Dave G. Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 15 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: I know the feeling well, which is why I end up editing most of my own posts when I go back and read 'em. Same here ! I really shouldn't post anything till after my second mug of coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 (edited) Quote Joe in NYC mentioned the demise of model shops there. I seem to remember a model shop named Polks who advertised extensively in many modelling magazines being NY based. Maybe I got that wrong, but Joe probably might know. Polk's Hobby Shop was located at 314 Fifth Ave. just off the corner of W. 32nd St., one block south of the Empire State Building. Entering the place was like dying and going to Hobby Heaven (the real McCoy, not the "other" identically named one ). Five floors stuffed with RC cars, planes and helicopters, model trains, plastic kits, tools and supplies. They pioneered RC. Its Arist-O-Craft line produced a full line of RC transmitters, batteries, servos, etc. Polk's partnered with Mabuchi to manufacture motors and other items which were originally designed by the Polks. Mabuchi sandbagged Polk's by stealing the designs and producing ripoffs under their name. I wish I would have been smart enough back then to have bought the HO Trolley Bus System. It was perfect for building a mid '50s Brooklyn street layout. Polk's was the first store to sell primitive home computers in 1975. There was a display located in the rear of the ground floor showcasing this behemoth, which was the size of a contemporary quadraphonic stereo system and cost around $6,000. The only thing you could do with it was play a Star Trek game, complete with prehistoric green graphics. Still, it was a cool piece of hardware. Some sources incorrectly state that Polk's moved from its NYC location in 1980. I was still shopping there as late as 1990. One of the last things I bought at Polk's was the 1/10 Tamiya Toyota Bruiser RC truck. The store moved to Irvington, N.J. in 1991. It finally closed on Dec. 31, 2013 due to the bad economic circumstances at the time. Edited May 6, 2023 by SfanGoch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 7 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said: . . .Alclad's translucent custom colours to go over metallic base costs of silver, gold, copper or brass effect paints. The UK Alclad Company (as was before the name was copyrighted as a trademark by the US company) used to take demo pieces around to the model shows that looked really good for custom car modellers. I don't know if the US company carries those translucent colours of not. Have you visited the Alclad II website? Sounds like you mean "candy colors" (at least that is what transparent tinted clears are called on the other side of the pond). https://alclad2.com/finishes/candy/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugatti Fan Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 (edited) Pete. Yes it was the Alclad Candy Colours I was referring to as Translucent Colours. Come to think of it I think that the UK company probably referred to them as Candy Colours too. Joe. Thanks for the feedback about Polks. Looks like they were a big outfit back in the day. Your SfanGoch avatar intrigues me as it sounds a bit like a Welsh language name, but I probably got that totally wrong! Edited May 6, 2023 by Bugatti Fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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