Post by resinslinger on Dec 26, 2006 20:24:10 GMT -5
I am sure that many of you have had dealings with me and have heard us say for some time that all sorts of items were going to be released on this date or that. The fact of the matter is that we went through some major trials and tribulations this past year. The most significant of all was my wife and I moving twice with the second move being the biggest, from western North Carolina (where I lived for 40 years) to Tucson, Arizona. Something else that many modelers don't understand is that molds give up after they have been used up-teen thousand times and new ones have to be made. That is why you see announcements on our website or get emails from us when a new mold has to be made. Not only that, but RTV (room temperature vulcanization) silicone rubber ain't cheap. So when a mold goes bad there is a certain amount of lag time before a body can be put back into production. Another aspect of my end of this business is that I am for proto-typical representations. If you are not familiar with this term, proto-typical means a model of an existing object. If we produce a body, transmission, or whatever and find that it isn't right the first time we will re-tool the master until it is. Case in point is our existing 1968 Camaro body. The first one we made had separate doors and a front end. We found that this made for a very unstable casting and had too much warp-age, so we re-tooled. The second version was better but still not quite right. The current version is as close to the car driven by Hakan Nilsson two years ago.
Okay, enough of the why's and wherefore's. Now to the gist of this posting. Many of you want to know what we (TEM) have in store for you this year. First, a complete (and I mean complete) three stage nitrous oxide/fuel system for the Ross Gibson P/M engine kits. At this time there are close to 100 individual parts in this kit. I have also designed a new sheet-metal tunnel ram manifold that will work with the Ross Gibson "Thumper" and "Sonny Leonard" engine kits. Actually there will be two. One for a nitrous set-up and one for a normal set-up. I also plan to do a different design for the headers with two types of collectors, a detailed crank-trigger kit, dry-sump oil tanks, electronics (ignition and nitrous timers), and some other items that I am discussing with Ross at this time. I'm also helping Ross with the masters for some parts that he will use on some new P/M engine kits. The item we get more emails about is the availability of the chassis. I can only say that it is going to be done this year and it will be for our '68 Camaro and probably in two versions (nitrous and supercharged). The chassis kits will be much more than your run-of-the-mill plastic kit. You'd better be up on your modeling skills if you plan to tackle one of these kits. They will not be for the faint-of-heart. Bodies. The list is huge and includes the following: '57 Chevy (two styles), '55 Nomad, '55 T-Bird, '56 Crown Vic (like the one on our website, Green Goblin), '51/'52 Chevy Fleetline Sedan, '70 Dodge Daytona, '70 Plymouth Cuda, '49 Merc Coupe, '55 Chevy Cameo P/U, '72 Chevy Fleetside, '40 Ford Sedan Delivery (like the Burke "John Force" P/M), '62 Chevy Bubble-Top Bel-Air (Alan Pittman's car), second version of the '63 Vette with a P/S rear wing (within the next month), '66/'67 Nova, and others that I can't think of at this time. However, we will not be doing anymore cars that have a date later than 1972. The reason. Both the IHRA and NHRA/AMS are not going to allow the newer body styles starting in 2008. Remember, we are striving for proto-typical representations of today's Pro/Modified. Our goal in 2007, is for you (our customers) to be able to visit our website and purchase the most complete and detailed model in 1:25th scale available. Simple to say, hard to do but we will do it.
Well, I've ranted and raved long enough. In closing, we (TEM) are here to stay. We aren't going to disappear like many of the other aftermarket companies have. If I get sick or die, I'll find someone to take up the slack. You can count on that. Chris. TEM
Okay, enough of the why's and wherefore's. Now to the gist of this posting. Many of you want to know what we (TEM) have in store for you this year. First, a complete (and I mean complete) three stage nitrous oxide/fuel system for the Ross Gibson P/M engine kits. At this time there are close to 100 individual parts in this kit. I have also designed a new sheet-metal tunnel ram manifold that will work with the Ross Gibson "Thumper" and "Sonny Leonard" engine kits. Actually there will be two. One for a nitrous set-up and one for a normal set-up. I also plan to do a different design for the headers with two types of collectors, a detailed crank-trigger kit, dry-sump oil tanks, electronics (ignition and nitrous timers), and some other items that I am discussing with Ross at this time. I'm also helping Ross with the masters for some parts that he will use on some new P/M engine kits. The item we get more emails about is the availability of the chassis. I can only say that it is going to be done this year and it will be for our '68 Camaro and probably in two versions (nitrous and supercharged). The chassis kits will be much more than your run-of-the-mill plastic kit. You'd better be up on your modeling skills if you plan to tackle one of these kits. They will not be for the faint-of-heart. Bodies. The list is huge and includes the following: '57 Chevy (two styles), '55 Nomad, '55 T-Bird, '56 Crown Vic (like the one on our website, Green Goblin), '51/'52 Chevy Fleetline Sedan, '70 Dodge Daytona, '70 Plymouth Cuda, '49 Merc Coupe, '55 Chevy Cameo P/U, '72 Chevy Fleetside, '40 Ford Sedan Delivery (like the Burke "John Force" P/M), '62 Chevy Bubble-Top Bel-Air (Alan Pittman's car), second version of the '63 Vette with a P/S rear wing (within the next month), '66/'67 Nova, and others that I can't think of at this time. However, we will not be doing anymore cars that have a date later than 1972. The reason. Both the IHRA and NHRA/AMS are not going to allow the newer body styles starting in 2008. Remember, we are striving for proto-typical representations of today's Pro/Modified. Our goal in 2007, is for you (our customers) to be able to visit our website and purchase the most complete and detailed model in 1:25th scale available. Simple to say, hard to do but we will do it.
Well, I've ranted and raved long enough. In closing, we (TEM) are here to stay. We aren't going to disappear like many of the other aftermarket companies have. If I get sick or die, I'll find someone to take up the slack. You can count on that. Chris. TEM
