67 GTX "Street Freak"

[Modlbldr]

I'm building a replica of a 66 Belvedere straight axle drag car using the 67 GTX and I have a question regarding the K member. I can't see the front suspension well enough to tell if they kept the K member intact with the frame and added leaf springs and a straight axle ala 60's drag or whether they scrapped the entire k member and just attached leafs to the chassis with the straight axle. Would it be necessary to retain the k member for rigidity or would it even make sense?

If I have to keep it, I could just cut the spindles away from the molded in k member add a set of front leafs and the axle, no problem. Or, I throw it all back in he box and just go with the leafs and straight axle for the nose high look. What's your take on this????? Any help?

Later-

Edited January 29, 2011 by Modlbldr

[Casey]

If the leaf spring have a lot of arch and the nose of the car is way up in the air, they probably could've left the section of the K-frame between the framerails, but I would guess they removed everything down to the framerails instead.

Is this a replica of an actual car?

[Tim Pentecost]

I'm building a replica of a 66 Belvedere straight axle drag car using the 67 GTX and I have a question regarding the K member. I can't see the front suspension well enough to tell if they kept the K member intact with the frame and added leaf springs and a straight axle ala 60's drag or whether they scrapped the entire k member and just attached leafs to the chassis with the straight axle. Would it be necessary to retain the k member for rigidity or would it even make sense?

If I have to keep it, I could just cut the spindles away from the molded in k member add a set of front leafs and the axle, no problem. Or, I throw it all back in he box and just go with the leafs and straight axle for the nose high look. What's your take on this????? Any help?

Later-

Actually, either way would work. BUT... as you are building a 'replica' you need to be right on the money as to what they had. All I can suggest is to do more digging and see if you can find more material on the subject you have chosen. With the info you have and have provided, it's as much a ###### shoot to us as it is to you!

TimP

[6bblbird]

Actually, either way would work. BUT... as you are building a 'replica' you need to be right on the money as to what they had. All I can suggest is to do more digging and see if you can find more material on the subject you have chosen. With the info you have and have provided, it's as much a ###### shoot to us as it is to you!

TimP

I have studied AWB Mopar B Bodies for a long time and have built a few. I can tell you that they were built both ways! There were no rules when it came to fabricating these cars. Seeing how the stock K frames weighed so much and that most every one of these cars had a severe engine set back, it would make no sense to leave it in the car once a straight axle had been installed as its suspension, steering, and engine mounting functions would no longer be needed. Its main purpose would be to mount the steering box.

Steve Magnante did a series on how to build an AWB car for the Mopar Max e-zine.. See link: My link This is an example of a car built with the K frame in the car. He says in the article that this is the "quick and dirty" way to build one of these cars.

It was also quite common for racers to remove the K member, reinforce or replace the front frame rails, and mount a steering box to the new rail "Gasser"style. So, be like the original Funny Car racers, and be creative. Build it your way!

WF

Edited January 28, 2011 by 6bblbird

[Chuck Most]

I've seen a handful of Mopar axle cars with the stock (or modified) K-member, but it seems the majority of them had a fabricated setup. The really cool ones were drilled square stock.

[Tim Pentecost]

Actually, either way would work. BUT... as you are building a 'replica' you need to be right on the money as to what they had. All I can suggest is to do more digging and see if you can find more material on the subject you have chosen. With the info you have and have provided, it's as much a ###### shoot to us as it is to you!

TimP

SHEESH, all I was trying to say was c-r-a-p s-ho-o-t. Maybe this will work by spelling it out, or NOT!!!

TimP

[Modlbldr]

Hey guys-

Thanks for all of the responses to my question.

Casey, this is a build of an actual car.

The first time I saw this I KNEW I had to build it. Funny thing is,after I saw this article I saw a 70 Chevelle done the same way at a car show.

After looking at the pictures again it seems that the k member is still there. I can't see it clearly but the shadows suggest that there is something under the front. It is either the k member or the oil pan. What the text says is "that distinctive look by adding a Speedway Motors front straight axle system and leaf springs to the stock frame."

Here are a few more of the car itself:

I've taken the 440 out of the 68 Dart kit to build up as the 383. If I'm not mistaken these two engines are externally identical. So far I've glued the basic block and heads together, cleaned the 426 emblems off of the body, removed the springs from the rear axle in preparation to raise the rear suspension and I've cut out the hemi boxes off of the frame. My focus right now is on modifying the suspension and that is why i am curious about the k member. I'm actually leaning toward leaving the k member in place just to keep the front suspension stiff......but I'm still flexible.

Later-

[Modlbldr]

Here are a few more of the article and my slight progress.

I am using the 67 GTX kit and the 440 from the 68 Dart.

Again, I have the basic block of the 440 glued.

I got a set of resin M/T's from a member here a while ago. They may not be identical to the HUGE S375's on the real car but are about the closest I could find.

I sanded the M/T lettering off of the sidewalls to give them a smooth wall.

Here are some more shots of the article:

I'm really looking forward to adding another build to my bench...........But I couldn't wait any longer on this one.

Later-

[MikeMc]

Tom...what a great build...Speedway made the gasser kits for ford and chevys.This is the Gasser kit with everything

Edited January 28, 2011 by Stasch

[Modelmartin]

That car is frightening! I know it was built recently and was meant to be evocative of old gassers and some of the crazy FXers but by 67 things were coming back to earth. Cars like that were built strictly for the street. They were pretty impressive in a certain over the top way. I saw a 55 Chevy in Des Moines at the Street Machine Nationals in '75 that was at least that high in the air with a 6-71 blown 427 with something like 6.13 gears that the guy drove from California!! He had never raced it!

You can get sturdy straight axles or dropped axles from a bunch of kits like the Monogram Badman and variants, AMT 55 Nomad, Revell 53 Chevs, IMC/ Lindberg Little Red Wagon. All of those have parallel semi-elliptic leaf springs and will get you real high in the air.

[Modlbldr]

Andy-

I have to laugh because I read your post a couple of times and it finally hit me.... I think what your saying is that I posted this in the wrong section. It probably doesn't belong in the drag section. Oh well. I was sure by posting it here I would get responses from people who knew.

Anyway, I may be trying to make my own front leaf springs and straight axle set up. I do have an old version of the AMT 55 Nomad that may have the parts I need, if they haven't been robbed already.

Later-

[6bblbird]

At first,I thought that you were going to build an Altered Wheelbase match racer of some sort. Now I see that what you want to build is a Street Freak! That car most likely has a stock K frame in it as the engine has not been set back and it uses the original steering box. Go for it! Its gonna be cool.

WF

[Modlbldr]

Street Freak. I like that. That is what it reminds me of. I may have to change the name of this post. OK..OK. It's settled. Now if I can just figure out HOW to change the heading.

Later-

Edited January 29, 2011 by Modlbldr

[Modelmartin]

Andy-

I think what your saying is that I posted this in the wrong section. It probably doesn't belong in the drag section. Oh well. I was sure by posting it here I would get responses from people who knew.

I didn't even see what section you were in! I use "View New Content" and hardly even look at what section threads are in. I was just running on about what the car was about. Carry on! Pay no attention to me! You did get some good responses.

6bblbird is right. These cars were called Street Freaks. Car Craft magazine used to feature these kind of cars in the 70s.

[Modlbldr]

Andy-

No worries here. I like the term Street Freak so I changed the title (also since my question was answered I didn't need the old title). I hope I don't confuse anyone. I'm going to enjoy this build. I have to keep focused though. I have a couple of other builds going and one is subject to a timeline. I'm a sucker for punishment for starting this one though.

Later-

[Jantrix]

YES! I love this. Can't wait to see more. I built an MPC 67 Charger this way years ago.

[Modlbldr]

Hey guys-

I'm out of state right now and won't be back for at least another week, but I've been working on this one in the hotel room at night. I managed to scratch build the rear ladder bars out of styrene tonight. I already had the rear axle raised and I like the way it looks. I also began working on the front springs and axle. The springs were donated to me by my good buddy Mike Flynn, who also donated some nice aluminum velocity stacks and air cleaners. (You should see his builds- we are going to get together soon so I can take pix and post some.) They are from the 33 Willys kit. The front axle is from the 1/24 scale Monogram 55 Chevy.I had to do some modifying to put the axle below the springs. By the time I get home I should have the tunnel ram from the 66 Nova waiting for me that was donated by MoparMike (Thanks a bunch).

I'll post some photos once I get back home. Now I'm headed back to the room to maybe start some of the interior.

Later-

Edited February 21, 2011 by Modlbldr

[Modlbldr]

I finally got some time to sit at the bench unhindered last night. After a long search I received some deep Cragars from Plowboy this week and had to do quite a bit of sanding down the rims and hogging out the tires to get them to fit. I wish I could have gotten the tires hogged out a bit better, but I think they'll look alright once they're painted. If not I'll try some repairs.

I BMF'ed the emblems before primer so that I can use the ol' Qtip in thinner once the paint is dry. I got the first few coats of paint on. Paint is Testors Lacquer MM Dark Bronze Metallic.

I painted the body, dash, radiator support, grille support (piece under grille) and hood striker plate. I filled the hood cut out hole with putty and primed it, but still had some ghosting, so I had to hold off painting the hood. Should get to it and the tops of the interior door panels today.

More in the next post.

Later-

[Modlbldr]

Last night I also got a little of the suspension ironed out. I glued on some PE brackets for the traction bars and started gluing on some resin bolt heads that I got from Ma's resin a whle back. Thanks Alan.

The ladder bars are scratch-built to resemble the ones from the car(as far as I could tell). It doesn't look like much yet. Once it's all painted I think it will look like the picture.

I'm still ironing out the location of the front axle and PE brackets. I'm trying to make sure I get the axle centered but out of the way of the K member.

Can anyone tell me from the last photo if I got the steering box located correctly? There isn't an exact mounting point. The shaft seems to be too low but it doesn't seem to fit any higher.

Next is probably to paint the chassis parts and perhaps start on the interior.

Any comments or critiques welcomed.

Later-

[baddgass]

Nice start, real nice.

[RodneyBad]

Looks like the axle needs to go forward just a Smidge

Rear end is looking good, nice PE brackets and Traction bars.

I think it's a perty cool Looking GTX up there.

Pre-Donk Gasser.

Love it and on my to-build-one-day list.

[Modlbldr]

Thanks guys for the comments.

Zuki- Yeah, that's what I was thinking last night while looking at it. I think if I put the front shackle just ahead of the K member it will work out. Unfortunately I only had three PE shackles last night instead of four. I guess I'll have to fab up something else for shackles. Maybe some from some aluminum can.

Got busy with other things today so I didn't get to it. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the rest of the painting done. Still fighting the weather here. It wants to rain off and on every day. It's getting frustrating.

Later-

[Harry P.]

I'm still ironing out the location of the front axle and PE brackets. I'm trying to make sure I get the axle centered but out of the way of the K member.

Can anyone tell me from the last photo if I got the steering box located correctly? There isn't an exact mounting point. The shaft seems to be too low but it doesn't seem to fit any higher.

Next is probably to paint the chassis parts and perhaps start on the interior.

Any comments or critiques welcomed.

Later-

I can tell you one thing for darn sure: you don't need those torsion bars anymore!

[High octane]

That's a wicked lookin' "street freak" Tom and a great project as well.

[Casey]

The firewall end of the steering column/shaft should mount higher up on the firewall. Right now it appear to be touching the floorboard area, which is too low.

I suggest you remove the torsion bars and the K-frame at this point.