Building a Crown Vic for the County Fair

[CabDriver]

I went to the local county fair for the first time this summer (didn’t have county fairs in Brooklyn) and REALLY enjoyed the figure eight, oval racing and demo derby they ran.  Came home inspired, and wanted to build something county-fair-ish.

Then, the next weekend, was in Meijer and saw a little Johhny Lightning Crown Vic demo derby diecast, didn’t buy it, and then thought about it so much for the next three days that I had to go back and get it 🤪  And then I picked up this on eBay for cheap:

So I can build my take on the street-stock derby car I saw at the fair, with some inspiration from this little guy:

Best I can tell, for the entry level oval / figure 8 / DD cars at my local event are REALLY close to having just come off the street…head and taillights removed, kick out the windshield and windows and…that’s about it.  Some had the doors welded shut, some just ran stock seats and factory seatbelts, and some were a LITTLE better prepared, but still not really race-prepped at all.  And that’s ABOUT where I’m going with mine - simple roll cage, bolt and weld all the panels shut and call it good for a day at the fairground.

First step, because the kit has plastic hubcapped wheels, printing some ‘bare’ stock Crown Vic wheels, and a set of tires:

And while the printer was running, printed a Recaro race seat - not a super-fancy fabricated aluminum one like a higher level class would likely require, but the sort of thing a racer might have in his shop already and could easily bolt in:

And…that’s about as far as I got today:

This kit doesn’t have an engine, so it’ll be strictly curbside, but getting the interior looking more like a stripped track-ready car is going to be a scratchbuilding challenge all of it’s own…

Thanks for looking, more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

[Volzfan59]

I like watching the Crown Vic divisions at various oval tracks on YouTube. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[Shark]

Here in the South, a lot of of the local tracks run a "Moonshiners" division using the Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. Pretty much the same modifications as you described. Maybe a simple roll cage and racing seat. Plus they usually have a claim rule to keep the cost low.

Looks like it will be a fun build.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Cool build idea...but at the same time I kinda hate to see 1:1 Crown Vics and Merc Marqs destroyed in crash-'em-smash-'em events.

They're great cars worthy of being saved, and the supply of good ones is definitely drying up.

EDIT: Way back in 2005, I bought a creampuff "Police Interceptor" from the county (a detective car with a seized engine caused by the common cracked plastic manifold and subsequent overheating) for really really cheap, and had a 4-cam 4.6 from a totalled Lincoln Mk VIII waiting to go in it, but they both "disappeared" while I was moving out of the shop.  

Anyway...this should be a very interesting build. 

Edited September 2 by Ace-Garageguy

[dwc43]

That should be a fun build. I built one as a Tn State Trooper car. Did you notice you have 4 lug instead of 5 lug wheels. lol Sorry, just noticed it is all. I've seen some people chain the doors shut and I think some classes require chains run through the bumper so the wreckers can pick them up and move them quicker. Those cars with the header pipes through the hood always looked cool too. Not sure they were worth it though. Should be a fun build.

[CabDriver]

22 hours ago, Volzfan59 said:

I like watching the Crown Vic divisions at various oval tracks on YouTube. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

I’ve been enjoying a bunch of those videos too, lately - plus there’s some cool ones of people building Crown Vics into various different classes of racecar.  Fun to watch someone working on the 1:1 while you’re building a little one!

14 hours ago, Shark said:

Here in the South, a lot of of the local tracks run a "Moonshiners" division using the Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. Pretty much the same modifications as you described. Maybe a simple roll cage and racing seat. Plus they usually have a claim rule to keep the cost low.

Looks like it will be a fun build.

Another rabbithole to fall down, thank you!  Are they dirt or asphalt cars, mainly?

10 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Cool build idea...but at the same time I kinda hate to see 1:1 Crown Vics and Merc Marqs destroyed in crash-'em-smash-'em events.

They're great cars worthy of being saved, and the supply of good ones is definitely drying up.

EDIT: Way back in 2005, I bought a creampuff "Police Interceptor" from the county (a detective car with a seized engine caused by the common cracked plastic manifold and subsequent overheating) for really really cheap, and had a 4-cam 4.6 from a totalled Lincoln Mk VIII waiting to go in it, but they both "disappeared" while I was moving out of the shop.  

Anyway...this should be a very interesting build. 

Agreed!  A nice clean low-mileage Crown Vic is on my ‘want’ list in 1:1.  I’d really like my next car to be as close to a ‘forever’ car as I can get…and I figure if I drive 10,000 miles a year and a lot of the NY Crown Vic taxicabs could make half a million miles if cared for properly I could probably get 40 years out of one 🤪.

And by the time 40 years is up I guess I could try one of those new-fangled nuclear cars that we’ll have by then…

7 hours ago, dwc43 said:

That should be a fun build. I built one as a Tn State Trooper car. Did you notice you have 4 lug instead of 5 lug wheels. lol Sorry, just noticed it is all. I've seen some people chain the doors shut and I think some classes require chains run through the bumper so the wreckers can pick them up and move them quicker. Those cars with the header pipes through the hood always looked cool too. Not sure they were worth it though. Should be a fun build.

I spotted the 4-lugs on the wheels too - I found the file online and it looked well-done when I checked my reference pics aside from the missing lug.  I guess there wasn’t a four-lug version of these wheels so I guess it’s an error on the part of the designer, but not such a major one that I feel like spending a week trying to correct it…

Thanks for the nice comments so far fellas - update after the jump…

[CabDriver]

Ok, so today’s progress was body prep.  I downloaded the local stock-class rules and used those as my guide and worked on de-niceifying this nice clean body…

Local rules allow the doors to be welded up to the pillars, so I did that:

Trunk lid can be welded too, so same deal there:

I’m a little worried about these details disappearing under paint so they’re a little bolder and less small and crisp as they could’ve been - some good ol’ tractor welds 🤪

Local rules also allow three 3” by 6” plates on each door, so I found some reference pics of a CV built to similar rules online and did what they did:

You also HAVE to remove external mirrors, and can plate over where they were, so I added some nice heavy steel plates there, plus it’s a requirement to run either a chain or a steel bar from top to bottom of the front daylight opening - I tried a chain but it looked a little TOO agricultural for my poor Crown Vic, so I ended up with a bar:

Rules also require a 12” x 18” number board on the roof, so I made one of those with some Plastruct sheet and angle:

And you’re allowed four hood bolts with 4” square or round washers - I found these Titchy Train plastic bolts in my stash that worked PERFECT:

I need to figure out the lights - I wanted to make some styrene fillers but the angles are a little tough to make some nice one-piece fillers in styrene, so I’m modifying the kit pieces to LOOK like I’ve filled them with plates.  Added some Mr Putty Sprue Goo to the front headlamps and the clear red taillights so I can smooth them out tomorrow:

Interesting how much red color leeched out of the taillights into the red putty - turned it pink!

Thanks for looking, more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

Edited September 3 by CabDriver

[Shark]

Per your question about asphalt or dirt, I guess it could be either, but the tracks that run them within driving distance are paved.

[CabDriver]

6 hours ago, Shark said:

Per your question about asphalt or dirt, I guess it could be either, but the tracks that run them within driving distance are paved.

My favorite!  Both are cool tho…

A little mini-project tonight…wheels and tires!

Painted the stock Crown Vic wheels in stock Crown-Vic-wheel-semi-gloss-black:

And I guess I could’ve left it at that, but you know how some demo derby guys really like painting their wheels and tires for some reason…

Shot the outside faces with some Vallejo white - built it up in thin streaks to try and emulate them being rattle-canned and a little imperfect:

Then, masked them and shot some Vallejo red; same deal, kinda patchy and imperfect…

Then removed the masks, and blended the edges with some Tamiya Soot and a q-tip and gave them a light mist of dark brown and tan, just very lightly:

Most fun I ever had painting some wheels and tires 🤪

Started prepping the body for paint too - just shot a light coat of primer to make sure I didn’t miss any flaws that I didn’t put there on purpose…excited to get to the paint on this one!  Need to start figuring out the interior next, that’ll be the biggest project on this build by FAR.

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

[Zen]

Pretty cool, looking good!

[Horrorshow]

Great work so far, can’t wait to see the finished product.

[DJMar]

The wheel/tire painting is spot on!

This is a really cool build.

[TarheelRick]

Beginning to have that look of a Saturday-night free for all racer. Really like the way you are building this one. When they used to run this style car back at the end of last century they were called "Bombers" and consisted of early 70's Impalas, Galaxies, Bonnevilles, Oldsmobiles, and one guy had a Cadillac; normally the Chevies were the better running cars. Looking forward to more updates.

[CabDriver]

Thanks fellas!

8 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

Beginning to have that look of a Saturday-night free for all racer. Really like the way you are building this one. When they used to run this style car back at the end of last century they were called "Bombers" and consisted of early 70's Impalas, Galaxies, Bonnevilles, Oldsmobiles, and one guy had a Cadillac; normally the Chevies were the better running cars. Looking forward to more updates.

I love hearing about stuff like this - our local track has a ‘bomber’ class too, but I’m not sure of all of the ins and outs of it.  I should research those earlier cars - probably some cool build ideas there!  

Tiny update - mixed up some pink, similar to the die cast that inspired this build and shot the body this evening:

Just Createx red and white, nothing fancy - but I get to do some fun masking over the next few evenings so I’m excited about that!

Quick mock-up with the wheels…

Next project will be figuring out the most painless way to get this back seat out of the interior tub…it’s not going to be the most fun part of this build…

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

[Volzfan59]

One of the tracks that I used to race at started a division called Taxi Cabs. From what I've seen online, they're four door Impala's, Crown Vics, etc with the glass removed and roll cages installed. Kinda like the old bomber/ street stock divisions.

[CabDriver]

1 hour ago, Volzfan59 said:

One of the tracks that I used to race at started a division called Taxi Cabs. From what I've seen online, they're four door Impala's, Crown Vics, etc with the glass removed and roll cages installed. Kinda like the old bomber/ street stock divisions.

That’s awesome!  What a cool idea!  Which track was that?  I’d like to research those too!

[TarheelRick]

12 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Next project will be figuring out the most painless way to get this back seat out of the interior tub

Looks like no matter which way you approach it you are going to lose the package tray. I would suggest using s razor saw to carefully remove the package tray right along the edge of the seat back, and put it somewhere you will not lose it. Use a scribe or the back edge of a #11 x-acto and drag around the edges of the seat to remove it. Just a bit of filing/sanding and should be ready for the sheet metal filler pieces.

[Steve H]

4 hours ago, Volzfan59 said:

One of the tracks that I used to race at started a division called Taxi Cabs. From what I've seen online, they're four door Impala's, Crown Vics, etc with the glass removed and roll cages installed. Kinda like the old bomber/ street stock divisions.

HA!!  “CabDriver” racing a taxi cab. That made me smile….

Hi Jim! Another excellent idea for a build. Always enjoy watching your creative process. Love the direction you are going with it, painting the wheels and tires as you did looks perfect. Well…. less than perfect, which is, well….. perfect 🤪

Our local track, (gone now) used to have “hit to pass” racing. It was a hoot to watch, the cars HAD to hit the car they passed. I still have no idea how they figured out who won cause it was total chaos. All cars had “I” beams welded and or bolted along the side of the car, basically from the back of the front wheel opening, to the front of the rear wheel opening.  At the end of the season they had a “total destruction” demo derby with the cars. The name says it all there…

[Volzfan59]

6 hours ago, CabDriver said:

That’s awesome!  What a cool idea!  Which track was that?  I’d like to research those too!

It was called Highland Rim Speedway when I raced there. It's north of Nashville, in Greenbrier , TN. It's now called Veterans Motorplex at the Rim I think. Looks like the call them road hogs now. The class didn't exist when I raced there. I stopped racing in 1990.

The Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway has a Crown Vic division now. It's for Crown Vic's, Mercury Marquis and Lincoln Town Car's.

[89AKurt]

When the other model magazine had a contest, with decal sheet, I built a demo derby car and snagged a prize.  You probably thought it will be easy, but now you *have to* fabricate body parts that you normally don't see.  Nobody is going to say "that's wrong" either.  Have fun!

[Chuckyg1]

This is really cool, I'm enjoying it. Like all the research and mods you're doing. Can hardly wait to see more.

[CabDriver]

On 9/5/2024 at 11:14 AM, TarheelRick said:

Looks like no matter which way you approach it you are going to lose the package tray. I would suggest using s razor saw to carefully remove the package tray right along the edge of the seat back, and put it somewhere you will not lose it. Use a scribe or the back edge of a #11 x-acto and drag around the edges of the seat to remove it. Just a bit of filing/sanding and should be ready for the sheet metal filler pieces.

That about how I started doing it, yep!  Good tips, thank you!  I figured out a way to keep the parcel tray (and thus mounts to the body) intact and in place so it still assembles about the same, but more on that momentarily…

 

On 9/5/2024 at 2:36 PM, Steve H said:

HA!!  “CabDriver” racing a taxi cab. That made me smile….

My one friend in Jersey always told me “you stay in the city too long you’ll end up a bum or a cab driver”…I never ended up either, but I’m in Indiana right now so maybe that’s why…. Thanks for the nice comments Steve!

On 9/5/2024 at 7:18 PM, 89AKurt said:

When the other model magazine had a contest, with decal sheet, I built a demo derby car and snagged a prize.  You probably thought it will be easy, but now you *have to* fabricate body parts that you normally don't see.  Nobody is going to say "that's wrong" either.  Have fun!

I’d love to see that build Kurt!  I have that magazine here somewhere I’m sure - and the decal sheet somewhere in my archive!

2 hours ago, Chuckyg1 said:

This is really cool, I'm enjoying it. Like all the research and mods you're doing. Can hardly wait to see more.

Thank you!!

 

This last few day‘s progress…

Removed the rear seat, which took some careful slicing but allowed the parcel shelf to remain and thus let the tub snap into the body as intended:

And then found some reference pictures of what a stripped-out Crown Vic looks like and made an approximation:

I think stripping out the carpet would be a requirement a lot of places, for fire safety reasons, but my local track doesn’t require more than that so everything else is about stock…needs some cleanup and some more little details but then it’ll be ready for primer…

In between doing that stuff I’ve been working on the body some…shamelessly copying the look of my inspiration:

Then the doors - used Vallejo white for this because it covers great and I can get it easily from Hobby Lobby:

Next up, I wanted to paint a representation of some rattle-canned numbers on the doors,plus the kind of inside-joke slogan that you often see painted on derby cars that only makes sense to the pit crew and two people in the grandstand…

Masks were cut on my Silhouette plotter, because I’m not good enough to freehand in-scale spray painted numbers - but I did want to give the EFFECT of them being kinda patchy and poorly done - like someone used some cheapo dollar-store paint, didn’t shake it, didn’t think it through too well and wasn’t very good at applying it.  Shot some Tamiya Smoke on the edges to make it look less opaque than it should’ve been, then shot Flat Black down the center of each number as fine as I could:

What a mess…perfect! 🤪

It’s starting to look like a derby car now!

Next major job is the roll cage - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!  Thanks for looking!

[Volzfan59]

You've sure got the demo derby look on this one. Well done!

[Thedragsterdude]

It’s looking good! Always loved a crown Vic 

[BK9300]

Great work on the door numbers (great work on the whole car!)