More Modern Malco Mustang

[mvadrag]

Hi all,

I have been playing around with a box with two Malco Mustangs from the way back and falling apart.  One body went in the dunk tank and then I started mocking up a stance with MPC dragster wheels and slicks (these are out of an old Garlits car).  Looks like this:

Here is the box of old parts I will work with.

The front fender unit and the body really don't line up very well in this example.  The red one in the box fits up better, but I already stripped the mockup body so I will make it work.  I may just glue the fenders to the body to keep everything lined up and keep things simple so I can finish sooner than later.

Here you see I glued some tabs to the body to line up the front fenders.  I have also sanded the tops of the fenders up front to taper them.  These old bodies had almost square front edges.

[bobss396]

Very nice. I want to do one too, yours looks look lowered. This car was titled as the car that killed the gasser and ushered in the funny car era. 

[dragcarz]

I’m following, I lie your thinking on this one!

[floodstang]

I have this kit. Haven’t started on it yet. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one. 

[mvadrag]

To determine how much I had to cut out of the chassis to fit the MPC slicks I used an old painted chassis from that box of parts.  Used the back of a no. 11 blade to scribe along the wheel well to cut loose the inside edge.  Then I measured and cut the chassis pan to fit the slicks.

I found a rear axle I could narrow to see how things fit.

[Tortuga Kustomz]

Very cool project my friend

[Zippi]

Back half is looking good.  Love those Big ole meats in the back.  

[mvadrag]

Jumping ahead: the blue painted chassis was going to be too much work to clean up and add wheel wells.  I transferred measurements from it to a damaged unpainted chassis from the box of parts (right side), compare to stock chassis on left.

I also built wheel tubs using a technique AmericanMuscleFan described in his detailed builds using a large half inch socket and laminated sheets of .020 styrene.

I added coil spring supports to the chassis and rear axle using Evergreen plastic tube.  The plastic stubs are to help decide spring length required. 

Here is the new chassis under the body for a fit check.  Still have to figure out modifying the old roll cage (I plan to use as much of the old kit parts as I can).

[Vintage AMT]

That front end looks more like a 65/66 unit... Is it?

[mvadrag]

1 hour ago, Vintage AMT said:

That front end looks more like a 65/66 unit... Is it?

It sure is.  The old MPC Malco Mustang was just wrong.  Box art looked like a '67, but the plastic came out '65 or '66.  The new issue has addressed that problem, but I have a stash of old built kits.

[rustybill1960]

How is this building doing?

[Jimmy Wilson]

On 12/19/2023 at 2:30 PM, mvadrag said:

Jumping ahead: the blue painted chassis was going to be too much work to clean up and add wheel wells.  I transferred measurements from it to a damaged unpainted chassis from the box of parts (right side), compare to stock chassis on left.

I also built wheel tubs using a technique AmericanMuscleFan described in his detailed builds using a large half inch socket and laminated sheets of .020 styrene.

I added coil spring supports to the chassis and rear axle using Evergreen plastic tube.  The plastic stubs are to help decide spring length required. 

Here is the new chassis under the body for a fit check.  Still have to figure out modifying the old roll cage (I plan to use as much of the old kit parts as I can).

What size socket do you use for forming the wheel tubs? The post mentioned 1/2" but I thought you meant the drive size and not the diameter.

[mvadrag]

12 hours ago, Jimmy Wilson said:

What size socket do you use for forming the wheel tubs? The post mentioned 1/2" but I thought you meant the drive size and not the diameter.

I went out to my tool box and it was 1 1/8 inch size.  You might need one bigger or smaller depending on the tire size.  This size is good for MPC pro stock and funny car slicks.

[mvadrag]

On 6/3/2024 at 5:29 PM, rustybill1960 said:

How is this building doing?

It is sitting on my shelf in the mocked up mode.  I was trying to figure out the front suspension and then summer hit, a modeling time dropped off.

I am glad people are still interested in this build!

[TarheelRick]

If the title says Gasser I am all in. I like the modifications you are doing to this kit. Although I think it will be closer to a Pro-Mod than a gasser when finished. But then a Pro-Mod is just a Gasser on steroids.

[rustybill1960]

Hello, Well, Summer is almost over. Are You still thinking about this build? What have You got on the front suspension? I am hopeful that We will get to see more of Your build up on this one. Waiting patiently. 

[SpeedShift]

Ohio George Montgomery, beautiful subject.