Brian Austin

This release is presumably for the European market, right? So what's the problem with that?

I saw an old SWB Land Rover this morning on my way to work. I think it lives here in town.

I've been using Bridgehunter to find bridges to photograph. And it isn't even just the hardware that's interesting. The way each bridge fits in the landscape, along with whatever they're crossing, is unique from site to site.

Photos and historical info showing all types of bridges: https://bridgehunter.com/ https://historicbridges.org/index.php Drawings of a typical truss road bridge. https://www.bgstructuralengineering.com/HmwrkDwg/TBridge/Tbridge.htm Photos and old dimension drawings. http://okbridges.wkinsler.com/technology/truss.html#Members http://okbridges.wkinsler.com/technology/index.html http://okbridges.wkinsler.com/ https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Drawing: wi0183&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co =hh&st=gallery&sg = true https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph: wi0183&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co =hh&st=gallery&sg = true FYI, garden railway (i.e."G Scale") pioneer LGB produced a small truss bridge that might be adapted for use as a single-lane road bridge. Note that the deck between the raised walkways is about 3-1/2" across, according to ebay listings. Length is 450 mm. Note that this would represent a type of bridge that would exclude large trucks. :-) https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lgb-5060-warren-truss-bridge-scale-1887200115

I didn't realize the eBay listing pictures had disappeared from the thread. Here they are again, plus a bonus picture of the bottom of a similar cab:

Chassis destined to become a fire truck...

QUOTE: "Budd sold them to just about everyone, didn't they." From Wikipedia: " Some historians have erroneously referred to the Ford tilt-cab as the "Budd" cab, implying it was an off-the-shelf item available to anyone. However, the C-series cab was designed by Ford, tooled at its own expense and built by the Budd Company to Ford Motor Company specifications. Other truck manufacturers had to obtain Ford approval before purchasing it. The exception was Mack, which bought most of the major cab stampings from Budd and assembled them itself on a floor pan of its own design." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_C_series

I posted this earlier on another forum...it has some drawings. Also note the concept was revived later, on a different Ford platform. Drivetrain is the front half of a 4x4 system. https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/05/only-in-america-the-amazing-boaterhome/ Video showing one of the original models in use: https://www.motor1.com/news/364548/boaterhome-half-van-half-boat/

The Plymouth I mentioned earlier:

Maybe the next time I buy a car I'll cover it in vinyl wrap with the "don't photograph me" camouflage. Just because I like the pattern. :-) ....segue.... Now, people love to make fun of the old Aztek, but how does its cousin the Buick Rendezvous fit in with fans? I see those just about everywhere. A co-worker of mine has one. ....segue.... I saw a recent Ferrari roadster and a late '30s Plymouth convertible last week. I don't know the model of Ferrari, but I think it was red...

The listing appears to have expired. Try this page (text is in German, but car appears to be the same.) https://www.artebellum.com/de/oldtimer-zum-verkauf/23844-1956-bentley-s1

One could write a book regarding all the various truck builders that utilized the Ford C cab. Montreal fire apparatus builder Thibault also used the C cab, or just bits and pieces, depending on the particular model.

These cabs got around... Yankee-FWD airport fire apparatus, using the Ford/Budd cab.

I believe the Athearn Ford Cs are their own. According to their website, they offer a wide range of vintage Ford trucks. Note this fire truck of theirs sports a canopy cab... https://1-87vehicles.org/Reviews/athearn_ford_fire_truck.php Info on Heljan's issue of the Revell HO vehicle kits: http://www.87thscale.info/heljan.htm

Well, if you want big modern brakes, you're going to need big modern wheels to fit over them. :-)

There used to be a chain in the Boston area called HobbyTown. I think they're not related to the current chain, but may be related to HobbyTown of Boston, an HO scale model railroad supplier (that's no longer located in Boston!).

I think it's likely a Chevrolet chassis/cab with Cadillac front clip.

This is precisely the attitude that irks me. It comes across as patronizing and condescending. Electric vehicles are as "real" as IC vehicles! To me, a "real car guy" finds all types of vehicular propulsion of interest. To me, gasoline, steam, and electric power all have fascinating histories and technical aspects. Heck there was even a guy tinkering with a land speed record racer powered by rubber bands. More power to him for thinking out side of the box. People complain about the "silent" aspects of electric cars, when ICE cars can just be just too noisy at times. I'm sure neighbors LOVE it when cars loudly rev their engines when exiting car shows. :-P But to me, as it pertains to the car hobby, this doesn't have to be a "this OR that" type of thing. We can enjoy all kinds. Electric cars aren't replacing IC cars in the hobby. You can enjoy your sounds and sensations driving your IC car, while other folks can enjoy their sounds and sensations as well. Anyway, I did happen to see an unusual EV-conversion this afternoon ad a microcar event at the Lars Anderson Museum in Massachusetts. This is the owner's website with the car's history. It apparently was built in the '70s. https://www.maxmatic.com/vespa_400/index.html (Counterbalancing this EV was a Trabant sedan that had also attended the Microcar meet, belching acrid smoke from its tailpipe on its way down the street as I happened to be briefly behind it on my way home.) Further EV reading: Jaguar E Type EV: https://www.jaguar.com/about-jaguar/jaguar-classic/authentic-cars/e-type-zero.html Aston Martin EV conversion (and it's even reversible!): https://www.autoblog.com/2018/12/05/aston-martin-ev-conversions-electric-1970-db6-volante/ And, for fun... Mister Rogers briefly drove a prototype EV in one of his show's episodes: https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2019/03/29/lost-and-found-overflow-that-time-mr-rogers-visited-a-mystery-ev-builder/ (Note in the comments section,at the bottom, the builder is identified, and he seems like an interesting guy as well. Also, in another point in that episode, Mister Rogers picks up Trolley from its track and turns it over to show the TV viewer the electric motor and chain drive that runs it.)

While I try to track down the origin of the Wheel Ants illustration, here is an actual period "suggestion" from the pages of Popular Mechanics. Compiled in the volume Motorist's Handbook, ca.1948. Combine two bad tires to make one "good" one!

The 1:32 line of Matchbox kits is probably not as well known as other manufacturers' kits, but I recall they were pretty nicely done. IIRC the tooling went to Revell. This site has pictures of built-up examples. (Packard is on the second page): http://www.matchboxkits.org/index.php?cPath=86&osCsid=oopp424btq9deapgm7e59opp27

Any worse than home-built hot rods? Can't be easy to build a car from scratch.

Links for reference. Note there is more than one type of tow truck pictured here: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/northside-performance-towing-chicago https://www.merchantcircle.com/northside-performance-towing1-chicago-il

This page has been posted a few times of late I guess, but if you haven't seen it, it has scanned dimension drawings of various Ford pickup models, and links to diagrams showing the F350 chassis (1964 and 1966): http://www.fordification.info/tech/bodybuilder.htm

I said "sadly" because the Blog reports on a variety of topics relating to the hobby, and the complaining relating to stories that don't involve internal combustion power gets a little old. The small number of EV-converted classics described in the articles won't replace all classics. I like the variety of topics presented on the Hemmings Blog. There's more to life than muscle cars! :-)

The Hemmings Blog has been running articles on classic Jaguars and Aston Martins that are being built with modern RV drivetrains. Sadly the Hemmings Blog commenters tend to be mostly negative in those posts.