Ace-Garageguy

"More" isn't always better.

Yeah, no compression, she just goes ring-ring-ring-ring-ring really fast. Unmistakably obvious to an actual mechanic...

Yeah...well...after thinking about it...it depends entirely on how badly the last guy effed everything up. Coming along behind somebody else's "custom work" can be one of the most dammnably frustrating experiences you can ever have, and it's far more difficult than starting with an unmolested machine. If it was me, since the thing was designed to be body-on-frame (bolted with rubber mounts), I'd leave it that way, assuming all the OEM floors and mounts and internal structure is still there...or available. There's no reason someone couldn't re-engineer everything to make a fully-welded structure, with the body shell adding considerable structural rigidity to the whole mess, making it easier to refine the ride and handling to more contemporary standards. HOWEVER...that's not an entry-level kind of project, being roughly equivalent to putting a '65 Mustang body shell on a late-model unibody Mustang platform. Possible and really cool if done right, but nothing but pitfalls for anyone who's not a top-tier engineer/fabricator. Good luck.

Typical clueless don't-have-any-idea-how-an-IC-engine-works "technicians" today...

My position has always been that people who are willing to see ads plastered all over everything can still access the site for free. It's only those of us who want an ad-free experience who would voluntarily pony up bucks to offset the lost revenue from running ad-blockers. But like I said...people cheat.

It amazes me that some of the guys that work at one shop where I subcontract seem to be able to make a living by walking around all day, talking, and hootin' hollerin'...but I have to turn in detailed timesheets that can run several pages, with photos to back 'em up (sometimes around 100 or more photos per billing cycle) to get paid a dime.

I gained 10 to 12 sitting on my backside for six weeks after I broke my ribs, and it came back off pretty quick. But lately I've developed a bad habit of losing a few pounds and then getting a bag of chips and some dip, or a package of cookies and a quart of milk, or a pint of ice cream, or a pizza...and it all comes back real quick. I didn't really believe the popular refrain that metabolism slows with ageing, but it sure seems that I used to burn calories a whole lot faster with no more effort than I'm putting out now. Used to be I could eat "right" all week and then chow down on weekends, and the weight would still come off...but not any more. I need to see a steady decline, even if it's only a pound a week, to stay motivated to keep with the program. So I need scales that don't read + or - 10 pounds.

Career and relationship choices I made were not always well thought out, and I'm paying the price too late in life to do much about it.

I'm sure that's great for you, but it's not my approach.

Think about it. If I'd said "no red plastic kits bleed" but "some do" it would be contradictory. Remember that part of the argument out there is that "all red plastic kits bleed"...but the truth is that ALL do NOT bleed...only SOME. My sentence construction possibly isn't the best to convey that idea, but it's still grammatically and logically correct. EDIT: It would admittedly be more clear had I relocated the word "not" to the beginning of the phrase, making it "not all red plastic kits bleed..." So sue me.

While not always accurate, the "skill level" ratings printed on kit boxes these days can be a good indicator of the relative complexity of a kit and how challenging it is. Parts count is another good indicator. The Revell '49 Mercury referenced above is marked "skill level 3", but the much older (though still very good) AMT '49 Mercury is widely considered to be a skill level 2...though AFAIK the kit doesn't carry skill level markings. The vintage Johan Turbine CAR you built, on the other hand, would be at least a level 5 by today's standards. EDIT: Don't be put off by low "skill level" numbers though. Even the most basic snap kits can produce outstanding models with patience and extra effort. And if you just enjoy putting things together and don't have the desire to get into the crazy stuff some of us go for, the basic kits still make very attractive models that anyone could be proud of.

That's fine, but it doesn't work for me. I'm actively trying to build muscle and lose lard, and I need to see daily results. Muscle weighs more than fat, so my weight can stay about the same during the process, but I'm not as responsible about working out OR eating right as I want to be, and daily weighing helps to keep me honest. I have a bad habit of losing a few pounds and then getting a bag of chips and some dip, or a package of cookies and a quart of milk, or a pint of ice cream...and it all comes back real quick. I need an accurate scale that shows me if I've gained or lost even half a pound...

Red bleed-through has been discussed ad nauseum for years. There are opposing "opinions", some insisting it's real, some saying it's not. SO...I did my own tests. ALL red plastics DON'T bleed color, but SOME DO. Shooting silver over the primer is the best way I've found to block it under light colors so far, without excessive film build. It's really not an issue under reds or dark colors.

I'm getting more serious about managing my weight, and my old spring-job bathroom scale was becoming erratic, never giving the same weight twice, even 30 seconds apart. So I bought a brandy-new whooptee Chinee ( what else?) digital-readout scale. It's even worse. Made sure the floor was entirely level and solid where I put it, and that it wasn't rocking even the slightest bit. Even tried it in different parts of the house. As much as ten pounds difference in displayed weight, 30 seconds apart. On the way out the door to return it. Man, I am SO sick of garbage consumer products. EDIT: No wonder there are so many people out there saying "I've tried everything and I can't lose weight". Yeah, well, if your scale isn't accurate...

I was given a copy of this recently, by someone who remembered my love of classic and particularly wooden boats...