!/8th Offset Sprint Car

[Old Sprinter]

I'm starting a Grant King/ Tony Bettenhousen offset sprint car. This car was a record holder a Pheonix, for several years, driven by Anthony Simone. I am scratch building this and here is a picture from the first day. Ken.

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[Mooneyzs]

Very Nice start on this one. the chassis is looking good. What CAD program did you use to draw the frame?

[Old Sprinter]

Thanks Mooneyzs. you must go to PIR, like I do. Well I drew those plans with a pencil and architectual scale; used to do that for a living. I made a mistake with Tony Bettenhousen as it was Gary Bettenhousen who help with Grant King designing the car. Here's some pictures of it.

[comp1839]

that is looking great, ken! this is an awesome looking car. i love the colors and the gold leaf number. the injected small block is right at home there.

i have a question or two about these kinds of cars. i realize that track has a lot to do with it but, how fast is the type of car you are building? what is the type of car that has the big block mounted offset and twisted like that?

[Old Sprinter]

On a 1/2 mile pavement track they'll reach 145mph. Pheonix is a mile track so they go about about 160 mph top speed. Super modifieds are what you're thinking about with the big block. They go the same speed, just pull harder out of the corners. I've seen this car run competively with the supers and in fact, now days, it's the only class it could be legal in with that much offset. They're sort of like dragsters but the motor has to last through at least two or three races (about 40 miles) in one event not a few 1/4 mile runs. Back when I raced them there were no rules so some guys had super chargers, turbo chargers, NOS but seldom made it to the end of the race. You would love to hear the roar of 24 of these things coming down at full speed to take the green flag. Where you live, in PA, it is sprint car heaven. Lots of fast cars and tracks to run several nights a week (on dirt).. Ken

Edited August 26, 2011 by Old Sprinter

[comp1839]

that's just insane! going a 160 mph..........and then turn left! awesome stuff!

[Old Sprinter]

ya have to remember to breath!!

[Old Sprinter]

I got the motor almost built and the frame done. Working on the axles steering and the body.

[MADD FABRICATOR]

Looking " GOOD" !!!!!

CHEERZ!!!!!!!!

[comp1839]

ken, i don't want to have to tell you this but, .......your motor fell over........LOL! gotta agree with the madd man, looking good!

[Old Sprinter]

Thanks Madd Fab and Comp 1839. I've almost got the font end done and the steering box and firewall/ torque plate installed. The motor is set so I can install the removeable top rail to the frame.

[Old Sprinter]

A little more.

[comp1839]

ken, it's lookin' great! excellent effort and craftsmanship! i have a question for you. what material are your tires made from?

[Wayne Buck]

Lookin' really great! Very interesting and "different" subject.

Keep up the great work! She sure is gonna look really purty when done.

Dave, from the looks of it, I'm pretty sure those are R/C car tires and rims (foam-rubber tires, like slot cars have).

[Old Sprinter]

Dave; Wayne is correct. A year ago, when I first decided to try and scratch build a model, I bought these tires for a supermodiifed I was going to do. Tires for a scratch builder (like me) is a huge problem so I thought these tires would work. Well they didn't, too short, so I got some RC tires for dirt and filled in the tread. Since then I have built 7 cars and non of them would work with the tires either. So this model attracted me the most because I could make it to fit the tires and finally get to use them. This is a fooling around project that I needed to do, without spending a bunch of time or money on. I have been working on it less than two weeks, including drawing the plans. Thanks, you guys, for the great encourgement

[stump]

I'm with the other guys Ken, this looks absolutely FABulous so far. Two thumbs up.

May I ask what size tubing for the cage in 1/8 ?

Keep chipping away mate, I reckon you have a winner in the wings.

[Old Sprinter]

Thanks Stump. The cage and main rails are 3/16" which is scale for 1 1/2".

[Old Sprinter]

Got the

rear end done and the seat and belly pan in. That starnge looking sway bar, in the rear, is called a Jacob's Ladder. They're used mainly on circle track cars and keep the roll center consistant during suspension travel.

[my80malibu]

Fabulous. this is gonna be a cool project and your really moving along. what do you plan on using for the body?

[Old Sprinter]

  On 9/10/2011 at 2:33 AM, my80malibu said:

Fabulous. this is gonna be a cool project and your really moving along. what do you plan on using for the body?

Styrene and fiberglass. I trying to learn working styrene to get bends without using flame heat, just friction and body heat. I'm having some good luck so far. Ken

[semijoe]

this is looking really good. what the tires from?

[Old Sprinter]

Joe; they're carpet RC tires I bought for my first model I built almost a year ago. They didn't work out well so I built a car to use them on. Here's my first attempt at making a body out of styrene.

[Old Sprinter]

More body work finishing up. The tail is next. Check out the offset from the rear.

[Old Sprinter]

Back in black! Got some primer and radius rods going on so life is good.

[semijoe]

so if the tire dont fit the car , build a car to fit the tires lol. love it man...... surperb job

excellent modding the styrene body

Edited September 14, 2011 by semijoe