"The Tin Box " Bantam Competition Coupe - 8-06 Update

[Bernard Kron]

This is the fourth and final build extracted from a single AMT Double Dragster Kit "Tin Box" Special Edition. This kit contains an extra dragster chrome tree which gives you much of an additional dragster. The kit also comes with two sets of dragster frame side rails, a twin side-by-side engine set, and a set for a single or in-line twin setup. This got me thinking that it should be possible to build at least three, and perhaps four cars from one tin box if you were willing to raid your parts box and do some scratch building. So far I've completed 2.95 cars:

Tin Box Build No. 1 - A '25 T Altered using the Fiat Altered frame from the kit, along with an AMT Competition Parts Pack '25 T Altered kit and a blown Pontiac from the same Competition parts

Tin Box Build No. 2 - A Fiat Altered using the Double Dragster Fiat body, the blown Hemi from the Double Dragster kit, and a scratch built frame.

Tin Box Build No. 2.95 - A side-by side twin Chevy rail with top mounted blowers. This last is 95% done because I managed to lose one of the rear wheels and I'm waiting to receive a replacement thanks to the generosity of a fellow member on the TRaK board who popped one in the mail to me last week.

In the meantime I've started work on "Tin Box Build No. 4". It's a competition coupe based on the two single engine side rails from the Double Dragster kit and a resin '32 Bantam coupe body shell I recently found on e-Bay. Needless to say the old tin box is getting pretty empty at this stage so the hemi comes from an AMT Hemisphere kit. I haven't decided if I'll keep it blown or go real early era and use the eight '97's I still have from the Double Dragster kit. Beside the frame rails (and perhaps the carburetion), the Double Dragster kit will provide the slicks, front suspension and the seat. It could have supplied the quick change rear axle, too, but I decided to save that for a future build and substituted a rear end from a Revell Deuce kit which I had snapped a couple of years ago. I cut it down and added new axle ends. All the chassis cross members and the x-brace for the roll cage are scratch built from styrene rod and tubing, as is the suicide perch at the front. I have removed the body mount stubs from the frame rails and may still remove the mounting stubs for the Moon tank at the front. The front wheels and tires are from a Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. The rear wheels are dummies for the moment.

I'll have to scratch much of the steering gear and raid my parts box for some interior details, but otherwise this build is coming together surprisingly quickly. It's also striking how the "bones" of this old AMT kit shine through all these different cars, all of which are decidedly Old School from the era when the kit was first released, which is to say circa 1960.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Bernard Kron

[Fuel Coupe]

love it

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx Shane!

Tin Box Build No. 4 is now “The Tin Box”. I decided to go with a bare metal look so I painted the body in Testors Metalizer Magnesium finished off with a rubbing of Kosutte Gin San “magic dust” chrome powder to sharpen the metal highlights. I also did some more work on the chassis, replacing the suicide perch I’d made with a taller one to bring the nose down a bit and dial in the stance, and also fabricating a push bar. I’ve decided to go with the 8 97’s in an effort to “empty the box”.

Thanx, for lookin’,

B.

[Bernard Kron]

Here's a small update. I designed some graphics. Here they are layed into some images via Photoshop. I won't know if they'll stand out as much in the final until I print some up and apply them.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

[brett]

Very cool

[Peter Lombardo]

Very nice.....I love that fact that we are thinking the exact same way as I am in the middle of a near clone of this dragster. I am using a Jimmy Flintstone resin body, which, most likely is the same one you got from Ebay. Very nice....I like the "Tin Box" graphics too...very clever title. Looking very sharp.

[Ryan S.]

I love the idea here, about getting the most out of the box that you can and so far everything is looking great. This last one is cool, with the metal look and all.

Question, will decals stick to the gin-san stuff or will you clear coat it first?

Edited July 21, 2011 by Ryan S.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx everyone

.....I love that fact that we are thinking the exact same way as I am in the middle of a near clone of this dragster. I am using a Jimmy Flintstone resin body, which, most likely is the same one you got from Ebay. ...

Cool! The body I got on E-Bay is of mysterious origins. Definitely not JF. It's not the Bantam that Chuck Meier at Altered States offers, it has different details. Nor is it an exact repop of either the Sizzler or the Jawbreaker. The quality is on a par with (believe it or not) Altered States or even Replicas & Miniatures of Md. Very thin, white resin, flawless outer surface and only a minimum of irregularities on the interior surfaces. Virtually no flash and where there was any it was wafer thin. I think the vendor may be a closet resin caster since, while they don't offer an official line of resin items, shortly affter I received my Bantam (and several other pieces, all equally nice), another one went up for bid. Here's a link to the item I won:

http://cgi.ebay.com/...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT

...Question, will decals stick to the gin-san stuff or will you clean coat it first?...

Yikes! A very good question., So good I just did a quick test. I hadn't planned on clearcoating so this was directly over the existing surface. With much relief I can report that the decal stock lays down just fine and adheres with no issues as long as you hit it with some setting solution! Phew!!!

Edited July 26, 2011 by Bernard Kron

[Raul_Perez]

Very cool, Bernard!!

This is my favorite of the old style dragster bodies!

The name is AWESOME!!

Keep up the good work!!

Later,

[LAone]

i gotta agree with everyone, this is very cool and to think you got several builds out of one box is even cooler.

[Randy D]

Hello Bernard, Wonderful build and a beautiful metal finish!!!

Randy

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx again, everybody!

Here's another brief update. The engine is largely completed, lacking only final wiring and connection to the fuel system. Most of the engine is from the AMT Hemisphere/Don Garlits Wynn's Jammer kit. The engine mounting plate, 8 Stromberg 97's and log manifold are from the Double Dragster kit, with a front accessory drive taken from an AMT '40 Ford Sedan kit. Next up are the interior, steering and front suspension.

Thanx for lookin'

B.

[Fuel Coupe]

Bantams looking good man...

[iBorg]

That body I'm pretty sure was cast by the original folks behind A F/X resin. Whether it is sold by them or another individual I don't know. At one time I know another individual was buying them and selling them. A F/X resin had some GREAT products but near their end using that name, their customer service was without a doubt the worst of any resin caster. Sad ending to a company that produced some of the best product available. I'll agree it is on a level with the best resin casters.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx again, guys! Thanx iBorg for the scoop on A/FX Resins. I suspect you may be right in that they shipped quite slowly by e-Bay standards! Sure is beautiful stuff, though...

The chassis, wheels and tires, and interior are now completed. It’s a roller! A copy of the kit steering gear was made from styrene tubing. I also narrowed the rear track slightly so that the tires now just fit under the bodywork, per the rulebook back in the day (a rule, by the way, that was largely ignored by many runners).

Typically, I strip most of the chrome off my builds and use metallizers instead to create a more subdued and perhaps realistic look. In this instance, however, I decided to stick with kit chrome wherever it made sense. This is primarily because of the shiny chrome on the wire wheels which give the whole build a more polished appearance than I usually go for.

All that’s left is doing the ignition and fuel system, applying the decals, and doing the window glass. I haven’t decided on whether to install side and rear glass or not. On the originals it varied widely as to whether it was done or not, quite often determined by how much of the roof had been cut away. The more open space above the wheels the better the chances that the tire smoke would be blown away from the driver. Since this body is quite enclosed I may forego side glass.

Thanx for lookin’,

B.

[Bernard Kron]

I've held off on the final wiring and plumbing while I'm waiting for some Morgan Auto Detail resin magnetos to arrive. I've decided to omit the side glass.

In the meantime, I finished up on the basic decals which have been applied. The space on the back to the right and below the Tin Box script needed some filling so I came up with some artwork to make a decal. I thought you guys might be interested in the process.

I started with this photo:

I then did some heavy processing in Photoshop to create a ;lack and white line drawing:

I'll take that image and make a decal. This is a photo of the rear end. The number "4 B/C" and "The Tin Box" script are real decals. The car decal image is fake, laid in with Photoshop as a mockup.

I have a question for you guys regarding whether to run a parachute or not. Here's a picture of the 1960 NHRA Nationals winner, one of the inspirations for this build. As you can see it has no ‘chute, even 'though it's running a blower. The rear end is nice and clean and unencumbered.

Here's another picture of a similar car, running the same carb setup I have. You'll notice a 'chute mounted high up at the back. I'm could fabricate a parachute mount that would be inserted through the rear window slot on a bracket attached to the top cross member of the roll cage. The down side is that the rear would be more cluttered up, with the mail slot rear window somewhat obscured

What do you guys think? Keep it clean, or go for a more aggressive look with the 'chute peaking over the top of the cab?

Once the magneto arrives I'm just about done.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

[sak]

The paint you chose for the shell is very convincing. Magnesium with magic dust over top?? What sorcerer sold you this?

[Bernard Kron]

The paint you chose for the shell is very convincing. Magnesium with magic dust over top?? What sorcerer sold you this?

Wave Kosutte Gin-San is very hard to find. I bought some from HobbyLink Japan who have been chronically out of stock. Indeed, at the moment, they don't list it at all. It can also be found on eBay on occasion. Apparently there is a similar product sold on eBay under the name MGM Prime Electro plating Hobby Super Magic Powder ( http://shop.ebay.com...K:MEFSRCHX:SRCH ). Several people have reported that the supplier is quite reliable but that delivery (from China) tales about 3 weeks. It's much cheaper on eBay but I have mine from HobbyLink now and it will last quite a while.

In general I find that this powder over various metalizers creates a very realistic metallic effect superior to metalizers alone. I haven't tried it yet but this powder over Allclad II chrome is reputed to provide the ultimate non-plated chrome finish.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Bernard Kron

[Bernard Kron]

The Tin Box is now done. Final pics and a summary description can be found Under Glass here: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46947&pid=504572&st=0&#entry504572

Thanx to all for following along!

B.