Joe Handley

Not to mention having Barris allegedly slap him for it, according to The Autopian article from Torch I posted the other day.

I’m wondering if they have figured out how to hot swap the batteries, quick charge on top of a strong regen, or just have enough batter that would work on a short track type race and only need to change tires, like Formula 1 has mandated for their series with no fuel ups and just tire changes only.

Here’s a couple of my former Revell Travolta-Bird turned Monogram Firebird Street Machine Firebird/Revell ZL-1 Camaro kitbash. As a plus they also have my 2 OBS Chevy builds in the background waiting for not so winter weather so I can try to get some more primer and maybe even paint on them!

Messed around with the fillers tonight need to do more work on the openings, need to do more work on the new openings but it looks like I had the right idea for what I did. There was one gap that still needed filling after I took the above pics, so I took an extra scrap of the .020” that I used in other spots. Not sure if I’m going to use the UV filler, Tamiya White Putty, or the 2 part body filler I used for a lot of the filler on the quarters on the Charger convertible.

Almost unexpected, know somebody who melted the nose off a Revell WW2 bomber using Squadron putty, he was unaware of the toluene solvent in it and being something that would melt plastic if applied excessively. I had a similar experience, but not that bad at the same time.

Did that melt the fender?!

That took a good bit of work on the Custom ‘41 I built in ‘22, ended up filling with both UV resin and body filler to make all those areas look like one large assembly.

Unless they’re planning a Formula-E like series, I haven’t heard anything about an electric stock car other than the Gibbs Racing “Pit Car” that his teams use to practice pit stops.

Got more work done on this last night/this morning, started filling the holes for the fender scoops and finally figured out what I wanted to do for the wheel openings. Made the wheel openings from .040 Evergreen sheet after making a template from a Du-Bro header card I had laying around. Stuck the card into the wheel opening and traced the shape of that out then sat there scratching my head for the new opening and started to freehand draw it until I realized that to match the gap in the radius of the rear openings, I could use the rear tire and trace it’s diameter onto the paper and get an appropriate opening size and shape! There were a couple gaps between the opening and filler that I was able to fill with some .020” styrene then started to fill the holes for the scoops with some of the extra plastic cut from the OD of the fillers. I also filled the backs of the wing pedestals with more of that extra .040” from the fillers. I’m waiting for the cement to fully harden before I do any sanding on what is there then will finish filling the small holes in the front fenders once I get the rest of the fillers sanded down. Kinda want to throw some primer on them once I get those sanded down as I can’t see what needs to be filled due to lack of contrast with all the while plastic used. Here’s the nose piece after filling in the gaps I created when cutting the dividers from between the headlights. Used masking tape to create a dam on the top side of the openings the filled with the UV resin from the bottom and sanded fairly smooth. This is another area where a little primer will show what needs extra filler

I haven’t seen it in person yet, but from what pics I’ve seen and what he has said about it, the truck is in fantastic shape for nearly 30 years old. Being an extended cab would make sense if it was a a race car hauler or something similar unless it hauled a camper for a retired couple or “DINKs” with dogs.

I had the same thought ever since seeing the Autopian article this morning!

A couple weeks after I bought the kit I’ m working on, I get a message from a friend that he bought a ‘96 Extended Cab Dually Chevy that he thinks may have been used to tow a race car and was exactly as you described, but had a topper on the bed. It’s got the 7.4l and 4L80 combo in it and is only 2wd. He’s planning on using it as a tow rig for his fleet of cars that include 2 newer Silverados, one of which is a supercharged 4.8l LS backed by the factory 5 speed manual, also has a factory supercharged Cobalt SS, just put a RIPP Supercharger on the 3.6l in his JKL Wrangler Sport, plus has other projects on top of those. This truck is going to get lowered and some tuning since it’s got the early OBD2 in it.

From what I read in the Autopian article I posted on the old thread about this car and it’s builder, they’re taking it to the GNRS and then Detroit show as is, the Dave Shuten, the guy in the flannel with glasses and big grin on the left in Eliana's last pic is going to restore the car, so it’s in good hands.

No, it won’t. The people who bought it are more on the preservation side that the flip it for money side of the hobby. They have a bunch of Barris cars including the original Futura Batmobile SS well as the Hirohata Merc. This is the best possible outcome for this car as they will be stewards of the car rather than trying to make a quick buck off of it.

That was I saw too, they have done a lot to preserve and/or restore a lot of customs, rods, and show cars from then. Think if I were in the owner’s shoes, this is the group I would contact too. I do wonder how Steve Scott May respond to this news, is he still at least a bit off his rocker?

Just found this article on The Autopian this morning. https://www.theautopian.com/the-holy-grail-of-hot-rods-has-been-found-after-being-hidden-for-50-years/

Thanks, to be honest, I was thinking the same for the next few hours after buying it and this kinda struck me as a good idea to try as I was looking over the kit at home.

Thanks, I was pleasantly surprised when I mocked it back up and saw how it fit. The front will need filler panels for the back half of the openings to work with the “little” front wheels and tires. I do like the resin like that as it can be worked pretty quick since it’s a UV cured product vs waiting for a chemical reaction to kick off or for it to gas out like you would different body fillers.

Ok, spent some time on it after dinner, spent a little time with my Dremel and it turns out that fixed the rear wheel well problem with out any extra work! Hopefully the front openings will be nearly as easy. I also used sone of the Bondic UV Epoxy to try and fill in the separation of the two hood sections into one as well as fill in the openings in the fascia where I removed the dividers between the pairs of headlights then stuck both in a UV fingernail paint setting device to cure them. Then finally, I drilled the wing and decklid so I can pin them together during final assembly.

Yeah, I think I have one or two 80’s issues in storage already too. Still might buy more as I find them though.

Not that I know of, I’ve only seen the 024 and Shelby versions of this car and the 024 had the same 2 light front end without the ground effects molded in it and I think some vents between them.

Yeah, I spent more time taking pics for the Shelby Charger thread last night, plus didn’t feel like going up and working on anything after lunch…….just being cold and lazy, lazy in particular ?

Thanks, this just looked like it would be interesting to do something crazy with since it is one of those “Meh” Malaise Era cars and kits both. That said though. I have been debating on painting it with colors similar to the Travolta Fever Firebird since that is how this kit started it’s existence. I had thought about shortening the chassis, but it’s otherwise pretty close in measurements unlike say putting a mid 00’s Ford GT chassis under a DeTomaso Pantera (there is a greater difference there), so I figured moving the wheel openings around would be easier in this case.

Only got the bulge cemented to the hood this weekend. Still have to do some bodywork on it once that cures.

Finally got around to taking pics! The body and interior looks about right for what I a remember and it does come with a set of Goodyear Gatorbacks like the real ones came with too! The decals are great though! Now so far as the engine goes, it’s not a Chrysler 2.2L, at all. For comparison, here is the 2.2L blocks, pan, and transmissions from the ‘88 Daytona Shelby, both since it gives the option of the A-413 3 Speed Auto and 555 5 Speed Manual as well as the early Non-Intercooled Turbo 1 and the Intercooled Turbo 2 inductions with enough parts to make a Non-Intercooled Late Turbo 1 in the RC2 version of the Daytona, at least. I also included the Minilights wheels and Gatorback tires intended for my build with the kit supplied BFG Radial T/As that just look off on the Daytona.