Jairus

Very nice and correct! Thumbs up.

Already is. I have seen a Batmobile in 1/32. Can't show the paint dude, (prev post) because I sent the modified chassis to AMT with the hopes that they would use some of my mods on future kits.

Sweet! Did'ja find that 8-track cart hold up the crapper? ("Turn it up...")

Here are some belly tanker ref pics. (Just click the pic)

There are some interesting posts here. Most are simply restating what Harry said on the first page, that some people like chocolate and some like vanilla ice-cream. Personally I don't understand Pro-street or Pro-touring but I appreciate a nice looking machine that is well appointed and has a great stance. Even tho I would never consider building one in 1/1 or in scale. As for the term "Rat Rod", it started out as a rebellion against the big dollar billet rods of the late 80's/early 90's. The term being stolen from the 70's trend of "Rat Bike", which also had the same premiss. (Check out some of the show bikes of the 70's and you will understand.) The name "Rat Rod" was coined by the brother of Alex Xydias of "Shifters" fame, was referring to what we now consider a "Retro Rod". The Rat Rod today however has become a caricature unfortunately. Like all trends, be it Vans, Roadsters, Showcars... there are always a few creative persons who love to push the envelope to the point of ridiculousness. The result of which are threads like this asking "why"? Frankly, a trend that hangs around for as long as this one (going on 10 years now) tend to fade slowly or not at all. So I suggest those detractors who like shiny and chorme, just "deal with it"!

I think the original post meant by "American Car", that they were Made in America! Even the Indians migrated here at some time in the past over the ice bridge or the Bairing Strait. So please dispense with the nationality stuff about who was what. Henry Ford was an American citizen. The Dodge Brothers were American citizens. They and other helped make this a great industrial and prosperous nation. I print t-shirts. Some of our blank shirts come out of Honduras through an American t-shirt distributor "Sanmar". The companies that make them are American, only the workers are Honduran. That is called "off-shoring" by the way. But the profits go to America. We also buy shirts made in America only. The quality is the same as those made by the Hondurans but they are more expensive by half. Most of the profits of those companies go to union workers in my opinion. Made in America means the car was made on these shores even if some of the parts or bits were sourced from other countries that assembled the electric motors, circuit boards or wove the cloth for the seats. It's still made in America even if Wong bolted in in the seats, Juan programed the computer or Sven laid the wiring harness in on the assembly line! Melting pot so get used to it! But that doesn't mean it's the best or the fastest or the strongest. Just that it's made here. Global community so get used to it.

Yup, that kind of breaks a rule all by itself. I elect you Rob to push it till we all see the truth. Come on, be a man and take one for the team.

Hahaha that's funny Harry. Personally I love our neighbors to the north. I think they make some great stuff and brew some nice wiskey too. Beer.... ah, not so much. But, back to the subject at hand. Did some research on manufacturing cars in America and it seems it only costs between $1250 - $2500 per unit to manufacture an automobile in America. That is just the actual building costs. Development is another factor and that can run from a couple million to multi-millions depending on the make and model. I may have been hasty to say that the bulk of manufacturing costs remain in America. Each model made here would have to be examined on their own. But the truth is that it must have been cheaper for the company to make a Mercedes M3 in Tusklasooa Al. or the bean counters in Germany would have built the plant elsewhere. And THAT provides jobs for American workers and is good for the country at large. Better than shipping them over here on container ships in my opinion and fleecing the rich on yet another foreign car no better than a Chrysler or Ford. (In my opinion.)

Beautiful pictures, but I want to see more of the beach!!!

Trying to start something Johnny? So refute it with facts or don't bother to post! This is the exact posting that generates so much controversy and ill will on this forum. Instead of attacking the writer, why don't you ask for proof? Or better yet, search out your own information. It makes perfect sense that the Mercedes factory in Tuscaloosa Alabama would leave a huge percentage of $ on these shores due mostly to employing American workers! The lions share of a cars cost is the people who put them together thanks to the unions. So.... I again ask you to kindly and in a polite way post your opinions and facts or don't bother posting at all please.

Well said Jim! I have never owned a new car. Ever! One, a minivan that was only 2 years old, was the newest. But we paid cash for it and it cost very little over the next 8 years. My current car I have about six grand into and no payments to make. I paid up the insurance for 6 months so the only costs these last 3 months has been fuel. And that's it! Sure there are a few things I need to fix and a couple of rattles that bug me. But nothing life threatening or dangerous and I totally agree with you about getting attention! The car I had before this was a '90 Ford Taurus. Talk about a car nobody sees. It was totally hidden and I could leave it unlocked with the keys in it for 8 hours and nobody messed with it. But there too it only cost me three grand to buy and ran for over 10 years requiring less than a couple hundred in repairs and maintenance during that time. Once again, no payments to make at all other than insurance which eventually totally eclipsed the value of the car in the time I owned it. (I traded artwork for a set of used Pirelli tires one time so that doesn't count.) But, back to the original post... the Taurus was not totally made in the USA. I found parts on it made in Canada, Mexico, Japan and Indonesia. Plus any sensor I had to replaced usually came from China. We are a global economy now. So what's the big deal?

Bottom line is: drive what you like and forget where it's made. Unless you really care.

And why is that Harry? Any car from 1940 on up can be maintained and driven as a daily driver costing a "microscopic" amount compared to the over the top costs financing a $30,000 machine will today. I think your 99% figure is made up and is actually much lower by 25%. About 50% of all statistics are made up anyway. Haha Gadgetry is only fun until it fails to work... or a better gadget comes along. Which will happen in about one weeks time from .... now! But the truth is, that most of those on this thread are younger than 30 years old. That means that they are pretty much at a disadvantage having grown up in an era where a college degree is required to plug in the computer and work out the problem to any car made before 1987. This makes opening the hood a sweat inducing factor that they are just not able to deal with.

Generations? I purchased that last year. Thousands of American made cars are listed on Craigs list each and every day. If you only want American made then buy something old and deal with the limitations. Because when you buy new you end up financing all the value away just to have a USB port for your iPod or "parking assist" simply because you didn't learn to parallel park in drivers ed. Buying old will end up costing you way less and maybe even require a weekend or two to replace the plugs and chase down a short or two. But all in all makes way more financial sense than buying new.

Not a thing on this car made anywhere but in the good ol'USA other than the mexican blankets on the seats of course!

Everything can be fixed. ... and forgiven.

Enjoy that Ferrari! It's a bear to build right and not as nice as some of the earlier Pocher kits. Never understood why a metal body and plastic chassis when the real car had a lightweight carbon fiber (plastic) body and steel tube chassis. But... it's a fun kit and indeed hard to find.

The '50 is a much better kit in my opinion and I have built both. Lots more custom parts in the '50 and it was one of those that Bud Anderson had a hand in too! Plugging the hole is super easy with a little epoxy putty. But... sourcing another is easy too.

Cool! May/June (one issue) should be hitting our mail boxes soon if I miss my guess. And I got the SketchPad in the July issue to boot! Whoohoo!

The name of the thread is "DAILY DRIVER"! So far most of the posts have been of PROJECTS or something cool they sometimes drive, but not daily drivers.

Hmm... been typing too fast as well.

I am member of the Titanic-titanic.com forum. Have been since 1210, tho I rarely go there anymore. (What else is there to discuss?) But what IS interesting is the modelers who show up from time to time and show off their work. There is even one builder who has built a very detailed rear section of the ship as it now sits on the bottom. Now THAT was mind blowing considering all the destruction that went on during the sinking and implosion that took place. Near as I can remember the only outward differences between Olympic and Titanic were the totally open promenade on the Olympic vs the partially closed deck on the Titanic. The Britannic also had a large structure constructed on the Aft "poop" deck once the ship was converted to a hospital duties during the First world war. And of course the aforementioned "derrick" style lifeboat davits.

I got one and started it. Have the frame and wheels done to the point of paint. But been so busy lately with work that it got sidelined. Can't wait to play with it. BUT, be careful with the instruction sheet. Some of the parts are drawn backwards from the actual assembly. Mostly showing some of the rim parts in the rear wheels assembled wrong on the sheet, so use your best judgement.

Why are the headlights on upside down?

Nice article on the Bentley build John and Harry!