6bblbird

I have to agree with everyone else..This is an extremely clean and well built model. WF

O.K. I might have an explanation for the photos in Muscle Machines. Here they are: We have a tendency to forget that the NHRA was not the only game in town. Many Pro racers actively raced for NHRA, AHRA, and IHRA points and cash. I believe that the Sox photo may have been taken at Rockingham Dragway (AHRA at the time). The hill on the left of Sox's car is a clue. The "staging tower" in the Landy picture is certainly not from any NHRA National Event track in 1968. If the AHRA had a different factoring system from NHRA for SS cars(I'm sure that they did) that would explain the SS/E designation. Unfortunately I do not have a AHRA rule book or classification guide for the period in question to back myself up. Anyone notice that Sox's car has no turn signal lamps in the grille? WF

Oh I do know that, but the question was about the Hemmings story that states that the Hemi cars of Landy and Sox ran in SS/E. WF

That sure is confusing. This I know for a fact. LO23 and BO29 cars never ran in SS/E or SS/EA in NHRA sanctioned competition. I have the Hemmings article that states Landy's Dart was running in SS/E but I think the photo of the Dart may be distorted.I believe that it actually has a SS/B designationon the windshield with the B just looking somewhat like an E. Anyone have a better explanation? WF

COOL! I really like the low slung look. Looks more like a late '70s era car. WF

Sorry Wayne,but you are not correct. Every one of those photos posted is of a magneto regardless of the cap design. Long before Monza bodys were racing, all of the fuel burners would be using magnetos. Some mags used in the '60s and '70s had caps that made them look like distributors but be assured,....they were magnetos. No way could a battery operated, passenger car style ignition system fire a load of nitro. This Cirello type mag was very popular in the '60s. Looks like a distributor doesn't it? Magnetos were used in race cars long before drag racing was even invented. You will find that they were pretty much required equipment in really hot cars from day one! WF

I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable Mopar guy. I've owned and raced both Hemi and wedge cars since 1972 and have never heard the term "Max Hemi" until today. Oh well, live and learn. WF P.S. I do like the story behind the build.

I am truly speechless! Another great one John! WF

Some say that it was cartoonist Tom Medley that inspired the use of parachutes on drag cars via a cartoon that he penned in the mid 1950s. His work was often seen in Hot Rod magazine and Car Toons. This is from The Ultimate Hot Rod Dictionary:A-Bombs to Zoomies by Jeff Breitenstein "The first use of a parachute in a hot rodding application came in 1958 when racer Abe Carson contracted chute engineer Jim Deist to adapt a chute to the flathead powered Hartman and Carson dragster. By 1960, big name drivers like Tommy Ivo and Art Chrisman were strong chute proponents, furthering the systems popularity. During the mid 1960s, dual parachute systems were introduced, providing still greater slowing potential. Today, drag chutes are typically mandated on vehicles capable of speeds exceeding 150 miles per hour in the quarter-mile." The Deist website claims that Jim Deist designed and installed the first drag racing chute in 1959 but gives no other details. WF

At first,I thought that you were going to build an Altered Wheelbase match racer of some sort. Now I see that what you want to build is a Street Freak! That car most likely has a stock K frame in it as the engine has not been set back and it uses the original steering box. Go for it! Its gonna be cool. WF

I have studied AWB Mopar B Bodies for a long time and have built a few. I can tell you that they were built both ways! There were no rules when it came to fabricating these cars. Seeing how the stock K frames weighed so much and that most every one of these cars had a severe engine set back, it would make no sense to leave it in the car once a straight axle had been installed as its suspension, steering, and engine mounting functions would no longer be needed. Its main purpose would be to mount the steering box. Steve Magnante did a series on how to build an AWB car for the Mopar Max e-zine.. See link: My link This is an example of a car built with the K frame in the car. He says in the article that this is the "quick and dirty" way to build one of these cars. It was also quite common for racers to remove the K member, reinforce or replace the front frame rails, and mount a steering box to the new rail "Gasser"style. So, be like the original Funny Car racers, and be creative. Build it your way! WF

Wow! Nice stuff. I don't build Pro Mod style cars but I can appreciate all of the work and scratchbuilding involved since there really are no kits available. Again..very nice! WF

From an old Stock class racer.....I love it! Very nice job. WF

Both links work o.k. for me.

I had a great time building this car. This is a terrific kit. Great parts fit and well detailed. If you are planning on building an accurate LO 23 car, this kit is great raw material. You will have to make some changes and supply or fabricate some correct parts like the front seats, side glass straps, etc. I did not try to build an all out accurate car as I used the kit parts. I used the red panel decals supplied with the kit and made my own "TFT" decals: The only addition to the underside is the driveshaft loop: I thought that I had lost the hood pins and was lucky to have someone send me a set. (Thanks dino] Paint is Tamiya Silver Leaf with Testors Wet Look clear. WF

The 4spd. Hemi cars came equipped with Chrysler manufactured bell housings. As stated above, they could be identified by the upraised "Steel" lettering cast into the housing. These bell housings looked very similar to the much more common cast aluminum versions. They were originally accepted by the NHRA for A/S and Super Stock classes. Later on, I forget the year, NHRA required the hydroformed, forged steel, Lakewood style housings. So, if you are building a "day one" version of your Dart, paint the kit supplied bell housing steel and call it correct! WF

Oh. I love this one so much! Very clean, super paint, and great photography too! Street Roadsters are not too common in the drag race model world. Here is one that I built a couple of years ago: WF

Being a track announcer does have its perks! Luckily, my track (E-Town) and my job are still there. WF

Sitting in the stands and watching fuel cars is absolutely awesome but standing between two of them as they launch is almost impossible to describe and I've done it a few times. Most scary is to be on the starting line when two jet cars leave! Scared the heck out of me. I literally thought that I was gonna die! I love pretty much everything about drag racing, from brackets to the pros, but I do agree that actually doing it is most fun. WF

You didn't read Chris' intro, did you?

Wow! John, if your models were classed as home runs (and they are), you would be Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle all rolled into one! WF

Regarding the molded in panel lines. Yes, it was quite common to have panel lines on Funny Car bodies. When a mold was made from an existing car body (rental car?), the panels lines were often left in the plug. Door lines very noticeable on both the Maz car and the Lime Fire For the longest time. I thought that the Lime Fire had a steel body because of the prominent panel lines, door handles, and stock trim pieces when in fact, it had a one piece glass body. WF

Heres one that is a WIP. Not a Gasser, but close. WF

You didn't make any errors. The axle is too narrow on every one of these kits! You have to fiddle with these. If you make the axle wider, you get the tire away from the traction bars, but you run the risk of the tires rubbing the body! Like I said, you have to fiddle with it! No problem with this one. The body is "fat" On this one, I spaced the wheels out, but they come real close to the body. Not noticeable with the body up! WF

You did a very nice job on your Ramcharger car. Good detail on the parachute shroud and cable. I was very fortunate to have been at NY National the day that Leroy Goldstein ran that first 6 second run. I built my Challenger with the Rockville Centre Dodge livery that was on the car that weekend. Hope you don't mind if I post a pic. WF