Min hjemmeside

In addition to selling real estate and writing travel guides, I enjoy doing my own car
repairs and working with my model trains. I recently restored a 1987 Mercedes
300SDL and have Lionel Trains that date back to my childhood. Considering that I
was born in 1945, these trains are pretty old. The links listed below on this page are
some of the better sites I have found to support both my car and train hobbies. I
hope you find them helpful.

About a year ago I started a new hobby - building model wooden boats. My first
completed project is a 1:80 scale model of a Mississippi river boat. The finished boat
is about 24" long and 12" high. I bought the kit on line and was really taken back by
the detail and difficulty involved with building this boat. I also custom built a lighted
display case for the boat which is shown in the picture below.

My current project is a 1:48 scale model of the sailing ship H.M.S. Bounty. This ship
will be 38" long and 26" high when completed. I bought the kit from the same
company I bought the river boat because I was very satisfied with the quality of the
parts and the instructions. Artesania Latina is a South American model company and
perhaps one of the best in the world. This boat is very detailed and very difficult to
build. Time, patience and skill are all needed to get the job done. The kit
manufacturer recommends, and I agree, that anyone deciding to build a wooden
model start with something simple and work their way up because when you get to
the more detailed models, like the Bounty, the instructions only point the way and
much is left to the skill and ingenuity of the builder. Your ability to shape and bend
wood parts and even make special tools, when necessary, gets better after you
make a number of mistakes.

Wood model building may not be for everyone, but if you're into it already or decide
you would like to look into it further I have included some links below to some of my
favorite sites. If you have some questions or want to talk about a current project
you're working on, give me a call 205-612-9633 or email Ralph@fredahomes.com;
good luck.

Artesania Latina - The company I bought my model kits from

Wood Model Ship Kits- Links to some of the best model companies in the world

Cir-Kit Concepts - Miniature lights and fixtures for any model project

Car Stuff

Mercedes Parts - hard to find parts at great prices

Auto Repair Manuals & Books - over 40,000 books & manuals

Auto Shopper - price and find new and used cars, parts, repairs and more

JC Whitney - accessories and parts for most cars

Hemmings Motor News - world's largest collector-car marketplace

All Data Manuals - on line repair manuals for most makes and models

Model Trains

C.T.Luminations - bulbs, track pins & more

Trains, Planes & Automobiles - just as the name implies.

Walthers - model railroad accessories for all scales.

Woodland Scenics - realistic model railroad scenery

e-Hobbyland - Lionel Trains and More