spike morelli

Mad Max!

I think I read somewhere, that Sam Barris was the first to chop a Mercury, having ordered one brand new, early on before they were in the dealerships, and chopping/customizing it. You guys can correct me if I'm wrong on that ( as I'm sure someone will, the internet being what it is). Anyway, I read that was the claim to fame, but I also read that it was all Sam, HE was the metalman, brother George was the promoter type. It appears to me that it was after Sam's passing, and into the sixties, when George hooked up with Hollywood, that George's "K"ustoms became noticeable. I did like the Drag-U-La, not so much the Munster Koach. Jeffries Monkeemobile was cool too, and of course, Ed Roth's wild builds.

Recently, I purchased a Lindberg kit of a '71 Mustang street machine, which I saw at my local hobby shop. I bought it opened, It was previously in someone's collection and being sold as-is. I must say, I really didn't expect much from this Lindberg kit, but, holy sh_t, this kit has to be one of the all-time stinkers ever made. Proportion and detail was thrown right out the window. Literally nothing usefull in the kit, and I have nothing good to say about it. However, it is a freakish curiousity of circus sideshow value, should you possibly be interested in it for your all too cool collection of Mustangs. PM me for any info. I'll take some photos.

Oh my God! You guys are so right. How the heck did I post that! I stand corrected, and this is embarassing. I've grown up with WWII aircraft. My Dad specialized in P&W 2800 recip parts, and I hold an A&P license. I do know better......I'll take my 50 lashes now,....... My mind obviously farted for a moment, as it's obviously an SB2C. I just edited the post.

Alexis, That "beast", is a SB2C. My hats off to all the young men who fought in those battles. The pilot in my model is grabbing his throat mic, telling his rear seat, "....hang on Frankie, here we go....."

The California Charger's "bullet"...

Cobra Sacrilege is putting a small block Chevy in your Cobra. ( Not that you did ) Just sayin'....It'd be like putting a 289 Hi-Po in your '63 Split Window 'Vette.....

I believe I have a Revell Mooneyes dragster frame pack out on the shelf in my garage. It was given to me years ago from a friend, I've never done anything with it.

WOW! Some really nice Deuces being displayed here! I build pretty nice models, that I'm proud of, but there are some talented SOBs out there. Kudos you guys.

Referring back to the SOHC engine that Dyno Don ran, also note on the cars rear flanks, is the name Earl Wade. Earl was Dyno's engine builder. I have never met the man, and he has since passed, however, I had the opportunity to work on one of Earl Wade's "cammers" that is in a friend Larry Knapp's 65 Mustang, a Factory built AFX car named "Stampede". It's amazing that Ford designed and built this in something like 30 days. They breathe like nobody's business. Here's a few shots of one of Wade's cammers that i worked on. I'll try to find the photo I have of the car with Earl Wade looking on.

Judging from the oil filter location of the Dyno Don Maverick, I'd say it has a FE based SOHC engine, no?

Just the ticket if "Cousin IT" , was a drag racer! Hmmmmmm...

Here's my very own "Old car/Hot boat" combo in real life. Mach 1 Ram Air towing a blown Hemi powered '65 hydro!

Cowabunga dude! Nice rod.

I own one as well, a '71 Mach 1. yes, they are bigger than their previous bretheren but they were an improvement over previous models in that they have a Saginaw power steering box, not the push-pull power steering Ford used through '70. Nine inch rearends and engines with more power potential ( 351c, Boss, and 429 ) made them competitive on both the street and the strip. Like everyone else, I didn't care for the '71-'73 models when they first came out, now, after owning one, I'd buy a second one. I agree, the model kits currently available fall short of being correctly replicating the '71-'72 and that's too bad. I think they have a cool look to them. Here's mine...