Clunkmeister

I'm a sucker for the old stuff with an art deco look to it. Obviously I'm big into cosmetic enhancements, which is good because my two favorite colors are black, and chrome 😃 So a bit of extra chrome here and there, along with some gold leaf where needed, and away we go.

It’s a paper tiger in many ways. It benefitted from many months of (literally) buckets of parts in front of our Chesterfield sofa, all taking their turn as I mindlessly polished them out. Then reassembling it on the lift table until it started resembling a motorcycle. Dropping the engine onto its mounting plates was the biggest wake up call I’ve received in awhile. I used to be able to lift these old engines easily enough. This time, my neighbor had to help. Jeroen rides a moder Harley Softail with a modern Yarley V twin engine, and he’d run away and hide from me. This is pretty impressive on the straights, but in corners, this undampened front suspension will pogo you to death. It’s best to remember its roots. Modern Harleys are world class motorcycles, but this was absolute even in 1948

I was going for a 1948 FL Panhead, yes. But with modern niceties such as a Softail hidden rear suspension that looks just like an old rigid bone rattler hardtail frames of the 40s, plus an electric leg: I can’t kick them to life anymore with these knees. I lowered the rear and seat as much as I dared so I could get both feet on the ground with bent knees. My knees and right hip are SHOT due to arthritis, and I limp to the bike, but am a holy terror once onboard. Even throwing my leg over is agony. New knees this fall I hope. Like any lowered Harley, it’ll drag a board in a corner about 5 degrees before it drags a pipe and it goes out from under you, but you don’t ride an old open spring Harley to carve corners. It’s not a Duc or Guzzi. You ride it they did in 1948: 55-65 mph, sitting upright like a proper English gentleman, chugging along and smelling the summer fields. It’s crazy fun for what it is. I even got my Barbour style oilskin jacket, a Davida TT helmet, and some Halcyon aviators.

I just couldn't resist this, and it's positively brilliant! It's been a bucket list kit for 25 years

It’s literally built from spare parts, to resemble a 1948 Harley.

I put it on the dyno last week, and this old Frankenstein engine is putting out 89 hp and 130 lbs torque at the rear wheel. The torque curve comes right up off of idle and is flatline from 1250 rpm right up to 3200. These old air cooled Harleys aren’t horsepower machines, but they have HUGE flat torque curves the never seem to stop pulling. At 3200 rpm, they’re rattling your fillings, so I lay off at 2900 or so. They’ll rev to 5K, but it’s a useless exercise. Think old 1930s Straight 8, V12 and V16 cars and you have the idea. the engine will need compression releases, though, because the starter hates rolling it over.

And promptly broke down. Got it home and found a plugged fuel filter. Pulled the tanks, rinsed them out and dumped out 5 years of shale rust. Gasohol really isn’t good for fuel systems. So the tanks got POR-15 tank lining, the Mikuni carb got pulled, cleaned, and built, and then I replaced the blown 7.5 amp fuse for the turn signals and brake lights I had mistakenly installed in place of a 10 amp fuse. now it runs great, and a few hours of this per week should straighten out any lingering issues

We said “enough’s enough”, it’s time to get back onboard and ride this train, so, first things first: I pulled out an old junker custom job I had been working on,I had covered in the far back of the barn, cleaned it up, changed the fluids, put a battery in it, and went for a ride.

I’m back, guy. Let’s get with it

Have no fear, Gus. I have a 410 I will most likely NEVER build. It’s not my cup of tea

It looks like I finally see the light of day here. I had, over the last year, a convergence of events that literally knocked me to my knees. As of now, I’m free of it all, and the first thing I’ll do is make myself a list of outstanding modeling obligations, and fulfill then all writhing a couple days. I truly look forward to talking to everyone again! Cheers! Ernie

I just received notice from Fran that HPH models has closed its doors, effective immediately. Their websites ore offline and they are no longer accepting orders at this time. Personally, I’ll miss them, as I loved building their kits. They were certainly challenging.

Services will most likely be on March 26th in Shell Knob, Missouri. Bev told me that she wants me to take some of his kits, and if so, I’ll post pictures up here, and in the true spirit of Harv, they’ll be distributed free of charge to members of LSM. Eagle Transmission Services (my corporation) will pay shipping and duties. My wife Joy will live stream the Service. I’ll be scarce till then, but will be back here full time after that.

Guys, this is the hardest thing I’ve had to say in a long, long time, but early this morning, our longtime friend, confidant, and the King of Likes, Harv Boyer, passed peacefully into the open arms of our Risen Savior. Harv was known for his huge heart and was always there to help others when they needed helping. There will be a Service in Shell Knob, Missouri within the next couple weeks, so watch this space for news. Ernie

Gus, you nd I both got the last Attackers available. I had to ask him to assembly my kit from spare parts, and if I recall, he had to cast a few parts to complete my kit. Yours was the last full kit, I believe, although I hope he brings back those classic Supermarine kits in the future. I have the Walrus as well, and that model is talking to me.

Fact is, I love doing this. These last few months, life has truly sucked for me and my world. I’ve been scarce around here, and for that, I apologize, but life comes first. My wife has a few health issues, as have I, but we’re through it, and all’s good. I’d go into my back shop and form some sheet aluminum for my Starduster, and doing a little welding on some 4130 chromoly steel tubing for tabs to hold the aluminum sheeting around the cockpit. The previous setup was set up for fabric covering, but that left no access for regular maintenance unless you were willing to go headfirst into the cockpits. So that was my therapy. I hope the raffle worked well for all who participated, and hopefully, next year, we’ll all be in a better place financially.

That’s hilarious. I usually end up sending to Telepatu, Fran, Carl or Gus. Hehehe. I never get someone, say, across the County.

The economy has been horrible in the US these last few years, and from what I’ve heard, almost as bad in the rest of the developed world. So I blame economic conditions for part of the low participation this year. So without any further delay, here we go: Winners: 1. $75.00 gift card from Mark31 goes to Fran 2. Winner’s choice from Hubert’s stash, excluding HPH DC-3 and Fisher kits, donated by Hubert, won by GusMac 3. 1/32 Italeri F-104A/C plus a boatload of AM donated by TJTX won by CANicol 4. Takom Ho-229 or $75.00 gift card from BlrWestSiR won by Towerpower 5. 1/48 Tamiya F-4B donated by GusMac was won by BlrWstSiR 6. 1/32 ZM FW 190A-4 plus Kettenkrad donated by Clunkmeister was won by Telepatu 7. 1/32 ZM Kettenkrad donated by Clunkmeister won by Martin 8. 1/48 Airfix Fairey Gannett AS.1/AS.3 donated by ScottsGT, won by Hubert 9. 1/32 Eduard Bf 109E-1 donated by Fran, won by ScottsGT 10. 1/32 Revell Germany Bf 109G-6 early and Valiant Wings late 109 reference book donated by Telepatu won by Mark31 11. 1/35 DML M4A3E8, 1/48 Eduard Fokker D.Vii, 1/35 Zvezsa Armata, or $75.00 gift card for outside NA donated by CANicoll won by ScottsGT 12. 1/32 Revell. Germany Hawker Tempest Mk.V donated by Towerpower won by Telepatu 13. 1/32 ZM Hs.129B-3 donated by Martin, won by BlrWstSiR The grand prize this year of an HK A-20, your choice of version was won by Hubert congratulations, my good friend! If I missed anyone, please Pipe Up! Folks, it’s been a hard, miserable year for most all of us, but I hope this brought even the tiniest bit of good cheer to all the faithful here. Blessings in 2025 from North Texas, and let’s all build and be merry!

Ok y’all, here is what we have, as chosen at random from my cowboy hat by my neighbor’s youngest girl. The donations are listed first, then comes the results. Donation: 1. $75.00 gift card. Donated by Mark31 2. I kit of the winner’s choosing from the stash of Hubert. Donated by Hubert. Oh MAN, what a gift! A couple kit lines are exempt, as stated by Hubert. 3. 1/32 Italeri F-104A/C kit with AM decals and AM parts, donated by TJTX 4. Takom Horten Ho-229 or $75.00 gift card, donated by BlrwestSiR 5. 1/48 Tamiya F-4B or $75.00 gift card donated by GusMac 6. 1/32 ZM FW 190A-4 with 1/32 Kettenkrad donated by Clunkmeister plus a second, standalone Kettenkrad to a second winner 7. 1/48 Fairey Gannett AS.1/AS-4 donated by ScottsGT 8. 1/32 Edward Bf 109E-1 donated by Fran 9. 1/32 Revell Bf 109G-6 early and late plus Valiant Wings Bf 109 late series from F to Z series reference book donated by Telepatu. 10. 1/35 DML Imperial Series M4A3E8 Sherman, Korean War vintage PLUS 1/48 Edward Fokker D.Vlll kit with lozenge decals, and a 1/35 Zvezda TBMP T-15 Armata or a $75.00 gift card for those outside North America donated by C.A.Nicoll. 11. 1/32 Hawker Tempest Mk.V donated by Towerpower. 12. 1/32 ZM Hs 129B-3 donated by Martin

Coming soon…. 😂

We have a semi small, but amazingly generous bunch here! Wow! I will soon make a spreadsheet for who’s to what.

Good LORD that’s gorgeous!

I’ll ask Jim about a software update. He’s the resident computer whiz. I dare not touch it because I might screw the internet up so bad a couple satellites crash out of orbit.

I’ll put myself in for a Zoukei Mura Fw 190A-4 kit.

Gus, if someone in the USA wins, I have three Tamiko F-4B’s and can send one on your behalf.