Ace-Garageguy

I've really got to hand it to you for arranging your life so you have both the time and energy to consistently turn out such good looking models AND make a living. Good management skills there.

Here's another thread including excellent tutorials, again, right from this board. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/?showtopic=52798 As you've probably already realized, the '35-'40 (through '41 pickup) frames and suspension are all pretty much identical, with only very minor differences. The transverse leaf springs front and rear were a Ford mainstay until the end of the '48 car production, and many components from the various years got mixed and matched on early hot-rods to get a particular result. For instance, it was common to use a model T or model A rear spring and crossmember in a '35-'40 chassis (in '32 and '33-34 chassis too) in order to allow the use of a quick-change center section in the differential, and model A front crossmembers were often used in '32 Fords to get an additional 1" or so of drop.

NOOOO !!! A little respect for the planet we all live on, OK? Seriously, either leave it in a container that has a cover so you can use it again, or strain it with a paint filter or old stockings, and funnel it back into the original can. You WILL need to strip something again. Also, if your stripper isn't working, you may have lacquer paint, which may require a different stripping technique, or you may need to use oven cleaner. All is covered in previous posts.

"marlin" "marilin" Gotta watch those pesky extra letters.

There's no question that airbrushing is an extremely valuable technique to master, for all the reasons listed. Paint booths have their pros and cons. While they're great for pulling paint fumes and mist away from the work (and your face and house), they can also pull more dust into a paint job if the room you're spraying in isn't really clean (you should blow the dust off of yourself too, just before you paint). My only intent was to show that it is entirely possible to get excellent results using cans, with a little patience and practice, and that the quality of models you build isn't dependent on having all the trickest tools. A lot of folks spend money on stuff and then get disappointed when their work isn't magically better. If you master the basics using cans, the increased control and flexibility you get with an airbrush will make you ecstatic.

I start with one lower side (rocker panel), and move up with each pass, overlapping as I go...shoot the ends, then go over the roof / hood / deck, and down the other side. There's never a dry edge that needs extra sanding that way. Works pretty good for me (with non-serious-adult-hobbiest rattle cans on this one )... The paint has not been sanded and polished in this photo. It's as-sprayed.

Just gorgeous in that slick black paint.

Buncha idiot clowns do the same thing on ebay for real car-parts and kit-parts as well. Annoying.

Frankly, I LIKE the looks of the new Cherokee. Although possibly not the absolute best-integrated design, it keeps a visual "Jeepness" while adding a modern twist, and most of the various design elements work pretty well together.

A very well reasoned response from Harry.

They appear to be "wide-5" dirt-track or modified wheels, something like this... They mount to a special hub that's not part of the wheel itself... I'm sure someone makes these in resin http://www.ebay.com/itm/RESIN-CAST-WIDE-5-MODIFIED-WHEELS-1-24TH-SCALE-NEW-/390797830645?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item5afd5da9f5

Clean, perfect stance, and looks wicked fast.

I guess it all depends on where you get your information, and whether you build cars for a living, like me, and have to use the parts in the real world. All the '39-41 backing plates are identical, as are the brake shoes and wheel cylinders, and function exactly the same way. '39-'41 have an eccentric adjusting mechanism that can be fiddly to maintain. '42-'48 are the same (though there are minor differences on '46-48 that do not effect function) with a redesigned adjusting system. Other than that, '39-'48 are pretty much identical. The much tricker setup (because of the self-energizing and full-floating action of the shoes), is early ('48 on) Ford F-1 and F-100 brakes, which are modern (as far as drum brakes go) in overall design. Same mostly bolt-on conversion, and same wheel bolt pattern. The rears do have to be modified to accommodate e-brake linkage, however.

This is really the salient point. The spring hangers on the blue example Casey posted would be entirely adequate, but they are FAR, FAR from the norm. i don't think anyone realistically thinks separate shackles are required from the kit makers. Again, it's obvious from the blue example Casey posted that that particular part designer had an understanding of the function, and so was able to translate the real part into a perfectly acceptable model part. It doesn't really take much more time to design a spring like that than it does to just put a shapeless blob on the end of a spring. In the old days, we'd be talking a few extra pencil strokes on paper, and maybe an hour or two for the prototype model maker.

My guess is that, as appears to happen a lot, the kit-part designer really had no idea of the function of the full-scale part, so getting a realistic representation that looks right but is still strong enough eluded him.

Lots of great scale engineering going on there. Very nice.

Probably styled by the same guy who did this...

Hats off to Art for filling in the blanks and telling the rest of the story. One tiny point...the juice brakes were available from '39 onwards (Deluxe) and through '48...they're almost a bolt-on to the earlier cars.

There have been a few others. This one is absolutely spectacular both designwise, and from an engineering standpoint. It still respects the beauty of the original inspiration, too. Then there was the 2011 winner, "Suncammer", another tastefully done, very well engineered car...

Good looking model, great save, nice colors.

Looks like just another dweeb mashup of unrelated design elements to me. No theme, no nads. "Mall rated" indeed. I thought the team who did the new Fiat 500 did a nice job with a coherent update that respects its heritage. What happened?

I've got my share of old-timer's aches and pains, etc. BUT I can not stress too emphatically that getting regular aerobic and weight-bearing exercise helps almost anyone feel younger, and if anyone's not getting some, they should be. Of course they always say check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen. Now we're lawyered up. At several points in my life, I'd let myself really go to hell. I was too fat, had nicotine and alcohol dependencies, poor eating habits, etc. It wasn't pleasant at first, but after starting to wean myself from the bad stuff, and getting regular exercise...my vision got better, my legs and feet and hips stopped aching constantly, my blood pressure came way down, and I sleep better. My brain started working better too. It's not paradise, but there's no way I could still do the work I do (which I enjoy) if I'd let the slide into old age continue unabated...and I'll never go back to just accepting creeping decrepitude.

Especially if you're just getting back into it, as you say, you should probably concentrate on QUALITY fit and finish (the basics) like the guys said above. Radical modifications that are poorly done, or mediocre models with a ton of aftermarket parts stuck on won't impress anyone. Good luck with whatever you decide to build, and welcome back to the hobby.

Just for clarification, the stock wheels for a '32 Ford are wires. Pressed steel-center wheels like you're wanting would have been sourced from something built later. Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland, Scenes Unlimited, Modelhaus and even our very own moderator Casey (sells as "annalitt" on ebay) as well as several other aftermarket sources offer a wide variety of quality "stock" wheels in resin. Unfortunately, neither Modelhaus nor R&M have online catalogs where you can actually see the parts. Click here for Scenes Unlimited: http://www.scenesunltd.com/WHEELS.html These are some of Casey's. You can also search "Toys and Hobbies>Models and Kits>Automotive>wheels " on ebay. There are currently over 2500 listings.

It's prudent to remember that the Lotus Elan and Europa had very light fiberglass bodies, and NO appreciable structure other than the frames themselves. While the light bodies contributed significant rigidity when bolted on (much like an egg shell is rather stiff) they also contributed very little to occupant protection. The large GM cars with steel bodies had considerably more crush-resistance and occupant protection than the Loti. But I do SO WISH that more focus would be put on drivers actually being trained to be competent to AVOID COLLISIONS, rather than trying to make road vehicles idiot-proof and remove any thought of safe operating practices and personal responsibility from consumers' minds. A Lotus NEVER killed a driver. A DRIVER'S INCOMPETENCE or CARELESSNESS was the killer.