unclescott58

Hey, somebody from Anoka, Minnesota. Do I know you Jordan? Scott

I don't think anybody is claiming it will 100 mpg? And why would the oil companies really want to "bury it", if it got 100 mpg? They not trying to bury cars like Tesla. And the Tesla uses no gas at all. Better hide. The aliens in the CIA black helicopters are coming to stop you from exposing the conspiracy to burying all of 100 mpg carburetors and engines to the public at large. Scott

Okay tonight I purchased and read the digital only, comic book Archie's Jalopy. A fun book. It reprints several old stories tied to Archie's jalopy. From the the first appearance of the car back in 1942, to its replacement in 1983 seen on the cover shown in posting #1. Old Betsy as Archie call her, was referred to as two different types of cars in two different stories in this book. In one, we find out the car is a 1921 Edsil. Yes, Edsil. Not Edsel. Betsy's transmission is shot. Jughead read in the newspaper that the Edsil company is recalling their cars for bad transmissions. Luckily the Edsil factory is right across town. So they push it over there. Well, the recall is only on last year's model, and factory mechanics laugh at Archie. For both thinking they would fix his transmission and owning that piece of junk. They tell him to get old Betsy out of there. It's blocking the way for real customers. About that time an Edsil executive walks out and sees the car. He's impressed with Archie's devotion to the car. He orders the the mechanics to take in the car and rebuild it completely. There is a one catch. But, Archie is okay with that. He has to drive around with a sign on the back advertising Edsil's longevity. In the other story, Archie and Reggie both want to take Veronica to the beach. So Reggie comes up with a scheme so that Mr. Lodge (Veronica's father) will not let Veronica ride in Archie's car. Mr. Lodge agrees. But, it backfires on Reggie. Mr. Lodge tells Archie to turn over his keys, and then tells him that he has to take Veronica to the beach in Lodge's new Lamborghini. The kids are confused. But Archie and Veronica go in the Lambo anyway. After they leave, Mr. Lodge thanks Reggie. Lodge has been planning on going to a car show with one of his old cars. But, he thinks he has a better chance of winning a trophy with Archie's car because it is a rare 1916 Model A. Not a Model T. But a Model A. Model A what we don't know? In the story where Archie gets a new car. The Hot Rod. He is tired and mad at a other kid for making him and Betsy look like fools all the time for being so slow. He wants to beat the other kid no matter what. Dilton, Riverdale High's smartest kid reluctantly agrees to modify Archie's car with a rocket engine. Everybody, including Dilton, Betty, and Jughead thinks it's a bad idea. But, Archie will not change his mind. In the mean time, the local Youth Center is having a raffle for the cool Hot Rod. It's $1.00 to enter, and that's all Archie's got after what he figures he'll owe Dilton for the modifications to Betsy. So he buys one ticket, with no hopes of winning. Comes the time to test Betsy new rocket engine. The experiment goes wrong, destroying Betsy in the process. Archie is now with out a car. He goes to the raffle. They call out a number that is not his. Yet the winning stub has his name on it. It turns out that Betty, Jughead, and Dilton felt that Archie should have that car, so they bought twenty tickets each in Archie's name. That's the end of Betsy the jalopy. And the start of new adventures in a new car. There are several more, both long and short stories, in the book dealing with Archie's adventures in and with Betsy. Some are down right funny. Others are dumb and silly. But, it was worth the $3.99 I had to pay for it. By the way, looking at renditions of Archie's car from stories in the 1960's. I think the AMT Model T kit will make a very nice version of Betsy. Scott

Now that's funny! Not the guy. But the comment. Scott

I barely remember Spin & Marty. And for some reason I only associate them with a Dude Ranch and horses. Any idea what the car would have been in their series? Scott

Ah, your telling us you once had good taste, Andy? :^) Scott

Nice old T. Scott

Put Future floor wax on your glass before installing. If you do have a slip, your less likely to damage the glass. I also use white glue designed for glueing clear plastic model parts. I've not had many problems with glass since I was a kid, when I used regular model glue for glueing my glass in. Scott

Yes! Stop. We're back to beating a dead horse here. Scott

I like everything but the wheels. The wheels should be more old school. But, then again, I'm old school. So take it for what it's worth. Scott

Great car. Great review and explanation of the build. I like that you told us the materials you used. Great photos. I like it. Scott

Okay, I went Molded Fiberglass Products of Ashtabula, Ohio's own website. It looks like I'm wrong about the Corvettes out of Flint getting their bodies from Ashtabula. They were involved in the first bodies, but didn't start building bodies in Ashtabula until the '54 models. And yes, they still build Corvette bodies in Ashtabula today. So it looks like that whole film was probably shot in Flint. Scott

Vettes were built in Flint, Michigan only in 1953. The assembly line was moved in St. Louis, Missouri in December of 1953. Almost all Corvettes from 1954 through 1981 were built in St. Louis. With some '81s being built in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Were Corvettes of course are still being built. I don't know if any bodies, short of the Motorama Corvettes, being done in Flint. The bodies were made by the same outfit that made the Studebaker Avanti and Avanti II bodies. That company was Molded Fiberglass Products out of Ashtabula, Ohio. The bodies there then shipped to Flint, St. Louis, or in the case of the Avantis, South Bend, Indiana. I don't know if Molded Fiberglass Products is still involved with Corvette bodies today, or not. I have to look into that. Scott

Congrats. All joking aside, life is too good being sober to let this tread to lead my astray. Scott

Okay, Jesus Built My Hot Rod is not for me. Going to sound like the old man I am by saying this, but I can't understand a word they're singing (dang whipper snappers). I like the Chevy truck though. Scott

Very nice car. And I didn't think the commentary was too bad. The car seems correct for what he's claiming it is. Only two mistakes I caught. One, when talking about available transmissions, he makes no mention of the automatic Turboglide. I also question about the four-speed coming with a Hurst shifter. But, I maybe wrong on that. The second thing I notice. I believe he claimed the car had power brakes? There was no power brake booster that could see on the car. It sounds like the car may have metallic brakes. I wonder if that's what he was referring to? But all in all, I liked both the car and the video. Thanks for sharing this Bill. Scott

I haven't had a drink in over 35 years. I may have to join you. Scott

Interesting. Did not know this. So if that's the case, wouldn't Cadillac Boogie be the first real "Rock and Roll" song? Rather than Rocket 88? Or there more differences that pushed Rocket 88 into been what music historians consider to being the first? Scott

Much more labor intensive than I would have guess. I assume the first part of this film is taken at fiberglass plant in Ashatbula, Ohio? Final assembly in Flint or St. Louis? Basically a hand built car. Scott

I'm simply amazed by this tread. This is as bad as some of the rivet counters over on the airplane blogs. Unbeleivable! So, rather than finding out how many angles can dance on the head of a pin. How many can dance in the space of the scale difference in AMT's tires? Scott Time for Superman on MeTV.

By the way, even though Mercury Blues was written in 1948, the lyrics refer to "A Mercury 49". How can this be? Ford introduced the new '49 Mercury in April of 1948. Eight months before the '49 calendar year started. About two months before the new '49 Ford in June of '48. Scott

This may not be quintessential, but another car song I like is Mercury Blues. Originally written by, K.C. Douglas and Robert Geddins back in 1948. Scott

Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, is considered by historians as the first true Rock and Roll song. I don't know if Ike Turner had much to do with the writing of the song or not. He was mainly playing keyboards as a member of Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats. I could be wrong on that. By the way. I like the song. Interesting that one of the first big hits about automobiles, is In My Merry Oldsmobile. The first Rock and Roll song, Rocket 88. Again about an Oldsmobile. And where is Oldsmobile today? :^( Scott

I've being thinking about this engine since watching the video the first time a few days ago. What could potenionaly be wrong with this idea? It dawned on me as I thought about it, that the cylinders themselves are having to move. Don't know why I didn't pick this up or think about it the first time I watch the video? This brings up the problem of sealing between the cylinder head and piston. How is this done? And how long will that seal last? Also the mass of the cylinders themselves moving. How are they held in place to allow them to rotate but not move in other ways? And how is this system lubricated? For those with more knowledge than I in mechanics and engineering these may not be problems at all? For me, the design is not as simple as it first appeared. Scott

Ordered the AMT '27 Model T Touring kit off of eBay last night. So it should be on its way pretty soon. Now, I got to decide how nice or how beatup do I want to build it. In general I'm leaning toward the car looking fairly nice. Despite the cars problems, mainly used for plot lines for humour, the car never really looked that bad. Scott