Ace-Garageguy Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) I'm asking you guys who really know this stuff for input. I've been looking at several class rules, and especially the 1:1 pro-mod build pix that comp1839 posted on this board. The build has been stalled for over a year because I realized I just didn't know enough about these cars to do a reasonably correct model. I'm sure there's a lot wrong with it already, and I know I'll have to open the doors. ANY other input / criticism is entirely welcome. If it's already too fubar and I should just start over after getting familiar with the classes and rules, that's fine too. I have NOT been following drag racing for a long time, but I started building this thing based on some ideas I've had from pix I've noticed in passing, over the years. It's supposed to be a glass body on a tube frame, blown Keith Black hemi, altered wheelbase, etc. I'd like to build it right for an actual drag racing class, and I've been told it would be some kind of outlaw heads-up car, or possibly pro-mod. Like i said...ANY criticism or input is welcome. I'm entirely out of touch with modern drag racing, and I'm asking for guidance. It's built mostly out of gluebombs and bits I had lying around, so doing a major rework isn't going to make me feel bad. Edited December 2, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 That has a great stance and flow as it stands/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Hey Bill ! I'm not smart enough to know about what class a build that would be in but it sure would be a wild model. Maybe just a "run whatcha brung " ? Isn't that open to anything ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-409 Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Match Race Studebaker? Looking really good. Nice stance and I think this body is really needing some Altering with the Wheelbase. It looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 I like it! Finish it already. Who cares about what class a 1:1 might run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 If you get rid of the altered wheelbase look, you'll be on to something. I would ditch that body and get a stock wheelbase Studebaker. Well, that's the thing. I like the aggressive look and proportions as-is, and that's why I'm trying to get some input as to whether it could fit in any class, as-is. Guess I should have made that clear in the first post. I like it! Finish it already. Who cares about what class a 1:1 might run? Thanks Jim, and to the other guys who like it. The other thing is that I have this 'thing' about building models that could actually work in the real world. I usually do period cars and try to make them as close to historically accurate as is reasonably possible, and I'd prefer to fit this, looking pretty much like it does, into some existing (or historically accurate) class if possible. I know there are some very knowledgeable recent and current drag-car builders here who could glance at this and know the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 That has a great stance and flow as it stands/ +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 competition eliminator maybe or an altered type class. That particular body wouldn't fit in to very many classes off the top of my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragcarz Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 This Super Gas car came to mind when I saw your post. Super Gas cars run on a specific Elapsed time such as 10.99, they race heads up against other cars not going faster than the specified ET, or they Breakout and are disqualified. I like what you've started here. Maybe keep it simple scribe door lines instead of opening them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp1839 Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 i hope i don't regret doing this. bill, it is always a good idea to read up on the class rules if you're going to try to build that way. it will cut down on mis-information if you know what's correct and what's not. if "i" were doing a build like this the next thing i'd do is decide on a level of accuracy and detail. that will also help you better decide on the level of cash you're willing part with. aftermarket stuff for these builds is really cool and plentiful but, can add up quickly. as far as the body you have. while it would fit in a multitude of classes the first thing you have to ask yourself is.....am i building something that is going to represent a competitive car or am i just building it to look cool and don't care how it would perform as a 1:1. the altered (shortened in this case) will definitely make the car less stable at high speeds. the extended overhang in the rear while a necessary thing in the past. track prep and tire technology have eliminated the need for what now would be considered an unnecessary and possibly unsafe practice. perhaps another way to help make your decision would be to look how fast each eliminator, of the categories suggested, actually go. it may help you tailor you combo to what you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 Thanks Dave. I was hoping you'd weigh in on this one. As far as how competitive it would be in 1:1, I was thinking not necessarily a class-wining car, but rather something built from bits and pieces of older cars, more as a hobby car than a serious contender...but still fast enough to be interesting, and of course, class-legal. If you'd suggest which particular class rules I should focus on to make a more informed build-plan, I'd appreciate it. One more question that I'm unsure of...are the "door cars" always steel, or are f'glass body parts allowed? Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 (edited) How about build it as a showin'-off-for-the-crowd wheelstander? Then it wouldn't necessarily have to fit in any particular class. The altered wheelbase and some extra weight in the back would help get the front wheels up, and just add a skid plate to balance it as it goes down the track. Maybe beef up the front springs a bit to help with the return to terra firma. Pose it on a base afterward in full wheelie position so anyone who see's it automatically knows what it is. Edited November 30, 2013 by Jantrix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 competition eliminator maybe or an altered type class. That particular body wouldn't fit in to very many classes off the top of my head. I agree with Brett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleDale Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 ...edit... One more question that I'm unsure of...are the "door cars" always steel, or are f'glass body parts allowed? Thanks again. I get called out for stuff because I have a rule book but no seat time, but I don't care. Replica material bodies are OK in PM, which is considered the top door slammer class. Top Sportsman cars have fiberglass front ends, but I don't know if the whole body is glass or not. With PM cars, NHRA Tech has to approve the body design before the build. Your chassis would not pass tech inspection for this class. I have the SFI spec book for full bodied cars and you don't really want to try to replicate the tangle of spaghetti that would entail in 1:25 scale. With the right chassis, you could run this in comp eliminator, but my suggestion is this: It's a MODEL CAR! And a cool one, at that! Finish the build and show us your stuff. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MachinistMark Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 I agree with this guy bill! ^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck parts Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Your off to a great start,and I maybe I'am wrong,but who cares what class it is, Think outside the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp1839 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 sounds to me like the crowd has spoken bill. i'll leave you with some pics i took of scotty cannons stude, at e-town, awhile ago. not a shortened wheelbase car but,...........well, it's just pretty much bad to the bone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim3 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Looks pretty cool to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 sounds to me like the crowd has spoken bill. i'll leave you with some pics i took of scotty cannons stude, at e-town, awhile ago. not a shortened wheelbase car but,...........well, it's just pretty much bad to the bone. Thank you Dave for the pix. Seriously bad car. Lots of info there too. Also thanx to everyone else who's chimed in here. I'm getting a much better feel for the ProMod build style, and getting my head around the various SFI requirements, online resources, etc. There's a lot to understand in order to build a reasonably correct-for-class model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleDale Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 sounds to me like the crowd has spoken bill. i'll leave you with some pics i took of scotty cannons stude, at e-town, awhile ago. not a shortened wheelbase car but,...........well, it's just pretty much bad to the bone. How in the world does anyone maintain the presence of mind to shift in one of those things? Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) How in the world does anyone maintain the presence of mind to shift in one of those things? Dale I dunno, but look at the pretty welding everywhere... Edited December 2, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleDale Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I dunno, but look at the pretty welding everywhere... In another thread Dave referred to chassis design as a Black Art. All of the real magicians are the TIG welders. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pro Wrench Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 How in the world does anyone maintain the presence of mind to shift in one of those things? Dale Most all of them use an automated air shifter that is triggered by an rpm activated switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubbs Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 hey Bill, looks great! I totally understand your dilemma. I also am building a AWB car with all the modern amenities in it, was going to post up this week and ask the same thing as you, now I don't have to, just have to watch your build. here is a picture of something like what I am doing (btw, mine is a 55 chevy), as you can see, this car has an A/FX marking on the window, I think I will just mark it up as that and have fun with it. don't really know if I can run a 55 in an A/FX class or not? good luck with your build, I will be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 hey Bill, looks great! I totally understand your dilemma. I also am building a AWB car with all the modern amenities in it, was going to post up this week and ask the same thing as you, now I don't have to, just have to watch your build. here is a picture of something like what I am doing (btw, mine is a 55 chevy), as you can see, this car has an A/FX marking on the window, I think I will just mark it up as that and have fun with it. don't really know if I can run a 55 in an A/FX class or not? good luck with your build, I will be watching. It's always a dilemma as to which class an accurate drag racing model would run in now, or in the period it represents. In general, the FX cars were more-or-less current production models with 'optional' factory-available (but not necessarily factory-installed) equipment. An outgrowth of the Super Stock classes, FX cars were purpose-built race cars. (Quoting George Klass on Yellowbullet.com): "Factory Experimental class was introduced by NHRA in 1962, just in time for the Winternationals in Pomona.The rules were very simple. Any "legal" parts from a single automotive brand (such as Pontiac) could be "mixed and matched" into one car. In Pontiac's case, it meant that any Pontiac engine, trans, rear end, etc., could be installed into any Pontiac vehicle. Naturally, the Tempest LeMans was chosen because it was the lightest car Pontiac built. The engines still had to be "legal", meaning that they still had to be Super Stock legal. If I remember, the cars (in '62) still had to use the 7-inch wide legal S/S tires, although that was changed to allow a 10-inch wide tire later in the year. " A good early example is Mickey Thompson's '62 A/FX Pontiac Tempest, equipped with a 421cu.in. V8, gearbox, and a solid rear axle (from the big cars, but narrowed to fit the Tempest shell) in place of the independent transaxle setup. The car required structural changes to hang the big driveline and rear axle, which were allowed. Obviously, something like this would never have been "factory-built" for sale to consumers. Here's a link to the 2012 Nostalgia Super Stock Drag Racing general rules ("Nostalgia Super Stock is an index-style foot brake only class for the year models, bodystyles, and engine combinations, which accurately represent those cars, which raced in the A/FX and Super Stock classes of the ’60s."), with a list of cars eligible to run the SS classes. At first reading, it looks like full-bodied Chevrolets only back to '59 are allowed...but like they say, it's only a model. Have fun. http://www.nssracing.com/rules/nmca-rules/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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