The Kookie Kar

[Jon Haigwood]

4 hours ago, magicmustang said:

Okay, I am going to attempt a replica of Norm's Kookie car. I have an Outlaw kit and a Tweedy pie kit. Between the two of them I should have most of the parts needed. "We shall see" said the blind man..   

Keep us posted on your progress. I will be starting mine sometime in the future. Util then  I will be hunting for reference picture thru Google.

[Vince Nemanic]

Jon, there is a thread on the HAMB about Roy Brizio's restoration. It is called something like "Driving the Kookie T back to 1958". There are over 100 pics of the disassembly, restoration, and display of the finished car. The pic of the car in bare metal is just one of the photos in the thread. You can probably google it if you don't belong to the HAMB.

[magicmustang]

On 11/26/2019 at 11:36 AM, Jon Haigwood said:

Keep us posted on your progress. I will be starting mine sometime in the future. Util then  I will be hunting for reference picture thru Google.

Vince is right about the HAMB (https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/driving-the-kookie-kar-back-to-1958.1110832/) article. Just about everything you need to see is there.

Here is where I am on sourcing parts for my build.

From the Outlaw kit: I took the Cadillac engine (Trans and carbs I'll use from the Tweedy Pie kit) and full exhaust, tube front axle and radius rods, front chrome shocks, rear cross member, rear chrome shocks, rear spring, steering arm and windshield supports..

Baby moon hubcaps from an AMT '57 Ford.

Supported headlights and lenses from an AMT 1925 Model T Ford double kit.

The rest I will try to use Tweedy Pie parts and change them if needed.

Well, now to start on modifying the Tweedy Pie frame.  

Good luck on your build.

. 

Edited November 27, 2019 by magicmustang

[alan barton]

magicmustang, if you are chasing accuracy and it looks like you are, I would seriously consider using either an AMT 29 Model A or Revell 30 Model A frame.  The original car used a modified  Model A frame and from the HAMB photos the centre of it has stayed basically stock.  You will need to shorten the rear and Z the rear crossmember at the same time, add the suicide front spring cross,member and perch and you are done. I believe this approach would probably be both quicker and more accurate, assuming of course that you have a Model A frame available.

Cheers

Alan

[magicmustang]

On 11/27/2019 at 4:27 PM, alan barton said:

magicmustang, if you are chasing accuracy and it looks like you are, I would seriously consider using either an AMT 29 Model A or Revell 30 Model A frame.  The original car used a modified  Model A frame and from the HAMB photos the centre of it has stayed basically stock.  You will need to shorten the rear and Z the rear crossmember at the same time, add the suicide front spring cross,member and perch and you are done. I believe this approach would probably be both quicker and more accurate, assuming of course that you have a Model A frame available.

Cheers

Alan

Thanks for the tip Alan. It just so happens that I do have a AMT '29 Model A frame (somewhere). I will dig it out and start to work .   

Edited November 29, 2019 by magicmustang

[Jon Haigwood]

It will be interesting to see how the exhaust systems is duplicated on your builds 

[espo]

The latest issue of Hot Rod Deluxe has several pictures and information on Kookie Kar as well as its appearance at Pebble Beach. 

[Richard Bartrop]

The last thing I need is another project, but I think I have enough parts to get a good start on the Lightning Bug version.

[magicmustang]

19 hours ago, Jon Haigwood said:

It will be interesting to see how the exhaust systems is duplicated on your builds 

I will try to replicate, I know I can't duplicate.

[magicmustang]

On 11/27/2019 at 4:27 PM, alan barton said:

magicmustang, if you are chasing accuracy and it looks like you are, I would seriously consider using either an AMT 29 Model A or Revell 30 Model A frame.  The original car used a modified  Model A frame and from the HAMB photos the centre of it has stayed basically stock.  You will need to shorten the rear and Z the rear crossmember at the same time, add the suicide front spring cross,member and perch and you are done. I believe this approach would probably be both quicker and more accurate, assuming of course that you have a Model A frame available.

Cheers

Alan

Decided to stay with the Tweedy pie frame. It was already shorten in the rear and has a built in kick up. Added the Outlaw rear cross member. It also already had the suicide front cross member with perch. Did lengthen the frame a 1/4 inch (6 scale inches) in front of the engine mount to try and get close to the 96" wheelbase on the Kookie Kar. As they say in Govt. work "close enough". 

[Snake45]

The current issue of Hot Rod Deluxe--I got mine at Walmart last week--has a 5-page feature story on this car, plus a couple pics of it at Pebble Beach this year. 

[High octane]

45 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

The current issue of Hot Rod Deluxe--I got mine at Walmart last week--has a 5-page feature story on this car, plus a couple pics of it at Pebble Beach this year. 

Hmmm, I'll have to check out the mag racks for that issue. Several years ago I "popped" for the Danbury Mint issue of Kookies car and glad I did as I already have enough to build.

[Jon Haigwood]

4 hours ago, magicmustang said:

I will try to replicate, I know I can't duplicate.

Here is a starting place 

 

 

http://roybriziostreetrods.com/progress/myers_22/img_09.htm

[magicmustang]

2 hours ago, Jon Haigwood said:

Here is a starting place 

 

 

http://roybriziostreetrods.com/progress/myers_22/img_09.htm

Yep, I saw that. Reminds me of a GT40 bucket of snakes exhaust system.

[59 Buick]

Always nice to see another piece of history coming back.

I enjoy reading these articles and can appreciate the time and effort of all parties involved in the research and reconstruction of the car to a specific time period.

[Jon Haigwood]

Anyone interested in building a Kookie T and a few other old celebrity Hot Rods. Hot Rod Deluxe Jan. Star Car Edition has lots of information and reference photos 

I have been researching the Kookie Car for a few years and just found a bunch I didn't know about it

[traditional]

Years ago, Danbury Mint did such a fabulous job replicating the original Kookie Kar that, personally, I think it would be too unsatisfying trying to even come close.   but that's just me.

[High octane]

My thoughts exactly Cliff as I have one of those DM beauties myself.

[Jon Haigwood]

15 hours ago, traditional said:

Years ago, Danbury Mint did such a fabulous job replicating the original Kookie Kar that, personally, I think it would be too unsatisfying trying to even come close.   but that's just me.

Mainly because I am a model "Builder" not a model "buyer"  It is not the destination it is the the roads you take to get there.

[traditional]

2 hours ago, Jon Haigwood said:

Mainly because I am a model "Builder" not a model "buyer"  It is not the destination it is the the roads you take to get there.

Hi Jon, To each his own.      I happily do both:  build lots of models and also collect precision diecast.  My point was not at all to stop you from building whatever you enjoy.   My personal preference, however, is to build models that haven't been previously done....there are so many potentially pleasurable projects out there without the futility of struggling on a project that DM did so well.

[Snake45]

18 minutes ago, traditional said:

Hi Jon, To each his own.      I happily do both:  build lots of models and also collect precision diecast.  My point was not at all to stop you from building whatever you enjoy.   My personal preference, however, is to build models that haven't been previously done....there are so many potentially pleasurable projects out there without the futility of struggling on a project that DM did so well.

I'm with you. I'm a builder, but I'm amassing quite a collection of (inexpensive) diecasts of cars I like, but not enough to spend my typical 40-60 hours building. 

[Jon Haigwood]

12 minutes ago, traditional said:

Hi Jon, To each his own.      I happily do both:  build lots of models and also collect precision diecast.  My point was not at all to stop you from building whatever you enjoy.   My personal preference, however, is to build models that haven't been previously done....there are so many potentially pleasurable projects out there without the futility of struggling on a project that DM did so well.

I fully understand. For me the futility and struggling to accomplish a goal is where the enjoyments is. I do have some diecast and they are in a box somewhere. I can look at a diecast and think "yeah I bought that" and look at a built model and think "wow that was a pain to get such and such right" or/and "that paint job was a real pain" and I also think about how much I enjoyed researching the build and overcoming the obstacles  to get it right to my standards. Truth be told if I found a DM Kookie Car I would most likely buy but that would not stop me in building one.   

[Jon Haigwood]

And what if you wanted to build it in it's original configuration ?

[Tom Geiger]

22 hours ago, traditional said:

Years ago, Danbury Mint did such a fabulous job replicating the original Kookie Kar that, personally, I think it would be too unsatisfying trying to even come close.   but that's just me.

It's a shame that Danbury isn't doing cars anymore!  I was so looking forward to buying the Hollingsworth '57 Nomad that they were working on towards the end.  I know I'd never come close to duplicating it as a model, and it was one of my favorite cars from the days of the Revell boxtop!

I agree with you!  I owned a resin Divco milk truck.  When I saw the Danbury version I knew I had to own it!  So I bought it, and I love to look at it on my shelf. I never touched the resin again, as there was no point.  

[magicmustang]

On 11/27/2019 at 3:07 PM, magicmustang said:

Vince is right about the HAMB (https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/driving-the-kookie-kar-back-to-1958.1110832/) article. Just about everything you need to see is there.

Here is where I am on sourcing parts for my build.

From the Outlaw kit: I took the Cadillac engine (Trans and carbs I'll use from the Tweedy Pie kit) and full exhaust, tube front axle and radius rods, front chrome shocks, rear cross member, rear chrome shocks, rear spring, steering arm and windshield supports..

Baby moon hubcaps from an AMT '57 Ford.

Supported headlights and lenses from an AMT 1925 Model T Ford double kit.

The rest I will try to use Tweedy Pie parts and change them if needed.

Well, now to start on modifying the Tweedy Pie frame.  

Good luck on your build.

. 

Well, here is WIP on a kitbash klone of the Kookie Kar. Don't know why it shows in different colors , all blues are the same as the tub's. Couldn't source any small skulls or proper flame decals yet.  

Completed. See in Under Glass Model Cars. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by magicmustang