Current Cup models coming?

[dawgvet]

So I was just wondering if anyone had heard if any company or cottage industry company was doing a model of the current Cup cars? I’d really like to do a current Chevy Camaro, especially a Chase Elliott one! Any tips appreciated. 

Thanks,
Jed

[64Comet404]

I don’t believe that a new Camaro will be made in styrene, due to the plans to phase out the Gen-6 cars at the end of the 2020 season (now pushed back to the end of the 2021 season, due to covid). I know that resin bodies of the 2018-19 Camaro were made in resin, and were being sold by Mike’s Decals (www.mikesdecals.com). The only possible issue is finding one of the donor Chevy SS kits, because they disappeared from the marketplace very quickly. Hope this helps in your search!

[Force]

Likewise with the Mustang.
The latest Ford kits was Fusions and they are like the Chevy SS really good...but they disappeared from the market way too soon, partly because the Hobbico bankruptsy thing and the change of body styles.
So unfortunately Revell "missed the boat" again with these kits as GM and Ford changed the body styles they have used for several years right after these full detail glue kits came out, the kits came out 2017 and GM changed to the Camaro body for the 2018 season and Ford to the Mustang body for the 2019 season.
Revell only issued two Ford Fusions from this all new tooling, the #10 Danica Patrick and #4 Kevin Harvick cars and only one Chevy SS wich was the #24 Chase Elliott car.

[gks1964]

10 minutes ago, Force said:

Likewise with the Mustang.
The latest Ford kits was Fusions and they are like the Chevy SS really good...but they disappeared from the market way too soon, partly because the Hobbico bankruptsy thing and the change of body styles.
So unfortunately Revell "missed the boat" again with these kits as GM and Ford changed the body styles they have used for several years right after these full detail glue kits came out, the kits came out 2017 and GM changed to the Camaro body for the 2018 season and Ford to the Mustang body for the 2019 season.
Revell only issued two Ford Fusions from this all new tooling, the #10 Danica Patrick and #4 Kevin Harvick cars and only one Chevy SS wich was the #24 Chase Elliott car.

Not only that but, the NASCAR craze has died off with the cookie cutter cars and rule changes! Well it did for me anyway!! But I'm old so...….

[Force]

Yes it has, and I think it will die off even more if they go through with all the things the rumours tells regarding changes to the cars, all the fun and excitement will be taken out of it and I can just as well watch any other racing series as the cup series will be almost like them when it comes to the cars.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Force

[64Comet404]

On 6/9/2020 at 11:45 AM, Force said:

Yes it has, and I think it will die off even more if they go through with all the things the rumours tells regarding changes to the cars, all the fun and excitement will be taken out of it and I can just as well watch any other racing series as the cup series will be almost like them when it comes to the cars.

I believe NASCAR has tried to improve the on-track product over the past few years with their rule changes. As a long-time fan, I laugh when people talk longingly about “The good old days”. The first Cup race I attended ended with only 4 cars on the lead lap, so it is nice to see closer racing at most tracks. There is the beginning of change in making the intermediate tracks more competitive, and the addition of more road courses makes a welcome change from the cookie-cutter venues we have had to watch over the past two decades. The lack of extended practice has been great, since it takes away the ability for the bigger teams to dial in their cars and stink up the show. 

As for the cars, I am a bit ambivalent over the coming changes. The current car is at the peak of development, and is providing some solid racing. The biggest issue is that, for all the fabrication, the chassis on these cars are still essentially 1965 full-size Fords equipped with a rear trailing arm suspension from an early 1960’s Chevrolet truck. While there are certain aspects of the new car I am not sold on, such as the sequential shifter, it is an opportunity to introduce more relevant suspension technology. I don’t know if it will work, but I’m willing to give it a chance.

[Dave Van]

The new coming car is basically a IMSA spec  racer.  You must buy your cars from NASCAR and no mods allowed.......Go generic car Go!!!!!!

The fact they may require Chevy (Illmor) engines in all cars will be the death....Ford will walk away....and I will too. 

[Force]

I don't think making the cars look and behave like any other racing saloon car is the key for success, I like the fact that you have restrictions like a smaller wheel size wich in turn restricts how large brakes you can use, the five lugnuts makes it take longer to change the wheels, going to more exotic materials doesn't make it any cheaper, making them even more cookie cutter doesn't help much and to call them stock cars is a joke when nothing is stock anymore.
You also need manufacturer support for it to be interesting, look at the Pro Stock class in drag racing, they use one engine as the GM DRCE enigne, wich like the NASCAR engines not are a production engine available in any car, is the most competitive right now, and most of the teams use the same "Camaro" body...boring if you ask me. 

[Bills72sj]

Have any of you watched any of the Australian Super car races? They aren't afraid to beat and bang if they need to. The smaller tire size makes it so that they are on the edge of grip all the time but, in the event they go a bit off line, they can whip up some dust wrestle it back on track and keep going. They also use the whole side of the car for their sponser's logo. NOT the car number. I also get kind of a kick out of the announcer's vocabulary from "down under". The only down side is the pit stops are really boring because the fuel fill takes so long the 4 tire changers could be grandmas

[stavanzer]

NASCAR is now in the process of killing itself.  At least the France family can walk away from the smoking wreckage of the series with millions of dollars, and the smug satisfaction of knowing that like Frank Sinatra, they did it "Their way". Spec Cars, Spec Motors, soon Spec Sponsors.....

It was fun while it lasted, Fellas, but the "NAtional, Saloon,Crashing,And Racing, league is not going to last another 10 years. In fact at this rate, Five Years, may be too long.  Poor Racing, Lousy "Fantasy Race Cars", and shifting public attitudes will doom NASCAR.

[vamach1]

1 hour ago, alexis said:

NASCAR is now in the process of killing itself.  At least the France family can walk away from the smoking wreckage of the series with millions of dollars, and the smug satisfaction of knowing that like Frank Sinatra, they did it "Their way". Spec Cars, Spec Motors, soon Spec Sponsors.....

It was fun while it lasted, Fellas, but the "NAtional, Saloon,Crashing,And Racing, league is not going to last another 10 years. In fact at this rate, Five Years, may be too long.  Poor Racing, Lousy "Fantasy Race Cars", and shifting public attitudes will doom NASCAR.

I have tuned in to a few of the races since the "break" and while viewership may have gotten a bump because not much else is on live yet, the future does not look too bright for the series.  Once they go to a generic engine then personally I will care less what "brand" is on the hood.  They may as well put electric cars on the track and fill the stands with robots with fake engine and crowd noise.  I guess nothing stays the same but it's sad to watch the decline of something that those in charge primarily see as just a business and their strategy of trying to make everyone happy at the same time is driving away any new fans they gained in the last few decades.

[stavanzer]

You have it right, Rex. I totally agree with you.

[Dave Van]

6 hours ago, alexis said:

NASCAR is now in the process of killing itself.  At least the France family can walk away from the smoking wreckage of the series with millions of dollars, and the smug satisfaction of knowing that like Frank Sinatra, they did it "Their way". Spec Cars, Spec Motors, soon Spec Sponsors.....

It was fun while it lasted, Fellas, but the "NAtional, Saloon,Crashing,And Racing, league is not going to last another 10 years. In fact at this rate, Five Years, may be too long.  Poor Racing, Lousy "Fantasy Race Cars", and shifting public attitudes will doom NASCAR.

I do not disagree  NASCAR is doing it's best to kill itself........but only through stupidity.

NASCAR owns many of the race tracks they run on.....no NASCAR no income for facilities that are often in a area no one wants and taxes have to be paid race or not.......so the France family could end up penny less.......land rich...cash poor. 

If I had the answer I'd sell it to them.....Aussie Super Car might work! 

[iBorg]

I am curious as to what the cost per car and per season it is for a season of either Aussie Supercars or DTM. I knew a driver's mother several years ago (he retired in 2002) and she told me he didn't want to go sell sponsors on a 7-12 million budget for a car that would typically run 10-20th in Cup. Recognize the expense now and how marquee drivers have to have multiple sponsors instead of one for the season. 

I do think the Supercars put on a good show, maybe better than Nascar. The question is, is it the cars or the track? Maybe we need more Rovals and less Charlotte and Charlotte clones.

[Force]

As I see it we don't need another "Aussie Supercars or DTM series", we allready have the originals.
I think NASCAR CUP has stood out from most of the other series due to how the cars has been up to now, but the way they want to change the cars they will become more like cars in any other series and it will most likely not stop there.
As I see it, if you loosen up the rules for the cars and let it go too far the series gets less interesting, one can only look at the DTM series, when it started the cars were close to production cars but now they looks more like space ships with all the wings and thingamagigs and are far from the cars they are supposed to be, and NASCAR don't have to go that way to be interesting.

Edited June 12, 2020 by Force

[martinfan5]

On 6/7/2020 at 8:46 PM, dawgvet said:

So I was just wondering if anyone had heard if any company or cottage industry company was doing a model of the current Cup cars? I’d really like to do a current Chevy Camaro, especially a Chase Elliott one! Any tips appreciated. 

Thanks,
Jed

You will have already read this on the other forum, but Salvino's Jr said they are inserted in doing a Camaro SS kit. 

Edited June 12, 2020 by martinfan5

[Mikey56]

I don't believe that NASCAR is on the way out. Hear me out before you set me on fire.  NASCAR has seen it's fair share of criticism and chastising in the recent months and it all is driven by what they expect the new generation of the car will look like. Of course, they said that NASCAR was doomed when they brought out the COT, but you kept watching. Now that the cars are back to looking more similar to showroom cars, viewers are watching. Didn't say everyone was watching, but they are. Otherwise they wouldn't have known about the next gen cars and what changes are anticipated. I don't agree with the single lug nut or the composite rims...I see that as a disaster waiting to happen. But the safety changes? That is itself a plus. The sequential transmission? So what? at least it's not paddle shifters, electronic clutches and traction control. The drivers will still have control of the car and car/crew chiefs will have their work cut out for them. lower tire pressures will cause rims to drag on the track surface, smaller sidewalls will cause the beads to pull off, smaller sidewalls means more cut downs going into the corners....and the list goes on.  Everything I've heard is all negative....but I prefer to think of the positive things NASCAR has done. One is safety....Ryan Newman's Daytona crash pointed out several "needs" that the cars will have to have. Increased protection from side impacts and more roll bars to safely encompass the driver to protect them.

I know that some will disagree with me on this. That's OK. After 20 years as a cop (now retired), I've been called just about every name in the book and I don't give it a second thought. My worries are more centered on the safety and health of my family and not on what NASCAR is contemplating or recently announced. While some call it pandering to the masses, I see it as NASCAR trying to avoid and prevent problems.

Now....back to the original question.  I don't know if any modelling company is going to do any of the current cup cars. I know that there are some out there that are casting the new bodies, but I don't have any experience with building one or what they look like after casting. I've often thought about getting one of the diecast and vacu-forming one, but the expense of that for one body; and then no guarantee that it will come out, doesn't justify the expense. Hopefully SJRM will look into producing a kit and getting it on the shelves for all of us.

Thanks for letting me rant....as I said, you can try to burn my biscuits over the way I feel about NASCAR, I don't mind....just bear in mind that I will not tolerate bringing my family, race, religion or my thoughts on gender into question.

[Force]

Of course the safety issues has to be addressed and have been, Ryan Newman would most likely have been a lot more injured of even have lost his life if it wasn't for the safety developments over the years.
But I don't like the other changes they are thinking of doing.
 

17 hours ago, Mikey56 said:

The sequential transmission? So what? at least it's not paddle shifters, electronic clutches and traction control

If this continues these things will come in NASCAR too...just wait and see. 
What's wrong with the chassis they use, a H-pattern shifter 4-speed transmission, 15 inch wheels, 5 lugs each with higher profile tires and smaller brakes when it works, these things together with the limitations they have as a result are what distinguish NASCAR from any other saloon car series.
I think the modern Factory Stock and Factory Super Stock drag racing Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers looks a lot better and cooler with the 15 inch wheels with high profile tires they use on these drag cars than the large wheels/low profile tires the regular cars are equipped with from the factory...call me old and reactionist but that's the fact.
NASCAR is trying to reduce overall speed with safety in mind but the changes they want to do will do just the opposite, larger wheels will result in larger brakes so they can go faster on the straight lines, lower profile tires allows for higher corner speeds as the sides flexes less, single lug nuts reduce pit stop times and there is only a matter of time before air jacks are allowed.
I think it's bad enough with the engines they use in the Cup Series now wich are not based on any production engine, they are specially developed for NASCAR Cup cars and not available in any street car.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Force

[bbowser]

I completely agree with Force.  To me the most egregious change is the single lug nut wheel.  I can see upgraded trannys if they go to more road courses.  I think they have been moving in the right direction with tires that give up quickly.  Let the drivers manage their stuff instead of foot to the floor all the way around.

[Dave Van]

When they do make the switch....which seem like it will happen there will be a TON of Ford 9 in rear ends and top loader trans for sale!!!! 

[Force]

Yes it will happen regardless of what all fans say, as I see it the new 2021-22 cup cars will be pretty much like slightly larger less stock appearing versions of Australian V8 Supercars racing on ovals, if NASCAR likes the V8 supercars so much why don't they take the whole concept then.
The V8 Supercars looks more stock (except for the wings and spoilers) than the 2021-22 NASCAR Cup car will ever be anyway.
I don't know but budgetwise I think these changes will benefit the larger teams with lots of money more than the smaller teams.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Force

[randyc]

So, I don;t do NASCAR models or NASCAR anymore.   BUT... I've been thinking about it for years.   In the interest of keeping it "Stock Car" like the SC in NASCAR, why not use the GT4 Mustang or some modification of that and the competitive models from other brands?  They are calling the aberrations they use now Mustangs and camaros and they don;t look a thing like the showroom car.   Why not go back to some form of stock car?   Make the mods needed to get the MAX out of these cars so it isn't IMSA racing.   Keep the tracks.   I mean, every other continent seems to have a true STOCK car racing form.   I know I don;t understand the whole thing but that would be my thought.   I built over 200 NASCAR kits back in the day, so I was a fan.   Just don't care about it anymore.   Would rather got to VIR and watch those races than to go to Charlotte for anything.   

I want the Mustang GT4 kit.  I have no interest in another NASCAR kit.  I really have no idea where the GT4 even races, but I like the kit and the race car.  I will do my GT4 in something other than that gray - I always liked the vibrant sche,mes of NASCAR.   I know people hated it, but the PEter MAxx Earnhardt car was a high water mark for me as a fan and a modeler.  SO the gray GT4 is like a test car to me.  LOL

 

[stinkybritches]

You've stolen my idea, Randy. I was going to build my idea of how a new NASCAR Mustang should look using the GT4 kit. Of course, by the time I get around to it NASCAR will probably be all electric. 

[Bill J]

I have read all the posts here and I understand most of what is being written. I have noticed a trend since around 1987, the trend has been to allow more and more aerodynamic changes and a migration away from showroom appearance and power plants. To me, the more NASCAR deviates from the original concepts, the more the interest fades.

Look at a 1990 NASCAR race car and note all of the contingency sponsor stickers on the front fenders and even the quarter panels. They were mostly all automotive related products, like piston rings, bearings, batteries and so on. All of the cars with the stickers would receive rewards for their finishing positions. Today the cars have a few stickers, probably still get some rewards but what it tells me is that even the automotive parts and accessory makers are no longer identifying with NASCAR cars and it's race series. Main sponsors are harder to find as well. Also consider the races used to have 42 cars make the race, some didn't make the races, but more than 42 cars showed up to race. Today they get about 38 cars, everyone gets to race because they cannot actually fill the field.

Myself, I became interested in NASCAR in mid-season 1962. The series raced cars I could relate to, Ford Galaxies, Plymouth Furys,  Chevy Impalas and so on. The engines were available in showroom cars, Ford 406-427 FE, Chrysler 413-426, Chevy 409-427's and all of us new drivers wanted one of these cars for our daily drive. Today, the cars are named for street cars, have some nose features decaled on to resemble, vaguely, a showroom car and the power train is all custom designed for racing the one exception sort of being the Ford 9 inch rear axles. Which, incidentally will be going away with the next generation cars going to independent suspension rear ends.

My take is the interest in the series was based on that stock car relationship. When they began allowing some custom chassis cars in the later 60's, the cars still were requires to have a near showroom appearance and engines were still available in cars or at least over the parts counter. 

The more NASCAR has deviated from their original concept, the less interesting it has become. As far as models go, I have not bought any NASCAR kits since about 2006 and have not built a model of any car after 2000. So unless the series changes drastically for the better, it will continue to decline in popularity. 

[gks1964]

Bill,

I find myself in the same boat as you on all cases. I go back to 1964 as a fan and have not bought a Nascar kit since 2000!!