dodgefever

I used Photobucket until they drove everyone away, then I switched to Fotki. The interface took some adjustment, but I'm happy with it now. I don't know if it's my settings or plug-ins, but people's Flickr photos never show up here, I only see a text link.

Sounds good. The DeSoto was a different (smaller) engine in 1:1, but if the valve covers fit you can fake it. Ed doesn't have a website currently, you have to order via email. I've dealt with him a number of times via the TRaK forum, so I'm happy to vouch for him. He has a new Facebook page with contact info and a link to a Fotki album of his products: https://www.facebook.com/Drag-City-Casting-788175751574801/

These are pretty poor kits in my experience. The chassis are on a par with '60s promos, which is OK for a curbside model, but the interiors and wheels are generic and lacking detail.

I'm building this for the TRaK Autorama. Base kit is the AMT '33 Willys, but I'm only using the frame and front suspension. The unchopped body, hood, and front wheels came from Ed Fluck at Drag City Casting. Rear wheels and tyres are from the new tool Revell '41 Willys and the rear axle is a resin copy I made from an AMT '62 Pontiac. The original plan was to use the blown small block from the old tool Revell '57 Chevy, shown here. That plan didn't last long... I switched to an Olds engine from the old tool SWC Willys. The rear wheels and tyres were also changed to M&H piecrust slicks with 4 hole wheels from the Ivo Showboat. Headers are made from 2mm Plastruct rod with collectors formed from .010" sheet. I was scratch building ladder bars, but that was too much like hard work, so now I'm using the old tool SWC ladder bars, which have since been shortened about 3/8". So, that's where I'm up to. Comments welcome.

Yeah, that looks good as it is. If you're going for a period build as it seems you are, then either a flat sheet firewall or one of Ed Fluck's stock-style resin pieces would look better than the kit part. What's the plsn for the engine?

The new tool Revell '41 Willys has nice Donovan valve covers and maybe the best 4-port Hilborn availble. For the block, heads and blower, I still prefer the old Miss Deal parts (and it has Chrysler FirePower lettering on the valve covers, where most modern kits are blank). The new tool Willys blower is too squared off and toy-like, and the engine detail is so-so.

As you surmised, both have the same sub-par BBC with incorrect valve covers.

I didn't like the Sovereigns at all - diameter was too large, hub too small and offset too deep. The wheels in the AMT '60 Starliner or '69 Olds 442 are miles better. I also had the chrome reverse ones, but again the hub detail was lacking - lug nuts lost in a huge flat area, nothing like any 1:1 wheel; no slot detail between the centre and the hoop, just not very realistic at all. I like the tyres, but there are much better kit wheels. If they'd actually looked at say, a reversed '50 Merc wheel, or a Ford centre in a Buick hoop and replicated those, I'd have bought mulitples, but they were a huge disappointment.

You're not missing anything. I bought a few sets and sold them almost immediately. They're rather toy like compared with decent kit parts.

+1. I find your reviews entertaining, even if the subject isn't something I'd normally look twice at. I have a soft spot for these old Matchbox kits too; their Gloster Gladiator was the among first models I built on my own, without my Dad helping.

Me too. It was also much easier to detect shill bidding and identify people using mulitple IDs to buy and flip. They make it worse with every "improvement".

Early '50s Stude and early '60s Dodge for me - not so keen on the '65-up Dodge grilles. I like that '30s Stude Coupe Express too.

'50 Olds.

Missing the steering wheel and a couple of other things, but I'll throw this one in too. AMT kit, shortened wheelbase, cut down bed, Revell Cad engine.

The first four letters of his name spell DON'T. 'nuff said.

I like your idea and it looks good so far. I'm going to upset the "it's only a model" crowd now, but if you want to be true to the hypothetical '62 date, you'll need some piecrust slicks, because Good Year Blue Streaks didn't come out until 1965. Several recent AMT kits have M&H piecrust slicks that would be suitable. Also, that injection manifold isn't strictly correct, because the intake ports aren't spaced equally like that on either the W (348-409) or Mark IV (396-454) big block Chevies. This is an Algon fuel injection manifold for a 409: I'm not sure there was even a Hilborn injection manifold back in the day, but this is a modern EFI version:

I presume that's partially directed at me. Why do you think it is wrong to correct misinformation? If every post is closed to debate, what's the point of a forum? The other thread asked for help understanding old NHRA gassers. Posting modern builds and street freaks as examples of gassers in a reference thread is misleading at best. You will also note that I didn't make any personal remarks about other members, I only addressed the content.

Not to me, but some people have redefined the word to mean something completely different. To me, a gasser is a car built to compete in '60s Gas class drag racing, particularly associated with the '59 - '66 period, before the late models came in and ruined it. Almost none of the images post in this thread meet that definition - like Bill said, they're either modern wannabes or street freaks. Here are some genuine, period gassers- - no jacked up Novas, Chevelles, Mustangs or other nonsense.

Haha, that's one way of looking at it. I don't mind the Kookie T but I've always preferred Ivo's - much better proportions.

The proportions are pretty far off too. Wheelbase is way too long and the body and frame aren't raked enough, wrong pickup bed set too low, headlights are in front of the grille shell... nice model, but nowhere close to being a replica. To be fair, we can't see what's written on the card - it might just say "inspired by" rather than "replica of".

Still needs some finishing touches, but I like this one.

An easy one, for a change.

That doesn't help much though. The tyres are far too wide.

It appears to be from the Pro Street '41 Willys.

Three different cars, three different door panel upholstery patterns too. The Barret-Jackson car pictured is described as having a custom interior. The obvious conclusion is that Trumpeter copied a restored car with a non-stock interior.