Horrible Neighbors, Terrible Kits and a New Dremel

[kalbert]

Any update on the '32?

[Jantrix]

You can go on her behalf . This is creating a health problem because of the mold . Call an action News crew up. If she is afraid to face them you can do it,(after all you are looking after your mom) . This will cost her nothing but money in the long run if she does nothing.

Please do. There is nothing ahead but regret if you let your mothers non-confrontational nature decide the outcome.

[disabled modeler]

The guys have given you some great advise on checking into the water problem...everyone has a boss just go over their heads. Get all your dads stuff in a dry place to protect them from any further damage...nice kits by the way. I have has problems with my neighbor of 14 years they just turned into real major pains...but I'm getting even too by just giving them too much of what they want...LOL...my grass gets cut every other day...early...LOL!... You could put/build some run-off channels to divert the flow of water to help or maybe control what happens???

[crazyjim]

Shoot the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH neighbors!

[gwolf]

You need to act on your Mom's behalf. What the neighbor has done has in fact damage her property that she and your Dad built up. In most states if this continues beyond 7 years (fewer in some states) constitutes acceptance on your (mom's) behalf. You must approach this from an estate protection point of view, at some point hopefully not, this may be the assets that get used for her health care. It is illeagle in all states to damage another's property, don't allow the neighbor to get away with it.

First you need to make the neighbor aware that the runoff from their property is causing damage to your Mom's property, they may not be aware that there is an issue. There are lots of remedies to water runoff, French drain being one to alleviate the runoff. Almost all communities have set back ordinances, they are in place for fire protection in the first place, then runoff and privacy. The fact that the individual in question is an inspector (are they a building inspector or civil construction inspector, big difference) makes this an abuse of power situation. No matter how you approach this do it carefully, you don't want to create any more hostility than absolutely necessary.

If you can't get anywhere face to face with the neighbor then go to the city/county building department for their investigation into possible zoning or setback violation and illeagle discharge of surface water onto your mom's property. If all else fails consult an attorney, if it goes to court it won't look very good for the neighbor causing a water mess on a poor little old widow's property. (Not an attorney, engineer who deals with this type of stuff on a larger scale every day.) My mom is in the same situation, she wouldn't want to make waves with the neighbor either; I wouldn't hesitate to step in to protect mom!

Thank you Skip. I will talk to the neighbors tonight. Weather calls for rain so I will make sure to videotape that as well.

[charlie8575]

You definitely need to consult a qualified attorney. Any good real estate lawyer will work well.

And I agree, I'm sure WUSA or WBAL would be more than happy to string up a D.C. building inspector and hold him to public shame.

The insurance company might even be a good first resort. They can put enough fear into anyone that they'll do exactly what you need/want them to do!

Charlie Larkin

[James2]

​If it rains, and your talk with the neighb goes bad, will we see more progress on the 32?

It is amazing how a little styrene can help.

​On a side note, some good advice given here. You and especially your mom have done nothing wrong but yet have been wronged. If the talk doesn't work, file a complaint with zoning. Chances are he did not pull a permit for the shed or excavation. Video and local news stations are your best for quick results!

[gwolf]

OK, nearly a year later, I'm here to finish this Monogram 32 Ford project, and finish it in a day nonetheless.

First off, I finally realized that the chromed tree of parts was included, however they have never been chromed. So I retract the statement in my original post that seller had clear coated them. You can see in the photo, below, it does look that way.

I know that I'll need to trim the firewall and open up the area for the transmission and engine to fit through. So I clipped a little more than a 1/4 inch off the bottom of the firewall (the same amount of space the body is being lowered onto the frame) with nippers and enlarged the hole where the transmission will go through with a sanding drum bit on a Dremel tool.

The body is set where I want it over the frame and the engine now fits through the firewall. Note that the seat tub is not in place yet.

The seat tub will not fit since the ride has been lowered, so that will need to be modified. I used nippers to clip out the area I didn't want and cut around the tub. I saved the boot area where the shifter sits and will place it on the new floor.

After trimming out the seat tub I sanded down the underneath so it was level and smooth. This is going to be a rat rod, so it doesn't have to be fancy. Below, the seat tub is cut and sanded all the way down tot he base of the bench seat.

I made a new floor out of Evergreen sheet, glued it together and let it sit for about an hour.

After the glue dried I trimmed out the excess Evergreen sheet, glued in the shifter boot and painted it.. I replaced the box shifter that was way too tall and replaced it with an older parts box one.

I don't know where this kit originated from, but some things about it just didn't make sense; they went through the trouble to add a very nice cut glass design to the side mirrors (see below) but added a horrible pad and pin system for the rear suspension that just sits on top of each other, it doesn't even pop into it, it juts sits (see below).

So in general, this kit was terrible, but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon on Easter Sunday. The distributor was molded in to the manifold and I honestly didn't feel like drilling it out then drilling out spark plug holes and putting a nice, pre-wired distributor in it. I would have liked to use the AMT Firestone whitewalls, but could not get anything to fit. The kits rims are ugly, yes. The wheelbacks were the type that snap onto the axle and I just didn't have anything else to make it work. The convertible top was missing when I purchased it, but I wouldn't have used it anyway. So this trash heap of a kit was built essentially in a day and there's a few parts missing, but I kinda dig the way it came out.

Anyway, off to paint, well primer, it went. Since the parts that should have been chromed weren't, I just painted them what I wanted. Here's the finished product.

I bald the tires by attaching them to a variable speed drill and pressing them onto a sanding block.

The exhaust pipes wouldn't stay glued in place so I thought why not just put them in the passenger seat like the owner just bought them down at the auto parts store. And yeah, the owner didn't get around to getting headlights or license plates either.

Happy Easter, folks.

[timc]

What about the bad neighbors and rain water?

[gwolf]

What about the bad neighbors and rain water?

Oh, they're still there. We are still working on that project, Tim.

[Rob McKee]

I bought that same kit when I returned to the hobby about 20 years ago. I remember it being a PITA way back then but I struggle through it to finish it off. I was very relieved to learn that not all kits out at the time were as rough as that one was.

I hope everything works out with the flooding situation. It's just not right that someone else can cause that kind of damage to your property.

[oldnslow]

I built that kit a couple of months ago and loved it, takes you back to simpler time and relaxes you (or it did me). It's the old "Lil Deuce" with some of the good parts replaced over the years of reissue. The one piece frame and fenders are bothersome but that's the way it was back when this kit was produced. You did a great job removing the fenders, looks like a completely different car.

[Del Austin]

The 32 is looking good. Always hated that kit myself.

My dads neighbors did the same thing. We helped them out by putting a gutter on their shed and having it dump back into their yard. Also built a 2' retaining wall the along the entire property line to keep their water runoff out of his yard. Unfortunately for them the next big rain flooded their house...BAD.

[mikemodeler]

That came out well. Sometimes a little simple stress reliever kit is the best medicine.

Hope the neighbor situation works itself out.

[southpier]

the roadster came out great and certainly proved what hobbies are all about. every model doesn't need to be a showpiece or contest winner. but they should all be FUN!

[charlie8575]

the roadster came out great and certainly proved what hobbies are all about. every model doesn't need to be a showpiece or contest winner. but they should all be FUN!

Exactly.

Charlie Larkin

[gwolf]

I built that kit a couple of months ago and loved it, takes you back to simpler time and relaxes you (or it did me). It's the old "Lil Deuce" with some of the good parts replaced over the years of reissue. The one piece frame and fenders are bothersome but that's the way it was back when this kit was produced. You did a great job removing the fenders, looks like a completely different car.

Thanks Robert! I enjoyed cutting those fenders off.

[gwolf]

the roadster came out great and certainly proved what hobbies are all about. every model doesn't need to be a showpiece or contest winner. but they should all be FUN!

Thanks Joe. I'm not at all concerned making about show quality models, I just do it for fun. I kind alike getting mad at at a kit, sticking it out and having something in the end to show for it.

[DrKerry]

I'd pour a cement wall along both sides of your property about a foot higher than there's and let it fill there areas...

[gwolf]

I'd pour a cement wall along both sides of your property about a foot higher than there's and let it fill there areas...

Haha, that is brilliant, Kerry. It may come to that.

[buffalobill]

Greg -

If you haven't already placed a dehumidifier in your Mom's basement, you should seriously consider doing that. . . Make sure to size the dehumidifier to the square footage of the basement. It won't remove any existing mold, but it should stunt the growth of any new mold from forming as long as you keep it running to maintain a humidity level around 50-60%. Mold only grows if an environment is humid enough to support it's growth. Quality dehumidifiers are designed to run continuously, if needed. I recommend Whirlpool dehumidifiers due to personal experience w/ that brand in my wife's dog grooming shop that had an awful humidity problem, including mold on the walls when she purchased the business. It's internal timer turns it on whenever the humidity level gets to 50%, and you'd be amazed at how many gallons of water it sucks out of the air every day. She no longer has any mold on any of the surfaces. (I'm in the Atlanta area, and have a similar climate as you have in DC in re: to humidity) Whirlpool dehumidifiers can be found on Amazon at very competitive prices, and w/ free shipping. Also, Whirlpool is the only manufacturer that offers a 5 yr warranty on the sealed system in their dehumidifiers; most all other dehumidifiers come w/ only a 1 yr warranty. (note: I do not have any affiliation w/ Whirlpool, Amazon, or anyone except my wife - lol)

Assuming that the heating system's air ducts are in the basement, seal up any leaks in the ductwork, as introducing heated air into that space would most likely increase the humidity. Use aluminized tape, and not duct tape, to seal any leaks. Common gray duct tape is not for sealing duct work, despite what it's usually labeled. . .

To remove mold - esp. black mold - can be hazardous, and is best left up to professionals. . .Unfortunately, that's a very costly proposition, as it usually involves the crew having to wear specialized protective clothing, air-extraction of the affected space, tenting of the entire structure, disposal of most floor & window coverings, and proper disposal in monitored hazardous waste facilities, etc. That work can easily cost in the several thousands of $$s, depending on the affected space. (beware of mold-remediation contractors, as the industry has it's fair share of scammers) Mold can accumulate on exposed wood framing, such as overhead floor joists and the underside of sub-flooring, on ductwork, pipes, walls, and most anything in a basement. During removal it should not be allowed to become airborne. There's another way for a homeowner to deal w/ removing mold, and that's by encapsulating it by over-coating & thus, sealing it, w/ the appropriate type of paint, after killing any existing mold w/ a solution of bleach or other specialized products designed for that purpose. Consult w/ a major name brand paint retailer, seek advice from experienced house painters, and do some research online to determine if that is something that you want to tackle by yourself. Just be careful to wear protective clothing, gloves, a hat, eye protection, and a respirator. Prepare to responsibly dispose of any clothing you had worn after doing the mold removal.

Another important consideration is that when one discovers mold in their property, it becomes that person's liability to have it removed. Due to Federal and other municipality laws, the liability can not be passed on to a new owner when the property is sold, so it's best to deal w/ remediating it as soon as possible so that it doesn't get worse than it already is. . .Keep this in mind when you're discussing this situation w/ your insurance company (as they might cancel your coverage), your neighbors, and esp if you should involve the media, as it could adversely affect the resale of the property now, and at a later date. All the more reason to discuss options w/ an attorney (as much as most of us hate to), since it seems evident from what you've written that your Mom's property (and it's contents) have suffered significant & on-going damage caused by your neighbors. The neighbor(s)' homeowners insurance policy might very likely be liable for damages that their insured's actions have caused your family, whether or not the neighbor(s) violated any building codes such as set-backs, not securing permits, etc. Take pictures, keep dated records of any damage (esp when the flooding scenario first occurred, coinciding w/ when the neighbors altered their structures, backyard, and so on), and construct a record of any verbal discussions & written correspondence between members of your household and the offending neighbors.

I wouldn't be at at all intimidated by the neighbor who is a building inspector, as his career could be in jeopardy if he's violated any of the laws that he's employed to enforce.

Like someone else wrote: "building inspectors have bosses", and they won't want adverse publicity concerning their department's personnel, and esp if they ignored the issue, as it's also would involve the health department. . .To ignore the mold is going to affect the well-being of your Mom, and anyone else in the home, including pets. PM me if you need any more info, as I've had to deal w/ this subject on more than several occasions as a Realtor, as a contractor, & a homeowner.

Edited April 22, 2014 by buffalobill

[DrKerry]

Haha, that is brilliant, Kerry. It may come to that.

That's what I'd do!!!!