Bernard Kron

I got the motor buttoned up and ready to install. The injector tubes are from Parts By Parks with the flanges filed down to allow siamesed pairs. The simple headers were fabricated from aluminum tubing. I’m shooting for this weekend to have this project completed. Thanx for lookin’, B. http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/gbk1/Nitro%20Junior/DSCF4854-web.jpg[/img

It’s a roller! Chassis and interior are now completed, including the push-bar and a mockup of the parachute. Most everything is from the Stardust Digger kit, although in a quite a few cases with some modifications to fit an open framed body configuration. As mentioned before, the rear wheels and tires are from the Revell Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. The parachute pack is from my parts box with a scratch built mount. All that’s left is to complete the motor, install it, hook up the plumbing and wires, and add any final details. Thanx for lookin’, B.

Carboard modeling is always so fascinating since it offers so many options as to the approach the modeler takes. I'm really digging how your choice is to embrace the 2-dimensional character of the cardboard surfaces and focus on the colors and details of the subject. Wonderful work!

Junior Fuelers from the mid- to late-60’s have always struck me as the prettiest of all drag racing machines because of their pure lines and radical efficiency. Often weighing in under 1,000 pounds when running a small block Chevy, it was not unheard of for these cars to pick up Top Eliminator honors with surprising frequency. Another trend from that period was the showing of drag cars at custom car shows, especially when the cars were decked out in chrome and fancy paint. This project is based on these two ideas. I had gotten an AMT Stardust Digger ‘Cuda on clearance at my LHS, strictly for the chassis and running gear, having no interest in the tricked out funny car style bodywork. I also bought a beautifully cast “shorty” digger body from Altered States Models and discovered that it fit the Digger ‘Cuda chassis nearly perfectly. With its sleek lines it became clear to me that I wanted to build a Junior Fueler from these parts. The chassis in the Digger ‘Cuda kit is the same chassis that can be found in the recently re-released AMT Tommy Ivo front engined blown fueler kit, as well as the AMT Too Much kit re-issued by Model King a few years back. A late 60’s style long wheelbase chassis, it’s major disadvantage is that it’s designed to be hidden under body work and has D-shaped frame rails which are round on the outside and flat on the inside. As result I spent quite a bit of time with my files reshaping them to a round section. The next step was to come up with a proper looking Hilborn injected small block Chevy. The basic engine comes from the Revell Skipper’s Critter ’51 Anglia kit, but with injcetors from the AMT Double Dragster kit in order to provide for vertical injectors. I’ll be using Parts by Parks injector tubes. The exhaust headers will be fabbed from aluminum tubing and the injector pump is a finely detailed piece from Altered States. Everything else is from the Anglia. The shorty body required some clearance holes cut for the brake cylinder and rear axles as well as a bottom bracing tube on the chassis. Paint is Duplicolor Pearl Platinum Beige Metallic with Metallic Maroon stripes on the bodywork and Orange Mist Metallic on the chassis. The Nitro Junior logo on the cowl is a home made decal. In keeping with Show ‘n’ Go theme I’m preserving as much chrome as possible. Here are some initial pictures. The three point roll bar is mocked up and not glued in place. The wheels and tires are from the Revell Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. Thanx for loookin’, B.

This transkit was offered by R&D Unique which is unfortunately out of business.

Thanx for the discussion guys, especially Dave Zinn's parts analysis. IMHO 1/8th would be an impressive model in some ways, but definitely not a big seller. On the other hand, if they really did a proper replica of the Gearz TV car in 1/25th that would be big, IMHO, the style of the car appealing to younger, more contemporary modelers, and the kit itself offering a great trove of parts for more traditionally oriented builders. Definitely a way to stay close to the older Roadster molds and still come out with a dramatically freshened re-issue (sadly my dream of a proper Old School kit would have to be put off to another day, but as Ed points out the aftermarket and some kit bashing can easily take care of that). Indeed, if they did do a proper replica, this would be a breakthrough release, far more significant in a lot of ways than even the sedan and 5-window kits. The tires and wheels of the older releases of the roadster kit, and the motor, are really not parts I look forward to any more. But I seriously doubt they would get any further than externally visible details if they did go 1/25th if the 5-window is anything to go by... (mass offerings to the modeling gods that they finally abandon those terrible wide front tires/wheels, though) Regarding whether Revell should issue yet another Deuce, I agree with Dave that it's time for some sort of Roadster re-issue . We can't all hang out at model car contests, e-bay, and flea markets... Revell Deuce roadsters are starting to command a premium in these outlets, so there must be an emerging shortage. Model Roundup is asking $38.90 + shipping for the highboy roadster vs. $15.90 for the 5-window, and $19.90 for the sedan & 3-window kits. A quick search on e-bay reveals only one Revell 1/25th on offer, relatively cheap at $5.95 + $10.50 shipping with only one bid and 4+ days to go. I'm curious as to where it lands up so I'll track it.

Replicas & Miniatures Co. of Maryland Offenhauser 270 (1/25th Scale)

Here are mine... Pre-war Lakes Roadster with Winfield 4-Banger

Impeccably done, with really exceptional stance and proportions. Those familiar with your work will immediately recognize the signature, subdued semi-monochrome color scheme. Nice take on the Ford mill, too. Great taste in parts box diving... Bravo!

Thanx again, guys! :lol: For those that are curious here are links to the first three Tin Box builds. Tin Box No. 1 - AMT Competition Parts Pack T-Bucket Altered http://www.modelcars...showtopic=29668 Tin Box No. 2 - Henderson Bros. & Jack's Fiat Altered http://www.modelcars...showtopic=30833 Tin Box No. 3 - Blown Side-By-Side Twin Chevy Dragster http://www.modelcars...showtopic=46305

It's stuff like the 69 Camaro and the 71 Duster that make this style so exciting. Big thumbz up Tyrone!

Yeah Scott, I need for you to finish this! Too cool!

Now that's too funny. When you said "full bodied" I read that as meaning the T-bucket and Fiat, vs. the two rail-type cars. BUt it turns out you meant the Fiat and Bantam (right?... ).

This thread has just exploded. The hits just keep on comin'! Dave Zinn, you know what a fan I am of your "realist" style. I've always contended it was a combination of your control of color and texture in your builds, a subtle approach to what is actually a prodigious technical ability, and something in the way you deal with natural lighting in your photos (can it be the diffuse sunshine of the coastal weather?). Now I have a clue - your photos of geezerman's Chikin' Koop take what was clearly a fine build and just make it sing! Zane, the Hollish Bros. coupe may be a relatively recent build, but what a classic it has become. However, the examples you posted remind me of the breadth and range of skill you possess. I continue to be inspired by your work. Looking forward to more of the Surfers build... Jack Logan, your decal work is stunning, especially considerring most of it is off an inkjet. And that drag bike... Cruz, I generally don't associate your sanitary, super detailed style with drag cars, but boy does it work! Wayne, you are the king of the kontemporary rear-engine top fueler. I kan't get enough of 'em. I build Old Skool as much because it suits my still-evolving technique as because this subject matter "speaks to me". So, to all the great practitioners of the "modern style" (Chris Sobak, Romell, Damir, Brett) and all those stunning replica builds (Roger Isenhour, Mitch Reeves), I only hope I can continue to up my game so I can play in your ball park someday... I'm sure I've left out some other great builders who have posted here, so my apologies for that. This thread has covered so much ground already in just 3 pages. May it continue to rock on! B.

Same here. It's proven reliable and it's free. If there's a limit to the number of pictures I'm unaware of it. The downside would be that Fotki has a superior inerface when it comes to people visiting your stuff. P-bucket is littered with advertising, rollovers and pop-ups and has a funky navigation model. I would rather visit somebody's Fotki than go look at their Photobucket!

It's got my interest!!! Beautifully sculpted. The 1:1 may have been the high water mark for this era of digger.

Thanx for all the kind words, guys. I really enjoyed every one of these builds. I had always wanted to build the AMT Parts Pack T the way AMT outlined in the Parts Pack instructions. That's what got the ball rolling (since it meant I no longer had the Fiat chassis). Someone pointed out that I still have the streamliner body, which theoretically leaves me with No. 5! But so far the streamliner body hasn't "spoken" to me (although I admit I briefly considered it). Overall, this is a great classic kit, and the extras Round2 threw in in the Tin Box just make it that much better. Thanx Raul. With these types of cars "full bodied" is definitely a relative term!

Four builds built from one AMT Double Dragster Special Edition "Tin Box" kit: Early 60’s T-Altered from AMT Parts Pack and Double Dragster Kit: Early 60’s Fiat Altered from AMT Double Dragster Kit Build #2: Early 60’s Side-by-Side FED from AMT Double Dragster Kit Build #3: Early 60's Bantam Competition Coupe from AMT Double Dragster Kit Build #4: All four AMT Double Dragster “Tin Box” builds:

Wow! Some great builders and stunning models, here, guys. Thanx for sharing. First off, my sole survivor, a FED I built as a kid: Now for my current builds – I didn’t realize I’d built so many drag cars in the past 3 years! Compared to most of the stuff here, these are pretty Old Skool… Early 50’s Inliner-powered drag roadster: Mid 50’s ’36 Ford Altered: Late 50’s era Slingshot: Early 60’s Nailhead-powered Jr. Fueler:

The Tin Box is now done. Final pics and a summary description can be found Under Glass here: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46947&pid=504572&st=0&#entry504572 Thanx to all for following along! B.

And a few more detail pics: And one last batch:

’32 Bantam Competition Coupe (More pictures below) This is the fourth and final build extracted from a single AMT Double Dragster Kit “Tin Box” Special Edition. It’s a competition coupe based on the two single engine side rails from the Double Dragster kit and a resin ’32 Bantam coupe body shell I recently found on e-Bay. This kit contains an extra dragster chrome tree which gives you much of an additional dragster. The kit also comes with two sets of dragster frame side rails, a twin side-by-side engine set, and a set for a single or in-line twin setup. This got me thinking that it should be possible to build at least three, and perhaps four cars from one tin box if you were willing to raid your parts box and do some scratch building. The other three were a ’25 T Altered using the Fiat Altered frame from the kit, along with an’25 T Altered trans-kit and a blown Pontiac from the AMT Competition Parts Pack, a Fiat Altered using a scratch built frame with most\ other parts from the Double Dragster kit, and a side-by side twin Chevy rail with top mounted blowers. Needless to say on build #4 the old tin box was getting pretty empty so the hemi I used came from an AMT Hemisphere kit with the eight ‘97’s and manifold from the Double Dragster kit. The Double Dragster kit also supplied the frame rails, the slicks, the front suspension and the seat and interior details. It could have supplied the quick change rear axle, too, but I decided to save that for a future build and substituted a rear end from a Revell Deuce kit. All the chassis cross members and the x-brace for the roll cage are scratch built from styrene rod and tubing, as is the push bar, the suicide perch at the front and the steering gear. The front wheels and tires are from a Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. The rear wheels are from an AMT ’36 Ford kit, with the axle covers drilled out and the chrome treated to a coat of black wash. I figured the final “Tin Box” build should have a bare metal look so the body paint is Testors Metalizer Magnesium finished off with a rubbing of Wave Kosutte Gin San “magic dust” chrome powder to sharpen the metal highlights. The Tin Box No. 4 decal set is home made. Thanx for lookin’, B.

Wave Kosutte Gin-San is very hard to find. I bought some from HobbyLink Japan who have been chronically out of stock. Indeed, at the moment, they don't list it at all. It can also be found on eBay on occasion. Apparently there is a similar product sold on eBay under the name MGM Prime Electro plating Hobby Super Magic Powder ( http://shop.ebay.com...K:MEFSRCHX:SRCH ). Several people have reported that the supplier is quite reliable but that delivery (from China) tales about 3 weeks. It's much cheaper on eBay but I have mine from HobbyLink now and it will last quite a while. In general I find that this powder over various metalizers creates a very realistic metallic effect superior to metalizers alone. I haven't tried it yet but this powder over Allclad II chrome is reputed to provide the ultimate non-plated chrome finish.

I've held off on the final wiring and plumbing while I'm waiting for some Morgan Auto Detail resin magnetos to arrive. I've decided to omit the side glass. In the meantime, I finished up on the basic decals which have been applied. The space on the back to the right and below the Tin Box script needed some filling so I came up with some artwork to make a decal. I thought you guys might be interested in the process. I started with this photo: I then did some heavy processing in Photoshop to create a ;lack and white line drawing: I'll take that image and make a decal. This is a photo of the rear end. The number "4 B/C" and "The Tin Box" script are real decals. The car decal image is fake, laid in with Photoshop as a mockup. I have a question for you guys regarding whether to run a parachute or not. Here's a picture of the 1960 NHRA Nationals winner, one of the inspirations for this build. As you can see it has no ‘chute, even 'though it's running a blower. The rear end is nice and clean and unencumbered. Here's another picture of a similar car, running the same carb setup I have. You'll notice a 'chute mounted high up at the back. I'm could fabricate a parachute mount that would be inserted through the rear window slot on a bracket attached to the top cross member of the roll cage. The down side is that the rear would be more cluttered up, with the mail slot rear window somewhat obscured What do you guys think? Keep it clean, or go for a more aggressive look with the 'chute peaking over the top of the cab? Once the magneto arrives I'm just about done. Thanx for lookin', B.

Cole Coonce is to hot rod writing what Robert Williams is to hot rod art! He rules! Here's a link to the Surfer's article on Coonce's website, Top Fuel Wormhole : http://topfuelwormho...of-the-surfers/ And here's a picture of Bob Skinner, Tom Jobe and Mike Sorokin with the bountiful Linda Vaughn after winning the 1966 US Fuel & Gas Championship in Bakersfield, California.