Ancient history technically accurate totally incorrect #14 Rock Island Winston Cup car

[Russell C]

Back in 1986, I traded/sold off nearly all of my leftover 25th scale truck stuff in exchange for a bit of cash and two kits: a Monogram Folgers Monte Carlo and the kit that's the basis of this model (brownie points to any who can identify the make & model + what the kit was). Don't ask me what prompted the 'hobby career' switch from sane model trucks to wacko model cars. I like to have some fun messing with people's minds, I guess.

I'm more of a Ford NASCAR guy than a GM one, but the body lines of this one seemed to be a nice (although utterly impossible in reality) fit at the time. But "why stop there?", is what I thought, so I gathered up what I could find out of SAE 1:1 reference photos and did the best I could to replicate the wiring and other detailing found in Cup cars circa the mid '80s. And in a good effort to make this an accurate "inaccurate", I did a reasonable amount of research into what would be seen on a Cup version of this car, along with some bits on the optional in-car bulky camera, and the color scheme for the main sponsor decals.



Yep, besides the base car being wrong, you'd never see that sponsor on an '80s car. The Rock Island railroad went bankrupt in 1977. And if I have it right, #14 was already a taken number by the Foyt team, but it is my favorite number, so tough beans. Plus, I always wanted to drive one of these, so there's my name on the upper doors. That Thermos jug next to the seat is painted in accurate colors, by the way. I own a '70s-era jug that looks exactly like that. The gearshift knob is painted to resemble a #14 pool ball. I forget if the number on it is a decal or if I had to paint it.

All of the NASCAR bits on this came from the Monte Carlo, including the fender flares and of course the chassis, which happened not to need any adjustment of its wheelbase. The reflection under the model, by the way, is just what happens when I use the smoked glass pane from my coffee table on top of a piece of white poster board.



One more added bit is the fuel overflow tube sticking out the back, the end piece of a Pentel pencil where the lead comes out.



Within the sights of the in-car cameras in those days were decals on the dash of the driver's number and name, his primary sponsor, and the TV network. So, I couldn't resist creating paper 'decals' for the Public Broadcasting Network.



Some heat stretched & shaped red sprue makes a reasonably realistic set of air ducts for the brakes. Four pipes on just one side of the engine indicates another major intentional inaccuracy, though.





Yep, that's an Isuzu 4-cylinder in there (my dad lathe-turned the air cleaner out of aluminum for me). The problem with all those 1:1 reference photos I had, none had good views of the engines. But I did have perfect 24/7 views of the engine in my Chevy Luv pickup, so I used that as a reference to turn a scrap parts engine & tranny into an accurate replica. Who was going to stop me?



Yep, I had fun with it, I still get a kick out of it. If you think this one is blasphemous, wait 'till you see the rest of the top fuel dragster I did as a lark for a special theme category at one of the old Arizona contests Tim Pentecost and the White Mountain Plastic Modelers used to have.

Edited April 29, 2020 by Russell C
fixed busted photo links

[JunkPile]

Thumbs Up!

[THarrison351]

I'd guess it's a Tamiya Mercedes Benz 500 SEC. I built a Lorinser version back in the early eighties. Nice kit, I think I still have it moldering in a box. Your version looks great, I'm not sure about the Isuzu 4 cylinder, but a Mercedes in NASCAR would be cool.

Edited January 24, 2014 by THarrison351

[Russell C]

I'd guess it's a Tamiya Mercedes Benz 500 SEC ......

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. I still have a few bits of leftover interior pieces out of it.....

[Danno]

Bravo, Russell!

Way to throw everybody for a loop!

[slusher]

Cool build. Lots of info there..

[bbowser]

Very imaginative! Nice work.

[TooOld]

Excellent details Russell !

I'm not a fan of NASCAR anymore but I lived and breathed it thru the 60's 70's and 80's . It might be blasphemy but I LIKE IT !!!

[Karl LaFong]

Nice! I like the way you were thinking way out of the box.

[Modelmartin]

It isn't yellow and it has one too many wheels!

[kilrathy10]

Great work, Man.....Looks pretty cool....

[Russell C]

It isn't yellow and it has one too many wheels!

Yep, it was a bit before I fell into that running gag..... (borrowing Kurt Womack's photo in that link)

Edited January 28, 2014 by Russell C

[Chuck Most]

Oh, man... this is sweet! Wonder how competitive it would have been with the 'Suzu mill, though.

[Modelmartin]

Yep, it was a bit before I fell into that running gag..... (borrowing Kurt Womack's photo in that link)

One needs to be careful. It is easy to become typecast. A breakthrough is needed...........or maybe an intervention.

[Skypower]

Very cool and loved the surprise under the hood, that's the kind of thing that makes modeling fun.

[Jordan 191]

I love it, especially the livery.