Ace-Garageguy

A non-modeler comes on here wanting free advice as to how to go about setting up a blog whose real eventual purpose is just to sell stuff to modelers? Probably not even model-related stuff, because the niche companies have no marketing budgets and everyone already knows the big ones anyway, and they already have a focused presence. So, we're supposed to stand in line smiling to give quality information to somebody else who's real intent is to be making a buck on us by hawking Viagra and timeshares? Nah.

Mr Bacon, "marketing" as you define above it is not at all what I was referring to, and I think you know that. The aspect of "marketing" I find useless and annoying is my mailbox and every webpage being filled with countless clamorings for me to buy this carp or that, stuff I wouldn't take if they were GIVING it away. Another example...3M coated abrasives were once the best in the business, the hands-down industry standard. 3M was proud of the fact they spent a higher percentage of their revenues on product development and R&D than just about anyone else (which is pretty close to "marketing" as you defined it above) and it showed in the fitness of their products for the intended applications. But things have changed. I USE the products constantly, buy them out of my own revenue, and have a pretty good idea of the realities. 3M Marketing materials abound, overlapping product lines that do the same things are rampant, and much lower-cost alternatives (in the abrasives sector) that cut better AND last longer are available from other companies...but aren't heavily marketed. The people who use the alternatives have disregarded the hype, experimented with alternatives, and found superior performance for less money. I STILL buy 3M's top-line masking tapes though, simply because they're STILL the best, period. But the cost is getting to be enough to make you swoon when you see the monthly material bill...and it isn't that high because it costs that much to make the stuff.

Musta seen this guy...

Who asked you?

David, what I SAID, and not what you're reading into it, is that the hobby encompasses EVERY level of involvement, investment, skill and approach. NOBODY was singled out to be dissed or insulted. Your response to what I actually SAID is quite fascinating to me as well because YOU are one of my favorite builders. Your originality and feel for shape and line is right up there with some of the best custom-car designers around. I've never seen anything you've built that couldn't be made functional in 1:1 with some intelligent effort, either. The stuff I was specifically referring to as non-functional-in-1:1 is exemplified by ground-scraping lowness with the tops of the wheels chopped off, just for a "look", or "gassers" with the noses so high they'd flip coming out of the gate, cars with hyper-stanced negative-camber suspension or no room in the wheel-wells for steering movement, etc. That kind of modeling is fine for anyone who wants to pursue it too. I didn't insult it, nor would I. I've seen some great looking models with flat tire tops, and some gasser-inspired models that were very well done and certainly work to be proud of...but it doesn't HAVE to appeal to ME, and I'm not going to be PC'd into saying I like a build style I don't particularly care for...even though I may really admire aspects of a particular build done in that style. And I'm surprised at YOU too, Steve. What you wrote above is exactly what the words I actually WROTE mean, if you read them literally and don't go looking for something the get hurt feelings over. Again, your "offended"-ness surprises me for the same reason as David's did. You are also one of my favorite builders. The level of your finish and foil work on model after model just blows me away. If I can ever approach your level, I just MIGHT try to do something stock. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONE MORE TIME...EVERYONE READ THE WORDS I WROTE. I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THAT SHOULD OFFEND ANY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD...other than the ones who crave glowing attaboys for ill-fitting messes with grainy paint and glooey fingerprints on the windows. I guess it's just symptomatic of the times we live in that everyone is looking for something to get butthurt about, all the time, everywhere. I SAID: "These are the extreme ends of a spectrum that includes everything in between." But you know what? I'm not offended. I'm just sick of it. Ban me if it makes you all feel better.

Funny thing is that building models is JUST LIKE building real vehicles, only smaller. I don't mean to sound rude to you, or argumentative, but the terms you used in your first post ("leaf springs" and "blocks between them and the axles") have absolutely nothing to do with a vehicle that has independent suspension, so understanding that would be a good start. Your truck has front coil springs, and only stub-axles extending from the spindles. Maybe you were referring to the rear springs being leaves? If so, fine, but you really weren't specific, and if I misunderstood your meaning from reading it literally, I apologize...but simply for clarity of communication, I won't "read into" a statement something that isn't there. A REAL vehicle such as you have can be lifted in a number of ways, one being to install spacers between the cab and bed and the frame. This is really a dork way to do it, and it's just for looks, as it doesn't get any more clearance between the frame and the ground...which is the real point of lifting a vehicle that's going off-road. Lift-spindles are available for real vehicles too, and they essentially lower the front stub-axles relative to the spindles, which may be what you were thinking. On a scale model, all you have to do is cut off whatever stub axles are there and reattach them...lower. If you combine spacers between the frame and body/bed, lift blocks in the rear suspension (with higher leaf springs possibly) and a scale interpretation of "lift spindles" in front, you'll get about all that's easily achievable in scale or on a real-world truck. The next step, in front, is to cut the entire control arm loose and reattach it to the frame lower as well. This is pretty major surgery, whether for a model OR a real truck, but it's entirely do-able either way. Why anyone would want to do that to a 2WD vehicle is beyond my comprehension, as it wouldn't serve any useful off-road purpose (that I'm aware of...but off-road isn't really in my sphere of first-hand knowledge...) and would only ruin the handling of the truck in regular use. But it's your model. Look at photographs of the real thing to understand how it all works...if you don't already...and it becomes pretty obvious what needs to be relocated, or extended, or otherwise modified.

Frankly, I'd be VERY interested in a long, in depth interview with YOU. You've been a fixture in this hobby for as long as I can remember, and you had a successful real-world career in the car biz too. I'd like to know the whole story.

Good question. I've provided literally thousands of pages of quality copy, how-to info, and photographs for THIS site, as well as others, and never made a dime for it. I'd certainly be interested in writing about models for money (I have rather a lot of technical real-world material already published), but I have ZERO interest in writing about something I love while somebody who doesn't give a rat's rear about the subject rides on my back raking off all the cream. Been there, done that. Nope. How and how much do you propose to pay?

If you don't have any interest in or knowledge of what you're selling, at the very least, HIRE somebody who does. I'm sick of useless click-bait masquerading as something worth my increasingly limited time. EDIT: And I will intentionally NOT purchase products where useless BS is part of the overall marketing scheme.

To the best of my knowledge, the front suspension of a 1997 F-150 2wd truck is independent, and doesn't have "leaf springs" or a solid axle to put blocks on. That might be part of your problem.

I'll need to live to at least 100 to build every idea that's in my head already (even if I actually begin building fairly regularly and intensely once I finally retire) many of which are in progress, and most of which I already have plenty of kits to pick and bash from. So to answer your question "could you keep building for the rest of your life?"...that would be an unqualified YES.

No offence intended again, but I have no use for "marketers" in general daily life and surely not in my modeling or real-car work. I see "marketers" as noncontributing members of society who do nothing but drive costs up without adding value. EXAMPLE: generic products are very often equal to (or even superior to) heavily-marketed brands, but cost dramatically less because they don't have to support legions of professional BS-ers trying to convince people to buy them. "People just like" me?. Hardly. I get inspiration, ideas, and technical heads-ups DIRECTLY from other members of this and other user-forums that have worthwhile content provided by highly-accomplished modelers or real-world people who know something I need or want to know. And you know what? MUCH of the "information" that's out there in webland is just flat wrong. It takes in-depth knowledge of the subject to separate the useful kernels of actual true and correct "content" from all the idiot noise. And you, with no in-depth knowledge of the subject you want to exploit, will have no idea whether the "content" you may have delegated "others" create for your site has any value whatsoever...unless you hire somebody like me as your editor...and you couldn't afford me anyway. I see useless "content" constantly, in a vast number of fields (on sites that just want to sell me something and have NO competent editorial policy whatsoever) and it's really getting tiring. So...my advice? Get yourself someone who knows modeling (and the REAL subjects the models represent) inside-out (who has the track record of exceptional work to prove it)...and who has an excellent grasp of English (a little math wouldn't hurt either)...to procure and edit your content. Otherwise, you'll have nothing worth looking at.

As I mentioned earlier, some diligent research on your OWN part might prove to be helpful. Scrolling through this or any of the other top-rated user forums will pretty obviously indicate what's "important content to the modeling community", if you're wearing your critical-thinking hat and have good reading comprehension and logical analysis skills. And a word of caution...a business model based on something that one has no interest in or substantial knowledge of (as you yourself say "I've never built a model before and i have no interest in them. ") is a recipe for failure...even though many "business" people seem to believe (misguidedly) otherwise. The web is already full to overflowing with sites that are just there to tap into a market that isn't understood or actually cared about, full of stupidity, wrong information, and simply useless. Passion is what drives successful startups...or real success in just about any endeavor. "Market research" that goes to potential consumers and asks for THEM for substantial product-development input very often turns out turds at the end of the process. Like this.

This image has been floating around the web for years. All it proves, again, is that there's no shortage of idiocy. In the real world, it can take hundreds of horsepower just to turn the blower on a top-fuel engine. Real or photoshop, this Camaro idiot rig is just stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Here's the blower in its natural home. During manufacture...

Geez. You're single-handedly moving modeling firmly into the 21st century. Most continuingly impressive combination of skills and techniques, most definitely inspiring me to get off my lazy complacent backside and learn a few new tricks.

I also get the message THIS WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE.

I have a problem with the often ridiculous amounts of money sports figures, entertainers, and idiot CEOs (among others) get paid...particularly when they conduct themselves like irresponsible greedy spoiled children, or set themselves up as arbiters of public opinion when they're ignorant concerning their subject matter. A lot of them couldn't survive if they actually had to work for a living, producing something of tangible value on a daily basis, with a "the buck stops here" level of responsibility. And I just don't give a damm about sports unless I'm participating. I have no interest in breathlessly adoring other grown men getting millions of bucks for chasing and throwing little balls... Just my opinion, to which I'm entitled. Yours may vary.

A company that does what? No offence intended, but as far as information goes, every answer to everything you've touched on here has been posted and discussed extensively on every modeling forum known to man...whether the subject is cars, trains, aircraft or anything else that gets built as scale models. Some diligent research on your part would be most enlightening. I CAN tell you that for the most part, there are very few blanket generalities that apply equally to all modelers. Some of us take scale fidelity and technical and historical accuracy quite seriously, strive for excellence in our work, and enjoy the challenge of difficult kits or modifications. We have extensive collections of tools, parts, libraries, and do much in the way of research to enhance the quality of what we turn out. We can make our own parts from scratch if desired (or necessary), and expect the manufacturers to produce accurate and well-engineered kits. Some others see model building as "playing with toys", accept glaring scaling and proportion mistakes from the model-manufacturing companies with no question, build things that couldn't possibly function in reality, see investing in tools and materials as a waste of money, learning proper techniques as a waste of time and not "fun", and seem to expect overflowing praise for mediocre results. These are the extreme ends of a spectrum that includes everything in between.

Bought a '63 Corvette split-window, covered in about an inch of dust, from a guy in a body shop once. He said it looked "too complicated" to build.

I've read more than a few BAD reviews on Amazon (and other places) of products that turned out to be real gems (after I went ahead and purchased them on my own analysis). My only rational conclusion is that a fair number of people who post reviews on the web are so stupid or inept that they probably can't fry an egg without putting themselves in the hospital. There's no shortage of people who post modeling "advice" who have no clue as to what they're talking about either. The "decent user forum" you mention for this particular product should be interesting to peruse. Do you happen to have a link, so I don't have to take 30 seconds to find it myself?

James2 recommends this product for rust as well. If his and JTalmage's results are anything to go by, it works beautifully. Thanks Jesse and James! (MODEL SHOWN BELOW BY JAMES2)

Not meaning to be an SOB, but I've read so many incredibly stupid reviews of products on Amazon that turned out to be total idiocy (which I found after I bought and used the product) I tend to take anything posted there with a big ol' fat grain of salt.

Yup. When I die, all my photos will disappear a month or so afterwards, as the bill will no longer be paid. I don't believe I'll put a provision in my will to pay Photobucket in perpetuity for the questionable privilege of being a posthumous rivet-counting know it all still trying to force people, from the grave, to build gassers that have the period-correct stance. Anyone who looks around the site much will see that many photos on many old threads are gone. Of course, we really have no guarantee ANY of us or anything else will be here tomorrow, Like you, i keep "permanent" copies of any web-sourced information I think I'll "need" in the future, either on my own main drive, removable media, or one of several cloud accounts. Still, a massive cyber-attack might corrupt everyone's computers, crash the internet and the economy, and a lot of us might find ourselves wishing we'd bought guns and bullets and canned food instead of the last 500 inedible kits that sit uselessly on the shelves.