Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

1949 one of the first woman NASCAR drivers.


Shambles

Recommended Posts

I'm thinking of doing this one as the '49 Ford that Louise Smith drove.

Louise Smith (July 31, 1916 in Barnesville, Georgia – April 15, 2006) was tied for the second woman to race in NASCAR at the top level. She was known as "the first lady of racing."[1]

She went as a spectator to her first NASCAR race at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1949. She could not stand watching the races, so she entered her family's shiny new Ford coupe in the race and rolled it. Her hometown Greenville, South Carolina paper featured photos of the wreck, and the town knew about it before she got home.[2] The race was the first race to feature three female drivers (Ethel Mobley and Sara Christian). The trio also competed later that season at the Langley Speedway.

She raced from 1949 to 1956. She won 38 races in her career in numerous formats: late models, modifieds (28 victories), midgets, and sportsman.

LouisSmithFord.jpg

 

'49 FORD NASSCAR.jpg

Edited by Shambles
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I screwed this one up. I wanted to sand off the lower side trim and scribe the doors but it went awry. The original door lines were just too shallow for my old, shaky hands and watery eyes, and I got off track in a few places. When I tried sanding out my mistakes, it just made it worse. I primed and painted it to see if I could cover up my screw ups, then just said the hell with it. Stripped the paint and decided to build a wrecked version. I'm going to start this project over with that kit in the bag there, an old Tournament of Thrills model.

IMG_3198.jpeg

Edited by Shambles
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cars 3 movie  includes  Louise Smiths 49 ford. So if they got the colors right you could base your model on this picture. Doesn't seem like its right though. I guess the lower color could be pink or tan. Look at a color chart for 49 ford there might be a clue there you could pick up on

lsmith-ford.jpg

Edited by MarkJ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's the 49 ford color chart. No guarantee that they kept the original factory color, but back then they usually did. You could do the bottom  in Miami cream. And the top in white. Maybe somebody can find that color picture you need.

 

49-ford-color-chart.jpg

Edited by MarkJ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking the bottom of the car was the factory color and the white was added on the upper portions of the car since there was no white offered from the factory that year.  If I was going to do it ,I would use Miami cream at the bottom , white at the top and pink numbers with black outlines . The sponsor would be black with white outlines. Looks like they put Greenville at the top of the quarter panels even though its also under the sponsor. Just my guess. If we can keep this thread going maybe someone with a color picture will see it and solve the mystery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, MarkJ said:

I'm thinking the bottom of the car was the factory color and the white was added on the upper portions of the car since there was no white offered from the factory that year.  If I was going to do it ,I would use Miami cream at the bottom , white at the top and pink numbers with black outlines . The sponsor would be black with white outlines. Looks like they put Greenville at the top of the quarter panels even though its also under the sponsor. Just my guess. If we can keep this thread going maybe someone with a color picture will see it and solve the mystery.

Good guesses as well.  And yes I hope someone comes up with a color photo.   Like you, I keep looking an replying to keep it current and hopefully moving to a correct color.  Can't wait to see it finished.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Ok, if slot car fever is correct, they have already made a decal sheet for this car and they are saying the car is blue and white with yellow numbers. I''d venture to say they are probably right. So there you go , John, just find you one of those sheets and the color looks like petty blue. Should be a pretty good looking model.

lsmithcolors.jpg

Edited by MarkJ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow thanks for all the input yall. You've got me fired up to pursue this project! I'll google slot car fever and get some Petty blue for the lower half. I may still do the before and after with that Tournament of Thrills kit as the "before".

Thanks again,

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/19/2019 at 7:17 PM, MarkJ said:

You're welcome. 

I guess Louise drove several different cars but in the only photos I've seen, she has the same #94. I ordered a few sets of decals from Slot Car Fever (thanks for the source!) including some for Louise's Nash. I also ordered Cars 3 DVD from Netflix. I enjoyed the first two. Her car character looks like a Nash, which makes sense since she drove a Nash Ambassador in some races.

In the photo of her '49 Ford, it looks like they did a quick cover up paint job on the door to change sponsors. Pretty rough looking car by today's glitzy stock car standards! I'm going to wait for the decals before deciding on the paint scheme. Meanwhile, if any of yall find more photos, please post 'em.

John

Screen Shot 2019-09-20 at 11.32.19 AM.png

Edited by Shambles
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting to see the differences in the kit body and the photo car.    That picture shows several.  Do you have other period photos for reference on taillight covers or removal?  I would assume headlights were taped or removed?  blanked panels?  I'm stretching here, but looks like the tops of both seat backs are visible in photo.   Keep going, this one just gets better and better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...