Ace-Garageguy

The Pepper Shaker has the same optional blown induction system all the AMT '57 Chevys had...Carter YH side-draft carbs, on a not-very-good S.C.o.T. blower...definitely not a Latham. Carter side-drafts were used on early 6-cylinder Corvettes, as Chris mentions, Corvair turbocharged cars, and lotsa other stuff. The blower in the '57 Chevy kit is definitely supposed to be a S.C.o.T, as nothing else from the period looks much like it, but it's lacking many of the fins that easily identify a real one. Chris' (Spex84) photo is what the setup should look like. EDIT: The '25 T kit has similar carbs, but that kit's blower IS a Latham.

Yeah boy, but oh so tempting. I'm biting my typing finger...

Not too far back, I put that gearbox behind a 409 in an M/SP drag car, and the swap involved removing the manual bellhousing from the engine assembly first (in my case, I modded the bellhousing to look more appropriate for an automatic). I've found the photo-etched saw blades to be the best for the task. They're several thousandths of an inch thinner than regular razor saws, so the kerf they take out is thinner. If used carefully, it's usually possible to save both parts that are cut apart...often impossible if a conventional razor saw is used. The downside to the PE blades is that they're flexible, so there's a little learning curve to find exactly how horsey you can get with them.

Evergreen has .010"X.020" (maybe smaller, but that's the smallest I have in stock). That would represent about 1/4" x 1/2" in 1/25 scale. Not exactly correct, but will give a very good impression of cast ribs. It's not really too hard to work with if you mount your manifold solidly, so it's not moving around as you work the ribs. And you'll be better off with something that will dispense solvent glue very accurately, like the Flex-I-File "touch n flow" or diabetic needles.

I didn't know him, but feel I do a little after going back and looking at some of his work. Sorry for your loss. He was too young to go.

Yup.

Just FYI, there's also one in the old Revell SWC Willys gasser, and this Revell parts-pack:

This is why I want an old SHO engine in my Gen I MR-2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXEX9YFvxQM

That's definitely got the look, and the unusual blue plus a 409...real nice.

B&M introduced their HydroStick in 1961, but it was an entire transmission (not just a shifter), moderately modified from the old GM Hydramatic (not the later Turbo Hydro). Though the trans used a manual-style shifter assembly to give complete control over the gearbox, the "Pro-Shifter" line came along much later. This is the trans, complete with shifter. There was a "gated" version of the shifter available around the same time.

Maybe the raising of "skill levels" on the box has something to do with the plummeting general intelligence in the "civilized" world. What used to be a 2 for a reasonably bright person is now a 3 because the reasonably bright people are stupider. EDIT: Before the firestorm starts, it's not just me making "toxic" commentary on the state of things. The results of worldwide studies confirm my assertion, and even the New York Times (a former newspaper) has published supporting findings.

How long you can sit at the bench comfortably has a good deal to do with your general level of fitness...at least in my experience. Over the past few years, I've had a few injuries and health issues that have left me pretty well incapacitated for months at a time on occasion. I gained a lot of weight. I lost muscle mass and stamina. My sleep suffered, and working on anything was a painful ordeal. My back and legs would cramp. Life sucked. Getting back in reasonable shape isn't easy, it's harder the older you get, it usually hurts to do it (which is why most people quit), and boy oh boy, there is NOTHING that makes you feel better about life than finally feeling GOOD physically and being able to DO things again. There are lots of older folks who seem to be content to live exertion-free lives, eat way too much, and to expand into passable Jabba the Hutt lookalikes. Maybe if you have a real permanent debilitating injury or condition so you just can't exercise at all, that's an option...but it's still not a wise one. If you can, I highly recommend at least 20 minutes every other day of moderate exercise, bare minimum. I don't mean shuffling around at the mall. I mean brisk walking, as fast as you can go. Work up to 20 minutes every day, then 30, then an hour. Find inclines to walk up. If you've allowed yourself to get pretty far out of shape, I guarantee that after a few months of the above, you'll feel 20 years younger.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but a 502 is the same dimensionally and visually outside as a 427. The difference is the bore and stroke internally. The 502 has siamesed bores that allow the larger cylinder diameter. There is a "tall deck" truck or aftermarket block, but the only dimensional difference is...wait for it...the deck height. That's the dimension from the crank centerline to the head mounting surface...not really noticeable on a model.

Man...there's some ace-double-cool info and pix on this thread. I've always loved the look of these things, always wanted to build a real rollback with this cab. Missed a remarkably clean low-mileage cab and chassis in AZ. a few years back, cheap, 'cause I just didn't have anywhere to keep it at the time. I'm probably getting too old to get everything else done in the time I have left and build a rollback too, but if I were 20 years younger...

Thanks for the heads-up on the Speed City part. And yeah, the Y-block with those weird stacked intake ports...what were they thinking? Sounds like a plan.

Cool. That's one of my recurring problems. The hard part about building manifolds for FE engines is that the manifold forms the top of the rocker boxes on the cylinder heads. I'm currently looking at blower manifolds for Chevy 409 engines, which are also peculiar in their own way. The only suggestion I have is to start with an FE manifold that fits the engine you have, file away everything that doesn't look right, and add carefully thought-out bits that DO look right. Your drawing looks like you're on the right track to that end.

I'm certainly not trying to create conflict or animosity where there isn't any, and I held off saying anything at all just for that reason. But when the term "rivet counting" gets tossed out (3rd post), essentially a jab at those who indulge in -perhaps- obsessive attention to detail or overall quality or technical and historical correctness, my hackles go up. "Rivet counter" has always been a derogatory term, pure and simple. Denigrating builders who are essentially incompetent and don't care, who are content with grainy paint, fingerprints all over everything, wobbly brush strokes, poor masking, abysmal fit and finish in general...well, it's not tolerated here. And if they're having fun, enjoying the time they spend glueing things together, why should it be? Different strokes. But those of us who enjoy taking things a little farther should be allowed just as much consideration. Far as the "fun" thing and the notion of "self defeating" go, if anybody isn't enjoying the way they're approaching the hobby, feeling it's too stressful, not relaxing, or that they're putting too much intensity into what is in fact recreation and not a job, they're certainly entirely free to drop back and find a comfort level at any time...where it gets to be "fun" again. But the notion that striving for excellence and "having fun" are somehow always mutually exclusive is incorrect. Again...my intent wasn't to start an argument. It was primarily a reaction to the term "rivet counting".

I'd rather have this one, but it won't be today. https://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-COSMA-RAY-1-25TH-SCALE-MODEL-KIT-505-200/113850367397?_trkparms=aid%3D333200%26algo%3DCOMP.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20171012094517%26meid%3D1469959bcd5a4a32999556a7bd4bbffe%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D123837705553%26itm%3D113850367397%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

Not that specific issue, but I just had a nasty thing happen on a long-term build. Paint buggery on a very complex chassis. Going to be tough to strip and make her look like new, and to make it even more annoying, I did my due-diligence testing first and had no problem ! Disheartening? Sure. "Fun"? Nope. But it's not the easy stuff that shows a man's character.

I'm glad you said that. I find myself in exactly the same position. I'm often surprised that I can breeze through some things now that I would have struggled with a while back, and that caused builds to get shelved. I'm also very aware that I have a long way to go before I'm satisfied with most of what I do with models (and I'm constantly inspired by builders here). There are loosely two ways to approach doing anything new (as skills don't just appear naturally without conscious development) : 1) Embrace the challenge, accept that frustration is an almost unavoidable part of growth, and keep on keepin' on until the difficult does indeed become "fun" (and to me, nothing is as much "fun" as seeing something I've made that finally equals my vision, and that I simply couldn't have done at some earlier time). 2) Lighten up because it's "too hard" to chase excellence, and be content to work at whatever level takes the least effort and is seen as more "fun". Either approach is equally valid for the individual doing it.

I was just about to mention the V8-60 axle, but you beat me to it. It's not all that difficult to modify into something really scale-correct, eliminating the steel axle, fabbing up working spindles, and putting early juice-brake backing plates or later discs on them.

I believe I know the one you mean.