My oldest model...Mid 60s Healey B/Modified Sports drag racer

[traditional]

Believe it or not, I built this model in 1966 (46 years ago) while I was still in college in Toronto. It was the last model that I built before my brother and I turned our attention to restoring 1/1 vehicles for the next faze of our hobby lives. It was at least ten years or so before I got back into model building and I've been enjoying building models ever since (as well as full size cars).

This B/Msp model was built from a 1/25 late '50s Revell Austin Healey kit (it had a multi piece body) and the basic Chevy 396 Rat Motor came from the then just introduced MPC Corvette kit..... I believe it was one of MPC's first kits and the first kit to use that big-block Chevy.

The model uses most of the popular trends of the day, including the now absurd 'high in the nose' stance and long traction bars. The various drag racing parts were largely scratch-built.....no aftermarket parts back then, the wheels and tires came from an AMT kit of that era (I can't remember the exact source any more), and the handmade front axle/ suspension used coil springs from a ball-point pen.

Paint choice back then was Pactra candy green enamel spray over Pactra silver, and details were also painted with Pactra enamels.

NHRA's Modified Sports class eventually got lumped in with the Gassers and Street roadster classes, but in the mid 60s it was still its own entity.

I've always kept my models in dust-free environments or display cases so although the workmanship isn't what I'd try to achieve now-a-days, I'm really glad to still have the model in its original completed condition.

[krazyglu]

That is really really cool and it looks awesome after all these years. Great to see that something like this can survive, thanks for sharing.

[jeffs396]

Very cool Cliff!

That build sure has stood the test of time, it's older than me (barely )

I still have most of the builds I did as a kid in the 70s, and like you, it's nice to look back on these old builds to see how far we've progressed!

[Chuck Most]

Love it!

[bondo bill]

i was building kits then also but mine didn't look that good coool build

[Alan]

VERY cool not to mention, extremely advanced build for 1966, as well as bang on period correct, very nice to see...... love the level of detailing eg. the rear finned brake drums, rip chord ! NICE!! Would enjoy seeing more of this one as well as others you have done Clifford ....

Alan

Edited April 21, 2012 by Alan

[High octane]

Nice job on that old build and it looks great. It's also cool that you've kept it all these years too.

[Bartster]

That is one bad racecar! Love everything about it!

[Olds Rocket 88]

WOW.... very nice, wish I still had some of my old stuff.....

[W-409]

Well that is cool! Great to see really old builds in this good condition. You did amazing job, that looks like Traditional Gasser to me. Details are impressive, and stance is great. Can't believe that it's built with 60's tooling and sixties information of detailing plastic models.

[crazyjim]

Very nice looking build and still so SHINY :)

[rctruk]

That is a nice one

[Draggon]

Thats outstanding! I really dig those old Healy's set up for the drags.

[vintagercr]

I really like it!

[rmvw guy]

Still looks good today! Isn't it funny how styles return even with cars? Maybe this one never went away.

[Fast Floyd 2]

SWEEEEEEET !!!!!!!!!!

[Brizio]

Very nice and clean build!

[deathskull59]

nice gasser that thing must be really old

[Foxer]

Pactra candy .. yes I've messed up one of those paint jobs before .

It's fantastic to see this has survived so long and it's great looking to boot!

[PARTSMARTY]

VERY AWESOME!

[Eshaver]

That old Revell kit is no easy kit to even build out of the box, much less modify into a street racer . Very well done sir ! Ed Shaver

[Jon Cole]

So good, that I suspect it would fare very well in any model contest today!