Billy the Kid Demon Pro Stock

[dragcarz]

Hey D.W. Thanks, I haven’t seen some of those photos yet, that second photo doesn’t show any signs of a leaf spring where it would obviously be seen, so I’m going with coil overs. THANKS ! 

[dragcarz]

I got the chassis back halved 

[dwc43]

8 minutes ago, dragcarz said:

Hey D.W. Thanks, I haven’t seen some of those photos yet, that second photo doesn’t show any signs of a leaf spring where it would obviously be seen, so I’m going with coil overs. THANKS ! 

Welcome, anytime.

 

This might be what you were looking at under the Sox and Martin. You can find it in the Mopar Performance Chassis manual. 

 

 

 

You need these floaters to use leaf springs with ladder bars. Less weight going coil overs and ladders though. The floater lets the springs slide back and forth as the ladder bar transfers the rotational motion of the axle to the front of the ladder to transfer weight. If you don't use the floaters on a leaf spring car the leafs load and unload and it will axle hop and smoke the tires to no end. 

 

 

 

[bytownshaker]

Sept 72 issue of Super Stock and Drag Illustrated shows McCandless's Demon to have leaf springs and ladder bars, Stepp's Dart had coil overs. If anyone has Car Craft Oct 72 issue it has a article on the car, I only have a photo copy of page 71  and misplaced the rest of the article.

[dragcarz]

5 hours ago, dwc43 said:

Welcome, anytime.

 

This might be what you were looking at under the Sox and Martin. You can find it in the Mopar Performance Chassis manual. 

 

 

 

You need these floaters to use leaf springs with ladder bars. Less weight going coil overs and ladders though. The floater lets the springs slide back and forth as the ladder bar transfers the rotational motion of the axle to the front of the ladder to transfer weight. If you don't use the floaters on a leaf spring car the leafs load and unload and it will axle hop and smoke the tires to no end. 

 

 

 

Thanks D.W., I found this on the S&M 72 Duster, the suspension matches the top photo. I found similar in my Direct Connection Race Manual.

[dragcarz]

1 minute ago, dragcarz said:

Thanks D.W., I found this on the S&M 72 Duster, the suspension matches the top photo. I found similar in my Direct Connection Race Manual.

 

[dragcarz]

8 hours ago, bytownshaker said:

Sept 72 issue of Super Stock and Drag Illustrated shows McCandless's Demon to have leaf springs and ladder bars, Stepp's Dart had coil overs. If anyone has Car Craft Oct 72 issue it has a article on the car, I only have a photo copy of page 71  and misplaced the rest of the article.

Thanks for the info Edgar, I’ve watched the You Tube video on the McCandless Demon and it’s got coil overs, but again it’s a restored car, I’m sure after 72 the car was probably sold and updated many times. I really don’t like restored race cars, 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Nice work on those tubs. It's nice to see this being built from the era when pro stocks were actually based on the factory cars.

Now we have cookie cutter camaros for the most part that are no where near the showroom cars. In my mind the new prostocks are just slow funny Cara. They have a tube chassis and the bodies are heavy massaged.  

[Straightliner59]

15 hours ago, dragcarz said:

Hey D.W. Thanks, I haven’t seen some of those photos yet, that second photo doesn’t show any signs of a leaf spring where it would obviously be seen, so I’m going with coil overs. THANKS ! 

That's a good call, I think. Springs and shackles would almost certainly be visible, here. Your tubs look great!

Edited December 16, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Force]

Interesting build, I'm following this.

Here is a picture I found of Billy's car, I don't know the year tho', but it had coilovers
 

And here is the Sox & Martin Don Hardy built 72 Duster wich replaced the 72 Duster they built in shop after it was crashed.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Force

[dragcarz]

6 hours ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

Nice work on those tubs. It's nice to see this being built from the era when pro stocks were actually based on the factory cars.

Now we have cookie cutter camaros for the most part that are no where near the showroom cars. In my mind the new prostocks are just slow funny Cara. They have a tube chassis and the bodies are heavy massaged.  

I agree Bob, I’m not of fan of modern drag racing especially the pro classes. I don’t like sputter boxes and delay drag racing classes. There just boring to me.

[dragcarz]

4 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

That's a good call, I think. Springs and shackles would almost certainly be visible, here. Your tubs look great!

Thank you Daniel. That was my thoughts also. I wish the tubs were a little tighter to the body, it’s a lot of trial and error. I use heavy paper to make and trim the template and then cut them out of .010 sheet plastic. 

[dragcarz]

3 hours ago, Force said:

Interesting build, I'm following this.

Here is a picture I found of Billy's car, I don't know the year tho', but it had coilovers
 

And here is the Sox & Martin Don Hardy built 72 Duster wich replaced the 72 Duster they built in shop after it was crashed.

Thanks for the info Hakan, by 1973 and into 1974 tube chassis and coil overs were used by everyone 

[Straightliner59]

4 hours ago, dragcarz said:

Thank you Daniel. That was my thoughts also. I wish the tubs were a little tighter to the body, it’s a lot of trial and error. I use heavy paper to make and trim the template and then cut them out of .010 sheet plastic. 

Those things are never easy to fit! Trial and error is the only way to do it, that I know of.

[dragcarz]

Small update, added bead roll to trunk floor and subframe connectors 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Superb work on the pan Roger floor! I read the long discussion about the Demon's rear suspension from back in the day and I think the mystery around it is cool and leaves a lot of room for interpretation.  It's your project and your choice will be the right one.

I chose to use leaf springs with CalTracs on mine just to create a sort of OEM look with a touch of "Motown Missile" since it had these ladder bars added on it, it's just cool and It will be a great challenge to make something new.

[dragcarz]

7 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Superb work on the pan Roger floor! I read the long discussion about the Demon's rear suspension from back in the day and I think the mystery around it is cool and leaves a lot of room for interpretation.  It's your project and your choice will be the right one.

I chose to use leaf springs with CalTracs on mine just to create a sort of OEM look with a touch of "Motown Missile" since it had these ladder bars added on it, it's just cool and It will be a great challenge to make something new.

Thank you Francis, I’ve never scratch built coil overs before, so it may get revised again. I’ve been looking through my stash of kits and parts looking for something that will work, but haven’t found what I need as yet. 
It. was quite a mixture of ideas back then, and really what made it such an exciting time in the sport. Lots of innovation.

[Scott Eriksen]

Nice work,I plan on doing something similar with the reissue Demon ,as the Herb McCandless car,already got the decals

[dragcarz]

13 hours ago, Scott Eriksen said:

Nice work,I plan on doing something similar with the reissue Demon ,as the Herb McCandless car,already got the decals

I’m hoping you post your progress on the forum, I’d love to see your work! In my research for the BTK Demon,  I found a lot of information on the McCandless car, the restored car has coil over rear suspension and the original had leaf springs, depending on the version your trying to replicate. The video on you tube about this car is really interesting. It was a very dominant car in 72. Someone needs to cast or print a 72 Grille for this kit!

[Scott Eriksen]

1 hour ago, dragcarz said:

I’m hoping you post your progress on the forum, I’d love to see your work! In my research for the BTK Demon,  I found a lot of information on the McCandless car, the restored car has coil over rear suspension and the original had leaf springs, depending on the version your trying to replicate. The video on you tube about this car is really interesting. It was a very dominant car in 72. Someone needs to cast or print a 72 Grille for this kit!

Yup,,,Herb and Gale Mortimer did some trick stuff ,,right up there with the Motown Missile boys

[Zippi]

That added bead roll looks nice.  That'll make things a little more ridged.  Did you use some half round stock for that?

[David G.]

The chassis is coming along quite nicely, top notch work on that!

David G.

[dragcarz]

22 hours ago, Zippi said:

That added bead roll looks nice.  That'll make things a little more ridged.  Did you use some half round stock for that?

Yes Bob, I used .040 half round, and sanded the ends to round them. It works pretty good.

[dragcarz]

7 minutes ago, David G. said:

The chassis is coming along quite nicely, top notch work on that!

David G.

Thanks David, I recently started a new job and I’m not getting much bench time, hopefully this weekend I can get back on it.

[Nitro330]

On 12/16/2023 at 6:18 PM, dragcarz said:

Small update, added bead roll to trunk floor and subframe connectors 

 

Hi Roger, the bead roll looks great!  Small detail that makes a big impact.  Also, congrats on the new job!