Technical Help request, injected 426 Hemi dragster, model

With the right photography conditions you could stage these as real cars.

Amazing.

 

@Mike-model ...okay, you win!

 

Can't tell if this is the same one you are looking at doing but it has a sidewinder running for inspiration.

posted by swi66 in the vintage thread

 

@loudbang...

Not the same car, but very similar in design. I have interesting detailed photos of the bare chassis on this one, and was kind of disappointed the one I was looking for was not this car.

My opinion, the 5 spoke wheels on this one look sensational, I like!

Unfortunately, the information I was hoping to acquire has kind of dribbled away. Still trying to figure out what the heck this canister would be. Perhaps a coolant reservoir, since the motor was covered up, draining the rest water after the run may have taken too long otherwise ??

This can here (red arrow), would you have an idea?



Here one of the car you've shown....it's a fantastic car too!



....another of the chassis;



Right there is some great modeling material.... I love it.

Thanks for posting these.
Mike..

 

No sorry, no idea what that tank is for.

 

Great that you mention this, something that has me wondering for a while. If striving for perfect detail on a small model, then having it land on a shelf after a short light box photo session is all, then this is just sad, my opinion.

Here's what I'm working on, just today matter of fact. Blue sky at 5 pm today. Set up a small table, with a small sheet of plywood with gray sand paper sheets as a pavement. Here the parking lot at my apartment, with a row of garages. I like this background. With more time, I'll open the garage door, and just let this car roll out for a few photos. Sat my butt on the sidewalk curb and shot a couple of photos to have a look see.



Then a search on YouTube, up come a lot on this topic. I'll get there, need some practice, but this is the way forward. These shots took all of a few minutes, just to get the feel of things. I like this.

There's a fellow, who does this so well, you can hardly tell, is it real or not. Here a simple setup...just like this...



Get down low and shoot away!

More on this as it unravels.

Mike..

 

Concerning this photo from above,



Just found out yesterday from the former owner's son, the tank is for a dry sump oil system. This is the only photo I have it.

As far as i understand, this car had a chain drive, only on the left side. The other rear wheel had a huge single disc brake.

As much as I like this car, I'm going to pass on building a replica, as just too many unknowns are involved.

A similar car though, is already in the works. This car, shown by @loudbang above, from posted by swi66 in the vintage thread.

 

This has been a very cool thread!!!, great workmanship!! I noticed the detail on the blower drive belts, any chance this is a linen type cloth, "painted " with black paint base and linseed oil?

 

@rbrewer, no sir. This is just simple stuff.



The tape has a decent structure and the right thickness. Not too flimsy. Just a length was pulled and laid on a slab of glass, cut to proper width and placed around the pulleys, a touch of CA bottom of the crank pulley. Inner areas were touched up with a water based black. Water based for this is better, easier to touch up or scratch off if the paint goes where it's not supposed to be.

Here in Germany, they don't have the old fashioned electric tape of old. Wasn't it called friction tape? Kind of sticky, but had a great almost flat black dull color. I used to have some in the toolbox, American made....no idea where it is now.

Thanks for the comments, I appreciate your interest.

Mike..

 

I cleaned out my room in the basement during quarantine...I have a lot of finished models. Some all together some that have lost parts ove the years. My faves are the '62 Catalina gasser I named 'Leopard Cheese'. It's a 421 SD painted orange with leopard print stripes. Another is my Ed Roth award winner from years ago. He picked it as his favorite at the St Ignace car show years ago. Had him sign the pro-mod style wing...It's WAY O/T for this board, though.

 

Here in Germany, they don't have the old fashioned electric tape of old. Wasn't it called friction tape? Kind of sticky, but had a great almost flat black dull color. I used to have some in the toolbox, American made....no idea where it is now.

Thanks for the comments, I appreciate your interest.

Mike..[/QUOTE]
Mike,
You may not have the old friction tape in Germany but I'm guessing you have hockey stick tape. Very similar to friction tape. I used it to wrap the cracked steering wheel in my '39 pick up. I also use it to repair cloth wire looms on older cars. It's pretty tough stuff, makes a good wrap for rake and shovel handles among other non car related uses.

 

@51504bat, that looks like an excellent wrap material. Wrap it tight, then add a 2-component epoxy and paint it on smooth? Excellent webbing material.

Too big though for a tiny scale though. But you know what this would be for? Look here....this is an inside the casing view of a belt driven sidewinder dragster...check out the belt....

One of the reasons why I passed on building a belt driven sidewinder, was the issue of the belt itself.

The band you show might even pass as a scale belt.

Thanks for your interest, I'm still amazed with what you guys come up with....meaning the positive approval.

Mike..

 

A little off beat but some old computer hard drives used a belt inside that looks almost exactly like that drive chain.

 

@loudbang, I have a 90's 4gb drive that I'll chop up to have a looky. Heck, maybe something in there to use anyway. Micro stuff is an excellent source for making small models look good. Great idea, thanks for this.

 

Mike-model,
have you seen the models built by my friend Roger "Rice Man" Lee? In more recent times he has taken to building full size vintage dragsters but he started out with the small scale stuff. Here is a link to one of his builds;
http://bigyohns.com/S-H-model.shtml
Not a great photo but here are some of his models on display at the California Hot Rod Reunion in 2005


Roo

 

Thanks Roo. Yes, Roger makes world class models, and has been a great source and wealth of information in the past. Still today, ask a question about these cars and prompt an answer pops up over on his FB modeling group. Great too, bunch of old-timers who actually have first hand knowledge of the nitro cars from back in the day.

Thanks for posting, appreciated.

Mike..

 

New.

Here the beginning of the "Sidewinder" dragster from very early 60's, the "S&M Speed Shop" A/FD.

Brass tube chassis with aluminum panels and parts. Due to Corona, the motor will not be full metal this time as my source is temporarily closed, as are most other things.

The body will be all brass, I do believe the color to be a silver, but only b&w photos available.

A 1:25 replica. 115" wheelbase, 392 blown Hemi, transversely mounted, gear driven. The car is cleanly built with little left to question.

1st steps;



I have the feeling, this car didn't even have a clutch...? I see no other way to get the injection centered along the midline. Normal was an in and out can....still no room to get things centered.

Here another view of the real car, with the 2 port injection along the midline;



Any ideas?

I'll be updating this project here as it moves along.

Mike..

 

As always Mike ,great work.
I like your new build, very interesting car.
Found this shot in a August 58 Hot Rod magazine.
Any relation to the one your doing?
I will be following.

Sent from my SM-T387V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

A Few of them jacked them up on built in air jack stands spun them up and dropped them to the ground at the start. Fad didn't last long before it was outlawed LOL.

 

@rudestude...no, that's a different car. There are two cars that I have enough photos to build a replica. This being the "Magwinder", with a Kent Fuller chassis (beautiful car!), was in Rod & Custom, and Hot Rod Magazine, I have neither. Photos are very rare.

The other car that I have about 6 photos of, is this project, the S & M Speed Shop A/FD., I believe they were in New Jersey, or at least the NE, early 60's.

The car called "Sidewinder" (yellow with green trim) in the Garlits Museum, and the "Magwinder" (pearl white with red trim) are one and the same car. The yellow car has a different front axle, and the rear spoiler was added by a later owner.

Mike..

 

Just found your thread INSANE quality of work!

 

Surely appreciated! Glad you found this obscure hot rod topic.
Mike..

 

I am trying to figure out what to make for dinner and you are building an entire car!!

Watching with great interest on this miniature masterpiece.

 

UPDATE: A big step further today..

The biggest pita with a scratchbuilt model is getting the various sub-assemblies to hold still while other parts are being measured and cut to fit. Very frustrating in a small scale.

This time, I got it right. Quick too.

Rear mounted, transverse motor, with gear drives. The chassis was vandalized as the motor cage was too high, things lowered now, seem to be OK.

The motor, and the gear drive assembly just slide in and out as needed. Using a series of fit brass tubes and rods, the parts just slide in and out like a periscope on a sub....this car will need no glue to be finished. I'm a proud trooper now.

Next up is drilling holes into the big gear....we need to save some weight here.

Mike..

 

Wow! May 15 was my last post here.
Here a short report.
End May, health issues, nothing big, but fear of Corona.
June 1st, my only brother dies from cancer at home peacefully. Shock, so saddened by this.
July 15, terrible bicycle accident. Clipped from behind, extreme road rash and 4 broken ribs.
10 weeks later..! Back at the bench.

Here's what's cooking...a 1:16 brass build this time, my first big model car.

Roger Lee's "Blown Chow", restored 1968 car, now a 392 fired cackle car. Wonderfully documented.

Here a few photos on the progress...here the plans..



Chassis build, roll bar is in the works;



Roll bar and some added touches;







Here some chassis tabs for radius rods and steering, along with chassis loops for the seat belt harness. Up front cross supports for the ballast weights along with the fuel tank supports;



Up to date now, also I'm relieved that parts are on the way! Nice feeling knowing a motor and slicks are available...!

Mike..

 

Sorry for your loss and sorry for your accident. Damn 2020 has not been kind.

Best to you.

 

X2

 

A small update today, the silly things took all day to complete.

Steering arm support to the chassis, already bolted on.

Rear end housing brackets, still too wide as the parts haven't arrived yet.

Up front the bell crank and mounting bracket. The colored lines show where the areas need to be reduced, still too sloppy and ugly. These should be sleek and elegant, lots of grinding to do. The close up photos are brutal, but my opinion very important.



Thanks for looking, more later. Mike..

 

UPDATE: steering box finished today.
For the first time finally a decent steering box made up today. The previous small scale 1:25 attempts were never really satisfactory. This one though, has me smiling ear to ear!

First off, the steering box as is, then photos of the real car, courtesy Roger Lee. I've never seen such well documented real life FED photos!

Also shown at the end is the revised bell crank and support bracket....this still bothers me a bit, might have to do some more detailing with the bracket.



Feels good to be at the hobby again!

Mike..

 

Dang....What talent. Please keep us updated.