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Nostalgic 70 Johan Challenger Funny-Car trip


Claude Thibodeau

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15 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Excellent work, Claude! I have one of the Pintos, but, would like to acquire one of the Challengers, as well. I had several of them, at one time. Anyway, beautiful job, sir!

Thank you Daniel!

Far from me to want to torture you... But the Pinto FC kit is looking at me as we speak! The Challenger just warmed me up... The rear end (winters quick-change style) is so nice on the Pinto. Worth the price of admission by itself! In line for production before mid-summer, if all goes according to plans. 

CT

CT

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11 hours ago, mustang1989 said:

Very good work and funny acquisition story. Looks great Claude!!

Hi Joe!

Thank you. If mouse urine gets me vintage unassembled Johan kits at 5$ a pop, I vote for mices!

Seriously, my friend also sold me the Johan Javelin FC, assembled but not painted (a minor annoyance), the Long Nose Mustang FC of Gas Rhonda (assembled and painted, but complete and rebuildable, plus a couple more gems. And I left some stuff behind, cause my wife would have smelled my "deal" from a mile away? What can you do...

CT 

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8 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Indeed, it is! I'll find one of the Challengers, at a reasonable price, one of these days--or, maybe find stupid money, to buy one! 🙂

Wish you so!

It  IS a great kit, and to finally assemble it at an age when I pay more attention to finish, compared to my young age when I assembled the first one in 1970... Might-it be one of the only benefits of growing old?

CT 

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On 2/20/2021 at 12:24 AM, Straightliner59 said:

Indeed, it is! I'll find one of the Challengers, at a reasonable price, one of these days--or, maybe find stupid money, to buy one! 🙂

Hi Daniel!

Do you know Fred Stern ( Fred's Model World) in Buffalo, NY? He sells kits at a builder's price, not collector's, if you see what I mean. And he sometimes has interesting Johan specimens avail. Yous might want to add his site to your list of favorites. Who knows?

CT

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On 2/28/2021 at 7:21 AM, Claude Thibodeau said:

Hi Daniel!

Do you know Fred Stern ( Fred's Model World) in Buffalo, NY? He sells kits at a builder's price, not collector's, if you see what I mean. And he sometimes has interesting Johan specimens avail. Yous might want to add his site to your list of favorites. Who knows?

CT

Thank you, Claude. I will give him a look. I have heard of it--and him!

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On 2/28/2021 at 11:05 AM, Chris in Berwyn said:

The “lighting” effect on the decals is great, and that Hot Pink color is perfect for a funny car of the era. 

Thank you Chris!

I was able to use Word to select a shade around the "Acid Rush" letters that mostly matched the Testor's hue. Marvels of technology...

CT

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  • 3 weeks later...

Claude....glad you agree with my assessment on this Jo-Han kit, and your tweaks just add greatly to its appeal in my book. 

I too noticed the skirts you added.  Normally I think these detract from the appearance of most of the so-called "nostalgia funny cars" that typically run the strips these days, but in this case I think they fit very nicely, and as you say, they cover up the bottom of the interior bits too.  And that paint scheme and decal livery are just too cool. 

Best of all, I bet you had a great time conjuring up this model and bringing it home in 3D reality.   Great!  TIM 

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12 hours ago, tim boyd said:

Claude....glad you agree with my assessment on this Jo-Han kit, and your tweaks just add greatly to its appeal in my book. 

I too noticed the skirts you added.  Normally I think these detract from the appearance of most of the so-called "nostalgia funny cars" that typically run the strips these days, but in this case I think they fit very nicely, and as you say, they cover up the bottom of the interior bits too.  And that paint scheme and decal livery are just too cool. 

Best of all, I bet you had a great time conjuring up this model and bringing it home in 3D reality.   Great!  TIM 

Hi Tim!

Thank you.

It is a great kit, my only issue was that a detailed injector scoop, with linkage and barrel valve, was suddently too wide to enter the air box molded on top of the interior tinwork, sitting behind the windshield air intake. I guess most people won't even notice, but I would have preferred to leave it there. Too late: the powertrain was detailed, and final measures had to be applied. 

As to the paint scheme, the late 60's were "groovy" times. There was even a west-coast funny-car driven by Mike Mitchell, a gentleman whose nickname was "The Hippie". Go figure... I guess that was my subliminal inspiration?  But the front air-dam and rear spoiler carry a sobering message.

Some  say that "if you remember the 60's... you weren't there". Well, I was there, and as you can tell, I certainly remember some of it... For the rest, I plead the fifth!

Regards, 

CT 

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 minute ago, TransAmMike said:

Sorry I didn't comment on this one earlier Claude.   Looks terrific with great details.👍

Thank you Mike!

The more time I spend on this forum, the more I get what receives the more attention. It seems that the DRAG CARS category is not the most favored by a maximum of visitors. Therefore, a new post sometimes linger before any reaction shows up. 

Besides, there is so much styrene to modify, glue and paint... We can't be all over all the time...

CT

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Just now, Claude Thibodeau said:

Thank you Mike!

The more time I spend on this forum, the more I get what receives the more attention. It seems that the DRAG CARS category is not the most favored by a maximum of visitors. Therefore, a new post sometimes linger before any reaction shows up. 

Besides, there is so much styrene to modify, glue and paint... We can't be all over all the time...

CT

Yep, a lot to look at here.  I have built only a couple of drag cars since I resumed building but being an actual former drag racer in my lot younger years I enjoy looking at the cool variations of this type of car.

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