Petty Dart, progress

JTR I have been watching on the "other" channel and you have gotten my interest up with this old kit.  I built one of the originals and didn't really like the fit.  Your mods on the front end made a difference in the look.  Good job on the dash and spoilers too.  I may have to pull one of these from the stash and try it again, looks like everything fits pretty well with your build.  I'll keep watching.

hi, Thanks!

I was hoping to see some more of these being built up, couldn't really find much anywhere on the net about these kits.

the kit is really great considering how old it is. with just a few upgrades it builds up nicely.  I also plan to change out the driver seat with a modified amt nascar one. the kit seat looks like a triangle lol

That looks fantastic!

I finished detail painting the wheels, adding the lug nuts etc and a  little weathering on them.
thanks for lookin!

Looks great so far.

Love it . Are the dash and spoilers scratched or after market?

thanks, just made from scratch out of aluminum printing plate.

How did you do the gauges?

Very nice work James-I always enjoy following your builds.

Great job JT (as usual). Where did you get the petty blue paint?

Jim 

i got the paint at Canadain Tire.  I just put it jars so i can airbrush it.

I bought a can that looked OK when looking at the color of the lid, but when I got it home and used it, it dried a lot darker. That really looks like the actual color.

Have you found a match for the red?

Jim 

I haven't looked for any of the red. this car is all blue, this is before his STP relationship started.

but the STP red is dayglow

I added the mesh screen over the grill. i used a tea bag for it.

this green tea comes in a silk tea bag and is perfect size mesh material!

JT, you have this kit looking great but your historical time line is a bit off.  The Kit Car was set to become available between January and March 1974.  Richard had been wearing STP colors since 72.  Larry Rathgeb and the Chrysler guys put together a test car and the driver was Pete Hamilton.  The Kit Cars were to be sold through Petty enterprises and Hamiltons shop in Atlanta.  What ever year the Dart Sheet metal may be, it didn't hit the track until 1974.  I only remember one Dodge Challenger in midwest short track racing in 1973.  It was Driven by Larry Detjens of Wisconsin and was built by Bemco engineering.  It was NOT a kit car but was very nice.  I don't know the exact time the Chrysler kit cars were available to "Joe Public" but they were a common sight by 1975 and 76.  

cool! I could find hardly any info on these cars! I think Earnhardt tested it also,  surprised the couple of times Richard drove it, it didn't have any sponsors on it at all from the pics I  found. just a few contingencies on the fender

JT your right, an unknown Dale Earnhardt tested the mule car at Hickory Speedway I think it was.  I saw the Petty Dart run at Martinsville with the #43 on the door and a sponsor of Hayes Jewelers on the back quarter panel but the driver was not Richard.  The drivers name that day escapes me---senior moment.  With all the flak there has been about the Petty dart kit paired with the Ford race car hauler, I can tell you I saw two Ford C900 cab over trucks, painted petty blue, with Petty enterprises on the box body at Petty enterprises in 1974.  They both had car trailers hooked to them but no cars on them.  There were a number of these Kit Cars at my local race tracks in the day and they ran engines ranging from 340's to the 440.  One tried a HEMI on the Asphalt track but it never handled well.  The sound was unreal.  Keep going with this one, guess I will have to pull one out of the stash now.

coo! I'll have to make one with a hemi now! lol

i got all the parts stuck to the chassis now!
just gotta finish up the body, hope to be finished in a few days. stay tuned!

JT, thats some really clean work you have going there!  That old kit is looking good to me.  Just an idea, but have you thought of building the "Mule" that Hamilton and Earnhardt tested at the start of the program?  Here is a pic.  I don't think I have ever seen this version built as a model kit.  

Great build you've got going JT! Really like the used effect on.. what I think is the fuel tank.

Hey guys, i got the Petty Car finished up today.
thanks for looking!

That's fantastic, James!

Jt you did that old kit justice!  I really like what you have done here, the tire mark, the exhaust soot, all of it.  Check Missing Link for a Challenger body, I would love to see your build of the "Mule" car.  You have this one spot on with the photo.  Great Job!

AHH, the good ole days. When racing was racing. (Showing my age?) Great build!

Ditto on "the good ole days". When it was "run what you brung". No seat belts, no helmets, no driveshaft straps. Cheap retreads (anyone remember them?). No roll bars. I was racing a convertible too. Showing my age too?

Jim 

Love it, James! You nailed that one...

Awesome!  Looks great, color looks perfect.

Dude! That is sweet!