hippie hemi

[Corvette.Jeff]

I just bought one of ebay, anybody got anything to say about this kit?

Jeff.

[Modelmartin]

Not really.

[whale392]

It is a repop. Despite the fact that the chassis (multi-piece) is somewhat ill-fitting in the cockpit/backbone/downtube area and WILL be warped (easily fixed with a short section of 2x4, some zip ties, and some hot water), the rear-end housing having an area that is extremely thin-cast, and it has a goofy body cladding; there is actually a very nice FED of the 150" variety hiding in this kit. The Hemi (despite the valve cover breathers being cast at a completely wrong angle) is a very nice build-up, and once detailed will be a good looking mill. You will have to make your own body cladding, but it is a nice kit to start with if you want a vintage rail from the heyday of drag racing. Enjoy building it (I bought 4 JUST FOR THE CHASSIS).

[Bainford]

Ditto. I bought mine just for the chassis, too. Mine will be shortened and powered with a fuel injected nailhead. Appearing at a forum near you, fall '10.

Lots of other good parts in this one, too. I already robbed the rear wheels for my current Chevelle bracket racer project.

[whale392]

I agree, the rear wheels and tires are great for other builds of that era as well.....worth it in their own. I have one going together with the Hemi, and another with an injected Olds. Then, I am combining the Tony Nancy Chassis research rollbar and T-body with the rest of the 'Hippie' chassis to build a model of dads 150" rail. This kit has great potential, and is a wonderful platform for kitbashes.

[2002p51]

I just bought one of ebay, anybody got anything to say about this kit?

Jeff.

It's a re-pop of AMT's original Don Garlits car from 1964.

As others have said, tons of useful parts.

[Corvette.Jeff]

Yall were right, this kit has a bunch of good parts! and the motor is so detailed! the body,as stated, is pretty much ######.

[Jairus]

It's a model of the the first dragster to hit 200mph on the 1/4 mile. That would be at Lyons Drag Strip so give it some respect dudes .... nuf' said?

[Harry P.]

It was the real car that hit 200... not the model!

[Jairus]

Thats what I said!

[Raydee]

It was the real car that hit 200... not the model!

That is why he said it is a model of the first dragster to hit 200mph! :lol: Hence-

It's a model of the the first dragster to hit 200mph on the 1/4 mile.

[Jairus]

Don't mind Harry. He gets lost sometimes.....

[2002p51]

And it was at Island Dragway in New Jersey, not Lions in Long Beach.

[2002p51]

Yall were right, this kit has a bunch of good parts! and the motor is so detailed! the body,as stated, is pretty much ######.

What's wrong with the body?

I also used the same kit for this:

And I used the body for this:

So any of those bodies you have that you don't like, you can just send them to me!

[whale392]

Yes, the Garlits kit is a mighty fine kit, and the real car is as well (I lived an hour and a half from Garlits). However, as mentioned above, the Hippie Hemi used a god-aweful body cladding that could only come from the ill-begotton marriage of drugs and gayness.

As to the real car and the respect it is due (Jairus); having a real 150" rail and growing up around these cars and people who drove them, I have tons of respect for them (both man and machine).

[Jairus]

And it was at Island Dragway in New Jersey, not Lions in Long Beach.

Okay, I stand corrected here....

The Hippie Hemi kit has an entirely different body than the Garlits version does, it's not accurate for a Garlits car, or any other Top Fueler for that matter. The rest of the kit, (chassis, drivetrain), is from the kit of the Garlits dragster & does offer great parts.

...but I built that Garlits kit when I was in Middle School, 1971 and it certainly looks the same to me! Yeah the kit I built back then had the body cast in CLEAR along with a clear oil pan! Strangely enough, the Hippy Hemi body has the oil pan connected to the very same tree ... weird huh? AMT/ Round 2 is doing a lot of re-issues of old stuff lately and I really don't think they have the time or money to make a new mold for a body on a re-issued kit. So logic says that this body came out of the SAME mold as the Garlits kit but in the interest of getting along... you guys can believe what you want to believe.

[2002p51]

The Hippie Hemi kit has an entirely different body than the Garlits version does, it's not accurate for a Garlits car, or any other Top Fueler for that matter. The rest of the kit, (chassis, drivetrain), is from the kit of the Garlits dragster & does offer great parts.

Yes, I gottcha now! I just went and looked at the box art on another site. I was thinking of a totally different kit.

You're right, The Hippie Hemi body IS junk.

[Jairus]

oh....

Guess I was mixing up the "Hemi-sphere" and the "Hippie hemi" kits.

So sorry! Being an artist it is always nice to see pictures in the beginning of the thread for context. But still doesn't alleviate my embarrassment much though...

[Modelmartin]

Maybe Jairus just can't abide Hippies!

[Jairus]

Liked the clothing and music but didn't agree with their political views.