dragcarz Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 When I was a little kid growing up in south St. Louis, the city block we lived on boarderd, South Kingshighway. There were several new car dealers on this street, one of which was Ben Lindenbusch American Motors. I used to hang out at at the service entrance after hours as they had two Red White and Blue Super Stock AMX’s that they would work on and race on the weekends. This created a fondness for the AMC cars I still have to this day. One of my build list project’s is the Shirley Shahan’s Hornet Pro Stock. I acquired a Johan Hornet Funny Car that had been started many years ago. The kit can only be built as a Funny Car, the hood is molded shut, no stock interior or chassis pan. The body was painted with lacquer and its crazed the plastic. So armed with the body and an article from the December 1971 edition of Hot Rod magazine I’m going to attempt to build Shirley’s 71 Hornet 1
TransAmMike Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Definately an interesting and unusual subject !!!
Dave Van Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Sre there any pics of the Gremlin in color??? I'd like to build it.
dragcarz Posted November 3, 2020 Author Posted November 3, 2020 7 hours ago, Quiet Eric said: I love that car. I agree, IMHO probably the coolest AMC pro stock ever built!
AmericanMuscleFan Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Another very cool project Roger, I love these old AMCs! I always wanted to build the '73 Hornet of Wally Booth or the Maskin and Kanners Hornet X version (I prefer this paint scheme). I remember someone made the decals for the Hornet X a few years ago but never saw them again, maybe someone still has a set somewhere and is ready to sell?
lordgodbob Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 What a fantastic subject, and a great project! I'll be following this for sure.....
dragcarz Posted November 4, 2020 Author Posted November 4, 2020 On 11/3/2020 at 10:04 AM, AmericanMuscleFan said: Another very cool project Roger, I love these old AMCs! I always wanted to build the '73 Hornet of Wally Booth or the Maskin and Kanners Hornet X version (I prefer this paint scheme). I remember someone made the decals for the Hornet X a few years ago but never saw them again, maybe someone still has a set somewhere and is ready to sell? I think they came on a Slixx quarter panel decal set, I’ll do some checking.
Codi Posted November 5, 2020 Posted November 5, 2020 Roger, great car / story most certainly. I'll be following. Now my admission, I was in my early 20's scraping by and owned a FOUR door pea green soup hornet with the tartan interior. yes, I admit that. Funny the memories that come back. The 2 door was a MUCH better looking car. Good luck on your build. cheers, tim
dragcarz Posted November 6, 2020 Author Posted November 6, 2020 3 hours ago, Codi said: Roger, great car / story most certainly. I'll be following. Now my admission, I was in my early 20's scraping by and owned a FOUR door pea green soup hornet with the tartan interior. yes, I admit that. Funny the memories that come back. The 2 door was a MUCH better looking car. Good luck on your build. cheers, tim Too funny, the older we get, the less inhibition we have, what was once embarrassing is somehow now a right of passage.
dragcarz Posted November 6, 2020 Author Posted November 6, 2020 Small update as I’m still in the parts gathering mode. I searched through my stash of kits for a suitable donor kit. I tried the AMT 67 Mustang, too narrow. I tried AMTs 66 Fairlane, the Revell 64 T bolt kit, and the Revell Mustang Boss 302 kit, The mid size Fords rear over hang and fuel tanks needed too muck work. I looked at the Mobius Comet A/FX kit but the front suspension is too raised. I think I’m going to try The Revell 1/24 Shelby Mustang kit. The wheelbase is very close, it has a short rear overhang and the width is dead on. I took the Hornet hood and placed it on the Mustang and the fender aprons and firewall look like a good fit. I’ll be using Slixx decals, their Shahan’s Dodge Dart, and maybe some from the Wally Booth decal sheet. 1
St Louis Snacker Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 I'm from St Louis as well and grew up right near you. I was a little farther north up Kingshighway by Plackie Chevrolet. I did go to Kennard School for a couple years so I remember Lindenbusch. My parents bought a Gremlin from that dealer in 1972 but I think it had changed hands by then. Do you remember when Sinclair Ford was by Southtown? They used to position a car half way through the front window with a big sign saying something like Another customer trying to get a early look at the 68 Fords! As a little kid, I thought that was so crazy. By the way, your work looks great.
dragcarz Posted November 6, 2020 Author Posted November 6, 2020 3 hours ago, St Louis Snacker said: I'm from St Louis as well and grew up right near you. I was a little farther north up Kingshighway by Plackie Chevrolet. I did go to Kennard School for a couple years so I remember Lindenbusch. My parents bought a Gremlin from that dealer in 1972 but I think it had changed hands by then. Do you remember when Sinclair Ford was by Southtown? They used to position a car half way through the front window with a big sign saying something like Another customer trying to get a early look at the 68 Fords! As a little kid, I thought that was so crazy. By the way, your work looks great. Wow small world! I went to Kennard, and yes I remember the Ford in Sinclair’s front window. Thanks for the compliment, I’m just a plastic hack, hobbling stuff together.
dragcarz Posted November 21, 2020 Author Posted November 21, 2020 I received a message from Thatz4U, he had a 69 Scrambler kit that he thought would be helpful with my build. While we were trying to work out a trade, I started searching through my stash of kits to find something to trade and I found, I already had one. Turns out Thatz4U was right, the wheelbase is good, the width is dead on, I can transfer the engine bay, the engine block doesn’t have the axle hole in the block, and it comes with a Dana 60 rear axle. The interior is to narrow, but the door panels are very close to the Hornets. 1
AmericanMuscleFan Posted November 22, 2020 Posted November 22, 2020 Perfect fit by the perfect donor, since they share the same DNA there will be no risk of rejection... Joking aside, this floor pan fits it like a glove so thank you for sharing this tip Roger, this will be helpful for a potential build of the Wally Booth Hornet! ?
NYLIBUD Posted November 22, 2020 Posted November 22, 2020 Great looking work.This woman,now I think in her late 70s,could fly down the 1/4 mile.She was a great racer,and her children have wrenched for a bunch of funnny car and top fuel teams.I always liked her AMX kit.I built so many of them.And bravo to Slixx decals for having such a great selection of high quality decals.Lol.
Claude Thibodeau Posted November 22, 2020 Posted November 22, 2020 Hi Roger! Interesting project. I'm jealous that you got one of those Johan Hornet FC kits. They are rare and so desirable... I'll bew following your build. Press on! CT
dragcarz Posted November 22, 2020 Author Posted November 22, 2020 5 hours ago, Claude Thibodeau said: Hi Roger! Interesting project. I'm jealous that you got one of those Johan Hornet FC kits. They are rare and so desirable... I'll bew following your build. Press on! CT I had the kit for a very long time, as stated above the body is rough but I’m hoping to save it,
Scott8950 Posted November 23, 2020 Posted November 23, 2020 It doesn't get much better than early to mid 70s pro stock cars. VERY COOL SUBJECT
Dave Van Posted November 23, 2020 Posted November 23, 2020 Great build subject...but owning 2 AMC I am bias! I make the Booth decals and would like to do the Shirley Gremlin....any more info/pics??
dragcarz Posted November 23, 2020 Author Posted November 23, 2020 8 hours ago, Dave Van said: Great build subject...but owning 2 AMC I am bias! I make the Booth decals and would like to do the Shirley Gremlin....any more info/pics?? Sweet!
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