Ace-Garageguy

They're probably going to spit in your burger anyway, so what real difference does it make?

Roger's mastered the idea, obviously...and it's just like you do a real one. I just pulled the kit to have a look...the rear of the cab and the firewall determine how low you can go with the cab relative to the frame rails. Start by mocking up the frame with the suspension and wheel / tire combo you want to use tacked in place. This will determine the ride height, which you need to establish first. The firewall is already pretty high in front, so I'd begin trimming the rear wall of the cab a little at a time. Then, holding it level relative to the frame, check the height by placing the cab on the rails after each trim to see where you are (I'd also tack the hood, hood sides, and grille to the body so you don't get the nose too low). When you get the look you're after, cut the floor section loose from the fender unit and install the floor in the cab so it holds it where you mocked it up. You'll also need to take slices out of the bed floor to clear the chassis, so you can lower it to match the cab.

Channeling on any car is by definition nothing but lowering the body relative to the frame. To accomplish this on any car, you determine where the frame contacts the body and floor, then carefully remove material from same, allowing the body to come down. Every channel job is different, and yours won't be exactly like anyone else's, but the procedure is the same no matter what it is. I recommend removing a little at a time, check your stance frequently, (with suspension and forward bodywork tacked in place), and resist the temptation to go too low initially. Measure and mockup a LOT, work slowly and carefully, and engage your brain to think through how things are interrelated.

It's minimal, if at all. I've already put one under an AMT '36, and had it up on its wheels to work on the stance. that was many years back, I don't recall specifics, but I DO recall it wasn't a big deal...especially to someone with your skills. EDIT: Great looking pickup, by the way.

Wow. Yes, the world needs a real one. I like everything about it, but the best part is how well you integrated the graceful sweep of the sail panel into the bed design. Everything looks like it belongs together, and few designers pull that off. Bill Mitchell, Edsel Ford, or Harley Earl couldn't have done it any better. A++

Yes, I'm kidding. I have what's known in the trade as a "dark and sarcastic" way of looking at things. And I'm so fed-up with American "news" outlets, even the very few that aren't professional dogma rebleaters, that I get news feeds from several European, Asian, etc. sources. It daily boggles my mind that the rest of the world is apparently run by idiots easily on a par with those we have here.

^^^ Even more of an issue with today's co-ed heads.

Barris wasn't ever a form-follows-function-first kinda guy. Anybody remember the V8-powered Munster's Coach had 10 fake carbs and ram-induction pipes?

Didn't ya hear? They're going to beam the energy to run 'em from great big inductive chargers, like your phone and toothbrush already use, hidden inside the wheel wells. Of course you'll have to have the optional 400-amp alternator, but hey...making a fashion statement's worth whatever it takes to get noticed, right? The original plan was to beam energy to the tires using microwaves, but early trials produced a few medium-rare dogs, cats, and one guy who forgot to disable the system before changing a flat.

What is this "rest of the world" you speak of ???

Oh man...I HAVE to build that. Campesi is a genius.

And it looks good. The body lines and proportions look pretty much like they're supposed to, and the stance is fine, apparently OOB. That right there is more than we can say about some newer, more complex and expensive kits. A simple shelf model is all it was ever intended to be, a mildly upgraded promo with an opening hood and an engine, typical for 1973. And hey, it's a split-window. Far as the price goes, I imagine it's close to being in line with what other stuff cost in '73 as opposed to now...and a 40%-off coupon, or an Ollie's price, makes it a decent deal today. I bought one shortly after it was re-released, with a 40% discount, and wasn't at all disappointed because I knew exactly what to expect...which anyone can find out with a little time spent online. Tell ya the truth...yours looks so good as a simple build that I'm going to buy another one just to have an extra decent split-window body to do something crazy with.

It's a self-correcting situation. The way inflation is going, everyone will only be able to afford one item in their cart in not too long. Problem solved.

There seems to be a fair amount of interest, judging from the response to the thread posted below. It takes a lot of fiddling around to get one that satisfies me, and I'd happily pay real money for an accurate, high-res, cleanly printed one...with multiple induction setups.

Me too. My good version of that one is at least 20 years old. The barrel and nuts are cleanly machined from brass, chrome plated. The threads are good, with very smooth action. The reversible collets are spring steel. For the really small bits, it's necessary to grasp the ribs on the barrel with a pair of miniature channel-locks, and tighten the collet nut with a small wrench. As I said, 20+ years and going strong. I bought a knockoff about 6 months back in a hardware store in Az. for what should have been enough money to ensure quality. The package was sealed, so I had to trust it. When I got it home, I found the barrel was chromed, cast pot-metal, the nuts were aluminum, and the collets were brass. The threads were stiff and grainy feeling, and tightening the collet nut enough to grip the smallest bit in the index resulted in stripped threads first time I tried it.

Same basic casting, set up for EFI: EDIT: In the photo immediately above, the fuel injectors live in the old mechanical injector bosses on the inner side of the ports. The lines you see on the outer sides of the ports are vacuum to the MAP sensor. BIG pictures of the Hilborn manifold EFI setup at link below. Manifold casting itself is almost identical to the old-school mechanical unit. http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;sa=topics;u=38

Reliable resin offers this one: http://www.reliableresin.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=209 I realize there are people not convinced of Reliable Resin's reliability, so there's that.

Here's the thing with the Speed City part...Ford FE engines with pushrod heads use the edges of the intake manifold as the inner valve cover sealing rails. That makes the manifold wider than most others. It MIGHT be possible to file away the excess material from both sides of the manifold so it would snuggle down between the SOHC heads like it was made for it. But it might not. My gut feeling is that it would work, but it says right there on the web page it WON'T work on the SOHC. If it was me, I'd gamble the $12 plus shipping just to find out...but I'm used to doing heavy mods on things to make other things. MAYBE you can find somebody parting out one of the Mustang kits above, but unless you get the whole engine, you run the risk of the injection manifold not fitting the SOHC you have, as there are many different kit versions that were measured and scaled by people with varying degrees of accuracy.

Yup, we're going that way.

With a semi-documentary spinoff coming soon to the History Channel...

Man...I want a real one.

That was a Manta Mirage, also based on McLaren styling, but the M8 as opposed to the M6GT the Manta Montage / Coyote is based on.

...and hippos...

It seems as though there's an unwritten rule now that you can't leave any clean line unadorned without tacking some useless lump or geegaw on it. It's entirely possible to look "modern" and be free from excess ornamentation...but it's harder to make an original clean design than it is to cover something with clutter to proclaim its individuality.