Muncie

thanks, your PDF answers some questions

and from the choir - AY-men

Well, none of this applies to the current conversation but what the heck... I picked up my last gallon of PPG thinner a couple of years ago. I'm sure the formula has changed a bit since the old days and it's probably not available most places due to environmental regulations. In the full size world, the new automotive paints are probably better for their intended purpose in refinishing real cars anyway. Things change. The PPG thinner came in three formulas for painting in different temperatures. For model cars, I preferred DTL-105 High Gloss Slow Thinner which was recommended for 85 to 110 degree temperature. PPG's 1976 Ditzler Repaint Manual says "worth every cent it costs" I always tried to paint about 70 degrees and we don't have much humidity around here. The PPG recommended thinning ratio is 2 parts lacquer and 3 parts thinner. 18 psi in a Badger 200 airbrush. The paint flowed out well with the slow thinner. Under the paint , I used Plasti-Kote T235 Gray primer and although it's not popular around here, I applied sealer after the sanding was finished before the top coats. It's good to see the information that's been posted here. It's been an interesting topic. It's very helpful and I'll need it when I run out of the PPG thinner.

Tom, that's a very good explanation. GF works at a regional distribution center. In very broad numbers, the machines there can sort 10,000 letters in delivery sequence order in the time it takes a person in a local station to sort 10 letters to go to the next place they would be sorted. and yes, there are some smart people who work very hard at the USPS. The train museum in Sacramento has a rail car from the early 1900's (IRC) that was used to carry mail - looked just like a box car. Mail handlers sorted mail in the car as it was travelling to its destination. A legible address helps

Bill, sorry this didn't go well with FedEx Same here - tires were shipped direct to the tire store - it was painless. Even better, I checked with local tire store first to set it up and they matched the online price.

yep, ask away - a new thread can bring out new answers that have not or wouldn't be made in an old thread

Slixx has some - drag racing contingencies, a couple of Willys gassers. might be something you need... http://ecsvr.com/slx/ShopDisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes

I couldn't turn up anything either on the Simpson transmission blanket. It looks like Simpson doesn't make them anymore. However, it would be almost indistinguishable from something like this more modern part. The material is "ballistic" nylon, multiple multiple layers with webbing straps and buckles. Thanks for posting your work - I'm learning a lot and enjoying following along. Very nicely done.

It's art, it's won awards at big car/rat rod shows - have seen it a couple of times and had a close look - the metal work and art on the cab are amazing - If you see it in person, you won't walk by without taking a longer look. more on the artist and the truck: https://www.pbs.org/video/oregon-art-beat-metal-artist-kelly-phipps/ http://www.kellyphipps.com/automotive-design.html

not a kit, but Scott over at http://futurattraction.com/ has some Fairmont bodies and Pro Stock parts in resin, - decals also - great parts, great customer service. edit... ooops - posting at same time

Freightliner FLD132 Classic XL with 60" raised roof SleeperCab - for Italeri FLD kit image borrowed from the internet

Among other accomplishments, Paul Allen was also a model builder - mostly aircraft and/or military. RIP

Ok, just a best guess - Chrysler Corporate Blue - reference PPG code 12785 (from an old can of Ditzler lacquer) - and Dodge truck white. However, that looks like a recent picture of an older truck so it may have been painted a more modern color. Corporate Blue looks darker than what shows in the photograph. more info - http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/paintdetail.cgi?ditzler=12785

I'm agreed with the no wax crowd. - my general rule is polish for shine, wax to protect the paint. My daily driver needs wax. I also stay away from most polishes available in the automotive section at the general merchandise stores. They are usually made with a coarser abrasive to bring the shine up quicker. The polishes available at the automotive paint supply stores have a much better shine. Every car painter I've talked to also has their own secret sauce. Let's add one caution. Some (most?) hobby shop paints that are made for model cars are very soft - even some model master colors that I've used. Polishing may transfer more paint to the polishing cloth than it leaves on the model. As always, it's best to experiment first.

Looks like a nice set of Torq Thrusts - Is this the place to say we need some Cragar SS wheels - big and little like the original '71 Road Runner and some skinny fronts for the vintage funny cars... I'm hoping Round 2 already has them in the works.

Speed City has good parts and customer service. Another source for the wheels is Ed Fluck at Drag City Casting - http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/member_dealer_directory/drag-city-casting-/ I like what you're doing here and have been enjoying following along - good work, neat project.

but adding weight is also an option... A certain amount of ballast was permitted. Concealed ballast was prohibited, but there were ways... I can remember the days when a buddy had a '57 Chevy that ran Gas class or Modified Production and weighed somewhere between 4,500 and 5,000 pounds with a very small small block. Racers always wanted to be at the low end of the weight break - for A/G, that would be as close to 5 pounds per cubic inch as possible to be competitive. That makes it 2,270 pounds with a 454. More realistically, you could move that car into B/G with a 454 at 2,952 pounds and be more competitive. A racer may even want to add more racing equipment (weight) and get into C/G at 3,632 pounds if there was a killer car already running in B/G. Displacement can also be altered so the combinations start to multiply, links to rule books here - A general rule of thumb is every 100 pounds adds a tenth of a second to the ET so 200 pounds is a big disadvantage. Anyways, that's a long way to say probably B/G (or if supercharged B/GS, BB/G, or BB/GS depending on the class designation in the rules for that year). But it could be C, D, E... My memory is failing on one important point. If I recall correctly, driver and fuel at the end of the run are included in the weight - adjust calculations accordingly. hope this helps

I think it would look great under the Badman - go for it! - I've also have it in the plans when my Badman gasser project hits the workbench.

It's looks very similar to the 1970 W-30 442 Olds W-27 aluminum differential housing and rear axle cover - it's function was a 27 pound weight reduction - not sure if Monogram was trying to duplicate that or just do something that looks similar ---

Jason, that sounds like a great trip, plenty of cool places to see - the California Hot Rod Reunion is bucket list for sure - here's more..

this might work... The Novas were unibody from the factory and most received a new frame when they became funny cars. GTO's and Chevelles were full frame construction from the factory which could be altered or replaced with a lighter and stronger tube frame.

something like Bruce Larson's 1966 USA-1 Chevelle funny car - fiberglass (not tilt) body on a rectangular tube (not Logghe) chassis - there are some images and information on Google. As already mentioned, 1996 was a big transition in funny car technology.

Although the accuracy and detail of the engine in this kit leaves it up to interpretation (agreeing with you Bill), the engine most closely resembles a big block Mopar - but don't look too closely. The basic guts for this kit came from a series of Lindberg fantasy cars in the early 60's and the kit suffers when compared to current kits or the real thing.

Long ago it was an honor to return a favor from a friend by building a model car that he was going to give to another friend as a birthday gift. The guy receiving the model and I did not know each other. Well, walking through the fall antique car show and swap meet... there it is on the table in the model car contest. So, I asked the guys at the model contest if they knew anything about it - nope, nothing - some guy dropped it off, didn't know who built it but thought it was good enough that it should be there on the display. No credit taken, not competing for a trophy - not the kind of guys that would take credit for someone else's work anyway. Through the day everybody met everybody else involved. It was a good day for all. Maybe another side of this... (and one reason most (all the ones I've run into) model car contests rules require models must be built by the entrant/owner) I usually prefer displays to contests. However, if trophies and awards are involved, I don't want to compete model car against checkbook - I would walk away.

Good to see these, they look great - thank you for bringing them out and posting - I'm hoping these kits are high on Round 2's list