bobss396

On my '32 they hung off the sides of the car. So I made "J" brackets. I'm doing a stock car with 3/16" tubing for exhaust, that will be pinned to the floor pan.

I had these big reddish spiders on my back porch. The body was as big as a penny. These would put up webs outside at night to catch whatever came along... then they took the webs down during the day... diabolical to say the least. Early one late summer morning, I was walking between some bushes and the pool. I got mixed up in the web... I had to dive into the pool to get it off me. A few hours later I had a welt on my forehead as big as a half dollar piece. Little bumps all over it and it itched. Off to the doctor, got an antibiotic and tetanus shot. It took a few months for the spot to fade. I got my Ford delivered from Denver in 2014. That had spider NESTS under it and I got bit on my hand in 3 places. Luckily it was not poisonous and while it swelled for a few days, no permanent damage.

I never watched the show, but 54 is way too young to die. I had a massive heart attack 7 years ago, I wasn't taking care of myself and ignored some of the signs. Since then I had a triple bypass and now take all sorts of pills. I am in better shape now that I was then. I had my annual echo-cardiogram done earlier this week. My heart doctor says I have no damage to my heart, but a funky valve he wants to watch. High BP runs in the family, it killed my mom at age 52 and she smoked. Mine at the heart doctor was 120/80. My recent blood work was good too.

I read that Dick Trickle had one in his cars too. He smoked when he drove.... I knew lots of short track locals that would light up during yellow flags. Here's one... there was a southern driver, Neil Castles that drove with a pistol in the car.

That looks like a great kit, nice work! What did you use for seat belts? This is something I struggle with.

Drill and pin works. I made up a set of brackets for a '32 Ford application out of .010" aluminum with success. About 1/8" wide and longer than what was needed. I bent a 180 degree bend on one end using a 1/8" piece of aluminum rod as a mandrel. Then cut them to length. I used CA glue to put it together. I used 2 per side. I have to dig the finished car out, I am unable to locate it right now.

Thanks, I will work on them. So far I give them peanuts in the shell and some big sunflower seeds. Of course stale bread and they like fortune cookies.

I use the Shelby or a 6-Gun kit, but have the spices. I have to give them a go. What I use for a double batch, in an 8 quart pot (using 2 of the above kits). An entire bulb of garlic, pressed so it dissolves well. The biggest yellow onion you can find or 2 smaller ones, chopped. 2 bell peppers, any color, chopped. 5 or 6 chopped japalenos or 3 to 4 serranos, chopped. Chopped stalks of celery, eyeball it. I use around 3 or 4. 3 to 4 lbs of cooked sausage, chorizo, ground beef, pork and or turkey. I cook it about 75% of the way. I used some canned chicken from BJs on my last batch, it was good. Dried oregano and basil, of course a bay leaf. 1 can of 28 oz crushed tomatoes (same for single of double batch). Sometimes I add a 15 oz can of diced for larger batches. 2 cups of some sort of broth, Better Than Bouillon is pretty good. So is bone broth. 1 or 2 packets of Goya Sazon seasoning. 1 can of any type of beer. I'll have to try a dark beer next. Some add a cup of strong black coffee. That is about it. I saute the chopped vegetables in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Then add everything else. I add cayenne pepper as I go, sometimes it comes out scorching hot. I get to the point where I have to give out samples as I cannot gauge how hot it is. Lastly, if you want to add beans, do it at about the last 20 minutes. This is where the flour packet goes in. I use Goya beans, white, pinto, black, red and pink. Usually I use 3 or 4 15 oz cans.

I had the new 3 this spring and they do grow fast. These are the most tame of the bunch. I can get within a few feet of them, have not tried to hand feed them so far. I'll put out nuts on the deck rail and they will come and get them. I was outside sorting out model parts a few weeks back, 2 were running past where I was sitting. I'm sure they knew I was there.

I have a set of the same ones, the #14 build is coming to the top of my bucket list of builds.

I just cleared a Richie Evans coupe with Krylon 1303 acrylic clear, over decals that came with the kit. I went with a light coat and there was a reaction with the stripe decals on the roof. I was able to polish out the worst of it and made up a sample scrap part (out of an old painted hood) last night using the same clear. I just shot some TS-13 over that about an hour ago. Hopefully it will work.

Sometimes parts will set up instantly with CA glues. Especially aluminum to aluminum structures. It may be the fine surface finishes. Pins in plastics are more forgiving. On the bench I have small pin vises with a .037" and .026" drill bits permanently installed, used mainly for pinning parts.

A couple more of the '59 Ford.

We are not getting younger. I had a major health scare in 2016, massive heart attack and emergency bypass. Today I am in better shape by far, I was at my heart doctor yesterday for an echo test and to go over blood work. Everything is good. One of our recent club newsletters there was a blurb about those we lost. Past Presidents, other officials too. We have an award that goes out at our contest. On it is many that have passed over the years. We are going to need a bigger trophy.

Last year I had 4 of them. One got creamed by a car out front, then one drowned in my pool. So I was down to 2. I had given them names. One was Shade since it could put the tail over its head when it rained. Another was Tippy Hedren since the tips of the ears were white. All of a sudden this year, I have 3, a little one showed up. Now I have 5, 3 younger ones. I put out peanuts and sunflower seeds for them and the birds. I have around 15 Bluejays, which were close to being wiped out years back with pesticides. Some days I have 10 Mourning Doves in the mix. This past winter I have had a new bird, a Tufted Titmouse. Never had one in 36 years here. Some of the squirrels are fairly tame, or used to me. I can get within a few feet of them and they don't run when I go outside to paint something. I had a damaged spot on my garage roof, a tree rubbed through the fascia and I had them in my garage... I fixed one side myself where the wood was bad, the rest was done when I had everything re-roofed in 2021 ($22,000 later...). I figured a little food keeps them busy enough. I know some come from the property next door, I see them come across the garage roof in the mornings. I put out stale bread, dry cat food that my cat refuses to eat. I back up to a causeway on one side, dense woods on another side. So I have it all, fox, raccoons, rabbits, possums even a turkey now and then. I have seen deer come up the causeway from Fire Island or likely a park. In spring and this time of year, the sun is just right and I have birds flying into the front windows. Mostly they are stunned and take off, some break their necks. I picked up a Cat Bird one time, knocked out. So I sat down and held him until he collected him or herself. I got to study it close up, amazing colors on the under side. Right on cue, one just bounced the dining room window... I collect Bluejay feathers when I find them. I also have a spot where an owl must have molted around Xmas. No blood or anything, just an array of cool feathers. I saved some of those too.

I watched this 1967 racing movie last night, Track of Thunder filmed at a Nashville speedway. Coo Coo's back yard. His '62 Chevy #711 was in it and Coo Coo did some of the driving. Some of the racing scenes were cool.

I use mainly .032" pins but use .020" brass now and then. I usually give them a score or so with an #11 blade, I will try the file trick.

Attention to detail shows on the contest tables. I see bad fits on otherwise well-built-ish models. I have learned the hard way to test fit it all... before paint. I'll have a model apart and together many times. I started to "pin" or otherwise positively locate the interior tub to the body, so it goes back together the same tome every time. I made a "nest" for the glass. I bond blocks inside the body where they will not be seen. Then I pin the body to the chassis. I have a Monte Carlo stock car (body not native to the chassis) and I epoxied in some machined aluminum brackets that were tapped for 0-80 allen head screws.

I try to avoid building on trays, too easy to flip over. I store supplies on old beer trays, I should put a "lazy Susan" base on one to see if I like it. I keep an assortment of files, sanding sticks and a few xacto knives out at any time. These get dirty fast, I have to wash the sanding sticks often to keep the dust down on my building area. Here's one thing I see at shows and contests. Models that look like they have been through a dust-storm. I have asked the builders if that was an older model... no sir, just completed. Dust embedded on EVERYTHING. Like they build next to a dryer vent.

Short answer, sand out the worst of it and then go with a polishing kit. I just did one (minor scratches) on a windshield. Much better, finished it off with a piece of flannel and tooth paste.

Me and my brother would build together on Monday evenings, he came over to my house. This is when I had a nice set up in the finished basement. I had a spot for him at my table with a light. I was thinking of inviting some club members to my house, but I would have to really clean the dining room up. My girlfriend had a comment last night... it is out of hand when we had to eat dinner in the living room off snack tables.

Some years back there was a guy making masks for NASCAR applications, a vinyl mask. The reviews were good. It could be a nice niche market for other applications.

I'll put Pearson ahead of Petty as the greatest driver since he often ran a partial schedule and racked up significant wins. He wasn't called The Silver Fox for nothing. A very calculating driver IMO.

Tamiya X22 clear is good for general headlight installation and dries... clear. I have to try the clear nail polish. I know some of them dry quickly.

Good idea, hold it in a pin vise and remove anything that doesn't look like a shifter. I make them all the time for stock cars, using a shirt pin as the shift knob and of course the pin only shortened and sleeved with shrink tube.