Unraveling The Snake Pit

[Straightliner59]

I hope this is cool with the Moderators! It shouldn't be a problem, since the publication it's from is the long, long defunct Car Model Magazine. For those of you interested in building Revell's Hawaiian FC, these resources should help you, tremendously. I used to have it available through a website, but, since it's no longer online, I thought I'd share it, here. Hope some of you can use it! Obviously, some of this stuff applies to dragsters and altereds, as well. There is obviously the color scan, but, also beneath that is the PDF file of Jim Keeler's entire article.

SnakePit.pdf

Edited February 23, 2017 by Straightliner59

[nitro norman]

I still have the original magazine with these articles. Jim Keeler was a man ahead of his time His series of articles on building Dodge Fever 2 still amazes me every time I look at them. I learned to detail dragster and funny car engines from his articles. I use to amaze my friends with the skills I learned from those magazines. LOL

[Straightliner59]

He's also quite a character! If you've ever had a chance to "hang" with him for a while, you know just how entertaining he can be. Keeler and Tom West were the men behind the Aurora Racing Scenes kits, as well. Jim Keeler is truly an icon, in our hobby!

[nitro norman]

I have never had the opportunity to meet Mr, Keeler. I would love to ask him how he came up with the idea for Dodge Fever. What were his influences ,etc. I would really like to hear why he decided on a monocoque chassis . Back then ,as a 12 yr old ,I had no idea what a monocoque chassis was. It is interesting  that this was several years before Mickey Thompson or Barry Setzer tried it in the real world. Along with Jim Keeler, Hank Borger and Don Emmons greatly influenced my model building in those days. I was also amazed by the work of Richard Carroll, but I had no idea how he built the stuff he did. That guy was truly in a class by himself.

[Straightliner59]

Hank Borger was probably my biggest early influence. All the guys you mentioned are very important to the history of our hobby, for sure!

[Casey]

I have never had the opportunity to meet Mr, Keeler. I would love to ask him how he came up with the idea for Dodge Fever

Why not send him a PM and ask?: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/profile/17983-jim-keeler-revell/ 

[Straightliner59]

Just thought I would give this a bump. The link below the posted image will open a pdf of Jim Keeler's article from Car Model Magazine. It's excellent reference for fuel cars!

[rustybill1960]

Greta stuff!

Thank You for sharing with Us

[RancheroSteve]

Excellent and very useful extensive reference! One small note: the text mentions an oil system schematic drawing, but I don't see it there. Maybe it never made it to publication due to space?

[Straightliner59]

5 hours ago, RancheroSteve said:

Excellent and very useful extensive reference! One small note: the text mentions an oil system schematic drawing, but I don't see it there. Maybe it never made it to publication due to space?

Here it is. It should be there, but, just in case:

 

[RancheroSteve]

Great, thanks a bunch! Just what I needed.

Edit: Just checked again - it appears that the diagram and a few of those photos didn't make it into the PDF.

Edited May 28, 2024 by RancheroSteve

[Straightliner59]

11 hours ago, RancheroSteve said:

Great, thanks a bunch! Just what I needed.

Edit: Just checked again - it appears that the diagram and a few of those photos didn't make it into the PDF.

I'll have to see if I can fix that! Thanks for the heads-up. Glad to help!

[Kenmojr]

I remember that car when I used to purchase Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines in the 1960s, 1970s...

My favorites from that era were the Odd Couple rail - powered by a  tandem of a blown small block Chevy and blown Hemi and the Tijuana Taxi, a four door Maverick. 

Images are not mine, they are web finds.

Edited June 1, 2024 by Kenmojr

[Farmboy]

Unraveling The Snakepit.  In my view probably the most useful real photo article on race engine detailing that the top fuel modeling community has ever had the good fortune to see published. That was followed up by the two part article Building A Monster, the basic basics presented in 1/25 scale for top fuel engines.  These two tutorials are now fading to old school reference but that's where my alky/gasser/showrod passions live.  I don't thnk I'm alone.  Any reference articles taking in current tech and detailing for current top fuel engines out there or planned?  

[Straightliner59]

11 hours ago, Farmboy said:

Unraveling The Snakepit.  In my view probably the most useful real photo article on race engine detailing that the top fuel modeling community has ever had the good fortune to see published. That was followed up by the two part article Building A Monster, the basic basics presented in 1/25 scale for top fuel engines.  These two tutorials are now fading to old school reference but that's where my alky/gasser/showrod passions live.  I don't thnk I'm alone.  Any reference articles taking in current tech and detailing for current top fuel engines out there or planned?  

Agreed! Easily the  most comprehensive piece done on detailing a then-current fuel engine. I have a couple of deals on more modern fuel engines. Interestingly, while the components have changed over the decades, the basic setup is very similar. These three pages are from National Dragster, in the late '80s. The other bit is something I photographed in 2004, or so, at Brainerd, then published on the old StraightLineModeler website.

Edited June 17, 2024 by Straightliner59

[Farmboy]

Straightliner, you are a man among men, lol! Many thanks for the follow-up pages, they will occupy a spot in my reference detail binder.

[Straightliner59]

7 hours ago, Farmboy said:

Straightliner, you are a man among men, lol! Many thanks for the follow-up pages, they will occupy a spot in my reference detail binder.

Thanks, Mike! You're most welcome. They aren't doing anyone any good, if they aren't seen!?

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

Nice deal! I hope I can save it properly.