AZ Boy Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Just completed...This is one I'd wanted to do for a very long time. I always loved the movie "Funny Car Summer", which featured Big Jim Dunn and his radical rear-engine Barracuda funny car. I never got to see this car run in person. Nevertheless, it was a groundbreaker during the golden age for the class. The original plan for this was to use the chassis from the AMT Piranha model, but after I took a hard look at it, I decided that it wasn't going to represent the actual car very well without a lot of modification. So I scratch built the chassis (with the exception of the driver's roll cage) and tried to gather as many photos off the internet to get the chassis as close as possible to the real thing. I used Speed City's M/T rocker covers, and Calnaga Castings Enderle injector as well as their Halibrand quick-change rear end. This was the 2nd resin body I used from Competition Resins because the first one basically melted in brake fluid after my first failed attempt at clear coating. (Note to self: Do NOT try to strip a resin body in brake fluid again!). Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy it. And as always, comments and critiquing are certainly welcome. l
Misha Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 That looks absolutely amazing! Really like the concept of the rear engine chassis. Would you places post some more photos of the chassis from various angles, it would be of great interest being scratch built. The side view is already enticing with the amount of detail visible.Conagrats on a beautiful build,Cheers Misha
AZ Boy Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 BTW...Here are a few of the reference photos I used. There weren't a lot of them, and the body-off detail shots of the chassis were hard to come by.
bobthehobbyguy Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Nicely done. Another of my favorite drag cars.
iBorg Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 One of many on my I'd like to build list. Very nicely done......A f question, if you will:Comp Resins offerers both a front and rear engine 'cuda body. Were there really any differences in the body Jim Dunn used than a front motored car?
AZ Boy Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 Thanks for the comments, guys.Mike - Good question...Yeah, the roofline is definitely taller and maybe a little longer on this one. Funny you ask that because I have a few standard Cuda F/C bodies, but I never took one out to compare. ?
gtx6970 Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) One of the best looking builds of this car I've ever seen. Easily one of my all time favorite cars. I actually just received a copy of the movie a few weeks ago and watched it for the 1s time in a long time I Have a few chassis pics of this car without the body on or the engine in I can post if you want.On the body , other than the wheel openings moved forward , its basically stock from the wind shield forwardOn the 1/1 the roof line was altered to clear the driver and powered train . The biggest difference was the rear deck lid was extended pretty good compared to a stock cuda. I've had one of the Comp resin bodies in my hand to do this car, and it to had the sunken hood and I couldn't get past that. So my plan is make my own . I've collected several of the AMT snap kits to cut up when the time comes. As this car has been WAAAAAAY up on my want to do list for several years.I have been told to take the Piranha chassis and combine it with the rear engine El Camino chassis will get you pretty close , any thoughts ? Edited March 9, 2016 by gtx6970
Davewilly Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Very nicely done Aaron! It looks fantastic! Cant wait to check it out in April at the DSC.
AZ Boy Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 Bill, the better choice would be to cut up a 70's rear engine digger frame. The Piranha frame is too wide, and bashing it with the El Camino chassis sounds like a lot of work to get it close to the real thing.
gtx6970 Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Bill, the better choice would be to cut up a 70's rear engine digger frame. The Piranha frame is too wide, and bashing it with the El Camino chassis sounds like a lot of work to get it close to the real thing.I was wondering about that as well. it would give you rear wheel , engine and driver location all pretty close as is . Just scratchbuild the front section. On a side note, anyone know anything about the Ford pickup in the film? Little bit I've been able to gather it was a a black 1970 Ford F250 . When I do this, I want to do the car, truck and trailer. The AMT clear trailer is a pretty good match for one used back then ( sorry to take the thread of course )
Burnout Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Beautiful work. You did a really good job replicating the real deal.Must have been a bit of an engineering nightmare (both the model and the real car).
JTalmage Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Beautiful model... but did anyone else notice what it says above the rear wheels??Venolia POSTONSI just thought it was amusing
AZ Boy Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 Beautiful model... but did anyone else notice what it says above the rear wheels??Venolia POSTONSI just thought it was amusingYeah, I know Jesse. That was a slip-up by Slixx. I tried to correct that by attempting to create my own decals for this build, but time, effort and quality became an issue so I went with the stock decals.
iBorg Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 The car at one time was in Canada. I don't know where it is today. The old SLM newsgroup had pictures of it at the time as it awaited restoration. I can post those if desired. I agree about using either the Piranha or a rear engined dragster. The Piranha would need narrowed. The right rear engined car, maybe the MPC Garlits kit, might be a pretty good choice. Both would require a new roll cage.
JTalmage Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Yeah, I know Jesse. That was a slip-up by Slixx. I tried to correct that by attempting to create my own decals for this build, but time, effort and quality became an issue so I went with the stock decals.Hard to believe Slixx didn't catch that. Beautiful recreation btw, love that movie. I wish it would be restored and cleaned up a little... I have it on DVD and the quality isn't good.
AZ Boy Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 The car at one time was in Canada. I don't know where it is today. The old SLM newsgroup had pictures of it at the time as it awaited restoration. I can post those if desired. I agree about using either the Piranha or a rear engined dragster. The Piranha would need narrowed. The right rear engined car, maybe the MPC Garlits kit, might be a pretty good choice. Both would require a new roll cage.You're still correct, Mike. Last I heard, Vern Scholz still has this car although I don't know if it's being restored or not. Sure would be cool if it were though....
vintagercr Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 What a great build! I love that movie and it's fun to see a young Mike Dunn doing the bicycle drags and pulling the chute.
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