swede70

Thanks everyone for the kind interest displayed and comments left... The wheels and decals ordered arrived, while a new rear axle was cut consistent with widening the track a bit to even things up. Noticed will be the new Fred Cady period tape graphic on the hood, essentially matched up to the edge formed along the rear of the stripe work where it terminates along the back of the fresh air hood duct. Perhaps I set the image too far back, while mild regrets that the 'Javelin' script on the leading edge of the hood prevents the decal from settling as flat as I'd otherwise desire. Still - mostly good and about as far as I'll carry things. If a late AMT Gremlin plastic kit is turned up soon, I'll swap in the later style steering wheel found within. Thanks again... Mike K./Swede70

Another wave then... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings David, Only if you'd want, I might be able to help on the scale Minilites front. Searching my name/handle for threads will turn up my period SCCA Trans-Am efforts, hence much could be shared - again, at your discretion. Neat effort this... Mike K./Swede70

Indeed - that looks really nice. Good to see the side trim come off in particular... Mike K./Swede70

Very neat and trim build. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... I always wondered what a factory promo of the '73-'74 American Motors Javelin AMX would have looked liked had it been afforded to us, pondering what could have been made of parts tooled for the AMT release as well as the knocked down snap together Jo-Han release of old. Witnessed below would be a starting point... The 'Volcano' styled stamped steel wheels would appear within AMT's Gremlin (and likely stock Matador) unassembled kits, while maybe the MPC hard vinyl Goodyear Polyglas GT tires could have been used even as they were likely sized to suit the Vega GT promos first and foremost. Modern eBay kit breakers were turned to, while the availability of things sold separately helped knock down costs... For gathering a nicely built up snap together release and collecting suitable scale footwear, I finally decided to do something about a certain urge. Another set of wheels is in the mail, hence I'll hopefully have four well-plated and reasonably crisp examples to choose from. This would Fairway Green Metallic on a '73 Javelin versus the expected Javelin AMX model, with the neat 'Volcano' stamped steel wheels also on view... ...while this would be a very typical (albeit in terrific restored condition) American Motors interior hue of the period. My interior paint choice isn't the closest, although it's typical of period Jo-Han practice. I feared that if I simply painted the interior basic black, it would appear more 'messed with' versus something that might be mistaken for an actual promo. A later Gremlin kit might be tapped to come up with a steering wheel akin to what is pictured here, given the rim blow option was no more after the '72 model year... Seen would be a respray for use of Tamiya TS-20 Green Metallic which approximates '73 American Motors Fairway Green Metallic, a weird interior refinish in Rust-oleum Stalin Leafy Green with a quick semigloss clear coat applied over it. Some clean up work was performed to the body shell casting, although only enough to ensure it would look about equal to a pair of '71 and '72 true promos that I have in terms of finish quality. Jo-Han plastic kit axle locators were modified for adding a bit of plastic tubing to widen the track both front and rear prior to painting each ACE hardware Garden Green to match the color of the plastic used for the aforementioned snap together release, the results being generally clean and discreet for so fitting. Music wire was used for new, wider axles matched to the track of the old Hurst mags typical of these models. I had a spare plastic 'glass' panel/insert on hand, hence such was polished with NOVUS 2 and switched in. The tires are a bit small, but I'll live with such... The tail panel plus bumper top cove black out denoting that the 'GO' package was added after masking out the bumper guards. Locating tabs otherwise intended to square things up for assembly of the top tail panel insert relative to the red-tinted tail light panel were ground away to level things out, while the aforementioned lense insert was stripped with Easy Off and reshot with Tamiya TS-74 Clear Red to ensure it was colored evenly versus the usual Jo-Han blotchiness. Watch out for clumsily built up examples which often evidence glue burns to the tail panel insert top corners extended along the back of the insert. Damage such as I describe is something commonly discovered only after one returns from a show with a messed up example in hand. Both tail light lenses I had to choose from were damaged in this fashion, although one was within the realm of saving for use here. Fred Cady decals are coming - hence a gold 'T'-stripe hood graphic will be added soon enough, being as weird and as typical of anything AMC ever did in period. Mostly I'm happy. Thanks for your review of this more or less finished mini-project... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Small stuff this, but aluminum hub guides were added to the '71 Penske Donohue Javelin, with the horizontal raised trim scrubbed out along the rocker panels for a cleaner appearance. The rear rims were narrowed a bit to better fit the tires and live within the wheel well space afforded, while replacement plastic 'glass' via Okey Spaudling purchased years ago replaces the wasted kit glass on this restoration item. Along the front of the model some initial pattern work was performed consistent with fabricating a reasoned front spoiler, while a pair of headlamp screens overlay the headlamp installation consistent with suggesting brake cooling ducts which were allowed for a rules adjustment going into the '71 SCCA Trans-Am season. The tail light lense was stripped with Easy Off oven cleaner, the resultant clear plastic panel refinished with Tamiya's TS-74 Clear Red aerosol consistent with cleaning up the appearance of what was mottled and of middling quality. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, There are dedicated Facebook group pages dedicated to 1:18th diecast project parts wants/requests that might generate greater interest. Those who modify such models tend to generate piles of spares, while some releases have reputations whereby many are parted and certain items are in high demand. It might happen too that a damaged model with the part or parts you require will be had for less given it's a dust bunny, bears obvious damage, hasn't a box, etc. I hope you are able to source that which you need... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Going through materials intended to allow the construction of a '71 Penske Javelin and later a '72 American Racing Associates/Roy Wood Racing Javelin, I hurriedly decided to put my '71 Penske project up on wheels. Other work performed was the reprofiling of each wheel arch opening as guided by period reference, the removal of all standard identifying crests, and the installation of a '71-'74 dashboard given all Jo-Han and AMT-badged Trans-Am Javelins come through with bare floors, albeit with a '70 dash. The body shell is a stripped restoration piece from a built '71 AMT Mark Donohue release, the chassis and interior being recent eBay acquisitions posted and sold by a period kit breaker - a new thing then. Even for brief work this '71 looks fairly convincing... ...this a Dave Friedman image captured at the '71 Lime Rock Trans-Am contest. Rules presumably required that the wheel arch profiles not be altered, although here one can clearly see that the rear opening has been elongated, slightly squared off and raised to terminate along the body side character line. The front wheel arch shape is also different versus stock, with the opening found rising atop the character line, and noticeably stretching along the base towards the nose of the car. ...the raised rocker panel trim will have to be scrubbed off, but the wheel arch recontour work is convincing enough. The twinned exhaust dumps required that the cut outs for the same be enlarged, while the rear tires are AMT AMC Penske Matador issue. Thanks for your review of this ever-evolving project thread. Mike K./Swede70

Small stuff this... I hadn't much success bending brass tube to replicate exhaust dumps, but here it wasn't much of a problem for the material used didn't quite crimp up as expected. Also seen are the pair of jack or lifting hard points seen along the rocker, while the retention straps holding the rear glass in place are set wider - whoopee! Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the interest expressed and sustained... The '70-season Penske Javelins evolved across that year as racers do, while a comparison between the early season spec. and the later season would largely be restricted to minor details as contrasted to much larger changes concerning the shape of the body or flares in particular. Jimmy Flintstone (perhaps Mini Exotics originally) opted to do a late season car which unlike the as-delivered original Jo-Han '70 Mark Donohue Trans-Am Javelin release (C-105), represented a very early season car if not something speculative before such was actually raced. As usual, the Jo-Han race rendition combines parts that are first rate with those which are impressionistic but largely benign! Concerning what was mastered, a late season spec. Penske Javelin wouldn't have cut outs to refuel the car along either quarter panel, but instead a single spot to do so perforating through the structure near the base of the deck lid and cutting through the bottom of the rear spoiler. Some engine updates would be discernible including a better functioning wet sump design for much trial and error, the front spoiler would be redesigned to include both aluminum structure and lexan lips along the bottom, while the polished lip Minilites seen briefly early on would be superseded by uniformly rough cast appearing Minilites in whatever magnesium alloy they used. Tall profile NASCAR tires - ungainly as they were to look upon, were found to be best to employ out back, while shorter profile and comparatively squat Super Modified tires - also from the Goodyear catalog, were eventually fitted up front. The almost elegant fine blue lines found on the sidewall of period Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Special were something that vanished from the scene as the year progressed - another tiny alteration then. ...Peter Revson, sans the Racemark seat described below (i.e. no headrest or extension for such is seen), although with the revised front spoiler, different tires, and fueling via the rear only. For whatever reason, the side numeral has gravitated upward, while the font suggests primitive digital readouts and the then topical Apollo program courtesy of NASA. Photo credit unknown, while perhaps the image was captured at Kent, WA '70. - Eventually Mark Donohue established other means to draw an income apart from Penske Racing and Goodyear, and one of these sidelines was his affiliation with a company called Racemark. One of their products was a then novel seat that was both tightly form fitting and extended well down the body to afford a measure of knee and leg support. Apparently Paul Van Valkenburgh designed such, later coauthor of Mark's excellent auto racing biography The Unfair Advantage from 1975. From mid season the distinctive Racemark seat with all the trimmings was installed in Mark's car, although it didn't seem to migrate to Peter Revson's #9 Penske Javelin. Other discreet changes would be picked up from race to race for close examination and comparison of period photos. Lastly, the presence on the vintage scene of a backdated engineering hack reflecting '71 season developments at Penske Racing confuses things if one is tempted to be guided by vintage racing photography, hence beware of this reality if accuracy is felt paramount. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Having sourced another interior bucket and bare Jo-Han Trans-Am Javelin chassis via eBay, here was some limited effort to put an early '70-season Penske Javelin back into play. Noticed will be the rudiments of a six-point roll cage, wheels and tires, carved out flush exterior door handles with resin replacements (done to facilitate off-body paintwork of the handles), and a rubber washer-rimmed Grant steering wheel installation. Mostly stuff I've done before in total, but looking comfortable given I know what to reach for. Thanks... ...in early-season form at Laguna Seca, descending down the Corkscrew... ...using the standard Jo-Han kit front spoiler, although the Jimmy Flintstone shell again features. No work has been performed underhood yet, while my last remaining SC/Rambler inner fender/wings will likely be stitched in. Many more bars need to be added to the roll cage taking form, although the major members are present, sized and aligned as required... ...front tires are stock kit Jo-Han/AMT period NASCAR issue, while the rears are Southern Motorsport vinyl '60's Goodyear NASCAR issue which come with very nice Goodyear Blue Streak blue lines and small white lettered Goodyear sidewall markings to match. The Minilite wheels are older cast resin items home brewed and made up of Jo-Han inner rim with MPC Chrysler Kit Car Clement five slot pressed steel wheel outer lips once again. The shell is among my oldest and evidences repair work for overzealous carving and shaping... ...looking a bit strange for not having a key hole through the rear spoiler, nevertheless it's how things were on the racers early season. The Jimmy Flintstone resin shell needed a patch atop the fuel inlet situated on the bottom center of the spoiler to backdate it slightly, while it looks fairly clean for a light putty application besides. Lastly, the Grant steering wheel noticed was sourced from a Hurst S/S '69 AMX release, with the ends of each spoke ground down to accommodate the quite small steering wheel rim reproduced with a bathroom plumbing washer. Just basic stuff at this point. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70

Just another material source this. Sometime ago I visited a larger party supply store and chanced across what might be termed table centerpieces featuring a fairly resilient foil. I paid maybe $5 to $7 for each centerpiece as shown, while I found the foil employed could be cut to shape somewhat easier for being stiffer than your usual packaging foil. I've used the material for 1:18 Wink multiple-element interior rear view mirrors, as well as for lending a bit of life to the back of a like-scale Porsche 959 tail light panel with success. Thanks... ...not quite a lifetime supply - but close! ...and just a length behind the now-tinted and formerly all-amber plastic tail light lense/unit on my Polistil Porsche 959. Mike K./Swede70

Hello... The cage is barely discerned for being painted and coaxed into the '67 Camaro. The exhaust dumps w/straps flesh out the exterior, although the engine is still out. Happily the steering column rests comfortably across the roll cage cross bar forward of it, while no interference is noted between the main hoop and the side quarter windows. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

...while this would be the well-known '69 Mission Bell 250 Trans-Am poster and program image. The photo was captured at the first race of the season held at Michigan International Speedway for the inaugural Wolverine Trans-Am, while note Mark's #6 is fitted out with red interior trim panels complete with the dash pad so-colored. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Thanks for the kind words. I have a few build threads here, although most are well buried under the volume of posts and threads others maintain. Consider clicking on my profile name and search for activity related to the following: 1968-69 1:25th RKE/JRT Javelin builds based on the Jo-Han tools 1967-69 1:18th GMP Penske Donohue Camaro work 1970 1:18th Chaparral Camaro based on the old ERTL tool 1970 1:18th Hwy. 61 Chrysler E-body Trans-Am work Various Pontiac projects including a 1:18th Sun Star-based '71-season 'Gray Ghost', a '70 T/G Firebird Trans Am, and finally, a '69 Titus/Ward Daytona 24HR class winner like yourself - For my own builds I'm usually pouring over the digital archives even as most of the images are reproduced in black and white as you've said. Most stuff is downloaded and dropped into the appropriate project file, while after a time this image and that reveals stuff I hadn't seen before. It's fun to glean information and transfer such into a scale representation of all that's been revealed, while every now and again someone like us will turn up insights that a current owner won't have tripped upon or known about. Although you likely know them well, the Dave Friedman Collection/Benson Ford Research Center, the Petersen Publishing/SAE Archive, the Revs/Stanford Digital Archive, and Getty Images are those online archives I frequent the most. Some are a challenge to access and find suitable material within, but all are of value. I wouldn't give up on the red interior angle for the '69 Penske Camaro given it's a real enough thing. The paint work would just be restricted to the side interior trim panels anyhow, while interior images reflecting the specification of things are common enough. If I can attach a few, I'll try. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Just some further revisions with the bars to the front subframe now equal length and angle, while a pair of bars stretch back from the main hoop and terminate at the top of the rear shock mounts. Pretty much ready to paint then. Thanks... ...while it comes out as a single piece. I only tack glued the main hoop and built things out from there. Mike K./Swede70

Very nicely done, while I like the colors chosen too. Neat Rudge knockoff wheels (or the conversion of the as-delivered Burago casting) that you've worked up. An old tool the Burago 300SL, although it's an honest one and happily it seems Continental tires they tooled for the Burago range and used almost indiscriminately were first intended for their MB 300SL. Your collection of period club racers must be massive by now. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Always very neat work and enviably trim and clean in appearance - thanks for sharing. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Just an update of the 1:18 GMP '67 Penske Trans-Am Camaro project given it's sprouted a roll cage. Hollow plastic tube with a brass wire core to help retain the shape and lends strength too. Happily no 1:18th scale drivers have thus far been hurt operating my conversions both minor and major. Thanks... ...with rear quarter windows recently added, some chrome trim for leading edge of the same, plus new front wheel bearing dust caps and rear axle ends pressed home into the center of the ARE/TT wheels. Without an engine at this point, hence no exhaust dumps are seen. ...interior mock up with a spare shell (thank you so much ijb40!) in combination with a '69 dashboard, although now I have a '67-'68 dash to use on my model. Bars to otherwise tie the roll cage to the front subframe are absent. A strange design - almost as though it's missing two points from an otherwise sound four or maybe six-point cage. ...more of the same. ...while the passenger's side A-pillar to main hoop bar needs to be refabricated consistent with shortening it a bit. Note that it stretches further forward than it should forward of the cross bar/brace. With some additional bars added, albeit it's not complete. Mostly I'm going with period photos, while avoiding some diecast structural elements restricts what I can do. Pretty much the state of things now. The chassis is just a bare '69 model with inner fenders trimmed to allow for a top of the subframe mounted sway bar installation. Kind thanks for your review of this project update. Mike K./Swede 70

Greetings, The cars altered for specifications across the year, while the red interior door trim eventually gave way to those finished in black. The switch was timed roughly to coincide with the removal of the vinyl tops later in the '69 season. The #6 and #9 would be distinguished from the pits for different color spoilers, headlamp fill panels, and of course the numerals painted on (this before vinyl numerals became standard practice), while the red interior panels (or black) would be standard across team cars at any event entered. The interior color for the interior side panels, etc. wouldn't be more sophisticated than standard level trim '69 Camaro vinyl trim. Searching for '69 Camaro restorations optioned out with the red interior would turn up color references, hence you'd not be strictly reliant on period SCCA Trans-Am race reference materials to confirm such. Additionally, most reputable 1:1 restoration parts suppliers stock interior colors consistent with allowing on to refinish interior vinyl trim. Red would be one of the more common colors, and might prove the way to go given the sheen would reflect the finish desired apart and beyond having the right hue. Before the COVID-19 situation effectively shut down concours events nationwide, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance organizers decided to honor Roger Penske at their 2020 event. A good gathering of restored Penske Camaro racers were on display, with one being debuted, and others rerestored with greater attention paid to accuracy, etc. The '69 Penske Camaro present there appeared better than it had before, and sported both a vinyl top and the red interior trim you'd wish to replicate. A great many people attended and took photos, while a bit of web searching would surely turn up large collections of event images even if they'd not strictly be tagged as '1969 Penske Camaro' when you'd mount a search for such. Good luck... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Nothing major in terms of updates, although some additional parts have been cast/duplicated consistent with fleshing out this project and other GM Trans-Am projects quietly gathering steam. I'd like to source a Lane '67-'68 Firebird differential, reproduce the scattershield scratch built for my '71-season Gray Ghost Tempest, while Delco-Moraine brake calipers are now possible given I recently made a mold for such. I'm freshening up a trio of old GMP '67-'69 Trans-Am Camaro projects as well as nursing the ETRL-based '70 Chaparral Camaro project to life, hence anything of quality that can be spread across the builds carries me a bit closer to applying finishes and being done with these. Thanks for your interest. Mike K./Swede70

Looks like a very well engineered kit and pure pleasure to see to completion. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Neat addition and certainly a nice compliment to the recent first gen./Mark I Capri afforded us. I haven't picked up the first generation model, perhaps for being intimidated by the effort required to accurately paint the Rostyle wheels, although the availability of the late Capri at modest cost might prompt me to reconsider and gather both. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

A very leisurely update of this my '69 RKE/JRT Trans-Am Javelin project... Worried I'd waste my '69 bubble hood effort for applying a finish and misjudging things, recently I created a mold for the hood so that not much would be risked if things fell apart. Witnessed is the results of the effort, which is largely clean. Additional parts have been gathered to possible do a second '69-season team car, although at present they'll just be saved. A five-panel Wink interior mounted rear view mirror assembly is needed for both my '68 and '69 efforts, while it would be good to scratch build what is needed consistent with clearing the next tiny hurdle. Most of the really unpleasant fabrication is mercifully done. Fine pinstripe decals to accent the borders between the red/white/blue body color segments has been found from a German source via eBay, hence that problem too has been solved. Mostly good then. Thanks... The shifter assembly will be made up of the best Hurst shifter lever I can find combined with the round stock Jo-Han boot. Seen forward are some parts I'm contemplating for use. Just a view of the profile worked up on the hood bubble and how the surface profile is picked up along the contours of said bubble. It's mostly good and few surprises were in store for me when I first pulled it from the mold. Pretty content at this point... A little fuzzy this, although the pinstripe detail spoken of can be made out with a little effort. Notice the blue-to-white border has a thin vertical red pinstripe, while the white-to-red border has a blue vertical pinstripe. Fated to be tedious to perform, but thought important all the same... While this would be the Interdecal product offering, with an agreeable red iteration also obtainable. I should be o.k. then... Mike K./Swede70