Little Motor Kar Co.

[davysmodels]

Little Motor Kar Co. still in business?

If yes, need an email or web site to get an estimate. 

Thank You, larry 

 

 

[mikemodeler]

Here you go. Contact Dale Horner at Little Motor Kar Company <lmkco@outlook.com>

 

Found that from an old post here on the forum from 2 years ago. Not sure if it is valid but worth a try.

For future use, try Googling whatever you are looking for and many times a link to a topic here will appear and it's just a matter of clicking on that old link.

[Roncla]

I was just reading this on Spotlights' forum.....

1-6-2019

Dear fellow modelers,

After Chrome Tech announced their closing many people recently found that the Little Motor Kar Co. does chrome work for the modeling community. We have been recently inundated with new customer inquiries.

The Little Motor Kar Co has been doing chrome work since 1995. We have never advertised nor pushed to increase our footprint since it was never intended to be a full-time business. That should not be viewed as a small success as it is quite the opposite.

One of the features we have always prided ourselves upon is the turnaround time for processing. We have always tried to keep it to two or, at the most, three weeks. We do not believe that it is fair to our loyal, long time customers to wait an extraordinary time for their work to be completed.

At seventy-nine years old I have no intent on this becoming a full-time job. We have always done all our work in-house and that will continue to be so.

Bearing this in mind any new customer work will be done on a “first come, first served” fill in basis AFTER our established customers are served. So, if you just found Little Motor Kar Co. please be aware of the priority your work must be given. It could possibly be a long wait.

Now would be a great time for a younger enterprising person to seize upon the opportunity to find a processor in their area and start a chroming service of their own as others have done. There seems to be room for two.

Dale Horner

Little Motor Kar Co. 

[1930fordpickup]

I love the honest letter. I have talked to him and his wife in Toledo and they are nice helpful people, this letter shows that.  

[MrObsessive]

I've met Dale a number of times over the years. He lives not that far from me considering and I didn't know he was now 79. He gets around very well, but I know he's had some health troubles also in the past. As time marches on, it looks more and more like those of us that are really into this hobby, are going to have to find alternative sources for what we used to take for granted.

That includes things like chroming. No one's getting any younger and those that we've known for years that are still doing this sort of thing be it chroming, casting or what have you.........may not be in the next few years to come.

Not meaning to sound like a downer, but that's the reality of where we are today.

[dimaxion]

8 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

I've met Dale a number of times over the years. He lives not that far from me considering and I didn't know he was now 79. He gets around very well, but I know he's had some health troubles also in the past. As time marches on, it looks more and more like those of us that are really into this hobby, are going to have to find alternative sources for what we used to take for granted.

That includes things like chroming. No one's getting any younger and those that we've known for years that are still doing this sort of thing be it chroming, casting or what have you.........may not be in the next few years to come.

Not meaning to sound like a downer, but that's the reality of where we are today.

I have the Chromed  '66 Nova Chassis he gave me in 1995 at the Toledo Show . Beautiful work .. he had many examples distributed promoting his service  .  Another couple making this Hobby so great .  Thanx .. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by dimaxion

[Luc Janssens]

I wonder what all is needed to set up a chroming service, and what sort of plating would be the best choice, vacuum or the more durable one?

European modelers, please step in if I'm wrong, but I don't think we have that kind of service in Europe, right?!

[Can-Con]

8 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

I've met Dale a number of times over the years. He lives not that far from me considering and I didn't know he was now 79. He gets around very well, but I know he's had some health troubles also in the past. As time marches on, it looks more and more like those of us that are really into this hobby, are going to have to find alternative sources for what we used to take for granted.

That includes things like chroming. No one's getting any younger and those that we've known for years that are still doing this sort of thing be it chroming, casting or what have you.........may not be in the next few years to come.

Not meaning to sound like a downer, but that's the reality of where we are today.

Very true Bill.

No one expected Chrome Tech to shut down, that was unexpected. A few years ago Chrome+ just kinda stopped.  Louis had done my plating since he was the only one in Canada to do it.  

I don't know exactly what happened but last time I talked to him, he had just moved and expected to have his plating equipment set back up again shortly. That was at least 5 years ago,IIRC.

I e-mailed him about this time last year but had no response so ??

I guess it just goes to show, like resin, if you want something or need something done in this hobby, better get it done now. You never know when they'll shut down and you'll be out of luck.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Can-Con

[MrObsessive]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

No one expected Chrome Tech to shut down, that was unexpected.

That blew me away! I had no idea they had shut down until I stumbled across a post on the Spotlight board and I thought "Huh??"

I think the loss of The Modelhaus business had a lot to do with him closing I'm now hearing, but yeah............that came literally out of left field.

Speaking of getting things you want in resin, a perfect example are those 10 spoke Shelby wheels I got for my Green Hornet which came from Plamoz. I happened to order them almost the moment when they said they were available and then recently I thought about getting another set.

Nope. For whatever reason, they're no longer to be had. I don't know if the mold went bad, or what happened but one time they're available and then POOF they're gone! I've been checking their site to see if they were back, but it keeps saying "out of stock" with no word whatsoever that they'll be making them again.

Edited January 6, 2019 by MrObsessive

[djflyer]

So with the demise of Chrome Tech, who remains that has plating services for modellers ???

[peteski]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:54 AM, Luc Janssens said:

I wonder what all is needed to set up a chroming service, and what sort of plating would be the best choice, vacuum or the more durable one?

European modelers, please step in if I'm wrong, but I don't think we have that kind of service in Europe, right?!

Vacuum metalizing (using aluminum) is the type of metalizing used for a great majority of plastic kits.  It is a simple and inexpensive process which results in very good metal finish (both chrome and satin).  It is fairly fragile, but we have been using it for many decades and not many people complain about the fragility.  The benefit of the fragility is that it can be easily removed (by scraping it off or by chemical stripping).

There have been few kits out there (Trumpeter are the only recent ones that come to mind) where the parts were electroplated with much thicker layer of metal.  Not only that metallic finish did not look as shiny as the vacuum-metalized parts, since it is actually layer of thicker metal, it was very difficult to remove. And the chemical strippers we use in our hobby were not stripping it either.

While some people prefer the less shiny finish, I am not one of them. Vacuum metalizing for me please.

 

As far as Dale Horner goes, I have spoken with him at NNL East few years back.  Very nice older gentleman.  From what I recall, he told me that at that time he did the "chroming" for Modlehaus.  I was hoping to use his service myself (after some Chrometech issues), but now that looks iffy.

Edited January 15, 2019 by peteski

[Tom Geiger]

4 hours ago, peteski said:

As far as Dale Horner goes, I have spoken with him at NNL East few years back.  Very nice older gentleman.  From what I recall, he told me that at that time he did the "chroming" for Modlehaus.  I was hoping to use his service myself (after some Chrometek issues), but now that looks iffy.

Dale is a class act.  I've known him for years as he is one of our NNL East vendors.  He always set up right next to Modelhaus and is good friends with Don.  I had no idea he was 79! If asked, I would've thought he was in his mid sixties!  I guess that chroming process keeps you young!  

[Maindrian Pace]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:26 AM, MrObsessive said:

Speaking of getting things you want in resin, a perfect example are those 10 spoke Shelby wheels I got for my Green Hornet which came from Plamoz. I happened to order them almost the moment when they said they were available and then recently I thought about getting another set.

 

Nope. For whatever reason, they're no longer to be had. I don't know if the mold went bad, or what happened but one time they're available and then POOF they're gone! I've been checking their site to see if they were back, but it keeps saying "out of stock" with no word whatsoever that they'll be making them again.

I have a set. See if you can get permission from the seller to recast. If so, problem solved.

[Six Cruvers]

I was another victim of Modelhaus.  He reassured everyone he'd stay open until the end of 2016, then disappeared without a ripple in June, 2015, leaving all his tall money customers in the lurch. 

I had used Bob Shibelski in Wis. for years and always had great quality and service.  Out of hundreds of parts, including many special requests, only two pieces were ever lost or damaged and he made good on both really quick.  Then he suddenly dropped off the radar. 

Is there anyone left who treats everyone equally, as to "next in, next out"?  Don Holthaus ran his business under that rule and it served everyone well.  I hope I'm not too late; I see this discussion is already three years old, apparently without resolution. 

Any and all help would be appreciated!

Jason, Mesa, AZ

Edited April 5, 2022 by Six Cruvers
I added a follow-up thought.

[Mr. Metallic]

1 hour ago, Six Cruvers said:

I was another victim of Modelhaus.  He reassured everyone he'd stay open until the end of 2016, then disappeared without a ripple in June, 2015, leaving all his tall money customers in the lurch. 

A victim of Modelhaus???