Ace-Garageguy

Forever is relative, 'cause it can seem like forever when you're trying to deal with relatives who can't grasp the concepts of "reason and rationality".

The internet is awash with "cute" cat videos, but this one cracked me up.

The white 250 GTO is supposed to be a real Ferrari, rodded back in the mid-1960s after its engine let go. A blown-engine roller could be had for not insane money back then...kinda expensive but not "investment art" money...and this one is getting a 389 Pontiac GTO engine and manual gearbox, with a ford 9" out back. In reality, there were a few American-engined Ferrari hot-rods built during the period. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The red 275P was started as part of a group build to represent the second-place finisher #23 at Sebring in 1964. It's an ancient Monogram curbside kit that was basically a slot car body with a dummy chassis and no internals. This one was a gloobomb. It's getting a lot of TLC to more accurately represent the real car, but will still be a curbside. A full-detail build of the same kit is planned, for which I've been collecting parts, research material, and experimenting with vacuum-forming the clear parts.

Year after year, they all seem to end around Christmas, just before a new one starts; pretty odd if you ask me.

"Soft Scrub" is another "scratch free" product that I use. It comes in a liquid form, looks like Comet with water added, and I use it frequently around the house, but especially to remove the stuff that accumulates on cars that are stored outside. It really doesn't scratch, as I've tried it on automobile paint, glass and mirrors with no damage. HOWEVER, before using it on glass or paint, I still recommend testing first on an area that won't show if it DOES scratch. You never know when a formula will change with no notice.

Old-school, but Comet with bleach, in the "scratch free" variety, is still my go-to for jobs like that. EDIT: The real old-school abrasive cleaners like original Comet, BonAmi, etc. would dull glossy surfaces. The moderm "scratch free" versions don't, but pay attention to the label. The old scratchy kind is still extremely useful for uniformly prepping model parts for primer, by scrubbing vigorously with a damp toothbrush.

'80s girls had it over all the rest, IMHO.

1/2 pound+ medium rare onion-and-pepper-crusted burger with at least a sixth pound of melted blue cheese, thick slabs of ripe sweet tomatoes and pepperoncini rings, on crusty pumpernickel with lotsa mayo, cheap Merlot to wash it down. Mmmm mmmm tasty. And I still have fresh raspberries for dessert.

Yup. An older issue I have has some real problems with the rear of the roof, etc., but I'll give the repop a chance. Lotsa cool parts in it, anyway.

All good advice, and this one especially. One of the guys at the place I've been snagging HO stuff asked me if I'd be interested in some things he didn't want to bother pricing and putting in his stall. I said sure, I'm always interested, and gave him my number. Couple weeks went by, he called, said he had a big box of stuff I could come look at. The catch was, take all of it, no cherry picking. I looked through it, found several nice locomotives and cars, some structures, kits, etc. I figgered a couple hundred bucks would get the stuff I really wanted, and I'd live with the rest of it, or trade it. He asked me to make an offer, which I usually try to avoid. It's YOUR stuff, give me a price you can live with. He kinda sheepishly said "would you go $60?" Yup. Sold.

Well-being and the feelings thereof are generally enhanced after exercise, even if you hurt; exercise has beneficial psychological effects as well as physical.

People have been offed for less than that. Probably don't want to smile in the rough part of town, if you catch my drift.

I had almost no modeling time last year, and frankly, with the way things were going, not much interest anyway. Still, I managed to make some small progress on the 4 I'd like to wrap up first. Did a little work on a display dio too.

That does occur to me from time to time, as I easily have enough model stuff now to stock what would have been a fantastic hobby shop in the '60s or '70s or '80s. But I just don't care. If I live forever, I'll never get bored...at least for 30 years or so. And if I run out of interest in building, or the ability, I WILL open a hobby shop, and in the meantime I'll be trying to find someone to will it all to who won't pile it up in a big bonfire or the nearest dumpster.

A few months back I bought several Sampson extruded aluminum passenger car kits that represent fluted stainless steel. These are very simple kits, with diecast ends, doors, and truck frames, and wooden underbodies. When highly polished, they still look great, and super-detailing with updated couplers, brake rigging, and diaphragms makes them really come alive. One was particularly rough, and I bought it mainly because I figured it would end up in the trash if I didn't, so there wasn't much to lose. Where a clear acetate vista-dome had been taped to the carbody, oxidation and heavy pitting had effectively ruined the extruded lines. The oxidation was pretty bad, and pitting had begun to migrate to areas adjacent to the dome as well. After repeated scrubbings with vinegar and a stainless wire brush, we had this. Still badly pitted, but I could see the full extent of the damage. After a few coats of self-etching chromate primer, she was looking a little better, and after brushing in the direction of the striations, minor pitting was getting filled. I continued priming and wire-brushing enough times to fill most of the damage on the sides, then tried a piece of 400 grit folded to a sharp edge to try to start bringing the roof back...and it's working. I finished enough to make me confident I can bring her all the way back with enough time and patience, then restore the "stainless" with one of the newer "bare metal" products. That's probably as far as I'm going to go for a while, but I'd say it's a successful proof-of-concept. Even if I can't get a really good "stainless" finish, a lot of these cars got painted over the years in reality, so she'll be pretty again one way or another.

"Butler" always made me wonder exactly how one buttles.

Just as I pulled up to the place I buy propane, the Amerigas truck pulled out, after having restocked the cage with full bottles. Happy happy, as it's going down to 18F in the next few days. Perfect timing, as the indoor counter girl I paid thought they were out, and still waiting for a delivery.

Hmmmm...probably made in England from real steel instead of "offshore" tin and pot-metal, and will probably last another 100 years.

Start saving (taking advantage of compound interest) for your retirement when you're in your 20s, and even without a gubmint safety net, you'll be comfortable by the time you're a toothless useless old geezer.

"Clean" is a term I once angrily tried to explain to an entry-level employee as "a total absence of dirt, grease, and grit" after he repeatedly brought me filthy internal engine parts asking "is this clean enough?".

"Qualifies for food stamps" is something nobody will ever say about me...probably.

Generally true, but very recently I've been buying tons of vintage HO scale model train stuff for on average less than 1/3 of what any of it could be purchased online or in a hobby shop for, and in some cases, as little as 1/10. I've also picked up vintage car kits for around 1/2 of what they're going for online, and a few for much better deals than that. I personally wouldn't rule out any likely source for models, as you don't know what's out there until you try. You might find insanely overpriced gloobombs, and you might find a grail kit NIB for $10. You just never know.

Sleep includes brain activity, breathing, digestion, and in my case much tossing and turning, so why not?

Sleep is rapidly becoming my favorite activity.