ismaelg

Hi, I just had a hard drive failure on my computer. Fortunately, most of the data was backed up, especially the thousands of pictures. But there is data that haven't been backed up in a few weeks. So, while not exactly an overly critical emergency, I would like to explore the possibility of properly recovering the data on the hard drive. I'm a computer techie but this is beyond the DIY and office/home techs. When you google Data recovery services, there are so many options it is mind blowing. However, digging deeper you find most are scams or less than "reputable" outlets. Does anyone have any experience in this? Any recommendations? Thanks, _______ Read more at: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/14-general-talk/282528-any-recommendations-hard-drive-data-recovery-services.html#ixzz3LmfqJ9Zu

Thanks Gerry! Nice album. Thanks for sharing. That's Carlisle blue, a 2012 only color. That is one of the colors I'm considering for this build...... Thanks!

Hi Len, That looks great! Thanks!

Hello gang! I'm BAAAaaack!!! Well, after 6 years away from the workbench I'm trying to get back to it. Life has been hectic and "interesting" for me. The hobby had to be sacrificed for a while. I'm trying to get at least a few minutes a day on the workbench. Many stalled projects I didn't even remember starting I feel like a total newbie starting from zero. So I'll start with something quick and easy. A curbside snapper just for warming up.... Or so I thought.... In 2010, Chevrolet introduced a new model in the Corvette lineup: The Grand Sport. Offered in both coupe and convertible, it had wider body cues from the Z06, performance suspension, Z06 brakes, but most importantly, distinctive side vents in the front fenders. The Grand Sport was made from 2010-2013. There are no model kits of this car. So, the best way to get a model company release something is to scratchbuild it yourself To keep it "simple" (HA!) I will attempt to convert a curbside snap Z06 into a Grand Sport. First of all: Pics of the real cars. I haven't decided on a color yet. Pictures from the internet (ebay motors) http://images58.fotki.com/v448/photos/4/1233394/13429187/adersCam3LT1G1YW2DW5B510801211-vi.jpg http://images108.fotki.com/v360/photos/4/1233394/13429187/_57-vi.jpg As I said, to keep it simple, I'll just rework a curbside snap Z06. An all out conversion can be done using the Z06 and base coupe models but that would take a lot of time. http://images45.fotki.com/v1431/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6630-vi.jpg started hacking...... I'm officially back!!! http://images20.fotki.com/v682/photos/4/1233394/13429187/DSCF0374-vi.jpg http://images53.fotki.com/v716/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6662-vi.jpg http://images60.fotki.com/v367/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6663-vi.jpg http://images20.fotki.com/v1534/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6666-vi.jpg Getting there, but still some fine tuning needed. The side vents have been a challenge. I needed a material that would bend but hold the shape. I tried brass, but the piece I had was too thick. Then I tried styrene but it kept breaking at the bends. Then I tried aluminum from a soda can and it was better, but couldn't get the bend as sharp as I wanted. So I tried clear thermoformed plastic and it worked better than the previous attempts. I still think thin brass sheet should be the best option but I don't want to wait. http://images53.fotki.com/v107/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6669-vi.jpg Getting the vents identical in shape and size but mirror image left and right was also a challenge. And this is where we are as of now.... http://images53.fotki.com/v107/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6674-vi.jpg http://images20.fotki.com/v233/photos/4/1233394/13429187/IMGP6675-vi.jpg Both sides look similar but still a lot of tweaking is needed. I need to decide whether permanetly attach before painting (prototypically correct) or work them as separate units (easier to work with). I hope you like this. I'll keep you posted on the (slow) progress. Glad to be back! Thanks!

I haven't been to Chicago in over 6 years, but Ron's Mundelein was a sacred stop whenever I traveled there. Venture hobbies was another great place. Thanks,

Hello, Getting back to the workbench has re-ignited my wheel fetish It's been a long time so I am trying to get up to speed on aftermarket wheels/tires. I found some great looking wheels on ebay form a company called Hobby Design. Never heard of them before. Any experience with them? Any US retailer? What tires to use? I'm always looking for high performance or racing wheels/tires combos. Not rubber band style tires. Any comments? Thanks,

Hello gang! Looking forward to this kit and getting back to the workbench! My only "concern" if you will is that if the plastic is prepainted, especially red, you need to be careful to avoid bleeding. That is the red plastic showing thru primer and color coat. This kit looks good. It reminds me of the C6R kit: A simple non-intimidating kit for everyone, but at the same time a good foundation for letting loose and running wild.... Thanks!

Hello, Well over 10 or 15 years ago, I got this beaten up Hot Wheels Shelby Cobra with a broken windshield. It was pretty banged up. I took it apart and stripped the paint, and then it sat in a box for over a decade. I recently found it along with the wheels I planned to use back then. So after over a decade of neglect, I took it out and did a rather quick job on it just for fun. Nothing fancy. No modifications except for the scratchbuilt windshield and replacement wheels. I wanted to do blue with white stripes but it would look similar to the Jet Threat I just did. So I went with black. Just a fun little project... Thanks!

Hi Jeff!! Very nice. The opening doors look awesome!!! Thanks!

Thanks! Forgot to mention, I couldn't help it and added seatbelts and a racing style steering wheel. Remember this is 1/64...... Thanks,

Hi, I know this is not a plastic scale model. But at least is a scale car. For the first time in 6 years there has been activity in my workbench. About a year ago I started playing with this old Hot Wheels (1/64): (More details here: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=94052 ) And it ended up like this: I added seat belts and a racing steering wheel Just for fun I made a parachute for it........ Done with Cobra Colors paints that were sitting for over 8 years but after vigorous shaking, came back to life. Cobra Colors Corvette Admiral blue and Corvette Arctic White Tamiya tape played an important part here as well. Still pending, believe it or not, a final polishing and buffing. I'm warming up!!!!! What do you think? Thanks,

It is FINISHED! First workbench activity in 6 years!!! WOOHOO!!! Presenting the Jet Threat II Grand Sport Couldn't help it and scratchbuilt a card stock parachute for it.... What do you think?

Hello Mark, Hope you remember me I can't believe I've been out of the hobby for about 6 years. But I just found this topic and couldn't help but to sit down and read each and every post from start to finish, 45+ pages. Impressive work as usual. Really refreshing. I brought back great memories about how much fun and rewarding scratchbuilding is. I just hope I can find the time to get back to it. At the same time you are both inspiring and raising the bar.... Looking forward to more updates and eventually see it finished.... Best Regards!

A base coat of Corvette Arctic white lacquer was applied. After dry, careful masking was done with Tamiya tape and Corvette Admiral blue lacquer was airbrushed. Yes my friends, this will be GRAND SPORT JET THREAT II The raw metal engine and chassis were polished and polished and polished...... and polished...... and I continue to polish them....... Red hash marks and ultra thin white stripes will be attempted with decals. That is next..... Thanks!

Thanks! No pics today but the body received a coat of Corvette Arctic White. This is the base for the........ secret scheme I'll tell you later on.....

Thanks! I just opened a thread in the diecast section about this warm-up experiment...

Hello, It's been about 6 years and counting since I last worked on a model car. I'm not back yet, but in the meantime, I started fooling around with this about a year ago. But first some history behind it: As many others, I grew up playing with Hot Wheels. I'm not ashamed to admit that to this day, I still buy them as I have been for almost 40 years Back in December 1979, while in fourth grade, we had a Christmas secret friend gift exchange at school: The teacher had our names in a bag and you pulled one. You had to buy a gift for that person but it was a surprise until the last day. I think there was a budget cap of $3 or so.... Anyway, I received 2 Hot Wheels that for some reason became my all time favorites to this day: a Tricar X8 and a Jet Threat II. I played with them a lot. After wearing them down, they were painted (more than once) with brushed nail polish among other abusive things. I still have them both and they are part of my history! When eBay came along in the late 90's, it became a source of older Hot Wheels. Long story made short I now have dozens of Jet Threats and Tricars among many others. Last year I found this little puppy on eBay. It was almost left for dead so I had to rescue it. It has seen better days so I thought, why not taking it apart and rebuild it? Took it apart and seems it did a lot of off road in the past. The raw metal turbine and chassis were a bit pitted. The body was stripped. The chassis and the turbine are in the process of polishing. They are not getting back to mint condition, but I'll try to get them as good as I can. The body was sanded smooth and primer was applied. Then sanded again and applied more primer and re-sanded until the body was as smooth as it could. Keep in mind this is 1/64..... Took a year between disassembly and primer..... Stay tuned as a color scheme has been planned and is in the process. will post more as it progresses..... Thanks!

Hello gang! Just a quick note to say hi! Many of you may not remember me. I'm Ismael "the Corvette guy" Gonzalez and I used to be very active in the hobby and this forum. I can't believe it, but it's been 5 years since I worked on a model, almost 6 years since I last worked on a model car.... Life has been really busy and it seems will continue so. So no, I'm not back in the hobby yet... However, a year ago I took apart a very worn Hot Wheels car and last week (almost a year to the day) I sprayed primer on it. I know that doesn't count much but who knows? I may paint it in the next 3 years! Just wanted to say hi to everybody! Best Regards!

Just to be clear, do not confuse a turbocharged engine with a turbine engine. Those are two completely different things. A turbine engine is a gas turbine that drives the shaft i.e. a helicopter or an air compressor (jet) A turbocharger feeds compressed air to a regular reciprocating engine. Automotive turbocharging has been around for decades, while turbine engines have never been more than experiments. The only "production" turbine engine powered land vehicle that I know of is the Y2K motorcycle, powered by a Rolls Royce helicopter turbine. Thanks,

Hi, IIRC, Granatelli's car was a '79 Corvette. It was done over a decade after the Indy race car so it was not really a test car, but an "oddity" of a custom car. I've never seen the kit in my hands, but I've seen pictures of the box. It seems to be a very crude representation of a turbine engine. Just a cylinder with a square vent on top. If you do a search on eBay for Testors corvette it may pop one or two. The kit itself is... well, nothing to write home about. It was related to Lindberg and USAirfix. Thanks!

Thanks everybody! Kris, I just ordered 2.... Thanks,

Hi, Thinking on an upcoming project, I need a Turbo 400 Chevy transmission. Any resin caster out there doing a nice one? Or what kit can it be sourced from? Thanks,

Thanks gang! I'm getting a ZR1 kit to get things rolling.....

Hello! I know, I'm 2 years behind.... While I was away, Revell released the ZR1. ( I had started converting a Z06 before, the best way to ensure a kit release ) Of course I HAVE to get it. The forum's search feature has not been helpful. How's the kit? How are the tires? Tires are undersized in the Z06 and I wonder how they are in the ZR1. If not up to specs, any suggestions? Also, which SMS carbon fiber decals to get? Geez, I have a lot to catch up! Thanks,

Hello everybody! Wow time flies! Many new faces here! For those who don't know me (or don't remember) I'm Ismael "the Corvette guy" I can't believe it's been almost 3 years! I used to be very active in this forum and the hobby in general. For whatever reasons, I faded away from the hobby. I thought it was just a slump but it's been almost 3 years. For a moment I even thought of getting rid of all my stuff. I can't really say I'm back, but I'm warming up. Now I feel like a complete newbee. I don't even remember what I have or how to do what! I hope it will come back. So forgive me if I start pulling very old progress threads of old projects. Hope to be back soon! Regards,