6/29/2022 - 1/18 Fantasy Petty STP Craftsman Truck(s) - Project Complete

[ibj40]

Taking this project a different direction, as the first one just wasn't going to work out.

So, here's my story:

Petty Enterprises Nascar Craftsman Truck Series Entry

This is another fantasy idea by me, for me.

The idea for a Truck Series dates back to 1991.

A group of SCORE off-road racers  had concerns about desert racing's future and decided to create a pavement truck racing series.

They visited NASCAR Western Operations Vice President Ken Clapp to promote the idea, who consulted with Bill France Jr., but the plans fell apart.  Clapp told the four to build a prototype truck before would NASCAR consider it.

Bakersfield fabricator Gary Collins built a prototype truck, which was first shown off during Speedweeks for the 1994 Daytona 500 and tested by truck owner Jim Smith around Daytona International Speedway.

The truck proved to be popular among fans, and NASCAR arranged a meeting in a Burbank, California hotel on April 11, 1994; the meeting ultimately led to the creation of the "SuperTruck Series".

Tools line Craftsman served as the sponsor of the series on a three-year deal, and the series was renamed to the "Craftsman Truck Series" in 1996.

In addition, the series' $580,000 purse was larger than the Busch Grand National Series' points fund.

In 1993, Richard Petty raced his last Winston Cup race in a Pontiac Grand Prix.

In 1994, he would hand over the seat of the Cup Series #43 Pontiac to Rick Wilson, who struggled.

Many fingers were pointed around Petty Enterprises, with questions regarding the level of factory support from General Motors, the competitiveness of the Grand Prix, and the generic Chevy Small Block engine used by all the GM teams.

Most folks have always considered Petty Enterprises to be a Chrysler-oriented team.  Other than the one year with Ford, they had raced either Plymouths or Dodges in the Cup series.

When Chrysler’s support disappeared, as evidenced by the poor showing by Petty in 1978, the path of least resistance was to join the multiple GM-based teams racing the variety of Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Chevrolet models.

Nascar “encouraged” the major Cup teams to prepare trucks for the new Craftsman Truck series.

Prominent Cup owners Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, and Jack Roush owned truck teams, and top drivers such as Dale Earnhardt and Ernie Irvan also fielded trucks for others.

Petty Enterprises found itself in a dilemma.

Nascar wanted to see a #43 Craftsman Truck entry and issued an ultimatum to Petty Enterprises.

The Childress and Hendrick entries already dominated a GM-based program, and Roush had indirect factory support from Ford.
Could Petty go back to the Chrysler well one more time?

In order to prepare for the 1996 Craftsman Truck Series, and unsure about a corporate alliance, Petty Enterprises, with the support of long-time corporate partner STP, built one of each, all painted in Petty Blue and all with STP as the primary sponsor.

And here they are.

The first (and ultimately the chassis/body package chosen) was a Dodge Ram.

Since this was going to be a series focusing on trucks, Petty chose Cummins and Onan as potential contingency sponsors on the Ram.  Cummins, of course, is a supplier of engines for Dodge’s line of diesel heavy duty trucks, and Onan, an oft-used Dodge supplier of stand-alone generators.

This is a sneak peak, I will have a full build posting in the appropriate section.

This is the donor and the painted final.

IMG_5821 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

This is one side with decals applied (and once again, Sam Lopez with Three Amigos is doing the artwork).

IMG_5990 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Edited June 30, 2022 by ibj40

[ibj40]

Stay tuned!

Edited May 5, 2022 by ibj40

[ibj40]

Updated the premise of this thread. 

[ibj40]

Dodge is done:  

 

[ibj40]

Donors and Primers

Ford F-150

IMG_6045 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Chevy Silverado

IMG_6046 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

[ibj40]

Quick update with all three of the race trucks in the shop.

IMG_6072 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Ford and Chevy on a lift, waiting for the paint shop to clear out.

IMG_6075 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

[ibj40]

Ford F-150 just got back from the paint shop.

IMG_6113 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Twins in the making, decals have been printed and on their way.

IMG_6117 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Storing them both on the lift, waiting for the Chevy Silverado to get re-painted (there was a bust at the paint shop).

IMG_6116 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Just in case you are curious, paint came out of the same rattle can.

[ibj40]

Sneak preview of Ford F-150

IMG_6146 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

[ibj40]

This is what happens when you get in a hurry.
 

Notice the relief where the rear taillight should be.

IMG_6038 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Notice how nicely painted the Chevy body was.

IMG_6092 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

On both the Ram and the F-150, the taillight detail was incorporated into the diecast mold.  For the Chevy, well . . .

One would think that three models, for the same racing series, produced by the same diecast manufacturer, contemporary to each other, would share common details.

In fact, the chassis are identical (no distributor on the engine, so . . .) and almost interchangeable, but . . .

For some reason, for the Chevy, they decided to have a plastic insert for the taillight.

I didn't notice it, and didn't point it out to the guy who strips the models for me.

His solvent is so strong to cut through the paint on the diecast that it dissolves anything and everything, and in this case, the Chevy taillight inserts.

As I reassembled the Chevy, I carefully placed (and glued) the front grill inserts in.

IMG_6039 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Got to the back of the model, looked in the Ziplock where I store all the harvested parts, and alas, no taillights.

So . . . JB Weld to the rescue.

IMG_6169 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

IMG_6170 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Nice calm day today, got a coat of primer on this morning, hopefully get the color down this afternoon.

Plus, these were delivered from Sam Lopez with Three Amigos Decals yesterday.

2022-06-18 (2) by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Edited June 18, 2022 by ibj40

[ibj40]

Fixed the Chevy taillights.

Here's the painted version (yes, I know, I probably should have added some Bondo to fill in the voids).

IMG_6256 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

Here it is with the decals added.

IMG_6257 by Jim Forte, on Flickr

I also have decals for the Ram and F-150.

[ibj40]

Quick update.

Notice anything different?

Petty Ramper by Jim Forte, on Flickr

[ibj40]

Sneak preview (Chevy needs to have the passenger side decals added).

Shelf Pic by Jim Forte, on Flickr