dragin70s

Used a little hobby dough and picked up the four pack of the AW top fuel slot dragsters. Really liking these things, but think I am actually more excited about buying another one and detailing it and doing it as another car. These things, along with the funny cars, could be reeaaalllly addictive.

Those are great. Looks like you found the fun again. Man, I really need to get me one of those Nitro Chargers to do that Prudhomme car. Of course, its 95-100 degrees and humid every day right now so don't know when I could paint.

Wow! It is builds like this that inspire and illustrate the possibilities. Simply gorgeous, and of course, such a great subject.

Jon Cole: Great point! It was from the "Rides" Collection, and it was a 2005 Chrysler 300. It was $12. Kaleb: PM me if you have any drag or Indy type stuff, maybe we could do as you suggested.

I occasionally make a run through a very large antique mall close by, hoping to run across a variety of things, among them models. Finally ran across one, and it was just a darn AMT Chrysler 3000, either '03 or '05, can't remember. Really, I mean really, is that a kit-worthy subject? I know, I know, I guess it fits a niche in the hobby and there are those who would find it interesting, but heck, I just want to find racing subjects.

I used to love Indy. I attended in 1970, including practices, qualifying and the race. Al Unser won it. For my entire childhood, the Indy 500 was a family event, even though all of the other years were just watching on TV. When everything changed, and "Indy" cars were split into two sanctioning bodies, I lost interest. It was like having a World Series, but only half of the teams were allowed to qualify. My interest in Indy is now nostalgic, and I would love to go back to the track and visit the museum, but no real interest in attending the race. However, sorry, but I must say I am much more tolerant than many. Just because it isn't my thing I am not going to dismiss and criticize. Opinions are like.......well, we know the rest. Any competition performed at the very highest levels is worthy of respect.

Great topic. I was a child of the '70s, having been born in '64. Six through sixteen in the '70s, pretty much my whole childhood. Funny, all of the men in my family were car guys, but I was a ballplayer. I had sort of a secondary interest that grew over the years. My uncle had a '69 Chevelle SS, we knew guys with RoadRunners, and my other uncle raced a couple of early '70s Camaros. It was always around. When I think of the '70s, I think simple, colorful, the music (on 8-tracks of course), riding our bikes EVERYWHERE, baseball cards when they were still cardboard, models, man I could go on and on. Nostalgia sets in deep.

Does anyone have a good pic of the body from the old MPC Nitro Charger funny car kit? Much appreciated if anyone does. Thanks.

I have rarely seen kids buying model kits. I have however given advice to adults in the Hobby Lobby model section who were looking to buy for their kids. As a teacher for the past twenty one years, I have not once heard a kid refer to building a model. It's just a different world than it was when us older (I'm 48) guys were kids. I probably got my interest from my father who built models and model rockets. I did both through my teen years, returned to drag subjects in my twenties, before finally getting jumpstarted by having a son. I have never pressed him, but have provided opportunities, and he as built a few, but really likes painting the military figures more than anything. As a teacher, I have often considered leading a model or model rocket class/club as an extracurricular at our school. However, the sad reality is that parents make such things unattractive to do, as someone will blame me for their kid doing something inappropriate with a model rocket engine or something like that. I would love to help introduce interest in the hobby, but its just not easy. How long can the hobby sustain itself with the dwindling youth participation. Only time will tell.

OK, boys, thanks for the suggestions. Did it once and made progress. Going to let it set tonight and see that it stays, and then do it again tomorrow and hopefully get it perfect, or close anyway. Thanks for the help.

OK, I have the AMT Chi-Town Hustler Omni kit. It has a slight arc to the hood/bottom of the windscreen area. I was wondering if it is possible to heat a body to slightly reshape it to eliminate that hump? Thanks for any advice.

Have to jump in and say I'm lovin' the McEwen. Super clean build, and the decals look great. Thanks for showing.

Jumpin' on the bandwagon, lovin' this one. Great subject and great job replicating it.

No help here, but hope you work it out, that body looks great.

Thanks Aaron for the paint info. Never used Tamiya paints, may have to branch out a bit. Came out gorgeous. Isn't it funny how the modeler is rarely satisfied, as we know each flaw. Anyone would be proud to display that one, such a great job on what I think if one of the most appealing FCs of all time.

Great build! What paint and color did you use? Thanks.

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing, love seeing stuff like this.

Interesting about the return lane. Our local hobby shop has a 1/32 road track, but I've never done it. Its a haul over there. It looks like great fun, I always look at the cars they have when I'm there picking up modeling stuff. Never done craigslist before, have to take a look at that. Would be nice to run into a group of stuff cheap. .

Hey man, not bugging me. Its fun to have somebody to go back and forth with about this stuff. It's new to me so I'm open to suggestions and thoughts. I was all excited about ordering some '70s FC resin HO scale bodies from the Mead brothers when I saw that they were put out of business. The AW NAPA FC and the Summit pro stock body came today. Looks like the pro stock body will fit a couple of different chassis that I have so I know what to get. I have a Tyco Curvehugger Mustang FC from when I was a kid (the orange one with yellow flames) still in really nice shape (along with the Petty Charger I had as a kid). Both still run, pulled them out of a box a year or two ago after they had been in there probably thirty years. But, both need tires. Need to order some tires from somewhere and see how it does just for fun. There is an anitque (well, more accurately a Junk) store here that I went in one time and they had a box of loose slot track. I need to run over there and see if I can get some more cheap. If nothing else, I can get turns and enough straight to make a return lane real cheap. Some nice 1/24 slot stuff on ebay. Expensive, probably good I don't have a track near here.

I hadn't gotten around to doing those calculations. The limitations of the play room pretty much set the max track length. With the full track set up with the area before the start line and the shut down, it is a couple inches over 16'that leaves me about two feet at each end before you're into the wall, so no real room for expansion. Of course, there is a 25' hallway that leads into the playroom, soooo....... But if I set that up much it wouldn't matter anymore because I probably wouldn't be living there anymore. So, looks like 1/8 mile it is. And, you're right, with some of the guys I know it would spiral out of control quickly, and of course the engineer types would kill the rest of us with tech upgrades to the cars. The 'speed is just about right so you can still see the cars' would quickly turn into 'how freakin' fast can I make this thing go.'

I agree" ra7c7er", the slower speeds are better for the visual. Even those LifeLike NASCARs are a blur. I like the speed of 4 Gear cars included and that cutting a good light is a must. I ordered the NAPA FC to add and also the Summit prostock body and I'll try a different chassis under it. Being a 1/24 FC modeler, this does make me want to get into that scale, but simply no place near here to do it. "Len Woodruff": That's a pain about the power strip. No issues with mine. The battery compartments are a little more challenging that most kids will like with those small screws, though. Hope they come through, heck you might even have a little fun with it.

OK, new to the world of slot cars. And, obviously, this stuff goes to much higher levels than this. That being said, the new John Force drag strip set is a blast. I added two 15" track pieces which made the start to finish length 13', which seems to me about the minimum. The cars look great, though not blazing fast, which is actually good for the visual in that short distance. My boy used his LifeLike NASCARs for a few runs, and they are considerably faster. Anyway, the sportsman and pro tree options on the Christmas are great, and of course the win light is a must and is great. What's great about this set from my point of view comes with the tinkering with the chassis and the modeling of other bodies to add to the set. AutoWorld put out five FCs and three pro stockers, but you can find other FC bodies online, and of course and endless choice of chassis. So, just throwin' out a short review and commentary on the set. I think its great. And, it has turned my son on to drag racing a bit. Its not cost prohibitive at a little over a hundred bucks, but you will have to purchase something to set it up on, I used two eight foot lengths of a surfaced particle board type material so I can store them inside and then just lay them end to end to put the track on. Set up and take down take five minutes. Now, just have to figure out how to scale down all of my Slixx 1/24 scale FC decals.

Ooooh, I like that one. Great job, looks super.

Ah heck, I'll jump in, though I will have to add pics later when I can dig them up. My first was a '68 Mustang. Red, black vinyl top and black interior, 289, automatic. Its funny, I bought it in 1981 when I was 17. Darn thing was only 13 years old, that seems so weird. I think of it as an old car, and of course it is now, but it wasn't really that old then. Bought it for $800 from its original owner, a teacher at our high school who only drove it to school (yeah, I know, how cliche). I loved that car.

Thanks for the input/info. That helps. Rob