amt 65 Chevelle Modified Stocker

[DRH_97]

I picked this one up over the weekend. I have been going to local short tracks since I was a kid in the early 60's. I grew up watching the "Alabama Gang( the Allisons, Bonnett, Red Farmer)" race at dirt and asphalt tracks all over north Alabama. My dad was an engine builder, and was a flagman at a few tracks. I've done some  dirt track racing as a driver and crew guy in a previous life, so I thought this would be a fun project. The kit is done pretty well, but there is not a lot of detail under the skin. The roll cage is ok, but the suspension is really lacking in any kind of detail. Soon as I opened the box I knew there would be a problem with the ride height and "massive" drag slicks. I went right to work to get the ride height like the local sportsman cars from the 60's and 70's I am familiar with. It has metal axles, so i used part of the original hubs and after trimming them down I glued them to hubs from an amt nascar kit. I abandoned the rear leaf springs and adapted trailing arms from my parts bin.

[afx]

Much better stance and the wheel/tire swap looks great.  

[Mikey56]

now this is a great start to a great build!  love the stance and how you achieved it.  Other thing that I'm disappointed in this kit are the front shocks.  Im going to lower mine the same as you did, but i'm going to rework the front bars and replace the shocks with something looking a bit more realistic.....sorry, meant to add that i'm going to rework the firewall too....just doesn't look right....

Edited February 25, 2020 by Mikey56

[DRH_97]

Thanks Mike. I think I'll do the same as you to the front bars and firewall. I'm still trying to figure out how to add springs and shocks to the rear.

[espo]

Look forward to watching this build, especially with your personal background this should be interesting. The rear wheel openings seem almost to large at this point, but I'm sure you know the way they should be done.  

[afx]

I have a stalled project that I used the long trailing arms and cross brace from a Revellogram NASCAR kit.  Not sure how accurate it is the but I think it looks the part.  Coil springs set on top of the rear axle. Happy to share a photo of my setup if you would like to see it.

Edited February 25, 2020 by afx

[DRH_97]

1 hour ago, espo said:

Look forward to watching this build, especially with your personal background this should be interesting. The rear wheel openings seem almost to large at this point, but I'm sure you know the way they should be done.  

Yes, the rear wheel well openings are to large, but they came that way in the kit.

[espo]

5 minutes ago, DRH_97 said:

Yes, the rear wheel well openings are to large, but they came that way in the kit.

Are you going to leave it that way or modify them ?  

[DRH_97]

6 hours ago, espo said:

Are you going to leave it that way or modify them ?  

Im going to leave as is. I don't want to invest the time it would take to fabricate fender parts to close them up Our dirt track cars were always cut out like that anyway; our thought was that the larger the opening lessensthe chance to get sheet metal pushed into a tire while bumping and banging with your buddies ;-).

Edited February 26, 2020 by DRH_97

[Mikey56]

I'm thinking about using the twin shocks from the early nascar kits and maybe reworking the rear shock mount.  springs? Well, i'd have to think about how to incorporate the spring perch's into the trailing arms and then how to make them sit with the ride height that you have.  as far as the rear wheel opening, i'd say leave them like they are. take a close look at the grassroots racing and you'll find that if the car was built in a racers garage versus a custom build, they usually hog out the wheel arches....I know that we did....wasn't worried about aero or looks, jet get them big enough to get the slicks mounted!

 

[restoman]

Following along...

[espo]

21 hours ago, DRH_97 said:

Im going to leave as is. I don't want to invest the time it would take to fabricate fender parts to close them up Our dirt track cars were always cut out like that anyway; our thought was that the larger the opening lessensthe chance to get sheet metal pushed into a tire while bumping and banging with your buddies ;-).

Back in the "Hobby Stock" days in the mid '60's we would put the main leaf spring from an old car behind each rear quarter panel. The normal leaning into each other was fine, but if someone was trying to take you out they were in fore a rude awakening. 

[6883michaelw]

Nice work. I have 4 of these kits that have been sitting on my shelf since the 1st reissue a few years back. Makes me want to pull one out and start building but too many projects on the table right now. Will be following your progress. Keep up the great work. Looking great.

[Tom Geiger]

Interesting! If that’s the kit chassis you are using, it’s tons better than the one under the Falcon Modified Stocker.   I wound up putting a RM 1/24 scale 66 Mustang Shelby chassis under mine. 

[DRH_97]

I've replaced the firewall and front bars, and am adding some detail to the suspension

[DRH_97]

I know a couple of you are following this and are possibly working on the same kit, so I wanted to update you on my latest work. I have to admit that i am pretty much making it up as I go on this one. I did a rework of the front end,  bars, firewall and radiator mount. I'm adding a radiator from an old ASA Camaro kit. as I was looking over the body, I noticed the rear molding to simulate wire mesh above the bumper. I'm going to cut that section out and install real metal mesh. Once I decided to do that I realized that that there would be visibility into the rear area under the trunk, so I decided to put a fuel cell (from the ASA Camaro kit) back there. I'll have images soon to show all of the modifications I've made.  Somehow this has transformed from a  weekend project into a fairly major scratch build  of the chassis and suspension. Thanks for following and feedback!

Edited March 1, 2020 by DRH_97

['70 Grande]

I have worked on the chassis and suspension of this kit for my own build 3 or 4 times, stopped because I wasn't satisfied with the attempts, and tore-it-apart again and restarted with a different plan in-mind.  I'm glad I spotted this post; its given me some new ideas towards a much-better solution... I'll try again and keep watching this post. 

[DRH_97]

Work in progress .... I've made 3 different firewalls so far. As I continue to build this out, I find myself changing things as I go. I've done and redone so much ... but enjoyed the creativity of it all. Its linke being in the shop in the winter trying to build the best car you can for the upcoming season. Grass roots racing in 1/25-1/24 scale ?

 

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by DRH_97

[slusher]

What wheels and tires are you using?

[DRH_97]

8 hours ago, slusher said:

What wheels and tires are you using?

The wheels in the last image are from an AMT nascar kit from several years ago, and the tires were some I dug out of my parts boxes. They were likely from an old dirt modified stock car kit from MANY years ago. I haven't decided on what will be on the completed kit. Depends on whether it turns out as a pavement  or dirt car.

[6883michaelw]

Looking awesome.  When I get done with the Impala Grand National I'm gonna pop one of these open myself. Plan on swapping a 67 Malibu body in place of 65. Keep up the great work.

[DRH_97]

I've been working on the rear of the chassis and trying to figure out how to add suspension parts. here's where it is today. Sorry for the photo quality.

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by DRH_97

[wrenchr]

Looking very cool. I need to pick one of these up for sure. 

[Mikey56]

Dang nice!  like the way you reconfigured the rear to include the spring perches and the shocks. The fuel cell fits right in!!! Keep up the great work and let us all know as you progress!

[espo]

You might consider an adjustable Track Bar for the rear suspension.