restoman Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I bought a couple built Nascar racers a while back and have been wondering what to do with them. They're 1/24 scale, most every other kit i have is 1/25... I've got this '48 Lincoln in my stash. Possibly big enough to not look like Baby Hughie in a diaper... I'd like to use the whole Nascar front clip, engine and drivetrain and rear suspension. Think I'll have to build a frame from the cowl back or come up with some bastardization of both car's chassis'. I'm thinking along the lines of an interior that looks like a race car, yet has some luxury to it. The interior in the Lindberg kit is pretty iffy. Maybe a single roll bar, not a cage as I'd like to try and keep the Lincoln-look as much as possible. Maybe even keep the skirts... ? Comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTJUNIOR Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Interesting idea. You'll probably have to blend the two chassis together to get where you need to be. Good luck with this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyrichard Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 cool idea .. what about making the whole front clip removable / one piece , so hood and wings one piece so it looks like a poly body ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Cool idea. Google Jesse James track car. In his shorted kived austin speed shop show he m8dified a nascar into a 2 seater track car. Might be useful for some ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The wheelbase doesn't look that far off. Is the NASCAR chassis to wide to fit under the running boards in the middle of the body ?  Just from the picture it looks like you could shorten the race car floor boards behind the gas tank and remove the ducting for the front radiator and it might just fit. The chassis may still be just a little to wide in which case you could narrow the race chassis just in front of the rear tires and where it angles out behind the front tires.  Just an idea if it fits with what you're thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restoman Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Yeah, the more I look at it, the more I think I could shorten and narrow the Nascar chassis to fit under there... that would certainly be less work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DumpyDan Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Alright, gonna be a challenge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restoman Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) This might work... I'll need to either move the front wheel openings rearward or move the chassis' front suspension forward to get the wheels in a good place. Moving the wheel openings is much easier and that will give me enough room on the chassis for the radiator. Relocating the suspension might interfere with the rad space, but it would keep the stock-ish body look I'm going for... Decisions, decisions, decisions... Have to narrow the chassis to fit inside the body so I think I'll try to just section the floorpan lengthwise and move the outer frame rails in. That still leaves enough interior space for the Corvette bucket seats IÂ found. Splicing the Nascar firewall into the Lincoln's should gain me transmission clearance. The rear axle will need to be narrowed slightly. The wheels fit inside the body now, but there is no sidewall clearance. I thought about widening the rear fenders a touch but I want to be able to keep the stock chrome rear bumper. I'm worried those Goodyear Racing Eagles are going to look HUGE on this car, so getting it to sit low is a must... Edited February 17, 2016 by restoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Mike, If you narrow the frame rails you will have some frame sized scraps left over. You would not need much to use as a slight lengthening of the NASCAR frame to make the tires center in the stock wheel opening. As carpenters say "measure twice and cut once". Just add a little to the frame between the front kick up and the firewall area. The wheel housings for the rear tires may have to be trimmed some to get the chassis to fit up into the body. If the tires seem to big you could always find some narrower tires for the front and rear both. If you narrow the differential I would suggest no more than an 1/8th on each side between the rear control arm mounting and the rear brakes. That way your not having to redesign your rear suspension mounting points. If you keep the rear skirts you can gain a little clearance by sanding the inside to thin them just a little.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Colmer Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 This is a cool idea! Stick with it! The ruler and saw are your friends. Remember - stance is key.  I'll be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restoman Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 Mike, If you narrow the frame rails you will have some frame sized scraps left over. You would not need much to use as a slight lengthening of the NASCAR frame to make the tires center in the stock wheel opening. As carpenters say "measure twice and cut once". Just add a little to the frame between the front kick up and the firewall area. The wheel housings for the rear tires may have to be trimmed some to get the chassis to fit up into the body. If the tires seem to big you could always find some narrower tires for the front and rear both. If you narrow the differential I would suggest no more than an 1/8th on each side between the rear control arm mounting and the rear brakes. That way your not having to redesign your rear suspension mounting points. If you keep the rear skirts you can gain a little clearance by sanding the inside to thin them just a little.  That's a possibility too... I'm limited on forward engine clearance though and no matter where I seem to place the body, it looks as if i'll have to either alter the wheel openings and/or move the suspension OR lengthen the frame as you say and slide the engine rearward. I like that idea...1/8" on the rear is about as much as I planned. The tires are fairly tight against the fender skirts, so they'd need to be thinned quite a bit. Thanks for the comments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogfish_7 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Just got to see this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talon63 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 looks like it could be a cool project. Now if I can only get the song "Hot Rod Lincoln" out of my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 I think you are going to want to keep the front suspension mounted to the frame where it is now. It sits on top of the kick up and gives you your ride height. If you move the suspension to another location on the frame you will end up raising the front ride height. The slight extension of the frame in front of the firewall may eliminate your firewall clearance problem, but the front inner fenders will have to be altered to clear the engine. The mounting of the radiator should be easy by comparison once you have everything else done.  This is the type of conversion I have been thinking about for some time. I have several NASCAR kits. I started to do a truck when NASCAR first started racing them. I used an SS 454 pickup and an old NASCAR chassis. Got about half done and then they released the NASCAR truck models and I just put it back in the box.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restoman Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 The front inner fender aprons will be custom built, so no problems there... I like your idea of extending the front frame... that takes care of several minor issues and if I slide the engine back a bit I should have ample room for rad clearance, I can get away with the stock driveshaft and the the tunnel and firewall won't need drastic work. Thanks. I've got two more built Nascar cars - one Ford and one Pontiac - and a '57 Cameo that is dying for some chassis work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagercr Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Cool idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restoman Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 It fits under there... I narrowed the floor pan after cutting the side frame rails off. Flattened some of the contours on the floor and put the side rails back on so they fit inside the Lincoln body. Narrowed the rear suspension crossmember and am able to keep the Nascar suspension intact. Took some material off of the inner rear fenders so the tires fit... still tight but there's lots of plastic there yet. Loped off the front clip and extended it to fit the stock front wheel openings, which had to be hogged out to fit those Nascar tires. Plated where the frame was extended for added strength. I'll leave the front crossmember in place and will make another one, moving it rearward to mount the engine to. Those Nascar tires look HUGE... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Coming along nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguy Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 great idea,will follow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogfish_7 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 The stance is looking real good. Maybe just a bit lower in the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewilly Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 pretty cool looking so far... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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