Ace-Garageguy

Two buildable "core" engines, a 305 for my '89 GMC longbed, and a 350 for the '92 Silverado crewcab. Both of 'em are "early" style engines, which means they don't really want to work with the existing EFI intake manifolds...which is fine. Both vehicles are out of emission-reg compliance and I've been running the '89 on a Rochester 2GC for several years anyway, since the EFI breathed its last. Both engines will be going together with air-gap dual-plane manifolds, small Holley 4-bbls, shorty headers, and low-end/mid-range cams... but maybe a little rumpity in the '89, 'cause she's got a manual gearbox The 305 in the '89 is also getting backdated to V-belts...a whole helluva lot easier to fix by the side of the road, and if you lose one, the rest of the systems remain functional.

Explaining reality usually is these days.

And even though the body is carved on a huge 5-axis CNC mill, the final surface development is still done with clay, scrapers, and manual skill.

I agree. I have 2 '59 Buicks, this Poncho, and a '60 Olds...all slated to be ground scraping customs.

Thank you sir. I will indeed.

I always enjoy seeing someone put a lot of thought and effort into scale engineering. Nice work.

1960 AMT carrier-deck Pontiac Bonneville built-up, brush-painted enamel. Missing the LH skirt, conti-kit tire cover, and LH skirt extension...all of which I can do without.

You should find this interesting...

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway today issued the following statement: “It is with great regret that we announce the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on August 23 without fans. This tough decision was made following careful consideration and extensive consultation with state and city leadership. As dedicated as we were to running the race this year with 25 percent attendance at our large outdoor facility, even with meaningful and careful precautions implemented by the city and state, the COVID-19 trends in Marion County and Indiana have worsened. Since our June 26 announcement, the number of cases in Marion County has tripled while the positivity rate has doubled. We said from the beginning of the pandemic we would put the health and safety of our community first, and while hosting spectators at a limited capacity with our robust plan in place was appropriate in late June, it is not the right path forward based on the current environment. We encourage Hoosiers to continue making smart decisions and following the advice of our public health officials so we can help get Indiana back on track. Penske Corporation made a long-term investment to be the steward of this legendary facility. While we were very excited to showcase the investments and enhancements we have made in the guest experience, we know we have reached the right decision. As much as Roger Penske and everyone associated with the 500 wanted to race with fans this year, we ultimately reached this conclusion in partnership with the state of Indiana and city of Indianapolis. Our commitment to the Speedway is unwavering and we will continue to invest in the Racing Capital of the World. We encourage everyone to watch this year’s race on NBC and we look forward to welcoming our loyal fans back to The Greatest Spectacle in Racing on May 30th of 2021.”

You're welcome. The turbine application that allows the "turboprop" is also very similar to the way a turbine engine is used in a land vehicle like a truck or car, with the output shaft going to a gearbox or transmission and driving the rear wheels as in a conventional vehicle. The output shaft can also be connected to a generator to make electricity to power the traction motors on a railway locomotive, or to power electric motors on some very exotic hybrid cars like the Jag C-X75.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboprop

Doubtful. 1/12 is a natural 1-inch-to-the-foot scale, but it's big. 1/24 is exactly half size, and more convenient for moderately priced kits. 1/8 is another natural, easy conversion from full scale, as 1/8" is a standard division of inches. 1/16 is just half the size of that, and 1/32 is just half again. The "reason" we have these "factor of eight" scales is simply because of the standard divisions you find on an inch-system ruler. 1/10, on the other hand, is a common scale to work in as far as engineering goes, where many things are dimensioned with decimals.1/25 is an easier decimal conversion than 1/24, obviously.

Geez. To think I lived through that era as a young adult and (thankfully) never knew those existed.

Yeah, I kept thinking it couldn't be a Bentley 'cause the grille shell was just enough different...and looked like something I've seen a bazillion times. And when I read "Alvis" just now, I had a supreme "doh" moment. Though it's a beautiful car, it's not really a very original design. Leave the somewhat similar Ghia/Chrysler GS-1 (below)... ...and a mid-'60s Bentley Continental together alone for a while...

To those who haven't noticed yet...Atlas is in the process of shrugging. It won't be much longer until the lowest-common-denominator run...and ruin...everything, and some time thereafter, everything that defines civilization will just stop.

^^^ Also apparent in the shot of the car in blue is why it benefits from the larger diameter tires (on the red incarnation) to visually offset the almost-too-much front and rear overhangs. Proportion, line, and stance need to be paramount in every designer's mind...and unfortunately, the most we usually see is two out of three. Sometimes, not even one...

It must. From its looks, there's not much it can be except a...or possibly a... (looks to me like there are really only two possibilities), but I haven't been able to find its provenance. I guess my encyclopedic knowledge ain't that great after all.

Much as I enjoy old-school magazines (I'm going to be sitting in the sun reading a 1960 Model Railroader for the next hour or so, a 94-page magazine that's very rich in content), at this point in time, I just don't see the need for more paper mags. Couple the fact that most people today read poorly (or don't even bother, which is evident from the number of questions you get on a very detailed build thread where everything has already been addressed fully and in depth), with the wealth of information that's available online (if you already know enough about the subject to be able to distinguish useful information from downright stupid rebleated gibberish)...why bother to print a mag? People want pictures and videos that they don't have to process excessively...so give it to them. Just continue playing to the dumbing-down trend that's been going on for decades, if not centuries. Still...I'd gladly pay for downloadable/printable access to how-to articles and some build threads and kit reviews presented in an "online magazine" format, just to have incorruptible hard-copies of stuff I want permanent reference access to...like I have in my 50 and 60 year old magazines. And if MCM comes back in print format, will I subscribe? Probably, if for nothing more than nostalgia's sake. EDIT: As an aside, I've learned a great deal about materials and techniques from reading FSM occasionally. Many of the modelers represented therein are absolutely world-class.

I've had very realistic results coloring the back of the lenses with a yellow Sharpie highlighter...sometimes a few coats to get it as dark as I want.

Oh yeah. Very fine.

I'm old. Anyone who can't go 15 minutes without checking his phone is "modern".