Darin Bastedo

Here's some examples of my scratch-built pieces. In many cases they are parts that on the finished model will go un-noticed, but IMHO will work together to make the whole car look more real. The frame brackets on my 427 Cobra... Cobra Dash with separate gauge bezels... Correct Battery for 427 Cobra... Aluminium hood and doors, along with wheels done from a scratch built master. Scratch-built Ferrari V-12 engine block for Hasegawa Ferrari F-189

Considering the size of the national debt, technically nobody here paid any taxes that went to the bailout. All our taxes are probably going toward the Vietnam war and prosecuting Watergate. someday our great great grand kid's taxes will go to the bailout.

Yeah chevy, It's all fun and games until your service dept. manager gets killed and eaten by zombies!

This was just an attempt by a Washington has-been to get in front of the press again.

You and I are usually eye to eye on things but in this case I have to say you are reading way too much into this. While politics may be an all consuming thing for some people these days, it is not all that is happening in this country. Knowing many people within the auto industry, I see the halftime reference very differently. Let's start with the "bailout" The us government did not bailout the car industry. the funds loaned to GM and Chrysler, while big numbers to us, was a drop in the bucket compared to what was needed. rather than a "Bailout", the government simply supplied the buckets. the heavy lifting and bailing out was done by the union workers, and the corporate leadership that remained after the companies slashed to the bone. Major amounts of private investments and in the case of Fiat and chrysler large influx of corporate investments, allowed the car companies to invest in new product, and revamp the way they did business. The changes are helping, but the American auto industry isn't out of the woods yet. As far as the Halftime reference goes, it is very relevant to Chrysler's situation as well as GM's. It is halftime for them. They may be ahead in the first half but it's still their game to win or lose, and what happens in the next 4-6 years is crucial to them. If they aren't nearly perfect in every major product during the next product cycle, the results could be disastrous. on a political note, I can hardly see a business case for them promoting Obama at all. After all it was his administration who forced them to make some very tough cut to get the Government loans in the first place. It's not like the GOP wouldn't have given the loans too. The over 100,000 jobs at stake guaranteed the loan package would go through regardless of the brand of politician at the helm. Not everything today is a political statement.

What are ya trading? is it something good?

Well actually, your answer should be "it depends on who is complaining about the moderators" according to them you are either here too much or not enough.

If I really want something bad enough, I'll go out and buy something to trade with you.

I've noticed that it's harder to get a decent greeting card for your wife these days. They all seem to start out with; " I know I don't say I love often" "even though I don't show it, I (love you, appreciate you or fill in the blank)" or worse. I tell my wife at least 20 times a day how much I love her, and I show it daily with my actions. I have since the first day we've been together, and I'll do it until one of us draws our last breath. Just once I want to find a card, that says " I know that I tell you everyday how much you mean to me, I wanted to give you this card, so it will say it when I'm not there." or something to that effect. But all the bums out there who treat their wives like "the old ball & chain" make it tough for us real men to find a greeting card.

As you can see by my post count, I'm a regular contributor here, but I've been on more often lately due to my wife's illness. There is a lot odf down time while she sleeps, but I have a computer near her bed. I set it up so I could play netflix or Pandora for her, to keep her entertaind. So often I will pop on to see what is going on. I don't always post, but I check the forum several times a day.

I doubt it considering dirty harry voted for McCain last time out. But if that is how you interpreted it, then it must be the way you are leaning.

Nowhere does the EPA claim that their testing replicated the driving style of the typical driver in there testing. What they have done is set a standard of testing that is administered the same way every time. The results come with the disclaimer "for comparison only. your results may vary" There is no way they could create a test that would work for every driver in every region of the country. things like elevation, temperature, and road conditions can all affect MPG. But if the EPA sticker says you will get better mileage in a honda civic than a chevy cavalier, the most likely the same person in the same place driving the same way will get better MPG in the civic. That is all that those numbers mean

and some more...

Here's some more... this one I should have dusted...

I have a massive collection of hot wheels, matchbox and other 1/64ish diecasts as well as 1/43 kits and built-ups. My first love is vintage Matchbox cars. These are the ones I'm the pickiest about, as I only collect either mint or near mint examples. I pick them up every so often when I find a nice one.

The reality of scratch-building is, that the fabrication of the part, is not the toughest step to conquer. Given the correct tools materials and dimensions I believe any of us can learn how to make the parts we need. The thing I had to learn before that could happen for me I had to learn how to design the parts I need. To know what tool will work best, what materials to use, and how to translate the original 1;1 part into a scale part that is accurate and at the same time easily made. Design is the skill you need to learn first.

another thing to take into account is that the actual production of model kits is farmed out to facilties that make other injection molded items. The volume on a model car kit is much lower than an order for about 4 billion sporks for the fast food industry, thus less profitable. Therefore the factory has to make up for it with set-up fees and a higher per-unit cost.

My Hyundai is rated at 29mpg city, 40mpg Highway, and mpg combined, and I have regularly gotten 45-48 mpg highway, and 34-36 mpg around town, so some cars actually get better than advertised

A model club is only as good or bad as it's members, So it's up to you and the other guys to make sure it's a good one.

I used heavy bristol paper, Drafting pens and colored pencil.

Thanks guys!

Anybody know the scale of the star wars speeder kit?

There were seven astronauts on challenger. who were the other three?

I have a mint set you can have. PM me your address and I'll send them to you