Time To Pick Another Stray From The Pile

[Dragline]

I made a sort of pact with myself. Every time I crack the cellophane on a new kit, the next one must be an abandoned project from the past. So as I go through boxes I find things that were once front and center, now relegated to also ran.

Which do I pick? Both are well on the way. The Bud King clear coat has yellowed. It's no doubt enamel. I have another set of decals, so that makes extra work if I have to strip it. The Jegs car just needs fuel, ignition and assembly

What would you do if these were your only options?

Edited yesterday at 09:36 AM by Dragline

[Stephen0625]

Hmmm, decisions decisions 🤔... I say go with the Bernstein flopper.

[Dragline]

I'm gonna compound and buff the yellowed area and see if it brightens first. I hope so, as Id rather buff it then strip and start from scratch.

[Zippi]

That JEGS Olds is looking mighty fine.  Should clean up pretty nice.  

[tim boyd]

9 hours ago, Dragline said:

I may a sort of pact with myself. Every time I crack the cellophane on a new kit, the next one must be an abandoned project from the past. So as I go through boxes I find things that were once front and center, now relegated to also ran.

Which do I pick? Both are well on the way. The Bud King clear coat has yellowed. It's no doubt enamel. I have another set of decals, so that makes extra work if I have to strip it. The Jegs car just needs fuel and ignition and assembly

What would you do if these were your only options?

Bob...if it were me, I'd finish both just as is.  The yellowed clear is just a sign of patina....the paint looks great as is.  Save yourself the time and effort.  This is a rare and seldom seen kit (both unbuilt and assembled) and needs to be seen.  Yours already looks great..my view would be finish it as is and display it with pride!   TB 

[Dragline]

Inspirational words from Mr Boyd himself. And in the spirit of his words BOTH shall get finished and I'll leave the Bernstein as is. Perhaps a bit of polishing for both, but these are the next two on the block!

Thanks TB for the kind and inspiring words. I just got your drag racing models book and have gotten a boost from it. It is comprehensive as well as exhaustively researched. Nitro racing has always been my first love, either in person or in scale. Look for WIP's for both of these cars in the near future.

[Zen]

Go with what Tim said, whichever one would be quicker to finish would be the first choice.

[Dragline]

I think the Bid King is closer. Even considering what I have to scratch build.

[tim boyd]

23 hours ago, Dragline said:

Inspirational words from Mr Boyd himself. And in the spirit of his words BOTH shall get finished and I'll leave the Bernstein as is. Perhaps a bit of polishing for both, but these are the next two on the block!

Thanks TB for the kind and inspiring words. I just got your drag racing models book and have gotten a boost from it. It is comprehensive as well as exhaustively researched. Nitro racing has always been my first love, either in person or in scale. Look for WIP's for both of these cars in the near future.

Great news Bob!   Will be looking forward to seeing both progress through the traps...er...finish line.  And thx for the kudos on the book project....very much appreciated.   Best...TB 

[slusher]

21 hours ago, Dragline said:

I think the Bid King is closer. Even considering what I have to scratch build.

I totally agree!

[Straightliner59]

Bob, you might give the Bud King a "bath" in sunlight. It works on old decals, sometimes; It might be worth a shot.

[Dragline]

Sage advice brother. The one thing we seem to have ample surplus of in the summer in New England is Sunshine.

I'll put it out this AM and leave it there for a couple of hours. Brilliant idea!

[Dragline]

First off, I'd like to thank Dan (Straightliner) for the (sunbath) idea. As you see it is working. Of course today is only partly sunny, but just the little it got has clearly helped. Between that and buffing I should be able to brighten it up significantly. So thank you Dan. I also need to extend the hood decal to meet the side stripe. I only just noticed it.

I snapped some pics of the bag of parts in the box. What I need and have never really gotten is pictures of that cars engine. Some guessing on my part here, but I would like a pic of the actual thing. If anyone has one I would be indebted. The crew was known for throwing jackets and other items over the engine during breaks and between rounds. It was the fastest car in its day the crew protected their work. Bob Glidden also did similar things to protect his sawed in half Dominators and sheet aluminum intake manifolds.

I have my work cut out for me.

 

Edited yesterday at 05:43 PM by Dragline

[bytownshaker]

 Copied from the NHRA site.

Remember drag racing’s version of “the Terrible Towel?” A takeoff on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 1975 playoff fan promotion, crew chief Dale Armstrong and his merry group of pranksters on Kenny Bernstein’s Budweiser King team raised eyebrows and suspicions when they started covering a component on their Funny Car when the car was in public and then quickly and deftly removing it just as the body was lowered. Everyone got so intrigued by it that the team spray-painted a question mark on it, further ramping up the furor.

As Armstrong explained to me years later, the device had its origins in trying to create an automatic shifter for Bernstein but repurposed it instead into an automatic high-speed leanout jet that would kick in between 3.6 and 3.8 into the run.

“It was unique, so we covered it up, but it wasn’t that big a deal, really,” he said. “But when everyone made such a big deal about the towel, we made an even bigger production out of it to mess with everyone’s head."

[Dragline]

And there it is...

Thanks Edgar. I had no idea it had quite that much infamy, or what it was. It seems like it was an advantage.

Of course I cannot copy it since I have no idea what unit he used or how it was connected. I'll have to go without I guess.

Or make my own, since no one would know any better.

Edited 23 hours ago by Dragline

[Dragline]

The Sun continues to do it's job on the paint and clear. Amazing!

And hanging out with the Snake.

Edited 22 hours ago by Dragline

[bytownshaker]

1 hour ago, Dragline said:

And there it is...

Thanks Edgar. I had no idea it had quite that much infamy, or what it was. It seems like it was an advantage.

Of course I cannot copy it since I have no idea what unit he used or how it was connected. I'll have to go without I guess.

Or make my own, since no one would know any better.

This may not be exactly right but close.

 

[bytownshaker]

2 minutes ago, bytownshaker said:

This may not be exactly right but close.

 

What you actually see here are two separate systems on Graeme Cowin's Fuel Coupe similar to those employed by most of today's fuelers. They're made by NOS, but they have nothing to do with nitrous oxide. The bottle contains compressed air and the two smaller solenoids are air valves used to engage the fingers of the multistage lock-up clutch. The larger solenoids are NOS's new Pinch Valve fuel lean-out system. Placed in the return line from the pumps to the tank, these valves bleed off fuel (leaning out the mixture) any time the driver hits a button, as opposed to the old-style mechanical lean-out valves that work on fuel pressure.

[Dragline]

Probably more than Im willing to scratch up. But I would be alone in my build. Thanks for info. Bernstein was a focused man in terms of what it took to win.

[Straightliner59]

11 hours ago, Dragline said:

First off, I'd like to thank Dan (Straightliner) for the (sunbath) idea. As you see it is working. Of course today is only partly sunny, but just the little it got has clearly helped. Between that and buffing I should be able to brighten it up significantly. So thank you Dan. I also need to extend the hood decal to meet the side stripe. I only just noticed it.

Wow, Bob! That's working even quicker than I expected! Looking great! Glad that was a help. You have a nice collection of parts, so far. Depending on how involved you care to get, here's a deal from National Dragster, back in the '80s. It includes the hi-lo idle control valve and the high-speed leanout. I have a ton of stuff on fuel systems.

[Dragline]

Huge thanks Dan!

Those are going to come in handy. I'll get the main stuff hooked up for sure. As for all that? WOW, for a later date perhaps. Or when I need to impress myself.

Thanks buddy.

Edit: looking at the single pump diagram makes me think I'll do that. Looks doable for sure.

Edited 12 hours ago by Dragline

[Straightliner59]

Always hhappy to help, my friend!

[Zen]

17 hours ago, Dragline said:

The Sun continues to do it's job on the paint and clear. Amazing!

And hanging out with the Snake.

That sunlight trick seems to be working, will have to remember that one.

[Dragline]

Thank Dan (Straightline) for the suggestion.