6bblbird

The headers that I used are from the Moebius Melrose Missile kit. When I started this build I tried to use the Johan headers. They were an absolute no go. The problem was not due to the transmission at all, they just would not reach the cylinder heads. If I removed some material from the engine mounting points and lowered it a bit, I might have had an easier time.

Installing the kit headers was probably more difficult than installing the real ones! They refused to line up with the heads. Took a lot of patience ( which I don't seem to have) but I got them in there. WF

This is my 3rd build of a Moebius '65 Plymouth. I decided that I wanted to do a "Day One" version of a factory built A-990 sedan. The car below was the inspiration: I used the race parts from the Moebius Melrose Missle . The engine, headers, exhaust system, hood and scoop were pirated for this project.

Thanks for posting. Those were a nice treat!

That is like a piece of jewelry! Gorgeous!

Steve, your Belvedere came out exceptionally well! I'm currently building my second one. I may regret trying to paint it black. WF

That looks terrific! Don't think that I ever built a "box art" car. Don't know if I could, but that Ford is awesome! WF

Superb! You should be very proud of your 'cuda! This kit has a a lot of pros and very few cons. I've built two of these so far and they were fun to build. Problem areas were: Fitting the chassis pan to the body: I trimmed the rear section of the chassis pan behind the rear wheel wells by about an 1/8 of an inch on both sides. Rear valence fitment: There was interference between the rear spring hangers and the valence so I trimmed the hangers at the end of the springs (can't see this with the valence installed) Check windshield wipers for hood clearance. Install tail pipe tips before installing rear valence. WF

Here I come out of nowhere to stick my nose in the conversation! The photo below depicts the exhaust system that would have come on a factory assembled Race Hemi car in1964 and 1965. This is documented! Yes, they do look very similar to the "Petty" headers! Were they exactly the same? I can't answer that but they sure are close. I have seen photos of original A990 cars from 1965 and these are definitely what those cars came with. The single exhaust and muffler are also correct for those cars. It would seem to make sense that Chrysler would use parts that they had previously developed (NASCAR headers) in order to save time and development costs. These headers were quickly replaced on drag cars for a couple of reasons, They were heavy, they were complex, difficult to r&r, and it was extremely difficult to service the transmission! The restoration of the Texas Rattler in the link was an extremely thorough and high dollar effort. There is no reason to expect that they would go through all the trouble and expense to install an incorrect (and expensive) exhaust system on the car. As far as the headers being different from those in the dyno pic, headers used on a dyno are often not the headers that will eventually be installed in the car. Regarding "where'd they get "good ones" from!", they can be reproduced and they are quite costly! WF

Every single one is a show piece!

Very clean and simple! Nice! WF

I have also found problems with CA glue on these kits. I have been using CA glue for a long time with good results until now. I've had difficulty using CA glue on the two Moebius '65 Plymouth kits that I've worked on. Small parts are no problem but I could not get the inner fenders and firewall to bond together. They just fell apart after the glue set up. What worked for me was 2 part epoxy. I also used a 2 part clear epoxy to secure the window glass as nothing else seemed to work. WF P.S. Make sure that you wash all of the plastic parts before painting!

Great detail work under the hood. Good use of metallics. Those wheels look very nice on a Willys!

Send me your snail mail address and I'll get it out to you. Message me at frey426@verizon.net. WF

Great looking and well built machine!! Details such as driveshaft loops and flywheel shield are often forgotten but really help in making this a stand out build! WF

1964 Max Wedge car. Feb. '64 thru Apr. '64. Note twin hood scoop and fender well headers. 1964 A/FX car: Note the location of the front wheel. Rear wheels were also moved forward 4" 1964 Hemi Super Stock Automatic car: Same car that started the season with a wedge had Hemi power at the US Nationals. Note wide hood scoop.

"What exhaust system did the Ramchargers run in their 64 Super Stock cars ?" It depends! It depends on whether you are talking about the 426 Max Wedge car, the A/FX car, or the 426 Hemi SS/A car. They ran all 3 combinations in 1964. The exhaust headers that are shown in the top photo are what came factory installed on the 1965 A990 (Hemi) cars. They are very similar to ( maybe the same as) the headers used on the NASCAR Grand National cars. They were quite heavy and not perfect for serious drag racing competition. Must have been a nightmare to remove the transmission pan. Unknown how many drag racers would have used them and for how long before replacing them with lighter units made by aftermarket companies. If you are building a Ramchargers Hemi car don't use these. Use the race headers from the Lindberg kit. If you are building a wedge car (They ran these from February '64 through April '64) use the Johan fender well headers. As far as building copies of the factory A990 headers, I tried for a year to make them for a "day one" A990 car. It was a huge frustration! You can now find them in the Moebius Melrose Missile kit. (much easier!)

Another killer Mopar from Roger!

That Chevelle is so hot, it made all the snow around it melt! Brings back memories for me. My next door neighbor bought one that looked just like yours. Within a week of purchasing the car new, he had the engine out and spread all over the driveway! My father just could not understand!

So nice! Great photos too! WF

This is the beginning of a '65 A-990 car. The rear tires shown are supplied with the Moebius Melrose Missile kit. They seem to scale out to 9 inches which would not be accurate for one of these cars, but they do look good! I'm debating whether or not I should leave them or go with a skinnier pair. WF Just noticed the flash on the headers and I also left the lettering on the floor! Doh!

Sounds to me like Jon was looking for some accurate, historical information. Some of the posters provided some great answers. One of the reasons why this is my favorite modeling site is that the talented builders that post here are very free with information, critiques , and modeling techniques. I have learned so much in the way of improving my skills from you guys! Thanks. P.S. Jon, I have a scoop for you. It has a straight back which would be appropriate for a '66 or '67 car. If you are building a '62 thru '65 you will need a scoop that has a curved back. I have one of those too. WF

There were guys that would cut grooves in slicks to make them "legal" for the street. Nowadays you have to have that D.O.T. designation to be compliant.

Love the concept! I still have to get a shiny, smooth paint job before I try something like this! (Might be a while.)

Looks like a rare albino radiator!