Ace-Garageguy

Ummm...tell me where I said I advocated all cars being the same except for color? Again, that's NOT what I suggested at all. A PLATFORM is the underguts of a car. Consumers don't give a rat's buttocks about what's under a car, or know what any of the greasy bits do anyway. Most of 'em can't even open the hood, and wouldn't want to. They're far more mechanically ignorant than they were in the past, so why not give them maybe 10 or 15 rationalized platforms to suit all the possible vehicle types, and let additional diversity remain in body styling, interior choices, and options...which are the things consumers care about and consider to make their purchasing decisions. THAT'S what I suggested above...not every car being identical except for color.

Who the jell said anything about "government owned"? That's a pretty far conclusion jump that I didn't even imply. And how the jell do you make the jump to "old cars being crushed"? Huh? All the auto parts stores, selling their cheap Chinese knockoff parts that aren't built to OEM specs (by a long shot...I deal with their GARBAGE every day), don't fit and only last a few months could keep on selling their carp to maintain the fleet of vehicles in operation now. Rationalizing production of NEW vehicles could conceivably lower the costs of manufacturing IN THE US, and help provide jobs that would reinforce the dwindling middle class...the middle class that used to be this country's bedrock, and that's being eroded more and more every time production / manufacturing is moved out of the country to 'save a buck'.

Here ya go. Only $25,000 and you too can have something that looks like it was designed by a 5-year old. http://www.autoblog.com/2015/11/12/defiant-ev3-three-wheel-translogic-188/

I would think superglue would work very well, though I haven't tried it. What I DO know is that, in many cases, lacquer putty isn't tough enough to resist flaking when it's scribed into. That's why I had to resort to bondo and epoxy on a couple of my own projects...to give a tough enough surface that also adhered well to the base plastic.

Don't forget the iPod dock and the Wi-Fi, and computerized mirror adjusters and butt warmers.

Obviously (or maybe not) one of the great attractions of a three-wheeled vehicle to a small or startup company is that, if it IS defined as a motorcycle, it doesn't have to face the crippling financial and weight expense of being certified as a protect-the-passengers-from-human-stupidity-and-inattentiveness device. This was the reason my own vehicle project, launched in 1984, focused primarily on a 3-wheeled vehicle. There was simply no way a small company could build a certified "car", but a limited-production "motorcycle" was feasible. I even went so far as to begin the certification process of the vehicle structure as a "helmet", under the letter of the laws as then written, in order to allow the thing to be operated without an additional helmet in states that required them on bikes. To try to saddle any 3-wheeled ultralight vehicle with occupant protection required of a "car" is missing the entire point that a motorcycle offers ZERO occupant protection, and it is a personal choice to operate one in a 'dangerous' environment. And so it should be...as long as the operator / owner / consumer IS MADE VERY AWARE THE THINGS AREN'T CRASHMOBILES.

Exactly. For example, a single industry-wide platform could accommodate a wide array of FWD 4-door sedans and sport-utes. Another platform could be the foundation of every pickup in a particular weight and wheelbase range. Another platform for small cars like the Fiat 500, Mini, etc. Etc., etc. Shared powertrains too. Why have multiple engines that all make pretty much the same power and torque and get the same fuel economy? Rationalize to a few industry-wide engines in several displacements for various applications...instead of hundreds. Rationalize transmissions, brake systems, all of it. It makes NO sense the way things are done today. Billions of dollars are spent annually in duplicated effort. Wasted effort, really. Who pays for it? Consumers, you, in higher-than-necessary vehicle prices. Sure, the system as-is keeps a lot of engineers and designers and middle-managers employed, but if you ever have the opportunity to work AT LENGTH on the over-complicated, difficult-to-service carp most of them turn out, you'll soon see that the industry as a whole would be better keeping the GOOD engineers and designers (concentrating their efforts on turning out some really great stuff) and letting the rest of them go.

The Fed considers anything with less than 4 wheels to be a motorcycle, so the vast majority of 3-wheelers don't have to conform to any safety standards. Every state I'm familiar with follows the same reasoning (at least, that's the way it was a few years back).

I buggered the scribed panel lines on the scratch-built nose on this model a couple of times. I was able to correct them perfectly by filling the lines with bondo or epoxy, and re-scribing. It takes some real care and precise work, but you can do it. If your buggered line area is on a straight section, cut a slice of aluminum tape to use as a scribing guide, like this.

And remember, if you want it to actually work, the two wheels go in FRONT.

Or a kite...

I envy you for that, seriously.

An essential for any well-rounded reference library.

Here's one. And yes, she was really made like that...from the factory.

Lately I've been using Publix store brand generic recycled fiber towels. After the wipe, I blow the body off with my breath (just have to be careful of saliva). So far, no lint, no fisheyes, no problems. I paint essentially the same way you do too. Works best for me to turn the work, as you do.

Or maybe

Yeah. Like, how is it better than "Debbie Does Dallas"?

Oh man...cool. I've got to have one. Will be watching. Is this a recent re-release? Warning warning danger danger...

Dallas matriarch...couldn't remember her name...Barbara Bel Geddes

Nice save. The color, wheels and rake work remarkably well together. Interesting blend of style influences. I like the subtle red-on-red graphic too.

Bacall. Mrs. Bogart.

Wow. That looks great. I don't think I've ever seen one of these built before, and certainly never one built this nicely.

With more than 250 people born each minute, I betcha at least 225 will fall under that category.

Hyphens are our friends. If I'd written little-used car-lot, we'd have one meaning. Little-used-car lot would be another. I think little used-car lot is pretty clear.