Don Garlits Swamp Rat 1-R

[FoMoCo66]

This is a model that I finally decide to rebuild, and about time, it was practically disintegrating. I built this thing a little more than 2 years ago when I was just getting into building models. One fatal flaw I made on this model was I painted EVERYTHING separately and assembled it with CA glue. This means it fell apart on the shelf but this also means that it was easy as pie to take apart. I don't really want to redo the body on this because I don't have the decals for the car, but I know it needs it because it has a whole bunch of mold lines and the paint is all scratched ( if any of you guys have a set that your willing to part with, let me know). I first started by completely taking the model apart, but that wasn't much work because my CA to paint bond gave way pretty quickly. I then stripped all the paint and chrome from the kit with easy off so I had a fresh template to start with. I then assembled the big sub-assemblies to the frame and motor. I also sanded those big rear slicks to have more of a crown of the top like the real ones, that is something that always bugged me about unsanded slicks, the lack of a crown to the top profile. I also went ahead and made the front axle steerable, more of the linkage to come. Eventually I want to make some wire wheels with copper pipe and wire and solder it all together as found in this topic. 

 Here is the model as I originally built it:

Here it is with all the work I did to it.

Thanks for looking, and all of you drag racing nuts that have a comment or critique, PLEASE do so!

Elliot

[Straightliner59]

I like the treatment for the slicks. I'd never even thought about that. I'm not sure if there are aftermarket decals for this car, but, I have never cared for the decals in the earlier versions of the kit. The ones in the retro version box are nice, though. Sorry I can't help you with the decals!

[dragcarz]

Wow Ace, I love what your doing here! I built this kit when it first came out in 1971 or 1972. The car was very new and controversial at the time and was thought to be ugly compared to the Front engined dragster’s. Some how I managed to hang on to my build all these years. Even after giving all my models away to a kid that lived upstairs from me when I got into real car’s. My original kit had poorly registered decals and I built it without the rear wing as I thought it looked hokey. Fast forward to 1987 and I came across a partial decal sheet and decided to rebuild it. Here’s a couple photos, by the way send me your address, I have decals for you. 

[Moparman18064]

Cool build! I have a picture of me sitting on his lap at Island Dragway when he was campaigning that car. The man knew how to build and drive those rails!

[FoMoCo66]

On 11/26/2025 at 2:40 AM, Straightliner59 said:

I like the treatment for the slicks. I'd never even thought about that. I'm not sure if there are aftermarket decals for this car, but, I have never cared for the decals in the earlier versions of the kit. The ones in the retro version box are nice, though. Sorry I can't help you with the the decals.

Thanks man! Of all people I cant believe you didnt notice the tires.

[FoMoCo66]

On 11/26/2025 at 3:18 AM, dragcarz said:

Wow Ace, I love what your doing here! I built this kit when it first came out in 1971 or 1972. The car was very new and controversial at the time and was thought to be ugly compared to the Front engined dragster’s. Some how I managed to hang on to my build all these years. Even after giving all my models away to a kid that lived upstairs from me when I got into real car’s. My original kit had poorly registered decals and I built it without the rear wing as I thought it looked hokey. Fast forward to 1987 and I came across a partial decal sheet and decided to rebuild it. Here’s a couple photos, by the way send me your address, I have decals for you. 

Thanks for sharing that awesome model with us, I hope mine comes out half as good! Oh and PM sent.

[FoMoCo66]

On 11/28/2025 at 6:48 PM, Moparman18064 said:

Cool build! I have a picture of me sitting on his lap at Island Dragway when he was campaigning that car. The man knew how to build and drive those rails!

Thats must have been a pretty awesome experience! And he sure did, one of my favorite from the early days of drag racing, along with Dyno Don and Grumpy Jenkins (I guess hes pretty cool for being a chevy guy).

[FoMoCo66]

I did a lot of work today since I was snowed in today. I had striped the body of paint earlier in the week, I have no clue what I used but it was a PAIN to get off and some still remains, whatever. I cut the body apart like the real car and even thinned the body down on the edges to make it look a little more like thin aluminum pannels. But the main work I did was finishing up the front steering, the main rods are actually paperclips if you can believe that. I think theres are some little clearance issue that still need to be taken car of. Otherwise, next stop, the engine!

Thanks for looking everyone!

Elliot

[Straightliner59]

3 hours ago, FoMoCo66 said:

Thanks man! Of all people I cant believe you didnt notice the tires.

Funny thing is, I've always noticed it on real cars, just never gave it a thought, as to a model. No idea why. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[Straightliner59]

You're doing some very nice work, Elliot! Steering looks sweet. I think she's gonna look pretty cool!

[FoMoCo66]

12 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

You're doing some very nice work, Elliot! Steering looks sweet. I think she's gonna look pretty cool!

Thanks for the compliment, that is one of the things I love most about rails how the wheels just flop over.

[FoMoCo66]

Little update. I painted the white letter tires with an eraser and also painted the wheels with silver and blackwash in the holes. I also drilled out the distributor and wired it yellow plug wires.

[FoMoCo66]

So ive been doing a lot of online searching for images of this car and its engine. And as with many vintage drag cars there not well documented and they get canablized or modified for the next car so its not like there still around. I did find some nice photos of the car, obviously they are from different time periods, some have port injection and some dont. The kit has a fuel block for the back so I decided to add it. I also found that the box art for the mpc don garlits engine is a decent reference as well. Besides that I painted the engine orange (why am I telling you guys this, you have eyes), did some aluminum detail painting. And my custom mix of testors paints for the magnesium on the intake and blower.

Heres the engine itself. I think some of the silver needs some toutch ups because of pulling it in and out of the frame for moch-up's.

Thanks for looking everyone, I am going to buy some Detail Master or Proline braided lines. I cant figure out proline's online ordering and Detail Master has a very user friendly website, I have just heard that Proline is superior. Im also trying to find a good sorce for AN fittings, preferably resin sets.

Elliot