Don Prudhomme Wedge Dragster

[2002p51]

Well, as a recovering rivet counter I'm willing to forgive a lot more inaccuracies than I used to. But on this one I have to say, close, but no cigar. I seriously doubt I'll finish building it.

 

[Mikey56]

I see so much potential in this kit...using a modern rail and adding the wedge....reforming the wedge to my own tastes....reducing the wedge to give it a sleeker appearance....so much this kit begs to have done to it.  You want accuracy? Not to step on your toes 202p51, but modeling is supposed to be fun...your "upset" because the shifter isn't right or the body isn't exact or the inaccuracies aren't to your liking, then the fun is gone.....

 

[Daddyfink]

I see so much potential in this kit...using a modern rail and adding the wedge....reforming the wedge to my own tastes....reducing the wedge to give it a sleeker appearance....so much this kit begs to have done to it.  You want accuracy? Not to step on your toes 202p51, but modeling is supposed to be fun...your "upset" because the shifter isn't right or the body isn't exact or the inaccuracies aren't to your liking, then the fun is gone.....

 

And people are entitled to their own opinions

[Mr mopar]

And Still NO photo's of this kit ?

[1320wayne]

Mine showed up today. Will post photos in a bit.

[2002p51]

I see so much potential in this kit...using a modern rail and adding the wedge....reforming the wedge to my own tastes....reducing the wedge to give it a sleeker appearance....so much this kit begs to have done to it.  You want accuracy? Not to step on your toes 202p51, but modeling is supposed to be fun...your "upset" because the shifter isn't right or the body isn't exact or the inaccuracies aren't to your liking, then the fun is gone.....

 

I'm not "upset" just real disappointed. I paid nearly $30.00 for this kit and so far the chassis is wrong and has to "fixed", and the body is wrong and also must be "fixed".. To make this model accurate I need some other frame and many other chassis parts, and I need to make so many changes to the body that it would probably just be easier to start from scratch. So what did I pay 30 bucks for? I can only use about 10% of the parts from the box! I'm sorry, but I expect more than that from a $30.00 kit. I also bought the Moebious/Model King '61 Pontiac Catalina and I also paid nearly $30.00. This kit not only has a much higher part count but the detail and accuracy are far beyond what's in the Prudhomme kit.  So if Moebious/Model King can turn out a kit like that, why can't AMT? I know the days of $1.25 kits are long gone and I understand all the economic forces that are in play here. But for that much money we, as customers of the model companies, should be demanding much more and not accept kits like the Prudhomme dragster. 

[1320wayne]

I'm not "upset" just real disappointed. I paid nearly $30.00 for this kit and so far the chassis is wrong and has to "fixed", and the body is wrong and also must be "fixed".. To make this model accurate I need some other frame and many other chassis parts, and I need to make so many changes to the body that it would probably just be easier to start from scratch. So what did I pay 30 bucks for? I can only use about 10% of the parts from the box! I'm sorry, but I expect more than that from a $30.00 kit. I also bought the Moebious/Model King '61 Pontiac Catalina and I also paid nearly $30.00. This kit not only has a much higher part count but the detail and accuracy are far beyond what's in the Prudhomme kit.  So if Moebious/Model King can turn out a kit like that, why can't AMT? I know the days of $1.25 kits are long gone and I understand all the economic forces that are in play here. But for that much money we, as customers of the model companies, should be demanding much more and not accept kits like the Prudhomme dragster. 

I agree that there is no justification in paying $30 for an old, somewhat antiquated design like the Prudhomme kit, even with the few new items added, vs. a superbly designed and detailed kit the likes of what Meobius is turning out. But, I don't think this kit is as bad as you make it out to be. Personally, I'm at the age where I treasure seeing reissues of kits that haven't been reasonably available for so many years that I also missed out on because I wasn't old enough when they were originals. I'm willing to forgo the lack of detail compared to today's offerings for just that sake. And as far as being a stickler for detail I don't have a problem having to go that extra mile to make a build just a bit more accurate than how it comes straight out of the box.

 

Now, here are the pictures I promised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall the kit isn't bad. Even though the tampo printed tires look good they are actually some of the worst tire selections that AMT ever provided in kits and I would simply throw them in the parts bin. 

For my build I will stretch the chassis along with the body panels to make a more accurate wheelbase. I'm torn about messing with correcting the taper on the wedge body because I think they did a nice job on the molding process. However, for all you rivet counters out there.........the molded rivets are all wrong, hahahaha. 

The general casting looks nice and crisp and the decals appear to be very good, even though I will most likely mask off all of the white to avoid any red bleedthrough. 

Edited August 2, 2017 by 1320wayne

[2002p51]

And I agree with you; " And as far as being a stickler for detail I don't have a problem having to go that extra mile to make a build just a bit more accurate than how it comes straight out of the box." I don't either. The key word there is a bit. This kit requires a lot more than just a bit of work to make it accurate.

i.e. You're going to throw out the tires, "stretch the chassis along with the body panels to make a more accurate wheelbase. I'm torn about messing with correcting the taper on the wedge body" That's more than just a bit of work. While you're at it you might as well use most of an engine from a Revell early funny car or dragster because the valve covers, blower, and injector look better than those old MPC originated ones. 

So what have you got left from the original $30.00 kit? I mean, knock yourself out if that's what you like to do. I just expect to get more for my hobby dollar than a kit that needs to be completely reworked to make it a passable replica of what's on the outside of the box.

[Daddyfink]

Wow! Those rivets are impressive! I might just paint it Olive Drab and call it a day! 

[2002p51]

Ha ha!  

[1320wayne]

And I agree with you; " And as far as being a stickler for detail I don't have a problem having to go that extra mile to make a build just a bit more accurate than how it comes straight out of the box." I don't either. The key word there is a bit. This kit requires a lot more than just a bit of work to make it accurate.

i.e. You're going to throw out the tires, "stretch the chassis along with the body panels to make a more accurate wheelbase. I'm torn about messing with correcting the taper on the wedge body" That's more than just a bit of work. While you're at it you might as well use most of an engine from a Revell early funny car or dragster because the valve covers, blower, and injector look better than those old MPC originated ones. 

So what have you got left from the original $30.00 kit? I mean, knock yourself out if that's what you like to do. I just expect to get more for my hobby dollar than a kit that needs to be completely reworked to make it a passable replica of what's on the outside of the box.

I think the bottom line to anyone's argument about this kit, yours, mine, etc., is the price of a kit that is a far stretch from accurate, especially for those of us that care about accurate representations of specific cars. But, until this reissue the alternative for building this exact car was either a resin body along with aftermarket decals, which would most likely run you upwards of $45 to $60 just for those two components, plus everything else to pull off an accurate, detailed build. At the least you would be looking at scratchbuilding the body plus the aftermarket decals and all of the other components to pull this off and that still adds up in the money dept.. I stopped adding up the individual dollars and cents for every build years ago. If I worried about that it would make this hobby (in my mind) a lot less enjoyable. So to me the $30 price tag for a good baseline kit, plus decals, to start with, is irrelevant. 

[Daddyfink]

The rivets can be removed and the the chassis and body stretched out another foot. And then the cage needs and extra upright, and the rear end needs to be switched out with a unit from the JoHan Challenger funny car. 

Other than that, should be almost close. 

[Mr mopar]

Thank you Wayne for the photo's .

[2002p51]

almost close. 

Almost close.  

[bobthehobbyguy]

Thanks for the photos Wayne.

After seeing the pictures that this kit is not based on the mpc(garlits) but an AMT tooling. Don't know wether it was based on a curentchassis builder of the time.

The was also an MPC version of the wedge dragster based of the Garlits kit.

As far as price some of the newer round 2 kits have been a lot more expensive than some of the all new tooling.

I think the stratagy is that a lot of these kits will be bought by collectors of Prudhomme memorabilia and never opened or built.

[Daddyfink]

Thanks to Bob for making me realize the error in my ways! 

He is indeed correct, this kit and the Wedge are the AMT Ivo RED car. 

And not the MPC Garlits car. 

Thanks for the photos Wayne.

After seeing the pictures that this kit is not based on the mpc(garlits) but an AMT tooling. Don't know wether it was based on a curentchassis builder of the time.

The was also an MPC version of the wedge dragster based of the Garlits kit.

As far as price some of the newer round 2 kits have been a lot more expensive than some of the all new tooling.

I think the stratagy is that a lot of these kits will be bought by collectors of Prudhomme memorabilia and never opened or built.

The Garlits car is a Garlits chassis and the Prudhomme car is a Buttera chassis. 

Garlits was out first with his car and by later that year, 1971, Prudhomme came out with his car. 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2017 by Daddyfink

[bobthehobbyguy]

 

This is the AMT kit used for the Prudhomme kit just release ! The spirit of 76 was based on the garlits kit. They are not the same kit.

 

 

d.

Edited August 3, 2017 by bobthehobbyguy

[dragcarz]

It's based on the AMT Tommy Ivo Rear engine dragster kit.

[Daddyfink]

Here are the three wedge bodies that I have. First is AMT Prudhomme, Second is AMT  Wedge and Third is the MPC Spirit of 76

Yes, it is a whole new body. Notice that the original wedge has the body molded in with the wedge and that the new body is more like the MPC '76 in being two separate parts. 

The new Wedge is so much nicer, with the exception of the Battle Ship rivets. 

Edited August 4, 2017 by Daddyfink

[iBorg]

The Spirit body just seems fake compared to either of the other two. Without the rivets, its a much better piece than the previous wedges. I'd love to have the AMT wedge also. The Spirit body is pretty useless to me. 

On a side note, what's the wheelbase difference in the Ivo vs. Garlits chassis? Hopefully this will sell well and Round 2 will resissue the Ivo streamliner.

 

 

[Daddyfink]

The Spirit body just seems fake compared to either of the other two. Without the rivets, its a much better piece than the previous wedges. I'd love to have the AMT wedge also. The Spirit body is pretty useless to me. 

On a side note, what's the wheelbase difference in the Ivo vs. Garlits chassis? Hopefully this will sell well and Round 2 will resissue the Ivo streamliner.

 

 

From the looks of it, and I should have taken a pic of it, they are roughly the same length and almost the same shape.

[iBorg]

The Spirit body, stock has way too much pitch to it and the wheel openings are too shallow. It could be reworked but before I did, I think I'd scratch build the shape.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Does anyone know who the chassis builder was for the Ivo car?.

[Daddyfink]

Does anyone know who the chassis builder was for the Ivo car?.

I would guess Don Long. He built his Front Engine cars and I think the funny cars as well. I know Romeo Palamides did the Jet car for him 

[GT4494]

In the last couple of issues Hot Rod did a great section on 1960/70's dragsters. It included a lot of sidewinders and some of the wedge cars.   It is great reference material..