Old Sprinter

When you only scratch build, you never have the problem of building something you're not interest in. It's an art expression, for sure. I can't find art in anything military, very little in things that fly and I am not a huge fan of big old trucks and stuff. Cars that are built with the sole purpose of going fast without a passenger, excite me. Cars that compete, wheel to wheel, with a bunch of other cars, going fast is euphoric to my brain. Cash in those unwanted models and buy some styrene and aluminum and build your dreams. Just my opinion. Ken

A dirt sprinter uses two brakes; one the the left front and one at the center of the rear end ( to the left of the quick change). A pavement car needs more brake so they run one on each front wheel and add an additional brake to the rear on the left side, Also the radiator is laid down on an angle to allow better cooling with the areo front configuration.

That is amazing, Ken. I've never seen anything like that.

Thanks Bart; sprint cars and midgets are my roots. I have never been to a drag race in my life, but hundreds of circle track races. I'm building these for a guy who sponsors some USAC and a World of Outlaw sprinter and some other guys that are involved in the sport. They're all winners. If you would like to try building one, I have detailed plans ( 10 pages) for the dirt car. Shows how to build everything, just e-mail me at kmeaders@q.com ; they race these cars in your neck of the woods. Lakeside Speedway in KC for one. Check it out sometime; you'll love it. Ken

Honestly, I make the car I'm currently building ( what ever that is) the one I'm most proud of. These models here are unbelievable pieces. Beautiful work!

Joe; I think that's a great idea, but I need to finish my commitments first. Here's today's progress. This is a pavement car driven by Tracy Hines in USAC. I'll be getting the decals next week, some time, so I can finish both cars up and start on the next. Check out the jabobs ladder on the right rear.

Here's where the Beast sits today. Front end almost done; building the quick change and the motor is almost complete; plus I have finished the tires. Thank God for slicks, this time as there's no tread to cut in. Notice the offset to the left. The whole car sits 2" to the left from center of the wheel track. That's what the USAC rules allow other wise they'd be like super modifieds where nothing is on the right side and the motor hangs out flush with the left rear tire..

That looks like it was fun. Unfortunately I had committed to a camping/ boating trip to Canyon Lake that weekend with my family. Record heat, so I wish it had been another time. I will try to make it next year. Ken

David; that's amazing. One of the best I have ever seen.

Bart; you'll notice that the front bar, that goes vertical to the down tube is right in front of the motor where as in the dirt car that bar is about 12" more towards the front axle. The chassis is wider at the front of the Beast by 3", the cage is slightly longer and the shock mounts are much more beefier front and rear. Cross diagonal bracing is at the firewall on the Beast and at the radiator on the dirt car. The pavement car uses four radius rods up front where as the dirt car uses one one the left and two on the right. Obviously no torsion bars on the coilover car just one tube to hold a anti roll bar if desired. There is an effort made on the Beast for some aero at the radiator by blocking it off and allowing the air to pass over a wing type arrangement to get air to the cooling system. You're correct about the different type of torque as the dirt car drives off the right rear and the pavement car tries to use all the wheels but that's done with the suspension set up more than the frame. Here's a picture of making the tail tank buck to be fiberglassed and some more body parts for the aero. Is this way too much information? Ken

Wow, Okay I'll post as I go on this thread. If there's any particular part or how to thing you'd like, I would be happy to show it. Here's day three.

Thanks guys, I've started another one. This is a Beast Chassis coil over pavement car. I'm building a bunch of 1/8 scale sprinters (14) so I won' be posting all these anymore, you'll get bored with it even though they are all a little different.

That means a lot, coming from you, Dave. Thank you. We both build cars that go fast. Yours goes straight and mine turns left.

Thanks Joe;

RB Motions, Scale Hardware, Ratrodzrus, Micro Fastners and everything else from Hobbylinc.

Only thing better than what you have built there is the real thing! You're amazing!!

That is cool. you're a master builder for sure.

Finally finished the decals so it's off to my wife's work place.

I need paint, nerf bars and one more set of headers and she's ready. I started this on the 5th of March. Fast build; fast car..

This will be cool, Rick. I am a big fan of 55 Chevys, even when they were new, they were neat but even better, later on, with a killer motor like you're doing. I can't wait to see more. Ken

Man I agree, that looks like a real car and a nice one at that. Interesting to see what you had to do to get it the way you like it. Ken

Thanks guys; I'm finishing up headers, steering, rims and all that stuff. I took the weekend off to get those sprint car plans, drawn, 100% complete. there's 10 pages all in 1/8 scale. Here's what she looks like today.

That's incredible stuff as usual, Dave. But that's what we expect from you, Sir. Nice job, man. Ken

Thanks Rick, it is truly my pleasure to build this car. Actually at the rate it's going, the thing will be race ready in another week. I have never been able to build one this fast, but it's because I put in the hours and did most of the research before I started. So today I finished the containment seat, steering gear, plumbing for the motor, the rear end ( except for the trailing arms), belly pan, drive line and am working on the steering wheel.

5/8 mile paved track, wow. I like pavement racing with sprinters as well as dirt. I have never seen them on anything bigger than a 1/2 mile. The next car I build will be a Beast chassis, coil over pavement car. If nothing else, the slicks will be easier to make than dirt tires,LOL. Ken