dodgefever

Sounds like the Hot Rod kit you're thinking of was the Revell '56. The '53 flip-nose is an old MPC tool, IIRC, but equally terrible. I've just got hold of a new Revell '57 Ford to help with my Ranchero. The plan is to take a mould off the top half of the body and cast a resin piece to restore the top.

The doors need to be lengthened by 6.5mm to 47.5mm at the longest point. The window height on the old unchopped Ranchero is 12mm, whereas the new tool sedan is closer to 13mm. The sedan has thinner window frames, and the doors are fractionally taller overall. This is a side panel from the unchopped version, compared with the new sedan.

I'm going to start on mine later.

This is what I've got to start with. I forgot I'd cut the driver's door out and cut a hole in the hood. The tailgate is missing as well, though I think I've seen that in one of my parts boxes. This will be a challenge.

Roll bars are sometimes called rollover bars in circuit racing circles, but I've never heard them referred to as anti-rollover bars. They've always been roll bars to me anyway. Sway bars however, are called anti-roll bars in the UK. Training wheels are known as "stabilisers" in the UK.

Ellipses is the plural.

US - hood, UK - bonnet US - top, UK - hood US - trunk, UK - boot Confused yet?

Count me in. I want to try to rescue it.

Oh yes. Another bugbear of mine is ellipses in place of proper punctuation... where did that come from... I mean... why use a full stop (period) when you can use all these dots... or worse,,, how about when people use commas as universal punctuation,,, man, that really winds me up,,, thanx

Can I join in with one of those too? Mine is worse still because it's also a glue bomb that I built in my teens. I tried to un-chop it, but I bit off more than I could chew at the time.

I keep seeing people talking about "styrene" in reference to model kits. Styrene is a volatile liquid; I'd be surprised if anyone really has large quantities of styrene in their house. The word you are looking for is polystyrene. Before anyone says "it's just an abbreviation" - no, that would be 'styrene.

Only two this year, but I have a couple more almost done.

The ZZ top coupe has a Pontiac engine, bastardised to pass for an SBC (incorrect valve covers). It's still a Pontiac block & heads with an early Ford trans, so with some Pontiac valve covers and a more old school intake, you're in business. Given the ZZ top coupe is a modified reissue of the old Monogram '34 coupe, I'd expect the engine to drop into the '32 without too much trouble.

The upper part of the front fender does appear a bit too tall, but it may be the oversized lip on the opening that's making it look bulky. I've done a sloppy job on trimming them (lowering it in the process), but see what you think.

According to the MSDS, Tamiya Extra Thin Cement is a mixture of butyl acetate and acetone. Never tried it myself, I buy MEK and methylene chloride in litre bottles.

I think you have it the wrong way around. Most seem to be built to fit the style without much thought for safety or basic engineering principles. If that's not putting looks before function, I don't know what is. I hope the rat rod thing dies a death before too long (on here as well as in real life).

interesting hypothesising, but there are indeed four different windshields, in descending order of height: station wagon, coupe/sedan, fastback and hardtop/convertible.

Really nice work, but I'm still waiting for a reissue with a hardtop. Even if it's another stupid California Wheels thing, I'd rather have a hard top because I'd replace the wheels anyway.

If you're talking about Photobucket, read their terms and conditions. When you upload your photos, you're granting them a license to reproduce and distribute your images in almost any way they see fit. I'm sure Photobucket isn't the only image hosting site where that applies.

No hard top: No Sale.

I've noticed a couple of people painting the bellhousing on the Olds engine a silver/grey bare metal finish. The bellhousing was integral with the block casting, so it should be engine colour. This is a slightly later 324, but the same basic casting.

Does anyone know whether these Firestones are from the Tiger Shark kit, some other kit, or aftermarket? I've been looking for some like that for a while.

Impressive.

Front tyres look good, but what's with the slicks now having 7.10-15 markings (as on the skinny Revell slicks) as well as 10.00-16?

No, in fact it's common practice to fill the water jackets with a solid material to add rigidity. Also, bear in mind that methanol engines run a lot cooler than gasoline.