Old Sprinter Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 I'm going to try and build a dirt late model based on a Rocket chassis in 1/8 scale. I know a lot about sprints and midgets but not that much about stock cars so it will be interesting. Here's the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weasel Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 good start, offset chassis, now bend up some sheet plastic for the body... and keep the pix coming.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostreet Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Very nice start on the chassis, will definitely be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 A little more progress. It made with styrene tube and about 1/3 of it is solid rod. After all the components are together it's really quite strong and will hold the wieght of the model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road_warrior05 Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Very interested in seeing this thing come together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 I'm glad some of you are enjoying this build, thanks. I've got the front A arm brackets, body mounts and rear shock and spring mounts on. Compared to the sprints and midgets I've done, this is a big car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 The chassis is finished and I'm going to start the suspenion. Huge model; measures 25" long and 9" wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baddgass Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Very very nice set up, great frame work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 Here it is with some RC tires, just to get a feel for the way the car will sit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road_warrior05 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Very Nice job!. It's starting to look a lot like the 1:1 in my stepdad's garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hOLMS Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Ken, that chassis work is absolutely b-e-a-utiful...I'll bet you'll have tons of fun hanging that body also. Man, this will be something else...Great, great work!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Thanks John and Jeff. I thought I should make a pattern, out of poster board, for the body before I ruin a bunch of styrene sheets. I have not seen these types of cars run much except on Tv and a few shows I've been to, so I'm sort of building by pictures. These dirt cars are the same ones that the Indy car, NASCAR and NHRA hot shot drivers race, once a year at Tony Stewart's Prelude To The Dream at Eldora Speedway in Ohio. They also run these at most dirt tracks across the country. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostreet Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 That thing is a monster, body looks spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.1/16th Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 WICKED BUILD!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road_warrior05 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Excellent job on the body. I also like the way you built the control arms and the rear bumper. If I could make just the slightest suggestion though......the spoiler looks a little too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) I agree, the spolier needs to shorten up to look right, maybe slightly lower than the roof. Thanks. Ken Edited January 5, 2012 by Old Sprinter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) They should call these things "flying bricks" as someone suggested on another forum. I started on the front end suspenion as it's the easiest to understand. I am going to get the wheels under it before going much further making the body. Edited January 13, 2012 by Old Sprinter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggon Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 That is looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Thanks Glen, I got some coilovers built and mounted. Edited January 13, 2012 by Old Sprinter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddy Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Great project !!! Im very close to Dirt Late Models. I work around them every day, actually. My real job is designing and printing graphics for race cars. Ive done probably over 1000 Late Models as far as graphics go. So, Ive got plenty of experience around the bodies of these cars. I used to crew on a few cars as well, and your chassis is near exact. My side jobs include being the track announcer at two dirt tracks in my area, so I guess you could say that dirt racing is a serious time consuming "hobby" for me !!! One suggestion.......actually a couple.........for accurate body measurements, as there are rules for each sanctioning body, go to imca.com and look up their Dirt Late Model rules, or any of the sanctioning groups sites (MLRA, UMP, MARS, Lucas Oil, WoW, SUPR, etc etc.) and it will give you 1:1 measurements that you can scale down. Your spoiler is too high, as 99% of all sanctioning groups mandate an 8 inch spoiler. The front of the nosepiece should be 50 inches from the center of the front spindles. Also, these cars run wide-5 hubs, such as Wilwood. Tires are generally Hoosier, with a few sprinklings of McCreary, or American Racer. LM40's is the usual tire for open type racing, D55 is the weekly rules tire. 15 inch wheel. Winters, Franklin, or Tiger quickchange rear ends. Not like Sprint rear ends, with a live axle, but Late Models use axle tubes. Tires will all be the same width, across the tread, but slight stagger in diameter, of course. Left rear will be the smallest. BIG inch aluminum motors, with a BIG carb. Bert or Brinn 2 speed transmissions. These are internal clutch transmissions. Dry sump oil systems with the pump ran off the back of the motor. Rack and pinion steering. Generally 4 bar rear suspension, with a "J-bar" or biscuit rod used for a track bar or panhard bar. Also, the rear suspension uses a torque arm with a "5th coil", to control wrap-up of the rear axle. Shocks nowadays, are the canister type such as Bilstein. Shocks are a HUGE tuning aid on these cars now. A good set of shocks will run a racer around $5000 alone. Bodies, are an art form on these cars anymore. Each builder has his own tricks and styles. While they have to conform to dimensions, each builder puts different bends and creases in different spots, and has different ways to stretch the envelope. .040 aluminum is the body material. Roofs are either fiberglass, or aluminum. Rear spoiler is clear or smoked Lexan generally, sometimes made of aluminum. Nosepiece is a stock appearing plastic nose. With headlight decals. Front "fenders" are also plastic. As I mentioned, there are several sanctioning bodies that have rules posted to get your dimensions. Several chassis manufacturers, as well as parts manufacturers have plenty of photos for reference. Rocket Chassis, MasterSbilt, Rayburn, Pierce, Warrior, GRT, et al are the popular chassis. Plenty of photos out on the net for reference. Forget finding photos of a Bloomquist chassis. That guy is a fruit cake. Performance Bodies is a GREAT site for photos of bodies and parts. At any rate, just some info on the "guts" of these cars. Next to ol skool drag racing, Dirt Late Models are my cup of tea !!! Shaping up to be a GREAT build !!! Looking forward to more !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 Wow, Joe, I'm honored by your posting about this car. You have given me, in one post, more information on these beasts than I've been able to get in a month of surfing the web. Thank you for the help. As i've said I am an open wheel guy that has just recently found an interest in these late model dirt cars. The most interesting things, to me are the frames and the suspenion. I wanted to build one to learn some of the trick stuff these guys do. Much cheaper to build a model. I've, recently, learned about rear steer and how they do that. These cars have some of the wildest suspenion setups I've ever seen along with some highly engineered frames to hold it all up. Please post again, as I build this, if you see something not accurately done. I truely appreciate it. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 I've got the front end almost complete and the fuel cell built and installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baddgass Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 The frame work and cell, brake looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sprinter Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Quick change rear end is built and going in the frame. Note the fifth link; this is a piece that helps create rear steer in these cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road_warrior05 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Excellent job on that fifth link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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