TECHMAN

oh wow.....really!!!!! Some clown brings in a "pos" like that, then complains because "it takes longer than he thinks it should" to do A N Y T H I N G to it....... If anyone had brought something "in that shape" into my shop' they would have been shown the exit. Fortunately, I always was blessed to have more business than I could handle, and to me, "up-sizing" only meant having to employ more people that did not always "share" my work standards/ethics. If the owner of that "vehicle" thought he was being over-charged, then my simple solution: "DO IT YOURSELF THERE BUB..... You know what YOUR time is worth, and I know what MY time is worth." You don't think that a "skilled laborer" is worth the money, think the situation over again the next time your can won't flush and is running all over the floor. DJ

Hey There..... I thought you'd gotten the traveling out of your system!!!! 😉 Good to see you've got something to keep you occupied. Look forward to seeing the progress. Will try to keep up. DJ

For some "modern cast" version of that "pie-crust" slick (in that same scale size), check with Modelhaus Tires. They are still in business. Their #135 tire has the whitewall on one side, blackwall other side, the #135A has whitewall on both sides, and #135B has blackwall on both sides. Priced reasonable, super quality, and good people to deal with. DJ

A couple of the old companies that come to mind, were Offenhauser and EELCO...... Remember seeing somewhat that style (that AMT copied) but to save my life, cannot recall..... have spent the past couple hours looking thru early 60's/late 50's Hot Rod magazines, to no avail..... For whatever reason, the old Blown Hydro Boats keep coming to mind...... May just be the wanderings of an old man's mind....😉 DJ

IF you google search the rocketfin.com (that you have brought up in another thread) then scroll down to the "Model Car Links", it will bring you to the page that Rocketfin has a very useful listing of suppliers (resin, 3-d printed, plastics, paints, etc.), in the first grouping you will find the link to MIKE'S DECALS. I went to it just before responding, and his website worked perfectly. DJ

A L L early Nova cars (whether coupe/sedan/or wagon), were the same wheelbase. Single wheelbase. 1968 up Nova cars shared the longer wheelbase. Single wheelbase. I would LOVE to hear the "experts" that were expounding on a "double-wheelbase-car", and find out where they were coming up with this information. And speaking of Novas, there was a spell-of-time when the Nova front-clip (as well as the Camaro front-clip) were super popular answers to "updating" the front suspension on various old cars/pickups/street-rods, (before the days of the Mustang II/ Fat-Boy front ends). Done properly, those cars still maintained a "squared-and-equal" wheelbase...... Some amateurs who BUTCHERED the installation, did, in fact, end up with two different wheelbases on the same car, and the car, the ability to "crab walk" down the road. This whole thread, brings to mind a couple-of-three older pickups that passed thru my hands (years ago) that had been "clipped", oh goodie........More projects!!!! 😉 DJ

GUYS The reason I'm asking about this, I need a GOOD 1/25 scale 69 Camaro kit to build a replica of a friend's car (we lost Dean in a wreck back in 1978). His car was a 1969 RS/SS 396, 4-spd Camaro. Was set up to race "brackets", and was raced primarily at I-20 Dragstrip in Tyler, Texas. Occasionally ran at Hallsville Dragstrip. Been a lot of years, and seeing that kit, guess it's finally time to honor him. Ran his license plates on my last racecar (OLE SS on the rear, and USA-1 front), they hang on the wall in the garage to this day. Don't mind spending some extra money for a really decent kit, just need the help to get the right one. THANKS DJ

Having watched the development of the funny-cars/match-racers, I think you did a great job of capturing the simplicity of the earliest versions. They were primarily "Monster-Motor"/lightest-weight combination that they could come up with, (good example being the first "flopper" body Mercury Cyclone). Great job!!!! DJ

I notice that AMT has a 69 COPO Camaro kit, Hot Wheels edition in their up & coming releases, my question is this, will this new kit have engine/transmission and the parts to build a complete car, or will it be one of those "curbside/snap type" skill level 0, kits? Anyone that might know???? DJ

Have noticed, in the wife's little Toyota RAV4 (6 speed auto trans), going down the Cumberland Parkway, in level spots, tach is about 2000 running 70, but there are few level areas, moment you head up one of the 2-mile long 6% grades, first convertor kicks out tach up to 2600 (approx.), then a ways farther, down-shifts and tach jumps up to about 3400..... Watching the "gas mileage readout", gas mileage drops proportionately to the tach climbing upwards...... Don't think that a dozen more gears is gonna do any great thing in these hills..... In defense of the "multi-gear" transmissions, having additional gears to work with, you are keeping in the powerband, and not "over-working" the smaller engine to climb the hills..... DJ

MIKE Will have a look, think that engine should have most of what you're looking for. Will see when I go out to the hobby room later today. DJ

MIKE May still have one that came in a Corvette kit, but unless you're building a very early Funny-car, sorta think the stuff it comes with would be pretty "outdated', also, am pretty sure it's coupled to a 4-speed trans..... Let me know, be glad to help if I can. DJ

Yep, but when we moved up here (from east Texas) in June 2021, gas was $1.49 a gallon, so I don't exactly consider "almost $3 a gallon" that much of a bargain...... By comparison to the $5 a gallon we were paying in the early 2000's, THEN it's a bargain....😉 Seems like that's the way they've slid all the price hikes past us, go up 100%, then drop 50%, and all of a sudden, "WOW, WE'RE GETTING A BARGAIN!!!! And our "45speed transmissions" will get us so much gas mileage, we'll probably have to drain the tank every other day!!!!!! 😄 DJ

Columbia, Kentucky (south central Kentucky) paid $2.64 gallon this morning.... DJ

And just HOW MANY gallons of gas could a person buy for the cost of one of those 10-speed trannys????????? DJ

Have experienced the same thing, the "non-toxic" stuff (for me) did not hold nearly as well....... Hope one of our more "chemically savvy" members knows, I've been curious for some time myself..... DJ

JERRY TS15 on the blue..... DJ

Good to know, learned something else "new" today, so the day isn't a waste!!!! THANKS DJ

Could be, in house, hobby room is 50yds away..... I never took that into account, JERRY better look to see if the patrol car is/isn;t metallic too. GOOD EYE 👍👍 DJ

JERRY Was looking thru my assortment of Tamiya rattle-cans, and as close as I can come to those colors (and it seems real close), look at the TS64 dark mica blue, and then the TS34 camel yellow for the other color. Would work for me......😊 DJ

After seeing this, I decided to "quiz" my local "tranny guru" who deals in GM transmissions exclusively, and a couple of the local "pros" who work for Ford dealerships. After talking to them about all the trans failures, I Don't believe there is a salesman alive, that could sell me a new "10 spd" truck, dang sure NOT for close to $100K!!!!! I gave away my (as the wife called it) pickup-collection when we moved here to Kentucky (did not need a batch of vehicles here). The '75 Ford F150 Supercab was the old "shop truck" for my racing engine shop, powered by a '76 Chevy L-82 350, and a beefed up Turbo 350. Put 287K on the truck, when the tranny had to be freshened, engine was pulled down, and was able to be freshened with rings/bearings and valve job. Put together in 1985, and WORKED up until 2020. Can't even begin to guess how many of those 287,000 miles were pulling an enclosed racecar trailer..... Tranny was built by a good friend back in Longview, known for quality work. With that said: If a person that "takes pride in what he turns out" can build a trans that lasts 35 years, being W O R K E D, then WHY can't a manufacture do the same????? As I see it: They don't want to, they want you to HAVE to replace it in 30-35K miles.... Sad state of affairs when companies that USED to take pride in trying to "out last" their competitors, now only want to "out sell" the others (by any means)...... Just my opinion..... DJ

That is one GREAT idea!!!!! I don't mind spending a few bucks for something usable, but most certainly wouldn't want to damage a quality tool using it for an "alternate purpose"..... But finding an old/worn out/damaged tool, and re-purposing it, count me in!!!! GREAT TIP!!!1 👍👍 DJ

Use a 12"x12" glass, had used for years in model room in Texas, when we moved here to central Kentucky 4+ years ago, built a 12'x12' "hobby room" in farthest corner of the garage. Went to a local "flea-market-mall", got a couple of used tables. The shorter one 2'x4' had a THICK formica (sp?) top in good shape, so decided to use it for the main building table. When I laid my chunk of glass down on it, found no "wobble"...... dig out a feeler gauge set, and only found one small area toward an edge that could get a .002" under the glass..... SO..... when building a frame (etc.), sometimes use my glass, sometimes not..... I got lucky (for $14) DJ

Learned something today: THANKS BILL for the lesson on Weber carbs. Now, I can tell the difference by looking at them. I had some that came in a model kit (that were said to be side-draft) but were actually down-draft...... Had some resin ones (side draft) that were cast by GARY DAVIS at the RESIN SHACK back 15-20 years ago (they were accurate), but was BILL that "set the record straight". Have built (over 60+ years) probably 1000+ Holleys/AFB's/Quadrajets/etc., but never became well versed (nor familiar with) the Weber carbs. Learned something new today, so the day wasn't a waste!!!! DJ

Superior job on the fabrication, looks "for-real" 👍👍 DJ