Daddyfink

The dragster at the top of this pic, the white and blue car, has a modified Rams cowl area. I cut the cowl out of a Rams body, widened it and added a windscreen from a Tommy Ivo FED. The side body panels are just sheet styrene. Not much to it!

I would love to see them back. But, I think the only way it would be viable for Round 2 would be in a limited run and if restored back to almost stock.

That is a really cool tool, Pete!

I chose to go with the SBC just like the movie car and one thing you must know, if you already don't, is that the SBC is actually wider at the crankcase than a Chrysler Hemi! Yes, even in the model world this holds true. I had to fit the block by grinding the sides of the block right above the oil pan. The other option was to cut the chassis up and widen it, but, that would also have to be done tot he body. Grinding the block was easier and you can not see it once you paint it black and slip it into the chassis. The engine is a glue bomb out of a glue bomb Revell 57 Chevy Lowrider kit. This is the same engine as the old parts pack so it is not rare or hard to find. I used the long block and some of the drag parts. The timing cover uses a huge fuel pump that looks like a coffee can and that was not going to cut it. So, I actually used a from spindle mount from the same kit as the drive for the pump! With some minor trimming, if drops right in!! Give its some primer and a bit of metalizer, Voila! Vintage fuel pump cover and pump! The pump itself was in the parts box and I have no clue where it came from! The blower is a Revell 70's funny car blower and so are the plates. The tensioner was made from the one that came in the Chevy and I totally cut it off and re-did it. The pulleys are from the Wynn's Jammer The barrel valve, the big red thing next to the butterflies, is just a piece of styrene stock with black wire for fuel lines with the ends exposed. Very high tech stuff! LOL!

The rear axle is not really all that great in the Rams kit, so I decided to fix that by using some 1/8th tubing, the rear drum setup from the Wynn's Winder dragster and a metal axle. Luckily the rear end of the Rams car has a separate center section that uses a solid plastic axle for the rear wheels. I simply replaced the axle with the 1/8th tube to slide in the metal axle and make it like a more conventional model kit rear end. Or as conventional as they where with metal axles! Just cut the tubing to size and slip into frame and third member And Voila! Axle and drums slip right in!

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but, I was asked for some info regarding the build of this car and I am going to be posting some pics of the process. First I want to start with the body mods. The body was pulled from and original kit issue body that, like the Ramchargers body, is two pieces like an airplane fuselage. After it was glued together, by Skip Sample, he cut out the cowl part so the chassis could be slipped into the body without having to glue it together and then paint it and it eliminates the seam. This can also be done to the Ramchargers body to make it look better and to work on the chassis separately. The body from the kit is not all that accurate, but, that is what we have to work with. One thing I did to make it look better was to trim the engine side plates to more closely match the movie car. The Ramchargers kit has to be one of them most flexible and jack of all trades chassis for mid sixties dragsters!

Nice Rail, Drew! But you should at least but a Drag News decal on it!

Very cool!

Unfortunately, the Revell Van Parts Pack did not really come with much for the interior. It has a "Wall Unit" with a stereo and t.v. and that is about it. The rest is pretty much what comes standard in most van kits. The MPC Vans had work cabinets and other small pieces, but nothing really custom. The Revell Chevy van had a full interior, and they are all the same, that will require some trimming to fit in other vans. Find a donor Revell kit and scavenge for parts or just make some custom stuff of your own!

That is looking very cool! I can't wait to start on one! And yes, that body would make for a Kool Kustom! Like this!!

Very cool! Its like a trip down memory lane!

Sad part is, if you really want to build a more correct Mooneye's Dragster, you should use the Attempt 1 chassis and the AMT SBC setup.

There used to be a vintage restoration place down the street from me a few years back. Oddly, they closed down and now it is a Mustang Restoration shop! But anyways, they had a back lot full of projects for sale and one of them was a parts donor project. It was a GT350H that was a theft recovery. It was found at the bottom of a cliff after it had been dumped there back in the 60's! It was rather mangled, but, there where lots of parts and they where all real Shelby! Woud have made a real cool project to model! And then there are the 4 '66 Convertible GT350's! But, that is another story!

I really doubt they would sell. Large scale kits have a certain fan base and they are a picky lot. Not only that, kits that are considered way more market friendly, I.e. 1/16 Dragsters and Funny Cars, do not sell that well according to Revell. I really doubt the vans would sell all that well at all. I have most of them and I think they are really cool, but, then again, I was a kid when they first came out and they are a happy childhood memory for me. Would I buy them? Depends on which versions came out and I already have all the Revell 1/16 vans. I really doubt they would restore the MPC van back to its stock version given the last version was a 4x4. But then again, I could be wrong! Also, there are way more old kits that are desireable for re-issue than those large scale vans.

Very cool write up! Thanks!

Great trade with my80malibu! Thanks!!

The term "Barn Find" is so overused. How about "Pulled from Storage" or "I finally washed the car"?

The 70's where so cool! Nice save!

It is so quirky, its cool!

Very nice! I would not have guessed they where that old if you had just posted them up with no info!

Pretty cool looking stuff, but, for the price of just the blower setup for the 426 Hemi in 1/16, I could get a complete Mark Johnson engine in 1/16th! I guess I can wait for the prices to come down.

I can dig it!

The fun part about these movies is that they did not take themselves that seriously! Good, crazy fun! With Hot Rods! Way too serious! With Rice!

You can find something way nicer for 4K! But, if this floats your boat and you have money to burn, go for it!

Very classy!