Ace-Garageguy

That's million, with an M. Today a Euro is $1.13 US.

There's been a history recently of intentional vandalism to European churches (reported by NEWSWEEK, March 21). And whether this was intentional or "accidental" it's still inexcusable and a Western cultural tragedy. Apparently at this point, the organ is intact, as are the Rose windows, but all the wonderfully carved woodwork within the building is gone, as is the roof structure. https://www.cnn.com/style/article/nortre-dame-fire-oak-wood-trnd/index.html This cathedral has never burned before, "restoring" it to its former state is impossible, and to get it even close will be astronomically expensive.

Straight tread grooves for "cheater" slicks are easy on a lathe, on vinyl or resin tires. I've done several sets. Crosshatched or block treads for dirt-track tires are relatively easy, but take some careful layout and measuring to get the spacing to come out exactly right. Also much easier if you have a lathe to use as a fixture to hold the tires as you cut the grooves, and make up a degree wheel and pointer to space them. Zig-zag treads for street or road-racing tires should be entirely doable, but would take much more careful layout and engraving than I'd ever bother with.

Thanks for the heads-up on that.

One of the most important cultural icons of Western Civilization that stood for 800 years and was lighted by candles for most of its history, burns in 2019. Odd timing, all things considered.

Excellent. Much appreciated.

Blew the second subwoofer speaker cone in the main house system in three months. Replaced them both about 5 years back, so I guess it's just that time.

Union 917K in Martini colors, which is not the same or derived from the Fujimi kit, so I assume it's ex-Heller. Several things that need to be upgraded/corrected to look a little less toylike in areas, but overall great potential. Interestingly, there are significant scale and proportion differences between this and the Fujimi 917s, and right now, I don't know which ones are correct. Also got a Union (ex-IMC) Lola T-70 in Mecom colors. Being IMC, there are a lot of areas on this one that need correcting as well, but it's an important car, and one my collection was missing. I hadn't really been chasing either of these, but the prices were too good to pass up. Snagged several test-shots of the old 1962 Revell parts-pack sprues, again for much better prices that these kits usually bring. Purchased to build, not to hoard.

I agree. And according to the ROG rules, it's pretty much a wide-open set of specs. https://www.theraceofgentlemen.com/race-entry

Looking good.

Just FYI...that particular '34 Ford body is indeed WAY under-scale, as you surmised. It was tooled in a misguided attempt to fit it to the tubular chassis under the Buttera T kits, which were correctly scaled. Also, the AMT '32 Ford frame is 1/25, and it's correctly scaled as well. The T wheelbase this '34 Ford was shrunk down to fit is 100". The wheelbase of a '32 Ford is 106" The wheelbase of a '34 Ford is 112". That's why everything looks like it's oddly off, and nothing fits. In reality, this tiny under-scale body is about the right size to be a '34 Fiat 508, which looks much like a tiny Ford, and had a 95.3" wheelbase.

I actually addressed that in the build thread. The model is supposed to represent a fairly high-end car from the mid-1950s or so, but owner-built on a budget. Being in sunny SoCal, the need for actual tread on the tires was one of those things the owner procrastinated on coughing up funds for. In reality, the only insert white-wall tires I had at the time that fit the rims I was using and had the right diameter also had misaligned halves from the molding die-set being slightly out of register when they were made. I had to remove almost all the tread, as shown, to eliminate the step in the middle. NOTE: The klugey steering parts are mockups, not to be confused with anything I'd try to pass off as finished work.

And this thread has much you might want to know about upgrading and modding the old AMT frames to a higher standard, including carving the reveals into the rail sides.

The old AMT axles can be upgraded relatively easily too. Even posable/working steering is quite possible. This is an AMT '40 front axle, but they're all basically the same. The left side has been modded. OR...the front axles from the 1/25 OLD series of Revell '28-'31 Fords (the ones that had opening everything) are real gems. Each kit has one stock, and one dropped, as shown below (on an AMT '32). Though not absolutely correct for a '32, nobody will ever know. They're also relatively easily converted to a more robust steering setup.

Page 3 of the thread below shows an easy way to fabricate a rear crossmember for any frame. The one shown is a '28-'31 crossmember to mount a quickchange in a narrowed '32 frame, but the technique will work for anything.

Yes, I believe the diameter of the wires may be a little thick. However, there are always trade-offs...almost always, at this point anyway. Most PE-center wheels have the wires sandwiched between the rim halves, which looks wrong to anyone familiar with real wire wheels. Likewise, most hand-laced wires that are built on a jig ultimately have the rims assembled around them as a sandwich too. The only way to get scale-correct individual wires, with the wires oriented correctly relative to the rims (at this time) is to hand-fit individual wire spokes into drilled rims, or into 3D printed rims that have .010" holes made into the rims as they're printed. I believe only Pico has done this type so far. He was certainly one of the first, several years ago. If you want to get REALLY technical, Ferrari Borranii wheels usually had polished alloy rims and chromed-steel spokes. Replicating the subtle but definitely noticeable difference between the appearance of the two materials is a challenge I'll leave to modelers far more ambitious than I'll likely ever be.

3D printed...I've seen 'em in person, and they're pretty damm fine. They even have the adjustment nuts on the rim-end of the spokes. Not even the best of the hand-laced wheels have that (other than some done by...I believe...Pico Elgin, that have printed rims including nuts, and actual wire spokes).

And it still gives me a rush just like it did all those decades ago...

I guess I'm just too blind and incompetent to see any need for better resolution.

Yeah, it is.

You see "texture" on that carb? You do realize the photo is blown up maybe 50 times from the actual size, right? Show me anything injection molded that looks that good magnified that much. Anything.

I guess you failed to read the part that said I use the stuff EXTENSIVELY. Have for YEARS. The plastic you're shooting the stuff on is most likely a harder, more solvent-resistant grade than what's commonly available today. Or not. Duplicolor has been changing formulas and packaging frequently lately. I have no idea what exact product YOU have, but I know how the stuff I have works. I have several models whose surfaces are so degraded by the crazing from Duplicolor products, they are unusable for anything but rust jobs. I don't talk out my backside, as just about anyone here knows.

The fellas who made 'em already posted 'em. But just to save anybody from having to do their own looking... 3D-printed wire wheels. 1/25 scale, from Model Builders' Warehouse. Thread here... 3D-printed 1/25 scale Stromberg. Thread here...

You disagree?

I've previously posted extensive info, including video, of today's technology. There is a set of wire wheels shown in a three-part thread of mine that's well beyond anything ever done in styrene, and they eliminate the need for the tedious wire-lacing that was the only way to go previously. One member here has provided me with some samples of his parts as well, which he's also posted here on the forum. They are, in a word, spectacular, even under magnification.