Eshaver

Well, for all you adoring fans out there in Plasticville west of Styereene Junction , I gotta tell ya it was an abyss!I mean were talking about a Luxury van that was purchaced in 1997 by my father who wanted something new to replace what I thougjht was a prefectly good van, an 89 Chevrolet Astro Van . Now mechanicly, there wasn't a whole lot wrong with the Chevrolet. I had a few quirks about it, some thing were falling apart on it such as the cruise control. Still George, It was as sound as a rock! My Dad was getting parinoid of an impending snow storm that would'nt happen here for another hundred years. Look Central Virginia just dosen't get a lot of snow . Yep, we get ice though! You cant drive on Ice anyway, ask anyone who lives in Dallas , they will explain it to you in detail! I think the old man simply wanted a new toy. Only problem is , new toys bring new Taxes and of course Payments ! O K he made the payments and of course, the county of Henrico collected the higher taxes. Well, his heart took him suddenly, he passed away six years ago. From the time I inherited the van, things started falling apart. First there was an issue with the brakes. Wound up buying replacement parts from the dealer as the local N A P A didn't have the nessesary pieces. Then the Defroster went and caught on fire, scaring my wife half to death , she had our two ywar old son in the car then . Had to go to the dealer to get that straightened out because I couldn't figgure out how to get the blower out from behind the glove box! Oh and did I tell you that when it rained you got a cold dose of water when you applied the brakes on the passenger side too? That spring , the sensor went on the radiator. Ahh, it wasn't only the sensor though, it required some wiring to be replaced as well!, back almost to the Dealer again. Couple of weeks later, the Cable system that runs the glass up and down in the drivers door went and broke the glass. You guessed it , the Dealer again . This time a used glass was 75.00 and the cable was 198.00 , yes children ! Oh and that didn't nclude the fact that I wound up hiring a glass expert to do the job on the side for 75.00 . Now here I am an experenced body and fender repair person with nearly thirty years in the business.!!!!! This is really getting to me even though Im having to relive these memories too. Iguess thats when the burgler alarm started to go ntermittently too. The van only had maybe 80,000 on the odometer, and I was being told every story under the sun . Im replacing sensors left and right and its still acting up at odd time too. By the way, theres NO help in an aftermarket service manual, so dont waste youre money such as I did on buying two manuals only to find the information on trouble shooting isn't going to be there . The Dealer, gotta love these guys told me a Chrysler Service manual from them would run about a hundred dollars too. Yeah, I almost bouught one too. Meanwhile, my friendly Snap -On Man tells me to get an O B D computer, only 40.00 a week for many weeks too! oh yes, the chip to diagnose the Chrysler is specific to the year and its extra too! As it stand to day here in Richmond Va. I sold the van hours ago for 300.00. Im going to invest that money into a 78 Ford Van with no A=c, Noo Power locks , no Power nuthin. It does have a six which has maybe 4,000 on it a new radiatior and a Dennis Hamlin built Power stering bracket. Dennis is Denny Hamlin's dad, the things gonna run atleast a hundred on the road now ! So stay tuned kids Ill give ya'all progress reports about a "Real Van , uh it was built right BEFORE Elvis Died too. Ed Shaver

Art, Tighttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt !!!!!!!!! Ed Shaver

Harry, where the heck wer you when the folks on Galveston Island were stuck on Interstate 45 trying to just get past Texas city and the wind was a whippin and the rain a commin and an an ana ana ana na anman a amnan Ed Shaver Former resident of Houston(1974-81)

Hey folks, saw a movie trairel on C N N Headline news last night where it showed some footage on the story of the guy who developed the intermittent wiper option Ford Supposedly ripped off. Im really interested in seeing this movie. Has any one seen the previews or the movie trailers ? it said that it would be in theaters October 3rd. Ed Shaver

Billy, I think you're dealing with a 1924-25 model. heres why I think its that too. First, the 26-7 models all had a gasoline tank door located on the cowl . The cowl was a little longer to accomodate the gas tank being moved from the area under the seat to the under cowl area. Now ole Henery still relied on a Gravity feed to the carburator as he didn't wanrt to pay a royalty fee to Bendix for their fuel pump. This is why the Model A retained the fuel system it had . As for the grille, looks like a cut down 1925 model , the bed , wellits obviously a cut down bed from any year truck that was laying around. Ed Shaver

Kevin, will you serve Tea and Krumpets with that ? Ed Shaver

I don't think Harley Earl has anything on you. Continue onward sir! Ed Shaver

IM different, I like different! Very nice Ed . Ed Shaver

Hey Bill, theres a guy that lived in Dallas Texas years ago that had a 48 that looked identical to the one you modeled. I wish I still was in contact with members of the Early V-8 club, they would appalud your'e work! Ed Shaver

Jeff, I think you did an outstanding job on the first one. The second one looks great, but who am I look Ive got someone telling me I dont know a damm thing so my opinion aint worth a nickel any way. Ed shaver

Hey, since all you older moddelers are commenting on this uh, I remember a Xk-120 back in the early 1960's that had an electric motor, who did it and what scal was it. Meanwhile Im in awe of ya'lls work man ship on youre Jaguars , I like them all! Ed Shaver

WOW................................................................ sum buildin thar........................................

James, Ive never had a problem on metals. You have to watch some of the Revell plastics from the past couple of years as Brake fluid will make the plastic VERY brittle. In fact Jimmy Flintstones Resin is a Watch out item too. I mad e the mistake of painting under BAD conditions and one of his bodies was in the way. Oh I repaired the damage of course, in fact its not even noticeable now. Uh , as for the Brake fluid, use the really cheap fluid . Ive found the NAME BRAND stuff isn't as effective . Hey hows the new address working? Ed Shaver

Kimbberly, you're good, yep you would be right up there on the contest table dear. I don't care at all for the ' Bling " wheels ,but outside of that , youre damm good. Now go build some more so we can look at models instead of argue politics! Ed Shaver

Dave, Who offers the Wagon? Is it in 125th or 124th? I know Hubley did a 61 years ago in 124th. Ed Shaver

Fender, all we can do is hope! uh , go see what Model Car world offers that you like. I spoke to the owner in Winston salem NC last month and I was certainly suprised as to what he had. I saw a beautiful Tempest Wagon that can be purshaced as a kit. I was impressed with the way he treated the visitors to the booth as well. See, I was in business for years as a Manufacturer of Van accessories in Houston. As to us seeing any thing much from the NEW A M T. weeeellllll, I dunno, ill reserve comment fotr the time being. Ed Shaver

First, I dont think Galaxy L T D will EVER DO ANY THING MORE! The person behind the money is WAY too complacent and seems like hes fine with the way things are running now. I think the fact that he did the Chevrolets was a result of wanting to have amodel of the same. Hey just look at A M T for example . There was an emplyee that had a 1-1 41 Plymouth, he convinced accounting that there was a market for a model, got one. Ive said this before, DON'T HOLD YER BREATH AS TO EVER SEEING AN OLDS! Hel, Im still waiting fo A M T to make good on their "Stillborn " 50 Studebaker and their Nearly Finished 49 Olds, wadda Mean a 57... look the mind set is all screwed up within these model companies and I wouldnt bet the farm on a thing at this point. Ed shaver

First, you deserve an award! secondly, you deserve an award! Thirdly , you certainly do see what a beautiful Roadster Pick up could have been accomplished with what you created, thanks for sharing it with us too! Ed Shaver

Answer to George 53, yes they were 1-32, that still wont stop the too department from doing a hatchet job on those old tools though. Personally, realisticly for that matter I dare saty thjat you willever see a 57 Olds from anybody much less a 70 Ford Ranchero, sorry! Yeah , we will see a dang Camaro probably! I dunno, im going back and build some more gasoline pumps!!!! Ed Shaver

Humm...................... inquiring former taxi drivers want to know if this is a plot to restore old and outdated Revell 1950's tooling. Ed Shaver

Thers a fellow here in Richmond that owned a 1-1 Chevrolet truck like the one you're modeling. Ken used to sell used G. M parts. He is into Ham Radio too. ill see him tooling along U> S 1 or Jefferson Davis Highway from time to time. Ill tell him to visit this site and look at you're work, he would like it! Ed shaver

Pretty much, if you take maybe an eith of an inch off the back where the rear end seats over the frame. You will then cut a like amount of material from the firewall area. Then take an eighth of an inch out of you're interior bucket as well. This will give you a minimal channel. Now, if you want more channel you will have to " Z" the rear of the frame rails and be more drastic in yoiu're cuts at the rear wells. . You will also have to section a little more at the firewall to accomodate an EVEN appearewnce. Hope this helps ya. Ed shaver

Illl be interested in seeing this one too as you really didn't see these trucks too often in their day. Even rarer would be a Dodge of the same era too. I would use a Detroit. I really dont think fleet users would use the gaS JOBS TOO MUCH EVEN WITH SOME .29 CENT GASOLINE! dIESEL RAN ABOUT 14 TO 18 CENTS THEN Ed Shaver

Tanks for the Studebakers!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Uh anybody heard as to weither Masito is still planing to release the Dodge Diplomat Sedan? Ed Shaver

As A former resident of the great city of Houston, my heart goes out to the victims there. I lived and of course I owned Art-Forms Design on North Freeway there We made custom Van accessories in the Day and I lived through two tyornadoes while I wa sthere I know what its like to have everything destroyed via Huricane as I survived Agness here in Richmond Virginia in 1972. Everything I owned in cludind a letter from Bud Anderson to me asking my opinion as to what A M T should do for models was destroyed there! It all went down the Jame River. Yes, I know all about hurricanes, get otta Dodge while ya can and Pray to the god of youre choice! Ed shaver