Bob Glidden Fairmont

[lordgodbob]

Here we go! About to start my “holy grail” build of my favorite race car ever, Bob Glidden’s undefeated Fairmont. Got my resin body and a bunch of detail items from Scott at Futurattraction. Decalsfrom Slixx, donor kit from eBay, and I’ll start it when I get a couple more in-process builds off my bench...I have too many underway! 

[Ralph Henderson]

Yep, I'll be watching!!

[cobraman]

I'm on board ! One of my favorite drag cars.

[Tortuga Kustomz]

awesome project, looking forward for updates, i've been after of one of those PE lenco trans with no luck at all

[Len Woodruff]

Nice. I will be watching too. Need to get mine started to do the Dyno Don version.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Len Woodruff

[DrKerry]

Be watching this come to life!!!!

[lordgodbob]

4 hours ago, Len Woodruff said:

Nice. I will be watching too. Need to get mine started to do the Dyno Don version.

Well, I’m sure I’ll make a couple mistakes that we can both learn from! I may do Bob’s other Fairmont if this goes well...and maybe Animal Jim’s Zephyr!

[Zen]

Very nice, can't wait to see some of this build. 

Wondering what parts from the Tbird are used for this build?

[lordgodbob]

4 hours ago, Zen said:

Very nice, can't wait to see some of this build. 

Wondering what parts from the Tbird are used for this build?

Yeah, I’m figuring out they very few parts from the Thunderbird are needed. I’ll be using the front frame and suspension, rear end, some other miscellaneous  parts...I probably had all of that in my parts bin, but that’s ok, I am using the gold wheels on another project, and I can always use Pro Stock parts....

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi Tim!

Wow, what a great stash of parts. And that Monogram TBird will be a great donor, it is a fantastic kit!

I can't wait to see you underway!

CT

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Great project Tim!  This is a rare and unusual subject so it sure catches my attention, I will be following your project with great interest, Futurattraction products are of high quality so I know you are off to a good start! ?

[Steve H]

Hi Tim, I have had my eye on those resin bodies for a year or more. This will probably be just the nudge I need to finally buy one! I’ll be watching for sure, I would like to do a pro street version.

Cheers, Steve

[lordgodbob]

I swore I wouldn’t do anything super detailed again after I did the MegaFord, but I HAVE to put some extra effort into this one...

I’m doing it in bits and pieces, I usually get in a rush, so I’m trying to avoid that!

valve covers with Alclad chrome (my first time using it, I think I didn’t do enough prep) and detail master wing bolts. 
I took the out-of-the-box intake and hollowed it out to look more realistic.

painted and decaled the oil pan

painted the block

 

Next thing I think I’ll do is mock up the cage so I can build an engine plate 

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by lordgodbob
Typo

[Tortuga Kustomz]

Awesome detail work on the engine Tim, looking real good

[Codi]

Your car and the efforts you've put into it already show that it's going to be a great build when completed.   Congrats!  tim

[Ian McLaren]

One of my favorite early Pro Stocks and like Tim said, from what I've seen so far this is one build I'm excited to see progress. Nicely done!

[Bainford]

Cool project. Looks like a great collection of bits. I'm watching this one.

[lordgodbob]

At the urging of Scott from futurattraction I tracked this magazine down on eBay, it’s going to be a HUGE help with this build.it’s got a great feature on the new Fairmonts of Glidden and Nicholson. I had been able to find zero pics of the interior and only terrible pics of the engine, but now I have much more to go on!

[Ralph Henderson]

8 hours ago, lordgodbob said:

At the urging of Scott from futurattraction I tracked this magazine down on eBay, it’s going to be a HUGE help with this build.it’s got a great feature on the new Fairmonts of Glidden and Nicholson. I had been able to find zero pics of the interior and only terrible pics of the engine, but now I have much more to go on!

Hey Tim, Please don't be afraid to share scans of the articles?? One of Scott's Glidden Fairmonts is on my short list also...

[Plasticfanatic]

The magazine article is a great help indeed and the inside centerfold poster feuturing both cars is great. One interesting fact, the back fenders wheel arch flare have to be shave down, I did it to my 78 Glidden car model for more accuracy, Scott (Futurattraction) did a magnificen work on this body of the Fairmont and all accesories, is a easy modification. The Dyno Don car appear to have used the stock flare style at some point since I recall seeing pictures of the car with both looks...unlike the Glidden 78 Fairmont that stayed the same the whole season.

[Plasticfanatic]

Also, some great photos of the 1978 Glidden Fairmont have been posted at different Glidden/ vintage pro stock groups, some where taken by fans back in the day and never published before, I downloaded some of the more interesting ones for visual info and background research for my model project.

[futurattraction]

I would add that you need to be careful about how much confidence you place in the authenticity of some of the replica cars out there.  There is a very nice looking version of his '78 car that I'd bet my life savings isn't his restored original car, but a look alike.  It has too many details that don't match Bob's car to suit me.  If it is his original '78 car, then its restoration is all wrong, IMHO.

Edited March 17, 2021 by futurattraction

[Tom Geiger]

This build is not my cup of tea, but I will follow along and learn more about prostock cars. That’s how I’ve expanded my horizons, ya never know.. I’ve built two modified stockers!

 I’m amazed at the collective knowledge of obscure subjects that this board possesses!

[lordgodbob]

9 hours ago, futurattraction said:

I would add that you need to be careful about how much confidence you place in the authenticity of some of the replica cars out there.  There is a very nice looking version of his '78 car that I'd bet my life savings isn't his restored original car, but a look alike.  It has too many details that don't match Bob's car to suit me.  If it is his original '78 car, then its restoration is all wrong, IMHO.

Are you talking about the one with the polished wheels and the Christian fish on the front fender? Yeah, I don’t think that car looks right either...

[futurattraction]

Exactly!  The wheels are polished.  I never once remember seeing polished S/Ts on that car.  The stance, while close, doesn't look low enough in the front; it's got the wrong hood scoop (rear/upper portion of scoop top tapered down), but the biggest discrepancy is that IF it's his original car, then the quarter panels have been replaced, because the stock-appearing bulged/flared wheelwell openings are on this car and his '78 car had most, if not all, of that bulge removed, plus the wheelwell openings on his original car were more oval shaped.  Notice that the "restored" car conceals part of the upper rear wheel, whereas if you look at any '78 vintage pictures of his car (see attached image), you'll see that the entire rear wheel is visible and a bit of the tire sidewall.  The restored car, I just noticed this morning, doesn't appear to even have a 351C in it!  I can't make out what it is.  It looks like front distributor, but if my eyes aren't deceiving me, there are three upper valve cover bolts, which doesn't fit with a Cleveland or 385-series engine.  I dunno about that one!