Still Alive, Still Planning for a Corvette-Themed Layout

Send a couple of those mid years up this way and that will give you the room for a layout

Nick, it's good to hear from you. Sounds like you have a great job down there. When does the reality show start?

 

What kind of car is that 4 door?

 

Getting back to trains, what kind of space do you have in that loft? I hope you can get the details worked out and get the layout up and running someday.

I looked expecting to see lots of water and maybe dock-side and all I saw was a bunch of cars!

 Originally Posted by Hudson J1e:

Believe me, we've kicked the idea around more than once 

 

The sedan is a 1967 Ford Fairlane LTD from Canada; one owner who kept it in a state of near perfect preservation and dirt cheap at the Fort Lauderdale RM auction we attended. It's exactly the type of clean original car at the right price we look for to flip right back out the door.

 

Up on the loft we do have much more straightaway space and just enough width for whatever the next largest curve is beyond O72. There will be plenty of room to do something substantial in any event. Can't wait for the day things settle down enough to start construction!

This is timely.  I was just thinking about you the other day while looking at a 20th Century set on display at Caboose Hobbies and then seeing a long string of Pacemaker cars on the LCCA/Marty Fitzhenry video.  

 

I'm glad to read that you are well and things are going great with the business.

Jim

Haha, you won't find much of that in the industrial park where the business is. Gotta go back to my extremely layout-unfriendly condo to get the usual Florida scene 

 

Although in the same breath I do have to mention one of my condo neighbors turned out to be a fellow O-Gauger of all things. He is building a small yard-style layout to get around the space issue. I'll have to post some photos next time I visit with him.

 

Thanks! Glad to hear at least a couple people remember me and the NYC lol. Although the Florida East Coast "Daylight" freight that runs behind my condo every day is quickly making me a fan. You'll probably see a lot of this represented on the future layout.

 

Good to hear from you Nick. I miss all of your content about the great passenger trains you were putting together.

 

Work does happen and at your station in life, it is important. You have plenty of time in the future when the conditions are right to get that layout built.

 

Please stay in touch, we miss you.

Good to hear from you Nick!

 

I love the mid year with the LS motor in your picture.  

 

Congrats on the business and I'm very happy for you.  Life's a wonderful thing when doing what you love!

 

I'll stop by sometime and we'll burn some good cigars.  I'd like to visit your shop also.

 

Stay in touch partner!

I was wondering what ever happened to you Nick.  Glad to see you alive and well. 

Great to see the business is good.  Time for trains will be soon, I'm sure.  Hope to see you again at York some day.

 

Take care.

Hi Nick.  All I have to do is show my wife the picture and she'll say;"when are we leaving"

i'll be there to talk trains and cars! LOL! 

 

 

Thought about you and the NYC train last week. I visited a guy that had multiple sets of the NYC cars NIB w/shipper. I am surprised that many don't find your thread on the engine as enough new threads get started about upgrading that engine.

 

Your shop reminds me of '73 when a friend had a paint stripping party on his '64. We had to use rubber spatulas to get the paint off. He did not want any marks in the 'glass.

 

I wish you the best for the success of your business!

Is that street legal?

 

Wow.  Your shop is really impressive.  I wish there had been a place like yours around when I had my 69 Corvette.  I bought it new.  It was fun to drive but the worse car that I ever had from a reliability stand point.  The electrical kept going out and the cylinder springs kept breaking.  I wiped two engines in normal driving.

 

I love those photos of the FEC trains.  Good luck on your business and your new layout.

 

NH Joe 

Glad to here from you. Really nice set up... if your in the area, let me know I can set you up on a 10 cent tour where the Mrs. is in charge!.... If you are into racing and auto restoration, they are no. 1 in the "D"!

 

 

 

 

 

Your shop and showroom look great!  I've read many of your past posts and like many other people was wondering how you were doing.  I'm glad you're well. 

Nick, I just saw those engines last week in Palm Beach.  I went home and ordered a pair from MTH.

 

John, in Florida it may be.  Florida does not have vehicle safety inspections like other states.  My last Florida car to be inspected was the year 2000.

Good to see you here again. Love vettes, I've driven and raced them since I was 18. First was 65 425 horse 396 coupe. Current 2007 Z06.

 

Like you, as you know, love the NYC.

 

Ron H

Ron, many train guys are Corvette guys.  I currently am still in love with my anniversary 2003 Z-06.  My license plate is "TRAINS"  

 

 

Thank you everyone for the kind words! So good to hear from all of you again 

 

Chris - That picture is basically what you get all year round if you don't count the summer rains. I remember using it to tease all my northerner friends during that last crazy winter 

 

Carl - Yep, I've had to trudge through the process myself a few times. On a red car it looks like I've been in a slasher movie after I'm done lol

 

John - Haha, I bet that chassis could actually be street legal. Marty is right, in Florida it seems like you could slap a plate on anything with wheels. We have a young shop tech that moved here from New Jersey and he still can't get over how lackadaisical the driving and requirements are here as opposed to up north.

 

Marty - I am definitely an FEC fan myself now that I've lived next to the mainline for a year. I see those two engines or ones like them about 3 times every day shuttling the same assortment of cars back and forth. There's also a newly painted dark blue SD unit that comes through with smaller local loads.

 

Ron - The 1965 396 is a GREAT car. We just happen to have a gorgeously restored green on green example on the showroom floor right now. Hopefully it brings some memories for you 

 

Nick, love the 65. Mine was blue with side pipes. Yours is beautiful, probably about 130K.

 

Marty I had an 02 Z06, black and I loved it. Really snappy. I had about 33 street kills with it. The C6 doesn't get many folks that want to play. Only have about 15 kills.

My step dad and I are car guys as well. We have 3 Corvettes. A 1973, 1979, and a 1994 Roadster. All 3 are Top Flight Winners....I need to get some photos on here of them!!

Nick, where are you?  I am in North Palm Beach.  My hobby is buying and flipping any Corvette I can get my hands on.  That buys trains.

Wow, small world Marty! We're only an hour down I-95 from there, in the Oakland Park area. Just Google "Corvette Experience Fort Lauderdale" and all the address details will come up. Feel free to stop by anytime! Now makes sense you're seeing the same exact engines I see every day, we must live near the same mainlines.