Ace-Garageguy

I don't know about decals specifically, but in the real world : Kevlar is used where high tensile strength and "toughness" is required...which is why it's in bulletproof vests. It resists tearing, cracking (in laminates) and is very difficult to even cut; special shears are required during fabrication. It can be laminated into any rigid composite structure to improve its damage resistance...or used as a flexible cloth in driving suits and as mentioned, body armor. Its heat-resistance and poor absorption of liquid fuels make it attractive for fire-protection applications. Carbon fiber is used where "stiffness" is required, with minimum weight. In laminates, though it's very rigid, it's also brittle and if struck with sufficient force to exceed its design-strength, it tends to shatter into jagged pieces. This is why you'll often see composite parts that combine the two fibers. Twill-weave carbon is what's going to be used primarily for compound-curved parts, like body panels, simply because the nature of the weave allows it to conform to these shapes inside molds much better than plain-weave. For structural parts like chassis floors and tubs, probably the "high-definition" carbon decal material would be appropriate, as I assume it represents a heavier plain-weave that would be used in parts with a minimum of compound curves.

Pretty sure a couple mil would get more than 1... '57 Olds 88 hardtop with the J2 package... Followed with a '57 Buick Caballero wagon... ...and a Jag C-X75, turbine version...

This is an old '60s B&W film, mostly about dirt-track production car and figure-8 racing. Kinda stupid, and kinda sad to see all that rust-free SoCal '50s iron destroyed, but it has it's moments.

I'm getting low on 9mm. Must add that to the new exercise regimen.

Well sport, I'm usually a pretty productive guy..."in the real world". Of course, you have no clue as to who I am or what I do, so feel free to offer advice. And by the by...I've been laid up with debilitating back problems for over a week. Visiting the forum is a diversion from the constant pain. Any more helpful hints you'd like to advance?

Glad to help, sir.

Ooooo, ahhhh, ...First, I'm going to dispense with those pesky capital letters. God only knows what kind of stress "letting go" of pressing the "shift" key can alleviate. Then, maybe i'll try becoming a really free-spirit behind the wheel, and start leaving several car lengths in front of me when I'm stopped at red lights, ignoring the horns and finger signs and screaming. Any more suggestions as to how to have a more meaningful life?

The '33-'34 pickup cabs are very similar to the '32 pickup cabs, with some differing stamped details. They're built on '33-'34 car frames. Here's more info on the pickup differences: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1933-1934-ford-pickups-questions.222614/

Most obvious are the shape and angle of the grille shell and fins, and the louvers on the hood sides. Here's the scoop: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/33-34-ford-5-window-coupes.515870/ ...and more here... http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2012/10/18/mcg-spotters-guide-to-the-1933-36-fords/ The '33 grille is slightly curved to the rear, concave...with curved hood louvers... The '34 grille is straight...straight hood louvers...

I just never tire of simplistic, feel-good advice from people who know nothing about the issues, personalities, goals and aspirations of said personalities, or circumstances they're addressing.

Corrugated styrene sheet, used to represent roofing material and siding, is available in several spacings / scales for doll-house and model RR applications... Here's one source: http://www.modelbuilderssupply.com/index.php?cPath=55_201&osCsid=31dtp8tgf3cgh139l0atjp6m56

Very interesting technique, looks very good. I used to build a lot of model railroad models from balsa. As you say, an entirely different approach than working in plastic or cast metal.

Fine looking model, beautiful job on the wheels...the first thing I noticed.

Relatively minor but increasingly annoying health and fitness issues, beginning to cut in to my financial productivity, and most likely the result of too much stress and not enough aerobic exercise over the last two years. Time to make some lifestyle changes. It's always east to blame "circumstances" and "getting older", but I need to make some hard choices...and then get on with making the necessary adjustments.

Nice fab work on all the custom bits.

I love this style of race-car. The altereds were always among my favorites to watch. Great project, good start.

Looks like the resin transkit fits a lot better than the 1:1 Eleanor kits I've seen. The last one I saw being installed was about the worst POS I've ever encountered. Hard to believe anyone could actually get money for it, it was SO bad.

I have 3 kinds of cheddar, blue, Feta, two kinds of Swiss, Colby, jack, and a Brie....plus cream and grated Parmesan. It just may be time for a cheese-on-cheese sandwich.

The only ones I'm familiar with from R&M are SIDE-DRAFT carbs, and not appropriate for what the OP needs. See multiple posts above. The OP also states HE HAS THE HRM CARBS. Apparently too small for 1/24 scale 48 IDA Webers.

For the amount of time I've been able to spend building the past couple of years, it's really idiotic to have as many kits as I do. A few were purchased specifically as grail kits, ones I had when I was a kid and loved, or ones I really really wanted and never got. The nostalgia hit I get from those is worth it, but most of them I acquired in missing-parts or otherwise less-than-perfect condition...and a lot of gluebomb trash. To me (because I build mostly heavily-modified models or original designs... never out-of-the-box), having so much stuff is the same as having a 25-acre junkyard out behind the hot-rod shop. Pretty much anything I can conceive, I have most of the parts to get a solid start...engines, chassis, wheels, tires, frames, body panels or clips, you name it. Same thing as an artist having an extensive array of colors in differing media, lotsa blank canvasses, etc. But that's just me, and I'm nuts.

Hmmmm...TOO MANY MODELS...??? I'm not sure I understand the concept.

No offense, but those Model Meister parts don't look to be particularly accurate representations of anything...just some sorta-mechanical squiddledy things engraved on the tops of vaguely Weber-shaped things. In contrast, the Accurate Miniatures Corvette Webers are quite nice representations of the 58mm side-drafts fitted to the Grand Sports. NOTE: You can use side-drafts or down-drafts on any real engine and get acceptable results. The decision to use one or the other is arrived at by considering things like port-angle, available space, whether anyone makes an appropriate manifold or whether it will have to be custom-fabricated, etc.

Weber side-drafts like these DCOE units flow horizontally, mount like this, and the float-bowls are oriented to work in this position. The bowl covers are the roughly rectangular parts on top of the carbs, retained by the gold-colored, wing-nutted jet / emulsion-tube cover, and perimeter screws. Weber down-draft carbs like the IDA unit, flow vertically and mount like this. The float bowl is accessed by removing the top-cover which has integral air-horn bases and also retains the removable venturi assemblies. The jet (and emulsion tube) covers on these are the small rectangular gold-colored plates on top. You can't use a side-draft in a down-draft application, and you can't use a down-draft in a side-draft application...any more than you can mount a Holley 4-barrel on its side. Down-drafts on a Ford... Side-draft setup for a Chebby smallblock...

It's really tricky to do any remedial work on just about ANY flexible materials. Sandpaper has a tendency to leave the surface kinda 'fuzzy' in general. Since you have lettering on both sides of the tires you want to modify, you can do some experimentation...but this procedure has worked for me...but it really depends a lot on exactly what material your tires are made from. I use either an X-acto chisel tip blade or a very sharp file first, to shave the majority of the lettering off without sanding the adjacent surfaces and getting them fuzzy too. Trying to do the first cut with unsupported sandpaper isn't the way to go. Once you have the majority of the raised material removed, try 180 grit WET, stuck to a semi-rigid backer, like a strip of old credit card. Work CAREFULLY, checking your work frequently. Use plenty of water to ease the cut and reduce fuzzing. A drop of dish soap in the water slicks it up even more. As soon as the surface is flat, go to 400 grit WET, to remove the 180 scratches. Again, careful, checking frequently, and plenty of water. You'll probably have to go as high as 1500 grit WET to remove all the visible scratches and fuzz, and the letters may very well remain as ghost images in the flexible tire material. I've had good luck using black vinyl color spray made for car interiors to put a surface back on the tire. Again, you really have to be patient and allow the stuff to dry completely, and then sometimes sand it again with 1500, re-spray, resand, respray, etc. Acrylic clear is another option, though I've never used it. I'm sure someone here knows the details, though. Enamel paints like Testors bottle stuff will never dry on a vinyl tire, and I've had very good results using artist's acrylic gesso to do custom whitewalls.

Those are side-drafts; he needs down-drafts. See posts above.