Search the Community

Since the Riviera is nearing completion, it is time to begin plans on the next cars to reach the workbench. This time I want to build something completely different for me. I am planning a couple Bonneville salt "What If's" fantasy builds. First up is a body that I created many years ago for the Norman E. Timbs Special I built. This is a body that I vacuum formed which I intended to build his roadster from but after careful inspection rejected because the rear contours were not correct. I corrected the buck and remolded the body, so this is a one off body that is slightly different from the final Timbs car. Here is a link to that posting from a number of years ago............ I always thought that this shape would make a great Bonneville race car so now I think it is time to get it built.Just from the "yellowing" of the plastic, you can see I have had this for some time now.I am thinking maybe twin Hemi engines sitting side by side and a single seat way up front...... could work. right? The second car is from a clay mold I sculpted many years ago with no particular plan for the final body. It is kinda'' like a Group C race car and kinda' futuristic. It sat around for years and the other day while molding some roofs (one for the Riviera) I figured I would knock one off of this car too. After looking at it the idea of a Salt Flat car hit me. Especially because of the body from the Timbs car I thought why not. If building one salt flat car is good, two would be even better, right? For this car I am thinking an Allison Engine since the car is bigger and beefier, so the engine should fit in there. Here is the clay master. And here is the body molded from the master Rear view.Front view You can get an idea of what I am thinking for the cockpit area and where the body will separate to open the engine bay. Think scratch build tube chassis and full independent suspensions . I want the wheel areas to be enclosed and louvered areas to allow air to escape. Could work. right?

hey all , i started a new build now the 31 tudor only needs some small stuff to finish it this time i took apart my previous build roadster , i never like the outcome and every time i saw it i got annoyed .. also the past 6 months i just grew a bit again and got new techniques and a bigger drive to get details spot on and stuff more correct so ... i just tore it apart this was the build > after some sanding and thinking of idea's i got the idea to give the front a radical face .. like i googled and tryed to make something i never saw before. the idea , somebody could have done this 4 real , looking slek and streamlined .. kind of trying to get like a 32 roadster looking fast while it sits still so i took this bulky truck grille / front nose that already was a custom piece i ounce did and glued it on the hood dont look at the tonneau cover thats gone , i probable will be making a custom shaped roof (solid roof) the top of that truck piece was a peice of a hood i custom mmade on the grille and the shape looks so cool , the raised line matched the raised line on the ford hood and the shape where they meet was scary the same after sawing i ended up with this .. only the top piece , also fitted a small scoop on the hood test mock up where you see i cut half the frame off , and in the front tried a tube frame .. looks sweet and fits the race theme , i also have a back piece from tube , but in the end the whole chassis will become custom made out of several kit parts in the parts boxes like this its weird looks like a bird beak hahahah then i took the 32 ford grille and just cut it to pieces untill i had 2 parts that could be fitetd like this > in the middle i will make a raised line like the one runnign over the middle of the hood and nose .. the sides will be closed with beside the grille a section and removable panels where they normally would be .. maybe some holes with open pipes sticking through

Here's the AMT 1953 Studebaker Starliner kit that I modified. It received the most votes in the jalopyjournal.com H.A.M.B. online salt flats racer model contest ending on January 14, 2011. The mechanics of the car loosely follows the SanChez '53 Stude racer from the early '60s. The color is a coral orange color that I mixed from Accu-Flex model railroad water-based paint then used their clear gloss and a lot of polishing. The kit's headlight covers, custom front pan and chopped top were used. Most of the trim was removed/filled and a B pillar was added along with door panel scribing on the roof. The engine is the kit's optional 392 Hemi with a front-driven blower and related parts from the ex-Aurora Carl Casper Undertaker dragster kit. Inside, the basics of the Stude kit's roll cage was augmented with additional styrene rod. An Early Years Resin seat and the '53 Stude's steering wheel adorn the kit's tub that got a new styrene floor and had most of the molded-in detail removed. The chassis is from the '53 kit with the floor boards between the frame rails replaced with sheet styrene and new pieces added for engine mounts. I Z'd the front frame rails while the rear has lowering blocks between the springs and the axle tubes. The Halibrand rear end and race tires are Early Years Resin pieces, the headers are from the Revell '69 Landy Dodge Charger (OK, they're from a 426 Hemi, so shoot me) and the exhaust pipes are aluminum tubing. The moon discs are real aluminum pieces from Scale Repro's Plus with three spots of dark grey paint on each one to simulate mounting screws.