2011 USAC NonWing Sprint Car

[Old Sprinter]

Here's where the Beast sits today. Front end almost done; building the quick change and the motor is almost complete; plus I have finished the tires. Thank God for slicks, this time as there's no tread to cut in. Notice the offset to the left. The whole car sits 2" to the left from center of the wheel track. That's what the USAC rules allow other wise they'd be like super modifieds where nothing is on the right side and the motor hangs out flush with the left rear tire..

Edited April 27, 2012 by Old Sprinter

[Prostreet]

Awesome work, Very cool to see how you build these, How about a big block super modified next? hehe

[Old Sprinter]

Joe; I think that's a great idea, but I need to finish my commitments first. Here's today's progress. This is a pavement car driven by Tracy Hines in USAC. I'll be getting the decals next week, some time, so I can finish both cars up and start on the next. Check out the jabobs ladder on the right rear.

[eviltwincustoms]

Man KEN.... I must have been sleeping, not sure how I missed these updates! I also appreciate the details you providing, this is great information you shared. I know nothing about sprint cars, and you make it look so easy.... It almost makes me want to try my hand at one of these just to see how much work you put into them.

So are you building these for someone or are they going into your collection?

[Old Sprinter]

Thanks Bart; sprint cars and midgets are my roots. I have never been to a drag race in my life, but hundreds of circle track races. I'm building these for a guy who sponsors some USAC and a World of Outlaw sprinter and some other guys that are involved in the sport. They're all winners. If you would like to try building one, I have detailed plans ( 10 pages) for the dirt car. Shows how to build everything, just e-mail me at kmeaders@q.com ; they race these cars in your neck of the woods. Lakeside Speedway in KC for one. Check it out sometime; you'll love it. Ken

[Old Sprinter]

A dirt sprinter uses two brakes; one the the left front and one at the center of the rear end ( to the left of the quick change). A pavement car needs more brake so they run one on each front wheel and add an additional brake to the rear on the left side, Also the radiator is laid down on an angle to allow better cooling with the areo front configuration.

[Old Sprinter]

These cars are getting decals this week and being deployed to Indiana next week. Note the right hand steer on the pavement car vs. left hand on the dirt car.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Old Sprinter

[Old Sprinter]

I'm starting on #3 actually it's car 53 in USAC. It's another dirt car with some slight differences from the first one. The left side has another vertical bar at the cage, the front braces are different and the shock mounts and hood is different. I'm getting faster as all of this has taken me about 12 hours to do. Here's also a shot of the real car, I'm building..

Edited May 5, 2012 by Old Sprinter

[Old Sprinter]

I'm waiting on the decals, still and on a shipment of styrene so I robbed some tires and wheels from the first car just to see what she's going to look like. The hood on this was a challenge.

[eviltwincustoms]

Ken, I don't know how you can Contort that styrene but man you do a fantastic job.

Well I guess I should ask of it is styrene and not fiberglass...?

Care to share your secret on,how you made that hood happen?

[Old Sprinter]

Care to share your secret on,how you made that hood happen?

Bart; it's styrene and some Bondo. The sides and top are .040 styrene sheet epoxied to a half of a 1/4" styrene tube. The main rail at the cage are 3/16" so it has to slide over them; that's why 1/4". The rounded part of the hood I made styrene ribs in that shape, glued them to the top and filled it in with Bondo to make it rounded. The hood is cut along the injector box so the sides pull out to slip the hood on or off. It's an old Indian trick! LOL Ken

[vintagedragfan]

Ken, I love sprint cars myself, so its a pleasure to see you building these awesome machines, I work 5 minutes from WOO champion Dude Lasaski's shop, I actually painted all his cars for a couple years when he was with Tony Stewart Bass Pro Racing, I have all of the Action Die Cast cars that I painted for them, kinda cool! you are an extremely talented craftsman, I am glad you are sharing these awesome builds with us, keep up the great work Ken!

[Old Sprinter]

First, thank you, Bill. Danny the Dude over came some bad stuff then went on to win the Knoxville Nationals and the WOO championship. One tough hombre. The same grit as Steve Kinser. I have loved sprints and midgets all my life, so getting to build models of them, now that I'm retired, is cool. Getting to be around those guys, like you did, is a pretty awesome experience as well.

[comp1839]

just outstanding work, ken!!!!! these are just magnificent builds. super job,...please keep it up!!!!!!!

[Old Sprinter]

Thank you, Dave. You, my friend ,set the bar for race cars. I finally finished the first one.

[comp1839]

OMG!!! WOW!!!

[eviltwincustoms]

Exactly.... That is just out frikin standing!

Just amazing work all around, and the decals just top it off. It looks like you shrunk down the original.

[vintagedragfan]

geez Ken, you gotta be pleased with that!, it turned out just perfect, beautiful work all around, not only the scratch building of the car, but the paint and decals too, very nice work man!!

[Draggon]

Simply amazing work Ken! Ya gotta be proud of this one!

[cobraman]

Outstanding workmanship !

[Prostreet]

Turned out amazing Ken, awesome work buddy.

[MADD FABRICATOR]

Ken, about the decals, are they water slide or stick on vinyl ? Are you at liberty to say who made them, and will they do custom work for other modelers?

CHEERZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MADD FABRICATOR

[Old Sprinter]

Thank you all. It makes my day. I've finished the pavement car and they're both being shipped off today to Indiana. MF. the guys I'm building these for supplied the decals. They do wraps for race cars, trucks, all that kind of stuff. It's a vinyl peel and stick and amazing stuff as it conforms to any shape. I sent them drawings of each panel and they made the decals just like the real cars. I'm hoping they'll do more for me after I have finished with their order which includes two more cars. I also use a guy in Pennsylvania who does custom water slides for race car models but these are the best.

[vintagedragfan]

those are some nice machines Ken! keep up the great work!

[71 Charger 500]

WOW! These are some terriffic cars, Ken! Absolutely outstanding! Have you ever done, or thought of doing, a USAC Midget?

Mo