Phildaupho Posted October 26, 2022 Share Posted October 26, 2022 I first became aware of the Syndicate Scuderia Dragster when it appeared in the Vancouver Sun newspaper February 1963. The police had closed a road to permit the dragster to make a test run before heading to the Winternationals in Pomona California where it won the best appearing car. I finally saw the Syndicate Scuderia dragster in person later that spring at the Vancouver Rod & Custom show. It was the most beautiful vehicle I had ever seen and what an interesting sounding name. At the time I didn’t even know what the words meant. The A-Gas dragster was constructed by master engine builder and bodyman Jack Williams. When first built, the HEMI engine had a front mounted Potvin blower which was out of sight under a raised section of the forward bodywork with a scoop on one side and the induction pipes wrapping to the top of the engine from the other side. I really liked the look of Potvin blowers as was used on the Mooneyes dragster. I had built the AMT double dragster kit directly from the box with no paint with side-by-side Potvin blown Chevies after getting it for Christmas 1961. The next time I saw the Syndicate Scuderia was maybe in 1964 at the Arlington Washington Dragstrip. From an esthetics point of view, I was kind of disappointed to see the Syndicate had been converted to a top mounted blower but I eventually learned the revised configuration could produce more boost and therefore power. Decades passed between seeing the Syndicate a couple more times before the BC Hot Rod Reunion this summer where I was not only able to closely examine it but to also hear the engine run and see the dragster make a couple of slow passes down the strip. Although I had thought of it many times before, this recent experience finally gave me the inspiration to try and build a tribute model to my favourite dragster. My objective was to create a model that at least resembles the Syndicate Scuderia and captures its spirit. I did not have a big supply of dragster stuff in my stash – only the remaining parts from the most recent reissue of the AMT Double Dragster kit and the Tony Nancy 2x22JR kit – but I figured that would be enough. BODY – The streamlined cockpit area of the body came from the AMT Double Dragster kit. I have probably never made as many modifications to a body as this one. It was narrowed, shortened, sectioned and molded with Tamiya Epoxy Putty. A new windscreen area was cut open and covered blue clear from a French carbonated water bottle. The forward part of the body work was formed by thin Evergreen styrene shaped and glued over the Tony Nancy kit bodywork. The raised section ahead of the engine uses part of the Tony Nancy rear bodywork which was cut away. FRAME – The frame is pretty much box-stock from the Tony Nancy kit FRONT SUSPENSION – Combines a modified axle and steering link from the Revell ’32 Ford combined with Tony Nancy components. ENGINE – The latest Revell Willys Gasser supplied the blown HEMI. The weed-eater headers are aluminum tubing. I also fabed up a separate Potvin supercharged HEMI with parts from the AMT Double Dragster and block from a ’32 5W to show the original engine configuration. WHEELS & TIRES – The slicks and rear Torque-Thrusts are from the Tony Nancy kit while the front wheels are Replicas & Miniatures with the narrowest tires, I could find that fit. PAINT – Tamiya Pearl Blue on the outside and aluminum on the side DECALS – From photos I took of car recently re-coloured in Photoshop and ink-jet printed on white decal paper with blue background for application over the dark blue paint. The edges of the decals showed white so were trimmed using a dark ink pen from an art supply store. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 26, 2022 Share Posted October 26, 2022 BIG smilemaker there, sir. Very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted October 26, 2022 Share Posted October 26, 2022 I agree with Bill,very nice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larman Posted October 26, 2022 Share Posted October 26, 2022 Super nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hmann68 Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Really nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Kustomz Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippi Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Good looking little Dragster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echo Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Nice effort on a historic car, looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted October 27, 2022 Author Share Posted October 27, 2022 23 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: BIG smilemaker there, sir. Very nice. 23 hours ago, cobraman said: I agree with Bill,very nice ! 22 hours ago, larman said: Super nice work! 20 hours ago, Hmann68 said: Really nice work! 14 hours ago, slusher said: Looks great! 11 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: Sweet 10 hours ago, Zippi said: Good looking little Dragster. 1 hour ago, echo said: Nice effort on a historic car, looks good. Thanks everyone for your comments. For more photos of the real car go to my fotki album SYDICATE SCUDERIA DRAGSTER album | Phildaupho | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy. This is how the Syndicate Scuderia compared to a typical A/D back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted October 28, 2022 Share Posted October 28, 2022 Very cool, Phil. That's a lovely replica of a wicked cool dragster. Very nicely done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M W Elky Posted October 28, 2022 Share Posted October 28, 2022 These short wheel base dragsters of the early 1960’s are the bomb man. They are so much fun to build, and kits like the double dragster, the Tony Nancy double kit , the slingster , and all the old revell kits being reissued by Atlantis are great sources of parts for theses builds. We are living in a great modeling era. Your builds are awesome thanks for sharing them with us. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted October 29, 2022 Share Posted October 29, 2022 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrobarry Posted October 29, 2022 Share Posted October 29, 2022 Great tribute to an early Canadian top fueler! NICE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted October 29, 2022 Author Share Posted October 29, 2022 On 10/28/2022 at 6:19 AM, Bainford said: Very cool, Phil. That's a lovely replica of a wicked cool dragster. Very nicely done. Thanks Trevor On 10/28/2022 at 9:25 AM, M W Elky said: These short wheel base dragsters of the early 1960’s are the bomb man. They are so much fun to build, and kits like the double dragster, the Tony Nancy double kit , the slingster , and all the old revell kits being reissued by Atlantis are great sources of parts for theses builds. We are living in a great modeling era. Your builds are awesome thanks for sharing them with us. Mike Thanks Michael. Your post got me to have a look at the Atlantis website. They are producing some very cool kits. 7 hours ago, PappyD340 said: Very nice! Thanks Larry 1 hour ago, Nitrobarry said: Great tribute to an early Canadian top fueler! NICE! Thanks Larry, The Syndicate Scuderia is actually a gas dragster and once held the record for A/D at 168.22 mph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocking Rodney Rat Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 I haven't been over here for a bit...I missed some great builds! This is so awesome it made me LOL...Love the work on the body, well done!!! -RRR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Colmer Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 Excellent rendition of a stunning car. I really enjoyed the story behind you recreation of it. Kudos on including the original engine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoffman Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 You nailed it, Phil! That is BEAUTIFUL 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share Posted November 5, 2022 On 10/29/2022 at 7:35 PM, Rocking Rodney Rat said: I haven't been over here for a bit...I missed some great builds! This is so awesome it made me LOL...Love the work on the body, well done!!! -RRR On 10/30/2022 at 8:03 AM, Scott Colmer said: Excellent rendition of a stunning car. I really enjoyed the story behind you recreation of it. Kudos on including the original engine too. On 11/3/2022 at 4:14 PM, Hoffman said: You nailed it, Phil! That is BEAUTIFUL 😄 Thanks guys. I really appreciate your comments and pleased that you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan barton Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 So nice to see someone putting in the necessary work to create one of the unique body styles of the day. Nice job Phil, it would look perfect at the Bakersfield Hot Rod Re-union! Cheers Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted November 18, 2022 Author Share Posted November 18, 2022 4 hours ago, alan barton said: So nice to see someone putting in the necessary work to create one of the unique body styles of the day. Nice job Phil, it would look perfect at the Bakersfield Hot Rod Re-union! Cheers Alan Thanks Alan - It was at the California re-union a number of years ago where the chute failed causing a crash that severely injured the late Jack Williams who once recovered re-built the dragster to better than new condition. Jack's daughter made a couple of slow passes in the dragster at the BC Hot Rod Reunion this past August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted November 26, 2022 Share Posted November 26, 2022 Very nicely done replica. I don't recall anyone ever doing this car, before. I don't think even Barry Price did this one, and he did just about every dragster you could think of! Excellent work, Phil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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