scratch building early era dragsters

[Peter Lombardo]

A few weeks ago I posted some shots of the chassis for the long wheelbase dragster….since then I have gotten a bit more of it done.

Normally, I build street rods, customs, concepts, F1’s and my own designs, but every now and then, it is fun to do a drag car. I am partial to the 1960’s era cars because as a teenager, they were what I thought about. I know the new stuff is great with the wild plumbing, crazy scoops and “big†everything….so here are two early era cars I am working on.

The chassis is completely scratch built using plastic tubes and metal rods encased in plastic for the main frame rails.

This is not patterned after one particular dragster, but more like what I would have liked to have built, if I were looking to build a dragster back in the late 60’s or early 70’s.

The area around the cockpit is sheet styrene to replicate the rolled steel or aluminum that would be on a real car. The interior area is half round styrene cut and glued down.

Later it will be painted to look like naugahyde vinyl “tuck and roll†which was popular back then.

The body is a Jimmy Flintstone resin of a ’32 Bantam Coupe.

I added a new firewall section, interior wheel well surrounds and removed the rather lame looking parachute pack that was on the rear. I cut it away, glued on a plate that will hold the new chute which will be held on with magnets imbedded in both parts so that when the body is removed, the chute can remain connected to the rear end of the dragster. The rear end is a piece lifted from the Tony Nancy dragster (the silver car) as are the front motorcycle tires. I will use them only if I can’t find photoetch ones. The rear slicks and wheels also came from that kit.

The front axle is the R & D Unique unit sold as “Curbside Dioramicsâ€. I cut away the spring and attachment points and articulated the axle so the wheels will turn. I love how those old dragsters looked with their front axle mounted at a 40 or so degree angle back, so that the wheels leaned when they were turned. Obviously, the axle will be connected to the steering wheel with a very long link and l have to scratch build it in the appropriate “Butterfly†style. I am also planning a small narrow wing over the nose of the chassis….I have seen a number of cars from that era with small wings so it would period correct

The engine is a Ross Gibson resin piece. It is the 392 Hemi “Top Fuel Drag Race Engineâ€. I like the engine as it looks just as I remember those old “Digger†engines looked, but I was not happy with the head covers, even though they provide you with 3 different sets, so I replaced them with a pair from Altered States, which I really like.

This engine also came with an injector hat that I also was not crazy about….it looks just like that huge thing that sits atop the Revell Parts Pack Ford 427, I also replaced it with an injector scoop from Altered States.

I added a fuel pump up front on the engine and will hook that up to a fuel tank riding up front in the chassis…both of them also came from Altered States Resin.

On the left side of the chassis, just forward of the engine, there is a plate glued on, that will house the Dual Remote Oil Filters and Bracket from Machine Aluminum Specialties.

The engine is wired up and all of the fuel and oil lines will be in place. The headers, or zoomies were fashioned from pieces of solid core solder. I bent them into shape and then drilled out the ends which are painted exhaust black.

I was very happy with the result.

I am not sure what color this will be yet…..I like the idea of white and candy blue….a white chassis and white trim on the mostly candy blue body. I am also thinking of some graphics for the name which at this point , the project is named “Bad A$$ Bantamâ€â€¦I am liking a small rendering of a kid “mooning†his opponent. There is not a lot of space on the body, so it would have to be pretty small…..but it could be funny.

The next car is one that I have been working on very slowly for the past few years. It is a Fiat bodied altered gasser.

The chassis is also scratch built with the same kind of materials as the long wheel base car, it is pattered after the Wild Willy cars chassis.

The body is the beautiful resin re-pop of the old Revell Parts Pack Fiat body. I mated it up with the Pontiac 421 Parts Pack engine, which is still missing much of it’s plumbing, but it will get attached as some point,

parts box wheels and tires and the same R & D Unique front axle, only this one has the springs, shocks and all of the hardware attached. I also articulated this one so that the wheels turn.

I have a neat turned fuel tank which will be mounted just ahead of the engine and the exhaust headers dump into collectors that will exit under the floor of the car (a separate piece)

I also have not finalized the color combo on this one, but the chassis is flat black and I am thinking maybe a pearl white, yellow and candy purple with a smattering of candy blue too….we’ll see as I get into that part of the build.

I still don’t have a name for this one…these cars always had a name…something catchy…..something unique….I will have to do more research on it.

[John Teresi]

Peter..........I`m diggin this build........glad you are building a darg car.........gonna be nice.

[Romell R]

Great job Peter! cant wait to see what happens next!

[Foxer]

WoW .. that's a lot of half rounds, Peter!

and looking GOOD!

[Edward Gore]

Very nice progress and details on this SB!

[curt raitz]

Like Minds...

Just started the Tommy Ivo front engine dragster

out of the box build exept for engine detail...which is needed with any dragster

Lookin' good so far Peter...the "half rounds" musta been fun

[Randy D]

Hello Peter, Wonderful craftmanship!!!! What did you use for the plumbing lines on that 392 motor?

Really looking forward to your progress

Randy

[crazyjim]

You always have intertesting builds, Peter. I'm looking forward to seeing more results.

[charlie8575]

This is going to be quite a build, Peter....both of them.

And I know that in your capable hands, nothing less than works of art will be the end-result.

Charlie Larkin