mustang. That was a really cool buy and had some good deals Yes, you told me about well the Camaro was there for sale sale, but it was no I know but it was 120 which still a good deal for that, right?

01:22:42

Torben Rothgeb

you know But you told me it was like 59 or something. Yeah, I had a little fun with you. I just, ah yeah, when I want to see how fast you could get over there. I was running as fast as I could. Yes, yes. And you it was still a good deal. But you know if it's not something you're going to build, and I still haven't built the trickle Mustang. but But maybe it'll get picked for and kids that scare the hell out of me for our challenge. And I'll make sure that I, you know. You'll vote for it. Vote for it, yeah. Yeah.

01:23:12

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah, so but Milwaukee without the trunk sale and then without the swap meet was a little disappointing There are still a lot of great people that I look forward to seeing there. So and I did like the theme um They build hauling stuff was their theme and so as a person who loves race haulers and and trailers and race cars like that ah There's a lot of cool stuff um from that standpoint um but that That was really fun for this year. My first nationals was was excellent. um So ah the the place in Madison. you know And I've always heard and i knew yeah while the people from University of Wisconsin kind of irritate me. Not as much as they used to because my beloved Fighting Align I have been able to do much better against Wisconsin in recent years. I think we've

01:24:05

Torben Rothgeb

won 9 or 10 basketball games in a row. and and so we we I don't hate them as much as I do, but I've always heard great things about Madison and nothing from the Nationals would would take away from that. It was a fantastic time. It was a great place. was ah Was it Frank Lloyd Wright that designed that or something that had a lot to do with that?

01:24:25

Torben Rothgeb

Beautiful view of the lake. Oh, that was fabulous. Yeah, just an impressive petty collection, too, that you brought. Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, I had fun. I decided I didn't want to... How many did you learn again? 16, I believe. I didn't want to, you know, I didn't want to enter anything because I just wanted to take in the experience. And I know I would be worried about, oh, I should have polished this. I should have added that or what, you know,

01:24:52

Torben Rothgeb

what bracket or what, you know, should I put this in or put that in and and stuff. So I didn't want to do, I just wanted to enjoy the show. So, um but they did have the display option. So I brought a pretty good display. And that one was a really good idea. It was a great place to have the build. That part of the building was you all glass. Right. So the great view. And yeah, it was, it was wonderful. I mean, you had three layers. You had the vendors on the first floor, which was really easy to spend a lot of money.

01:25:21

Torben Rothgeb

And then the the display area, which had 48 scale armor, which is kind of this wicked step trial of armor building. But it was cool. They had a display of stuff. The cars that, you know, and there was a ton of 43rds. Yeah. Really i really collection really nice of 43rds and Torben had his petty collection. There was a whole thing of Tom Daniels cars, a whole bunch of those. One of your favorites. my favorite um And then there was um a whole big Star Wars things. There was a paper model thing. Yeah, the paper models were really cool. Yeah, and so it was neat to see that. And then, of course, the contest something on the top floor, which was fabulous. There was about 3,000 models. I mean, you know. Yeah, yeah. And we already talked about in Nebraska. But we went to the spring one, but the fall one would have been the year before, 2023. Yeah, 2023, one in time. Not that you wouldn't like to talk about that show, because you had such a, you know,

01:26:15

Torben Rothgeb

I bought a lot of stuff and I will probably, but I did, I'm working on that, Bobby Allison W knows, and that was from the Nebraska Hall. Oh yeah, he hasn't started that snake Vega yet, that was the with the painted body or whatever. Well, you know, when I went back in the spring, there was one that was not touched for $20. And so the older I get while I got that body for a dollar,

01:26:41

Torben Rothgeb

19 more dollars for one that had not been touched. Well going back to products now, what paint stripper, you had mentioned a new paint stripper that you like, right? Like the stuff you gave me. Yeah. ELO or something. It's really not new. Electric light orb. Yeah. Don't bring me down. Evil woman. Don't strip the chrome.

01:27:03

Torben Rothgeb

Well, again, that pain is bad just like a snake in the grass. you do to anywhere Anyway, anyway. No, that's I don't think that's a new product. It's just okay you' new to you it's a product that testers bought.

01:27:17

Torben Rothgeb

Okay, I love it. So anyway, because I've been using the purple stuff, but it really takes that one that you mentioned that funny car I soaked that in there for a long time. and It did nothing to it Yeah, and then so paint some paint it doesn't touch this was the $20 kid or the dollar the dollar You can afford to let it sit a little a little longer. It is funny i I got the body for a dollar but I bought paint the $25 with the paint stripper and stuff No So the Nebraska show is fun. It's a great, what's the, you remember the name of the hobby shop? It's a real generic name. Talking about Frank's hobby shop. Yeah, Frank's. Frank's hobby shop, yes. mo It's like model cars or something. It's just real simple. Very generic, yes. Very generic, but it's like you walk in and it's like somewhere going to Mecca, you know? It doesn't look like much, but you walk in and you have that role of models and that is is really cool. It's a fun place. It's a fun place, yeah.

01:28:14

Torben Rothgeb

so retir we talk no umha nebraska we talk about the ay man didn talk About the passing of the torch. Well, you know ah bob is way bitterder got back is a little bitter about us And it it happened, ah you know kind of by accident just like just like Wally pip getting hurt by accident sometimes things just happen So I've handed the mic over to Torben to do the test. Well, you didn't hand it over to me, you handed it to Jim. I had the brainstorm of because I know how he is. Oh yeah, he's good. He's a great showman. He is. Interesting thing was, you know, he said, well, let's do a dry run first to make sure I do everything right. And then I

01:29:03

Torben Rothgeb

Pointed out things for him not to do what he continued by creating the new nickname for me before dad Yeah, but now you've moved to Slim Jim. Well, yeah, that's yeah ah more more improved, you know, yeah leaner meaner better yeah a lean Mean model building machine, right? So we have a new venue obviously while this steps for 25 25. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, we have a new venue we have um Iceman Collections has already signed up. They really loved sponsoring our show last year. Fabulous. Love the fire, so we're excited. It's going to be... It's bigger and better. Yeah, and that is May 18th. It's going to be here before we know it. The Milwaukee show is May 3rd. 32Forged is the theme for that. If you're in that area, May 3rd. And then we got our Hope of Don't Snow.

01:29:58

Torben Rothgeb

i coming anywhere on chester yeah february first It's always a great and the guys down there are fabulous. Yeah, you really really good people really good people It's a fun. It's the first show of the year i everyone wants to get out and Out of the cold and they've been building they want to show what everyone built I'm really worried because we've never had a because it was just a name. It's just a monster Well, no, they have the hope of don't snow show and I've been going for you know well over 10 years, probably probably close to 20. And we've never had no a snowstorm. We've had like balmy, 50, 60 degrees, everything. We've had it super cold. i do we've had We've actually had it cold quite a few times, but there wasn't a lot of snow. But at one time, Mike and Paul, our buddies from Wisconsin, didn't make it over because it was a horrifying storm right out of Milwaukee yeah where they lived. And they said, we're not going to drive through this. yeah

01:30:53

Torben Rothgeb

so Ironically, we've had storms for just about everything, not the N and L North, but certainly the Milwaukee, some white Nebraska last year, in the year of all years, the greatest winter ever as far as not having any. But you had Freddie Lorenzo behind the wheel. Yes, we were able to get home safely, but that was driving through a blizzard. But yeah, you're right.

01:31:17

Torben Rothgeb

Maybe we should name everything, hope it don't snow and that will keep the weather away. but Yeah, I just feel like we're going to get jinxed at some point. I mean, we'll be there and it'll start coming down. That would be the worst. And then you have to drive home. Yeah, 52 is really a bitch to get down if there's a lot of snow. And then ah still on the table, may ah March is the Detroit show.

01:31:44

Torben Rothgeb

I'm going to try with John's Weber depending on weather talking about whether I want to see what 300 vendor tables look like I'm curious and then to see How ah yeah how fast John's car is so you're going to be able to there' so much in there There'll be others that are probably join the crew.

01:32:07

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah, John's trying to talk me into going, but I don't know. March 15th is the Madison show. You might actually go with Toby thinking about it. Because that's that's in the same venue. it's it's the same It's the same venue. It's at the Minoma Center. Yeah, it's oh that's that's a really good place to have the show. It's a fabulous place. I mean, that's an attraction in itself. In itself. So that would be a that's a good show. um Jim and I have always talked about the Heartland show.

01:32:37

Torben Rothgeb

which is early June. Usually like right after our in and out. And it's like right after. Or right before back to the future. It's its it right in the heat of all the other stuff. It's in the heat of the moment. The heat of the moment. No. He's The heat is on. You're on a roll. I've been looking up for you. So anyway, so Road America is mid-July. Eric was talking about going to that too.

01:33:07

Torben Rothgeb

If we could get him, we might get him out. You may get Cameron to go. We'll see, you know. july Yeah, As long as we have time to eat. The slowest eater ever.

01:33:21

Torben Rothgeb

Oh, it'd be nice. Yeah. So yeah, Road America is getting old. Now, do you know if they have any themes for Road America? I haven't heard anything. No, I haven't gotten it. Usually I'll get a mailing about it and stuff and I'll talk to Mike.

01:33:35

Torben Rothgeb

and They can give us an inside look. yeah to be like It's always worth going there. Well, he's a great sci-fi builder. Everybody has their crutch. so but I'm saying everybody, including myself. so true you know I'm covering it with all the base covering

Podcast Growth and Future Plans

01:34:02

Torben Rothgeb

the bases. right So we're pushing on to the end, huh? Yes, well, while we're talking, ah one more thing for this year. Is there a song in there? Not yet, but there may be. We'll see. Well, yeah when you mention one more night, ah the 24-hour challenge, I am thinking we can do a podcast like a half an hour before the 24-hour challenge.

01:34:28

Torben Rothgeb

Then we could do one 12 hours into it, talking about our progress. Do you have a date for that? Yeah, we could do. It's a day, 24 hours. That's the same weekend as a day, 24 hours? Is that what it is? 24 hours. Yes. Yes. And then do one at the end of the 24 hours. That'd be great podcasting, don't you think? as long as As long as you could edit it so that you could, if you had to clean it up. We definitely would need to clean it up. Yes. um i'm I'm interested.

01:34:57

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah, we could set up tables down here. um You know, I have it'd have to be a weekend without the dogs. So we'd have to have those out of the house. Yeah. Well, you know, Sparky is really good if I have the gate up. She doesn't want.

01:35:09

Torben Rothgeb

um She'll just go to sleep on the couch you have i to deal with stuff like that del well i know he had some letter out in the mac he a time for a nap with the light and look Well, I need you guys to keep me awake that that'll help you know We'll have breadfo yes that's not good no fireballs not going to help but we will have a pot of coffee I want to see a great YouTube video. um Doug White did a video YouTube video from last year of the 24-hour challenge. and um He did a lot of preparation before the ah the challenge. and it's still

01:35:50

Torben Rothgeb

Didn't make it was well, no, he made it but it was really close. He doesn't worship 904 Yeah, just said just a treat of a kit Yeah, but but he did I mean he did all this stuff in advance and pussy videotaped it for the show i watch it um Yeah, it was it was really well done and it was really interesting because you know just because you think you you're gonna do all this legwork Because you've done it how many years now i in about four or five years And I have gotten it built, ah you know not really always on the 24 hours, but during that week. Well, Mike and Paul, they do one for them all. They'll sit down in June and do that. They'll open up a mike's basement and then power it out for 24 hours. Yeah. There yeah there you go.

01:36:36

Torben Rothgeb

Well, and at least last year with Peacock, you could have the race on the whole time. Although I find the race is kind of boring. I mean, it it can put you Yeah, it's not that it did. i go to I go through different phases, and sometimes I need to crank the music up or whatever else. But you know if you guys are down there, I'm sure your company will be. Everybody's working for the weekend if you want to be in the show. All right. so Yeah, but think about that. Is that the end of January or is it in the february and early February? kind It can't be. and It's got to be the end of January. Cause the end of January is the period of car or the car race. And that's possible. It could fall on the hope. It sounds, hope it don't snow weekend. I don't think it's going to do that. i totally keep it ja i think it's I think it's late January. late january Like maybe three quarters of the way through January.

01:37:32

Torben Rothgeb

Okay. Because Daytona is like the third week, second week in right? Yeah. All right. Well, we'll think about it. And maybe we can even recruit in other people over here, maybe. I don't know. Who knows? We'll see. Yes. Invite only. Invite only.

01:37:53

Torben Rothgeb

Yeah. All right. Well, boy, we have talked just about as much about 2024 as I can think of. But before we go, we have our Super 6 favorite things about 2024. Model kit related, but it can be something else if other stuff has done. I think of other things. Yes. I mean, did you start the podcast in 2024? That is great. Yes. I would say that would be like...

01:38:18

Torben Rothgeb

Getting it off the ground. Yes. Yeah yeah because i took so think so it was a challenge We've had a few glitches yes We are on a roll. Yep, and we're followers now we have fans, you know a shout out to Randy um yeah Paul big fans of the show. Yeah. Um, yeah. Yeah, so keep those compliments coming and and We're gonna try to maybe even get some merchandise out there tiny car podcast

01:38:59

Torben Rothgeb

yes definitely getting the podcast off the ground that that was definitely yeah one of the know things about 2024 um i Have as a person who dreamed who ah you know red scale auto and model cars and all those other magazines Dreamed about getting my car on the cover. and So I see yeah got a car on the cover on the cover ah yeah yeah right right yeah yeah we both got those in last year in yeah yeah we had our yeah portfolios And kudos to Tim Kidwell, I did talk to him I mentioned the podcast him I think

01:39:35

Torben Rothgeb

And so, and he said he would be a'd be happy to come on. So, um hopefully we can get Tim but could get on the podcast during N and L North, maybe. We could do a live broadcast. From the show. From the show. You could do it at the show. Yeah, you could do it at the show. think it's I think it's a, we'll put it in the schedule. That's a fabulous idea. That would be fun. You can have so many views from your new new fan favorite club. Yes. Yes. And we could get a special guest. Certainly it would be great to get some of those great. Well, you know, I get a kick out of Leroy and the MCC. Oh, he's one in the movie. He's one in the movie. He's a gem. Along with some of those people, it would be nice to get, what's it like, Steve Guthmiller would be there, right? Yeah. And the Caspers.

01:40:27

Torben Rothgeb

yeah get some really the Canadians. The Canadians would be fine. They do just as many tips and stuff ah as we can get. So I think... that interviewing five guess I think that just, like, wrote itself. Is this wrote itself? Yes. Yes. All right. What's the name of the flyer, mate? It's a sponsor. tcb brought The Sky's the limit, man. Sky's the limit. so um Yeah, so that's only, what, three or something?

01:40:57

Torben Rothgeb

Three, yes. What else, 2024 did we have? I would put out there my first nationals. It was really cool to take in the event and see it, you know, because I've heard you guys talk about it of for ah years and years and years. and You know, you guys went to the Omaha show, went to other shows. Chad went to Texas and, you know, different shows.

01:41:24

Torben Rothgeb

i Finally making one of those that would be a definite highlight for 2024 Let's see ah Boy, well that that is uh, that's the three I had written down. Okay. Can you add? Mine's kind of a personal okay Celebration because I retired at the end of 2020. So nice one out of For all right there yeah or of all the models I didn't get done But I had, you know, unfortunately, a friend that had passed away. And so I had a collection that I had to deal with. So, but that was great. We have a hand in that. You had a hand in that. Thank yeah God for that. like yeah no It's, it's um you know, there's always those kinds of surprises, you don't expect. yeah like But it was a great year. um I would say the weather was a great part of the year. We didn't have a winter really. That is very nice. It wasn't 90.

01:42:19

Torben Rothgeb

night right for weeks on end. It was a really glorious best weather year ever. And we even managed to get a white Christmas out of yeah it. Yeah, we did, yes we did, you know, enough snow for Christmas and then can't can't complain. So yeah, great weather year. All right, one more and then we're out of here. 2024 It's a Bob Dylan movie. That's all I got to say. The Bob Dylan movie. Yes. 2025. Well, no, it can't be objective. now no mya And my favorite movie, and we all saw the bike riders, which was also good. Yeah. Once you go out with a vandal, you don't want to go without with any other guy. which one that was vansel you don't want to go and there's a guy yeah But my favorite movie, and you saw it and yeah I get the feeling it wasn't your favorite movie, but

01:43:08

Torben Rothgeb

was ah the substance. And that was not for everybody. Not everybody's cup of tea. Maybe not even most people's cup of tea. But it really told the story of what life is like being a woman as far as all the pain and torture they go through as they get older to try to look young. it' just um i just Joe and I just watched it myself. Demi Moore, you talk about a courageous performance. Because Demi Moore plays this aerobics person who loses her job. And Dennis Quaid just plays the perfect a-hole male chauvinist that fires her. Well, I would actually throw a different movie out there because it's a car theme, but Ferrari was last year. Ferrari was that. Man, it was a long year. Yeah, Louis did. We talked about it on the podcast, so it must have been last year. I was retired, so you and I went- Early on. Yeah, we did. really It was a really good movie because it focused on just one part of like the Dylan movie.

01:44:06

Torben Rothgeb

like Ford versus Ferrari, focused on one part of the Ferrari legacy. And it was great. Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz were great. Really good acting. Yeah, great acting. story The cars were just, i sorry and don't use they were pants wetting. The yellow testarosa comes into the thing and you're like, mama. Yeah. And I think I benefited from having the ignorance. Like a lot of the car people knew the story behind that. And I was just watching that for the first time. So I didn't really even, wasn't even thinking about, but that accident, oh my really man, that was, that was done well. And probably too well.

01:44:44

Torben Rothgeb

Yes. Yes. A little boys. Mama, come boys come back. Not as shocking as the substance, but still. No, let's leave the substance alone. Yes, yes. We're all in our way back to that depressing show.

01:44:57

Torben Rothgeb

yeah but Um, but, uh, no, uh, thanks. Thanks again for all your help on the podcast. are we put hand yes with it's all over now baby You know, we do need to work on, uh, what do they call that, uh, for the end of a podcast song? They even, they have a name for it. not se not se not A segue um ah lead out, roll roll out, uh, some kind of out, uh, something, uh, going away song. So.

01:45:29

Torben Rothgeb

Why don't you guys pretend we have a great going away song. And and one day we will get one. yeah But thanks for listening in 2024. We look forward to an outstanding 2025. So much more podcasts. Much more podcasts. Yes. I hope everybody had a great new year.