Big Daddy's Swamp Rat XXX

[David Thibodeau]

I live about 55 miles from Garlits Museum in Ocala FL. One of my managers at work has arranged for us to visit the museum first week of April to get a tour by "Big Daddy" himself! He asked me if I would be interested in building a car to present him when we arrive to take the tour. I jumped at the chance! I perused evilbay and found a sealed kit of his Swamp Rat 30. The car that blewover and flipped around and went back towards the start line at Englishtown in 1986. I called upon Shiryl from Detailmaster to get me some parts lined up to make it a nicely detailed car. I have a little over a month to get this project done so lets get started!

The frame and body were cleaned up and primed with a little boxart in the backround

Then they were all covered in PPG Black basecoat followed by 2 part Chromaclear to make them "Garlits black" ready for decals.

Even though the front end will be closed up on this build it lends itself to nice detailing that I cant help but add. I added a detailmaster battery hardware kit upgrade, new steering rod made from brass tubing along with .080 solder for the fuel line. Don's interior panels were gold on this car so I carefully painted that area with Tamiya gold. The fuel cell, steering linkage, and bulkhead were painted with Testors buffing aluminum metalizer.

The top loader Rear Axle was "misted" with Primer for a texture look and painted with Metalizer. I picked out the "Strange" rear end logo with a black wash.

Finally I added decals to the painted cowl cover. I was skeptical about bleedthrough and age of the kit decals, but fortunately they worked out nicely considering this kit wad made back in 1987. That worry is over with!

Engine work next up!!

DaveT

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

This is looking sharp Dave, should be awesome when complete. It'll be nice hangin' with Dig Daddy for awhile.

later,

[MicroNitro]

Hi Dave,

Your Dragster is turning out super, I have always been a big fan of your models. Parts by Parks makes some real nice spun aluminum wheel covers for that kit, they look real cool if you add the dzus fasteners to them. At one time I did some carbon fiber work on Big Daddy's 1:1 top fueler, he is a great guy just do not get talking about space aliens.

[horsepoweraddict]

This thing is turning out awesome!!! Look at that Shine WOW!!!

[iBorg]

Do you have a source to order those Swamp Rat XXX discs?

I'd love to finish my version of this kit and those might help nudge me to work on it.

Mike

[David Thibodeau]

Thanks guys and here is more progress, time constraints looming I really have to stay fairly dedicated to this one....

Engine is well underway, Alclad paints were used for the engine block and supercharger. I have also installed detailmaster pulleys, a homemade belt from electrical tape and business card, and started plumbing the fuel lines using craft wire ( supercharger lines) and detailmaster braided line and fittings. The barrel valve and fuel dist block out back on the supercharger are scratch from square rod. Don ran only one magneto on this car so I used a pro tech distributor, plug wires, and a MAS PE magneto cap all painted red.

Here are the wheels and tires labourously sanded clean and slixx decals applied followed by dullcoat. I scuffed the front bicycle tires. Hand painted the good year lettering and popped them on.

Finally a few mock ups......

[Dragline]

David, what would be great is to please share the pix you are using to get the details right.

As much as this build will help, there's nothing like having the actual car to refer to.

I had the opportunity to get the tour from Don in the 80's when there were 4 cars in the back shop that served as the museum at that time. There was a JJ car, Swamp Rat 1 and a couple others I dont recall. This car was still being raced at the time.

I have this kit in the wings [i'm a BIG Garlits fan], so pix will help me personally, and by the looks of it several others here.

Thanks

Dragline

Edited February 27, 2009 by Dragline

[noname]

Very nice. Very clean and I really like the engine. The Alclad really did the job here.

[Harry P.]

I don't know much about these types of cars, but I'm surprised that it would have an on-board battery!

Was that to power the CD player???

[polandmob]

this is gonna be sharp when you are done.super nice build up

[David Thibodeau]

I don't know much about these types of cars, but I'm surprised that it would have an on-board battery!

Was that to power the CD player???

I think it was for the onboad electronics Harry.. I figured Revell knew what they were doing!!! LOL!!

Thanks guys.....

Dragline....

I really dont have alot of detailed pics of the car... This album link below is all I have in my arsenal... Keep in mind alot of the pics are of not only Swamp Rat 30, but Swamp Rat 31, and 30 as it is today in the Smithsonian... but I dont have any good clean detail shots of the engine.... I wish I did!!

http://public.fotki.com/Daveyracer/drag_mo...ference-photos/

[Dragline]

Those are some good pix David, they will come in handy. Hmmmmmm... I live here in Baltimore. I sure could stand a trip to the Smithsonian. Can I take pix there is the question?

I believe you can... I may just go on down there and snap a bunch for all who would like them.

I need to see Archie Bunkers chair as well. Been some time since I've been to DC and all the museums there.

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!

Bob Frias

AKA: Dragline

EDIT:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/co...object_754.html

Flash photography is OK at the museum so I will be going. Perhaps next week.

Edited February 28, 2009 by Dragline

[David Thibodeau]

Those are some good pix David, they will come in handy. Hmmmmmm... I live here in Baltimore. I sure could stand a trip to the Smithsonian. Can I take pix there is the question?

I believe you can... I may just go on down there and snap a bunch for all who would like them.

I need to see Archie Bunkers chair as well. Been some time since I've been to DC and all the museums there.

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!

Bob Frias

AKA: Dragline

EDIT:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/co...object_754.html

Flash photography is OK at the museum so I will be going. Perhaps next week.

Sounds like an awesome idea Bob.. just keep in mind that Swamp Rat XXX at the smithsonian was totally redone Engine wise compared to the one that was in the 1986 Blowover car at Englishtown. Dont know if that matters to you but the engine setups were different. The 86 original car had one Magneto ( at Englishtown) and the open blower scoop with hidden throttle butterflies inside the intake. The smithsonian car has a traditional aluminum blower hat with front mounted throttle butterflies and Dual Magnetos like Swamp rat 31 had in 1987.....

DaveT

Edited February 28, 2009 by David Thibodeau

[Dragline]

It's all settled, I'm going tomorrow [sat Feb 28th].

I have the camera and I'll take the pix.

I did know about the single mag. I have some pix in an old Hot Rod somewhere. I want all the hose runs and colors up close. Big always ran that hollow hat and I'm not sure why they'd put the trad hat on it.

No worries there. I'll get the plumbing pix we can use. I just got 2 shipments of Detail Master fittings of near every size and type. I have all the Dragline PE trees so this will be fun.

Snake N Mongoose pix soon as well. They are finished and are just waiting for me to snap a few of em.

I'll post pix for all those who wish to model this historic car.

Dragline

[iBorg]

You inspired me enough to pull out my XXX that I started over ten years ago. Nice looking build. One thing, strip the chrome off the disc and spray them with some metalizer.

Mike

[David Thibodeau]

You inspired me enough to pull out my XXX that I started over ten years ago. Nice looking build. One thing, strip the chrome off the disc and spray them with some metalizer.

Mike

I am trying to find some turned ones on the net.. Metalizer is way too messy.....

DaveT

[Dragline]

Smithsonian trip postponed till tomorrow due to a 1/2 dozen people who also want to go and cant till then.

Always willing to accomodate, so Sunday it is!

I was pretty keyed up for it too. I'll have to temper it till the morrow.

Bob

[David Thibodeau]

Thanks guys......

Motor is done for the most part. All detailmaster hardware on this one with Pro Tech PE bolts. The headers required major clean up so much I think I needed a little more on those inner seams..... : Blast belts are extra seat belt material from model factory hiro kit. Again, I went for the older vintage look. This car had.

Here is a chassis test fit. Its looking busy. And I am pleased by that. Building a top fuel car with no detail is like asking me to cut my arms off! ;D

[crazyjim]

Beautiful job on the Swamp Rat.

I believe Dig Daddy used to cut a notch on the rear zoomie tubes. After wiping the slicks and doing the burnout, the exhaust being forced out the tubes would continue to keep debris off the slicks. Maybe he only did the notches on earlier Swamp Rat verions.

I live about 20 miles from his museum and haven't ben there yet. There's an old magazine (1964) with his picture in it. One of these days I'll get over there and try to get an autograph on the magazine.

[David Thibodeau]

Thanks guys... the 2 year old is home sick today so I took a vacation day to watch him.... so while he slept all morning I got this done...

Interior is busy yet not overly done due to the fact it will all be hidden behind glass windows.... I used detailmaster detail wire for the gauges, model car garage PE steering wheel, Brake lever, and chute lever. I added Model Factory hiro belt material and leftover PE buckles from Model Car garage and stuck then directly over the kit belts. I think it worked out well. Very vintage with gold paint that Don used inside his dragsters... This kit was plagued with injector marks everywhere! But the floor ones wont be seen and were very difficult to get to.

Here is the last shot of the car before I add the body panel assembly. It fits very tight so its not going to be removable.

Here is the chassis with the body applied for good.

While I was at it, I buttoned up the rear brakes. I used Detailmaster drilled rotors and a caliper from the spares box cut in half. Once they were painted and added I plumbed the brakes using craft gold #1 Crimp tubes and #1 Detailmaster braided line.

Since the brakes were done I could see no reason why I could not add the Slicks permanantly....

Since the body was installed I decided to clean up and install the glass dome on the cockpit body work. Don pioneered this and it really worked for him... Even if he was a "Rat under Glass"

Some final pics to show how the car is shaping up with the engine temporarily installed..... I still have lots to do to tie it altogether but its getting there. Oh.... I also have some spun aluminum discs from Detailmaster coming to replace the rear kit covers you see now....

[Hondo]

Looks killer, David.

I'm sure "Big" is gonna love it.

Be sure you get some pictures of him with it.

Remember....... Don't ask him about the aliens !!

Great job !

Hondo

[David Thibodeau]

Thanks guys..... oh I plan on getting pics giving it to big daddy.... I hope he appreciates the work in it!!!

More progress:

I made a new rear firewall from sheet aluminum. Its on the right with some scratchbuilt fuel system timers. BIG improvement over the chrome thick kit piece.

Next up it was installed and a detailmaster fire bottle was used for the air tank that runs the timers plumbed with #3 detailmaster fittings and line....

And an engine fit for clearance check:

[David Thibodeau]

Well here is the final WIP update.......

Motor is fully plumbed, oil filter is installed, Fuel tube is in place, and its ready for the side panels...The throttle linkage is made from fishing leader line

The puke tank lines that were molded to the tank were removed anf clear tubing was added. Then they were coated with clear orange tamiya acrylic to give them the oil and fuel stained look. I think these REALLY give it a vintage look!

A closeup of the front area and all those oil lines!

Finally I replaced the rear wing ends with aluminum sheet....

Rear chutes and lots of PE fasteners and it will be finished up!

DaveT

[rckymtn3]

fantastic detail! the way I displayed mine was with the front end removeable, separated at the seam....between rounds the body work stayed on with the front end clam shell removed, and the windscreen opened (it tilted quite aways forward when open). the configuration of the front wheels when he first broke 270mph was was indeed moon style disks with what amounted to small fan belts as front tires. the issue was the front-end would carry 'till well past half track and when the front touched down the stress would break the belts and the resulting slapping would tear the front-end body work up. he soon lead the way (again) with the use of more substantial small aircraft tires which stood up to the punishment. I always thought this rat was sexy. great looking build!!!!! (and if you could...I would SINCERELY appreciate as many reference style photos of prudhomme's hotwheel snake front engine dragster on display in the museum.) please? lol It seems any visitors sort of snap one pic and move on. just a request for a VIP

added:

and I agree with davezinn about the lines to the puke tank .....they are the perfect color...really aids the realism....

ps...throwing this out there....I have seen and have small bits of destroyed blowers as samples...from rough unpolished aluminum and magnesium to highly polished samples...to me, THE toughest color and look to get right is highly polished magnesium blowers...it's this deep brown yet pearlish stuff....amazing really....anyway...large father usually opted for the cheapest version of the best parts....which translates into....he liked magnesium, but no frills unpolished...so in pictures it looks like a primer tan....not sure what the huffer on XXX was....

Edited March 13, 2009 by rckymtn3

[1320wayne]

Excellent work Dave. I'm sure that Garlits will be quite impressed with your work. And that you do such a nice job in such a short amount of time. Well done!