Shelly Anderson's wild Dragster

[Wild Child]

This is Shelly Anderson's wild dragster (1998), part of my Evolution of the Dragster collection.  The body has been cleaned up a little, sprayed in correct colors and buffed to a nice finish.  The dual distributer Hemi is highly detailed.  This was one of her most popular rails.  The 3 car shot includes my mid '50's dragster and the Ramchargers mid 60's car to illustrate what a radical change  roughly 40 years makes.  

As a side note, the wrap around decals on this dragster can give you fits.  Once again, they get brittle with age and want to crack like  crazy.  But patience will pay off,...along with a little touch up.

[M W Elky]

That’s a fantastic build plus you really nailed the evolution of the rail job . I feel the modeling world could use a new tool 2025 top fuel dragster 

[Dragline]

Nice to see a semi "modern" car for a change. And what a beauty it is.

I had to edit this when I realized I used the word Modern.

 

Edited June 17 by Dragline

[Model Guy]

Love the detailed  hemi  !

[jlucky]

Very nice work! Always great to see a fellow dragster builder. Love the dragster comparison. 

[Wild Child]

54 minutes ago, jlucky said:

Very nice work! Always great to see a fellow dragster builder. Love the dragster comparison. 

Thanks guys.

Jerry, I have a small set of Dragsters showing every 5 or so years from (and including) the very first Dragster.  It makes a cool set, but would take a bit of time to shoot and post all 6 or 7.  If there is enough interest though, I could do it.

[Wild Child]

19 hours ago, M W Elky said:

That’s a fantastic build plus you really nailed the evolution of the rail job . I feel the modeling world could use a new tool 2025 top fuel dragster 

Mike, you are right.  Due for a nice rail, and a couple Funny Cars.

[Dragline]

We need both an AA/FC and AA/FD. It's been how long since the Bud King fuel rail came out?

Edited June 17 by Dragline

[Wild Child]

32 minutes ago, Dragline said:

We need both an AA/FC and AA/FD. It's been how long since the Bud King fuel rail came out?

I forgot about that rail.  Yeah, new cars would be nice. Most companies seem to want to re-do current kits with new box art vs new cars. Costs just keep going up.  If you do one car, maybe two, a year...it's ok.  But if you like to build more, this stuff starts getting expensive,  Pretty soon, a new kit will approach $45-50.  I do not know how young kids can even do these anymore.  With WAY less kits being sold because of this pricing, there will be way less on the second hand market.  I see less cars in the future....one time I hope I am wrong.  Cool Rail though..."BUD" (lol).

[TonyK]

Very nice looking model and great engine detail.

[PappyD340]

Very nice!

[slusher]

Grreat looking dragster!

[Force]

On 6/17/2025 at 10:33 PM, Dragline said:

We need both an AA/FC and AA/FD. It's been how long since the Bud King fuel rail came out?

The Budweiser King and ARMY dragsters was the last Top Fuel dragsters from Revell and they came 2002.

[Dragline]

So it's been a while. What brought this drought about. n the first place. I am certain those kits sold well for Revell.

[GoatGuy]

Great job!

[Force]

On 7/16/2025 at 6:55 PM, Dragline said:

So it's been a while. What brought this drought about. n the first place. I am certain those kits sold well for Revell.

The Revell tool for the Don Garlits Swamp Rat XXX was appearently sold to Atlantis is they recently isued it, and so are the first "modern era" Funny Car tool as they are releasing the Don Snake Prudhomme old Pepsi/Wendy's Pontiac as the Pepsi Challenger Pontiac, and all the later Funny Car kits are based on this tool.
I don't know if all the Revell Top Fuel tooling ended up with Atlantis or if it was only the Swamp Rat XXX...time will tell.

[Wild Child]

On 7/16/2025 at 12:55 PM, Dragline said:

So it's been a while. What brought this drought about. n the first place. I am certain those kits sold well for Revell.

Thanks guys, great to see some later Dragster fans out there too.

I agree that it would be cool to have a new Dragster out there, such as Tony Stewart's car shown here.  I think our standard model companies are really struggling and keep re-issuing old kits in different boxes.  Problem as I see it is cost.  As kids, we could easily afford kits.  This was their volume.  Now, few kids build models as the costs are insane,...then add the building supplies.  Hope to see more new Funnycars and Dragsters.

[Force]

On 7/19/2025 at 2:47 PM, Wild Child said:

Thanks guys, great to see some later Dragster fans out there too.

I agree that it would be cool to have a new Dragster out there, such as Tony Stewart's car shown here.  I think our standard model companies are really struggling and keep re-issuing old kits in different boxes.  Problem as I see it is cost.  As kids, we could easily afford kits.  This was their volume.  Now, few kids build models as the costs are insane,...then add the building supplies.  Hope to see more new Funnycars and Dragsters.

Well a Top Fuel kit doesn't have to be all new, just some updates to the last version wich isn't that much to do it like the current dragsters.
Slightly modified chassis with a new roll cage and head shield, modify the body slightly with a larger wind shield or do a new one with the DRS canopy and to the front to do the one piece front wing and a belly pan, do some updating to the engine with new larger magnetos, a set back blower, new fuel pumps and new valve covers with spark plug shields, and finally change the rear wing to a 3 element...and you will be pretty much done.
Wheels changes all the time but not as often than they have been in the past.