Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

styromaniac

Members
  • Posts

    628
  • Joined

  • Last visited

1 Follower

About styromaniac

  • Birthday 06/28/1953

Previous Fields

  • Scale I Build
    1/25

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://

Profile Information

  • Full Name
    Steve Strauss

Recent Profile Visitors

9,272 profile views

styromaniac's Achievements

MCM Ohana

MCM Ohana (6/6)

  1. I remember that craziness from my childhood days. There was an ad in Popular Science featuring a '55 VW Bug called the " Black Widow", driven by Roy " Mr. Pitiful " Drew of Kansas City. At a Tampa dragstrip in 1965 he clocked 168 mph in 9.36 seconds. A match race was set up with Tommy Ivo's four Buick engined " Showboat". The VW came to an end in when it went airborne at 183 mph 200 ft short of the quarter mile traps. Roy survived, the car didnt. Turbonique was the brainchild of aerospace engineer Gene Middlebrooks of Orlando Fla. He studied mechanical engineering at Ga Tech and worked for Martin Marietta on the Pershing missle program. His company specialized in very compact low cost gas turbines...fueled by isopropyl nitrate ( aka Thermolene )...a stable milky white liquid monopropellant fuel that doesnt require atmospheric oxygen to burn. When introduced into the combustion chamber at 600 psi and ignited by a spark plug connected to an on/off switch...the immediate result being an intense release of hot gases to spin turbine blades. Thermoline cost $3.50 / gallon in 1967 and was selected because it was easily ignited, clean burning, compatible with most metals, storable for indefinite periods, and comparably safe to high octane gasoline. Combined with Turbonique's incredibly compact and light weight turbines...they had the ability to deliver incredible power for brief intervals. But as many users soon discovered...there was too much power. Extreme tire spin...even on the best slicks of the day...made the drag axle equipped cars difficult to control. Full quarter mile smoke shows and flaming night runs with impressive trap speeds...but mediocre elapsed times were the rule, not the exception. Being based on rocket fuel and technology... safety issues emerged...particularly if the operator left off the throttle and then reapplied it the device would essentially become a bomb. After a few incidents and some fatalities NHRA banned the use of Turbonique turbines in 1967. In 1968 founder Middlebrooks was accused and jailed for mail fraud mostly based on the goods he sold being more difficult and expensive to finish and install than described in his advertisements. An appeal in 1972 was rejected. Middlebrooks died in 2005. Every now and then one of his many Turbonique turbines would show up on places like eBay. Now...where can I get a canister of Thermolene?
  2. Thank you for the offer Jim...but I think I have my solution.
  3. Its sounding like some of those Monogram Revell "T Bucket w/ Trailer" kits released a few times mjght be a solution. I pulled out the edition of the kit molded in black and tan with gold plated parts in lieu of chrome...the Uncertain T spoke front wheel seemed to fit the T Bucket front tire.
  4. You're right ! After posting on a couple of other modeler sites I had some good feedback with pics showing the comparison. But those Monogram Tom Daniels T'rantula dragster kits aint exactly cheap...new or built up.
  5. I eventually bought a couple of Revell Monogram T Buckets with Trailers to help fit out my own "Little T" reBuild....but most all of my black T Bucket is comprised of original " Little T" parts....
  6. This what you're lookin' for....?
  7. I know what you're saying. I acquired a few "Little T" glue bombs over the years in my quest to put together my own "Little T" restoration. After awhile I succeeded...despite just about everyone I found having broken front suspensions and trashed window frames.
  8. Did you ever get any assistance on that request?
  9. I dont usually do "show cars " but at a recent Midnight Modelers club auction to raise funds I lucked into a 1966-67 Monogram Mattel edition of Steve Scotts Uncertain T. It was disassembled but not a glue bomb...very buildable....it even had a few extra parts. Unfortunately only one front tire ! I understand the 1/1 car supposedly had Harley Davidson front wheels...so they look fatter than the motorcycle type wheels found in kits like Revell's Road Agent, Mysterion and Tony Nancy 22 Jr dragster....and a tad larger in diameter. Anybody out there have a parts box that might have a broken off Uncertain T front wheel ?...Or maybe knows if those same exact wheels were used in a different Monogram kit...like a Tom Daniels show rod ?
  10. I think I can help you...let me know if you are still in need.
  11. I bought one of these kits many years ago and noticed that all the kits of the coupe were missing the hood sides, exposing the engine, while the sedan version still had the hood sides. Thinking this project maybe obtained a whole hood from the sedan kit?
  12. Ive never tried it. Ive used "The Treatment" brand of polishing compound and wax...as well as the Novus brand in plastic bottles.
×
×
  • Create New...