Ace-Garageguy

Yup. Building mostly highly-modified stuff, I'm constantly in the mode of one-mod-leads-to-another. It's challenging for me to stay on task when a model takes almost as much planning and engineering as a real car. If I could drive the finished product, that would be one thing. But something to put on a shelf and just look at occasionally? I often question my sanity.

Guys in my club who consistently do the best quality work use BMF to mask straight lines. Perfect edges, and frankly, much better than I'd thought possible on a model car. I'd sure like to see some pix of the results the advice-givers are getting.

Well, if you're going to do something like that, you damm better be sure to get your trajectory figured right, 'cause you're not going to get a second chance. I bet the rush is pretty spectacular as you approach the sheer wall, and I'd probably pass out from relief IF I made it through the hole. I kinda have to admire someone who is either so fearless, or so incredibly capable of managing their fear. I don't think I could do it if somebody had a gun to my head. Just shoot me.

Very nice rework of that Testors kit. Been meanin' to snag one of these, and your work here has really inspired me to look harder for one.

Gorgeous color, fine looking custom bodywork. The floating Olds grill bars both front and rear are a touch I've never seen done before, and your rolled and molded pans are period perfect.

I'm sure you'll be happier with the end result you'll have from reworking the firewall as you describe. I've done rather a lot of 1:1 engine swaps, and it's entirely permissible to modify a subframe, crossmember or oil-pan...or all of them...to get an engine to fit a chassis it wasn't intended for. Just bear in mind where the strength needs to be replaced in the structure (after it's been cut away for clearance) and where the oil pickup would be in the pan.

Good point. We've had threads started in the "general" section complaining that new members often feel left out and not particularly welcome, because they didn't get much feedback on their models. Then we have a new guy, the OP, who steps up and says exactly that...that he feels ignored and actually asks for feedback...in front of the whole forum instead of whining about it to other members offline...and he gets slammed. And, we've had threads going on and on and on about the future of car modeling being in the hands of younger guys who aren't really into '30s-'60s cars, and that more model companies need to address the interests of the Euro and Asian tuner market. So we have a guy who is building an engine-swapped Asian import (more powerful engine in an older body/chassis... the essence of hot-rodding)...and he's told if he doesn't like it here, go somewhere else. Anybody see the disconnect between what some of us SAY and what we DO? And yes, I was one who agreed that there's a lot of interest here in muscle cars, and that's just the way it is, so deal with it. But...I also looked over his build thread and offered advice, like he asked for.

This is interesting, as Model Roundup, Mega Hobby, Hobbylinc and others list them as being 1/25. Has anyone actually measured some real prototype engines and compared the dimensions in scale?

Boy, so many folks piling on the guy. The mob mentality is alive and well, isn't it? Maybe he didn't phrase this question exactly to all of y'all's liking, but what he DID ask for was constructive criticism of his work. I went to his build thread and gave him exactly what he asked for, which was critical and constructive. He accepted it graciously and appreciated what I commented on. Man up and get over it? Good advice. Maybe some of you should take it.

They're up.

We recently pulled this out of a '57 'Bird for a cosmetic freshening and an auto trans rebuild. It is probably a 312, though I didn't personally verify this. There should be enough angles to get all the details on a single-carb 4bbl engine.

Last one we had in the shop. Does this do you any good? I've got a lot of shots of this particular engine I can put up in the 1:1 reference section if you want.

Me too. That's why I use the ones that ARE flat when I need flat ones. "Free" is cheap enough to be selective.

I'd assume it goes from the lever on the "3-way shutoff " shown on the Enderle schematic (plumbed directly to the mechanical pump) to a pull-handle for fuel-shutoff in the cockpit.

I don't really understand your question. The foot-throttle linkage is typically connected to a bellcrank at the rear of the injector body. The bellcrank is connected to a shaft that runs through the body and provides support and a pivot for the throttle plates, and comes out in front where linkage hooks it to the metering valve, which varies fuel delivery as the throttles are opened. The "cam driven fuel pump" typically runs all the time the engine is running. Nothing other than engine revolutions "activates" it. They usually look more or less like this. This is a different mechanical FI setup, but the function is basically the same. The mechanically-driven pump is visible at the front of the engine. One line is pressure to the injector metering or barrel valve, one is return that will have a bleed line on the other side of the pump, and that will go back to the tank. It is not shown. The supply line FROM the tank is not shown either. On this setup, the throttle linkage would connect to the bellcrank on the side of the scoop, which also operates the butterflies (throttle plates) and the metering valve. Layout different, function same. These are more-or-less kinda-sorta typical of all of them, assuming you want to include all the lines and plumbing.

Oops. Yup, you're right. So only 2 valves per cylinder. My duh.

Again, thanks to everyone who's commented for your interest and encouragement. Started to do the plug wires, as she's getting a Vertex mag and I need to see where the wires can run and clear all the pulleys, carbs, etc. These Revell heads are nice, but it's a bugger to drill them for wires. Careful careful. While I was looking at the heads, I decided I'd really like to have the heads themselves done in an as-cast aluminum finish and the rocker covers done in a polished finish. Problem: the heads and valve rocker covers are molded in one piece on these Revell units. I don't want to mask little fiddly stuff like that and get poor color separation. Hmmm. Solution: cut the rocker covers off, and make new separate heads. That will make it easy to relocate the water outlets to the center of the heads too, which I'd prefer as this car has a water tank in the tail. So, here's one rocker cover liberated from the rest of the head and squared-up on the bottom surface. New head getting there. Second one going together from styrene stock bits. This will also let me clean up a couple of things I don't like about these heads. Though they're really very nice, for this car, I want just a bit better (without buying the beautiful R&M parts). [/u The Revell heads don't fit the flathead block exactly right, and with the Vertex mag in front, plus the water pumps and pulleys, everything is a little tight. My new heads will fit more correctly.

Does this help? Throttle linkage usually hooks to a bellcrank that's on the back-end of the shaft that runs down the middle of the injector body. This end (the brass bellcrank) would have linkage connecting it to the metering valve below it. Big fitting on the metering valve / distribution block connects to the fuel pump output. This one's a little different, but same basic idea. Just has a boss for the metering valve cast into the injector body, and only two nozzles on this side.

Popsicle sticks, "craft" sticks (popsicle) and Starbucks mixing sticks, with strips of whatever grit paper you want, rubber-cemented on. Cheap, custom tailored to width.

Looks good to me, and instantly recognizable as what it's supposed to be.

To the best of my knowledge, they are the manufacturer of a line of aero kits, fender flares, wings, seats and associated bits for mostly Asian vehicles, but some European ones too.

I honestly believe that for some of us, half the fun is in overcoming the problems and difficulties that arise during the building process.

I seem to recall that many train guys get pretty intense over actual railroad rolling stock and locomotives, but not so much about scenery and load items. Seeing as how this is G-scale stuff, which commonly mixes slightly off-scale bits (HO was still pretty prototype-correct last time I looked) it's not that surprising if this isn't a representation of an actual engine.

Man, I'm loving these old budget race cars that seem to be popping up. Great stuff.