Ace-Garageguy

Lotta OEM and aftermarket bellhousings are cast iron or cast aluminum. They don't do much to contain an exploding flywheel, a very real possibility in drag racing. The steel hydroformed bellhousings were introduced as safety scattershields a long time ago by Lakewood, others. Of course they function as trans adapters too...so since I might have to run an adapter to mate the 4-speed Borg Warner to the Stude V8 anyway (though Stude did use 3-spd and 3+OD BW gearboxes, so maybe not), might as well use the toughest one available. https://www.shoppok.com/ventura/a,43,304570,Hydroformed-Bellhousing----200--Thousand-Oaks-.htm "Hydroformed" was the name given to a special deep-drawing process used to form them from one single piece of steel plate.

Apparently they're a protected class. Who knew?

"Kits", when used in the context of "information kits" for insurance, etc., and had nothing to do with actually building anything, always mildly annoyed me as a kid.

Amen, brother.

With the blobules removed from the frame, I could go ahead with reconstruction of a reasonable facsimile of the stock rails, using styrene blocks fitted in place. Screw holes on chassis plate are being filled too. Chassis reference from owner's manual tells me the model designers did a pretty good job, all things considered: Decklid mold popped easily off of rear of body shell. PVA mold release works every time.

T-t-t-t...T is for t-t-t-t...tank!!!

VERY nice. All the mods are so well integrated, it could indeed be a professionally-styled factory prototype.

Magazine capacity limits are annoying, and pointless.

I'd planned to open the decklld almost from the beginning, so it won't slow things unless there's an unforeseen problem. I've made a lot of f'glass parts for models in the past, so I'm not expecting any issues this time. The group build runs to the end of the year, I believe, and even if she's not 100% done, I'll have something to show for my effort, and I'll have enjoyed it. This is becoming typical of me, however. The initial plan was just to do a decent curbside with nice paint and decals, roof and deck racks, brush-guards, raised suspension, and some tarped camping gear and spares on the racks. But lately I've been researching full flow oil-filter rigs for the Stude V8, swapping in a Borg Warner T10 with a steel hydroformed-style bellhousing, big Lincoln drum brakes up front, etc. etc. etc. Nuts.

"Springs eternal" is what they say about hope, and it's what keeps me going.

Reason and rationality are in increasingly short supply.

Reunion meetings can be sad, like when the hottest babe from the cheerleading squad now looks like a manatee in a mumu.

Marriage, to be successful, takes two rational, reasonable adults who share the same values.

Think for yourself; it really doesn't hurt.

Thanks. It keeps me a little saner than I'd be otherwise.

Better, beater, bettor, boater, bloater, beeper, booper, bleeper, blooper, and bleater are fun to say, 'cause I'm a moron.

Really enjoyed reading your blog post on this.

NEW RULE: IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE ACTUAL LAST POST, JUST RESPOND TO ANYTHING

Blobular chassis trimming and cleanup almost complete. First new rear axle test fit. Unit is for 6-bolt wheels mentioned earlier, from Revell '41 Chevy pickup. Spring spacing is spot-on. Interior underside with trans tunnel is now visible. Interior opened up and disassembled. Interesting design, as door cards are molded flat, integral with floor, then folded up and glued in place. I'll be opening the rear deck, and as the casting is quite thick, there's no easy way to save the decklid, so I made a fiberglass mold of the area. When the mold is cured, I'll make a copy of the original deck. Those familiar with my earlier work will have seen something like this many times. To get acceptable strength in a part that's only about .020" thick when finished (the mold is about twice that), I use a very high strength aircraft epoxy that HAS to be mixed on a gram scale.

Vivification may be hampered by vivisection.

Box-of-rocks shouldn't be what you're reminded of by the intellectual capacity of leaders.

Those bugs sure look tasty, little Greta, but you eat 'em first, okay?