Ace-Garageguy

Yup, it's here.

Whoa.That's hot. First time I was out there I didn't realize how important it is to keep drinking water to stay hydrated if you're outside all day. I just thought it was so cool to not be clammy all the time. It's miserable here in the South at anything much above 80 F, with the humidity in the 60 to 100% range.

Ah ha...I stupidly assumed the spindles were the same on the other Lindberg Mopars, which I have, as the ones in the Petty car, which I don't. Sorry. I should know better than to assume anything at this point in life. Scratching some should be very easy, using telescoping tubing...the little tube sized to slot into the control arms. Then just drill in a stub-axle hole wherever you need it to get the ride height you're after.

I just checked out that specific kit. All you have to do is install the spindles upside down. The spindles are shown with the stub axles / backing plates at the TOP position, closer to the upper control arm (it's shown bottom-side up in the instructions). If you simply install the spindles with the stub-axle in the lower position (just turn them over), the stub axle will come DOWN relative to the frame, which RAISES the front of the vehicle.

Pretty spectacular. But I'm not understanding WHY the whole 3D thing is seen as the province of specialists and only younger people. A guy in my club who's 70+ has been building his own 3D printers and constantly refining them for years. He taught himself the techniques involved with going from a photograph, drawing, or even in one case, images captured from a video game, to code that's understood by printers. His 1/24 scale output now is on a par with injection-molded parts...period. It's HERE. And just like it takes the expenditure of time and effort to get to the point where you can do consistently good paint, all it takes to make 3D printing accessible to anyone now is effort.

Sorry, I'm not ever going to accept your definition of scale-models as "toys" even if Ebay lists them as such. Ebay is hardly the final arbiter for word usage...at least in my way of looking at things. There's a world of difference between "scale models" and "toys". Toys are made for children with little regard for scale accuracy, are expected to be played with, usually somewhat mindlessly, and often look very little like anything that could function in big-boy-land. I don't know about the rest of you, or care to drive MY definitions down your throats, but I build scale-models of real vehicles that I would build in reality if I had unlimited time and funds, or aircraft and other machines I find particularly interesting in reality...but could never reasonably aspire to own. For that reason, I expect manufacturers to get the dimensions of the "scale-models" they're selling pretty damm close to right, and not all wonky, warped and goofy...which would be perfectly acceptable for "toys". Sometimes it seems like I'm in the minority with that, at least on the model car forums. So be it. I kind of rail against the use of the word "toys" to describe real vehicles too. Anyone else can call them what they will. I've also never been able to understand the foot-dragging that goes with any kind of change. I personally see tuners as a logical extension of the original hot-rod movement, and I'm glad there are still younger people who see a real car as a canvas to explore their own engineering and visual creativity. The only thing that bothers ME is when builders of models OR real cars have zero regard for the actual function of what they're doing. Massive negative camber that destroys tires instantly and huge unsprung weight and stupidly high centers-of gravity as a result of donk wheels turn me off NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE DIFFERENT, but because they just don't work...like toys. 3D printing is already making significant inroads into availability of unusual subject matter. It's here, it's getting cheaper all the time, and easier too. And it ain't rocket science. But choo know...debating a lot of this stuff just seems like a total waste of time. And of course, I guess you can define ANYTHING that's done purely for enjoyment as "playing with toys" if you so desire. But to me the hobby of building "scale models" ...or full-scale cars... is fundamentally different from "playing with toys".

Why? It's really not all that hard to learn new skills, and it keeps your brain young and active.

Why? It's really not all that hard to learn new skills, and it keeps your brain young and active.

I like the black and silver treatment. I'm generally not a fan of two-tones on fat-fendered cars, but your silver insert panels pick up the chrome of the grille and the colors in the engine bay. The red interior is a nice splash of color highlight too. Looks like you did an outstanding job of detail-painting those wide-five wheels as well.

I don't believe common courtesy is PC, frankly. It's the other way around. PC has a lot to do with a misguided sense of entitlement. And PC has come about because people have forgotten how to be polite and courteous and considerate to each other...as individuals. Do YOU (and please...this is NOT directed at Steve specifically) think you're entitled to post photos of your own build on someone else's thread without being invited? Do you go into an art gallery and start scribbling all over the work to show everyone how YOU would have done it? I certainly don't. Not respecting someone's individual thread, and trying to make it about oneself, is just plain rude. When the OP ASKS for input as to how to do something, or opinion, or suggestions, or what went wrong, or how other folks have done it, etc. then putting up a shot (or an in-depth technical description of something that's misunderstood or questioned) is entirely acceptable, helpful and appropriate. But respect for individuals and the fact THEY MAY NOT WANT YOUR PHOTO on their thread isn't PC. It's called consideration. Cramming your own photo into some other individual's thread when it's not asked for is rude and inconsiderate. Before you post a photo of your own model on someone's thread, why not ASK if they would like it or mind? Solves the entire issue, like considerate adults. The OP has the option of saying yes or no.

Wow.

Loved it as a WIP, love it even more finished. Home run, sir.

Real nice indeed.

And if you can small find parts, the machines will still be cranking out laundry well after the computer-controlled plastic-guts carp machines they're making now are scrapped. They're built like tanks, from a time when every last bit of real quality and long-term reliability hadn't been cost-engineered out to make a couple more bucks. I had a 50-year old machine at the last house. Other than one plastic part that dried out and disintegrated (I was able to source an identical new part online), the machine made nice clean clothes for close to 20 years I had it. Somehow, it managed to do it with no video-game touch-screen control panel, no remote, no computer, no phone app, and no internet connection. Go figure.

At the risk of igniting a "cruelty" firestorm, I'd respectfully suggest the squirt-gun method to train your dog to simply stay away from your modeling area. Telling dogs what to do is pointless, as is screaming at them. Hitting really is cruel and unnecessary. You have to catch them in the act for ANY corrective measure to work, and I've had excellent results with a gentle squirt in the face with a water pistol. Several dogs over the years. It doesn't hurt them...at all...but the sudden surprise is usually enough of an unpleasant experience that they'll stop whatever the unwanted behavior is pretty quickly. Dogs come with varying degrees of smarts, just like people, and sometimes it's the smartest ones that are the most difficult to train. Sometimes it's the dumb ones. Either way, if you haven't already, look into the squirt method. A lot of people swear by it and say there are no secondary behavior problems (like becoming "hand shy" if you hit or clap), and that the dogs still love them. People will prattle on and on and on about "positive reinforcement" being more effective as a training method, but it's idiotic to think you can give your dog a treat for NOT chewing up your models and that he'll make any connection whatsoever.

Interesting. Much more direct than my search. Thought it looked like styling similar to a mid-1930s Bugatti Atlantic, took a wild swing and searched several European countries...as in "1935 Czech cars"...which is where it popped up.

Serious badass attitude, workmanship looks to be about perfect. Impressive all the way around.

Beautiful. I've always loved these Talbots, and the fenderless GP cars. I've heard of the Fernando Pinto kits, but haven't seen one built before on this site. Beautiful beautiful beautiful.

Probably excellent advice. Think I'll take it.

One thing that doesn't look all that promising, market-wise, is that the spectacular Accurate Miniatures Grand Sport Corvettes and McLarens apparently weren't all that successful. I've never understood that, as I bought multiples of both, and fairly recently bought ten more of the Corvettes as "incomplete" kits...real cheap...just missing the PE and decals.

I just noticed that on the 26th of May, a relative noob posted a shot of his own Willys build on the thread of a really spectacular '57 Chevy. It had absolutely NOTHING to do with the thread. Just a "look at me" thing. Maybe he's seen this thread by now and has realized it's not polite to do that. Maybe not. I wonder if that's what prompted THIS thread started on the 27th.

Yup. Strip it. Then, get a Coke or water bottle. Scrub it with Comet and hot water to get a nice 'tooth.' Primer it like you'd do a model. Prep / sand the same way you'd do primer on a model. PRACTICE painting the bottle until you learn how to shoot it slick and even. THEN go back and paint your model.

I wonder what the market really would be for a good styrene Cheetah. I know I'd buy multiples, 'cause I think it's one of the trickest little race cars ever built. There are many build options, as the things were road-raced AND drag raced...kinda like Cobras and Corvettes. Seems like a lot of people who buy styrene Cobras and older Vettes would be potentials, and certainly anyone who's into historic or vintage race cars.

His books were published in the early 1900s. Some good stuff that holds true pretty much forever.