DIRT CAR GROUP BUILD, Cause we like em dirty

Chryslers are a favorite of my uncles. New Yorkers and Newports mostly. Imperials would be their first choice, but they are banned almost everywhere because they are too strong and just annihilate everything.

TheWildChild

yeah that happens alot. my umpala doesent have the leaf springs though (any idea if the real one does?) my uncles use a frond-end-loader to bend their cars...alot faster and easier lol.

I'm not sure, the one my neighbor was running at the time was an early 70s  Chrysler sedan ( they were built like tanks), although I don't remember the model , it was so long ago. I do remember it was a lot of fun helping him build and pit crew those cars. Not quite as finely engineered as a racer, those derby cars. But then, they didn't need to be .  For paint, we used leftover house paint to do the numbers , slogans etc. 

Demo Derby, grown up bumper cars with attitude.

Howard 

yeah that happens alot. my umpala doesent have the leaf springs though (any idea if the real one does?) my uncles use a frond-end-loader to bend their cars...alot faster and easier lol.

 I remember one where the rear frame had bent up to the point that none of the spring leafs would stay in the rear shackles .

 Well, we wanted to get the car in the last chance round . Was quite a site to see this car, jack stands under the frame just behind the axle , with at least a half dozen people jumping up and down on the trunk to try and get it bent back down enough to shackle the springs again. 

 Got it back down far enough to get one leaf in the shackle and weld in place. It broke in the feature round, but at least worked long enough to get us to the feature.

just an update on the derby car...got most of the main bends in the frame (front and back)

most of the dents on both side of the trunk are done too, although i may cut the rear quarter panels and front fenders off and use aluminum foil to make them (makes the dents much more realistic...although it turns handling the model into a nightmare lol) just got some of the basic work done, heres a few more pics. a big advantage to this being the lowrider kit is the variable height suspension, i have the "high" suspension in. the reason for that is all the derby car builders around here will jack up the car, let the suspension drop down, and either crimp the outer shock tube or drop the shock down entirely and stuff rags into the shocks to make the car ride higher. this makes it easier to keep the car from getting stuck or hung up on debris (ripped off bumpers etc.), keeps the car at a higher level so it bends up (bending down can break driveshafts and transmission housings), and more importantly, keeps the tires farther away from folding and tearing sheet metal that can either cut tires or keep them from spinning or steering.

went through my engine bin for a powerplant.....options are 440 Chrysler, 383 Stroker (my first choice), or the 427 Chevy engine from a Corvette. on the real cars my uncles have always used 440s (we're all big MOPAR guys lol) the 383 will give me more room to put the stacks in, but the 440 has that bullet proof toughness perfect for a derby car.

i think non-wing cars a fading away because they are harder to drive. one of my uncle's high school classmates races wing sprints in the IRA series and has raced both and says non-wing cars are a nightmare to drive compared to the winged sprints. and yeah i agree, the non-wing cars handle more like a dirt late model (leaning to the right instead of the left) that wing also acts a safety device in a way too, it acts a cushion if the car lands on the lid.

the dirt tracks up here in the great white north are fading away gradually too...Lake Superior Speedway in Superior WI wont be reopeneing this season (as far as anybody knows) because a lawyer bought it, changed a bunch of stuff, now nobody wants to come to the track and he lost money so he wants to sell the property...damn shame if you ask me. i have been going up there since i was 4 or 5. my grandpa used to race there in the 60s and 70s with a 1957 chevy he ran in the street stock class.......although he had a Corvette engine in it to start with.....when a street stock car runs faster hoy laps than the late models, it arouses the curiosity of track officials lol. i actually might scrap the diecast car for now and build that car if you wouldnt mind.

I am not knocking the wing cars I like them too. But when I think of a sprint car I think of a non wing car. You can see the driver working the car and fighting the turns with it, also they take much more finesse to drive. Unlike the wing cars I like the way they ( the really good drivers) pitch them into a turn, Bubby Jones and Eddie Wirth come to mind as they both threw them sideways 50 yards before they even got to the turn. The WoO cars look like they are more or less driven into the turns. To me the wing cars don't look like a sprint going into a turn because they tend to lay on the left rear because of the wing, rather than the right rear like the non wings do. What the wing cars have going for them is they are much faster and that big wing makes them look wilder when they are racing close. Its all in what one likes, cant take anything from either of them. It does seem the non wing cars are fading and it will be a sad day when they go.

Like you I also miss Friday Night Thunder, its too bad they dont show the local races on TV like they used to anymore. I know Ventrua tried to get ESPN to come there but it didnt work out, and I heard Parris Raceway tried too. I think they are about the only dirt tracks left in SoCal.

I like both winged and non winged. Sprints and midgets are simply cool looking , very purpose built , hot rods. I miss the old TNT Friday night WoO Sprints as well as ESPN's USAC Thunder series on the TV . 

 One of my favorite PS 2 games has always been World of Outlaws Sprint car racing. Some very intense racing in that game. One of the most interesting views I've had of Knoxville was down the length of the infield, upside down. In the virtual world of course. I've won quite a few in that game ,but have also torn up a few.

Howard

the only reason i like the winged sprints is because thats the only kind i've ever seen raced in person (other than midgets) and i got to sit in Steve kinsers car when i was about 7 or 8...been hooked ever since lol.

Wildchild sweet builds man !!!!!!!!!!!! and YES they got the juices flowin.

Daddy1 cant wait to see your build come together, you do have a great start going there I must say.

Between you two and your pictures I was inspired to make a modest start on a Monogram Gambler Sprint Car. Got the chassis together and cleaned up, a bit of filling done and almost ready for a primer coat. And the engine going together. I will post pictures when I have a few good ones. Oh this will be a nonwing car BTW, as I never did like the winged cars much.

Wild Child-  Very nice dirt cars. I especially like the Charger and 64 Impala demo derby car. You did your research well.

 Some years ago, I spent a summer working as an oil rig floor hand in Kansas. Demo derbies at the county fairs were a big thing and my neighbor ran the circuit. One thing he looked for were leaf springs in the cars he built. Coil springs in the rear of derby cars tended to cause the rear body to bend down around the wheels, while leaf springs bent upwards. You created that upward bend on the Impala perfectly. 

 Now for some detail pics of where I was when I shelved this project years ago. 

All the gray plastic came from an AMT Winston Cup Lumina. The blue( painted black) plastic is from the original Chevell built up. Tan firewall from a 67 Chevell with heater cut off and covered much like a real car might have been. Also notice where I had to fill in the previous owners cut out in the hood. 

Hear are the tires and wheels from the parts box. I'm going with a narrower left front as seen on many real cars and will also put in some visible camber to the outside right front. 

The A pillars needed some a little scale thickness added from some scrap plastic.

Had to clip off the old posts where the original chassis screwed down in the rear and filled in the corresponding sink marks in the deck lid. 

I'm also excited about this build.  This is going to be a very cool build. I plan on full plumbing and wiring , roll bar padding , weathering , etc. 

BTW- How did Wild Child do the dents in his cars? I'm open to ideas. I don't want to beat my car up but still want that "raced hard for the win" look. 

Howard

just thought i'd add a few pics to get the juices flowin...

American Diecast Co. 1/24 dirt late model that i got blank and decorated with decals and Bare Metal Foil, still not 100% done, but im never "done" with a dirt car.

Revellogram 1969 Dodge Charger....built it forever ago lol. been meaning to strip off all the pigment powder mud and re finish it a bit better but havent got around to it yet.

Revellogram "Black Widow" 1957 Chevy....started as a derby car, but now serves mostly as a weathering testbed.

But, of all the models I've ever done, this one is probably my baby...and is actually one of the cars im trying to finish for this group build. 1964 Chevy Impala Demolition Derby Car. I used stiff wire fishing leaders for the threaded rods coming through the hood and trunk, the wheels and tires are from a 1/35 8-wheeled german armored car(anybody know where i can find 1/24 or 1/25 snow tires and truck rims), and the seat from the AMT toyota supra. gas tank relocated to the back seat (a boat gas tank) and battery to the passenger side floor. My uncles do this every year, so i had pretty good reference material lol. this is an "unlimited modified" class car. it was inspired by cars that derby about 2 hours north of here in Pine City, Minnesota. they are mostly 63-65 Chrysler Imperials and some are tipping over 8,500 pounds on the scale.

hope everybody is as excited about this group build as i am!

Robert92562 your Impalas are in and looking forward to seeing them. I recall seeing one race at the Macon County Fair grounds once many years ago. As I recall they called it a super modified class because they were allowed to add a bunch of camber ( if that's the right term ) to the right front for the corners, and they had done some serious work on the engines. Sure made for a nice looking race car let me tell ya.

I will get the front page updated a bit later this evening.

I’m looking forward to this group build. My plan is to build a 60’s dirt track race team with 2 Revell Impala kits shown below. I haven’t completely planned out the build yet, but I have colors and some modification in my head. I don’t think the build will start until after the first of the year. No aftermarket parts. There will be some dent’s, damage and dirt.

Bob

the impalas and kinser car will are the revell/monogram kits(the impalas are the 2 'n 1 lowrider kits with some serious surgery) and the diecast is an Action diecast. i think they went out of business but not sure, they look better than the R&R diecst sprints in my opinion. they have the correct lower stance/profile.

WildChild the front page has been updated with your builds. Can you let me know what the kit manufacturers are so I can add them as well ?

I added another build also Picked up a Revell Kurtis Midget today, man what a sweet looking kit !!! I did get the Edelbrock flat head V8 version. Just love the old flat heads ya know.  After looking at the kit and holding it in my grimy mitts, and going from everything I have heard of it and how it builds I am thinking I just might have to get another one with the Edelbrock and the Offy version as well. This kit even has photo etch parts in it, and it comes with a trailer And having just watched the movie "Big Wheel" with Micky Rooney over the weekend it just fit right in.

put me down for:

1/25 diecast sprintcar scratchbuilding detail and redoing graphics

2x 1/25 '64 chevy Impala derby cars

one or two of the re-release revellogram sprint cars if i can get my hands on them

its nice to see other people that are also fans of dirt track racing, not just road racing or nascar

DIRTS FOR RACIN', ASPHALT IS FOR GETTIN THERE!!!

Daddy1 those are some great pictures man !!! Thank you for sharing them with us. LOL Bug doesn't look too sure about all that in a few of the pictures, but I see she got to sit in a few of the cars and had a huge smile goin.

Hey you have any pictures of a sprint car with a maxwell chassis ?

Here's a link to an album of pics from a Vintage Auto Festival last Feb.  One of the main features is some vintage dirt track racing. Hope the pics provide some inspiration and/or reference for every one in this GB. 

I would have posted them straight up , it would have been a very large post , so here's the link.

http://s460.photobucket.com/albums/qq327/H-Markel/Dirt%20track%20GB/Dirt%20track%20GB%20inspiration%20pics/

Howard

Daddy1 your build is in, the Daddy1 Racings " 72 Chevelle Special "

Count me in! 

 Now I know my build is a 72 Chevelle , but since it was given to me in built-up form , I'm not sure if it was an AMT or Revell kit . 

 Either way , it's a  1/25 kitbashed/parts box 72 Chevell  homegrown dirt stockcar. Not exactly what would be seen in a street stock class . More of a super stock or maybe Bomber class racer. 

 This will be fun to come up with my own sponsers , paint scheme , etc. Great way to stretch the imagination. I'll be doing some thing as part of the Daddy 1 line up . I'm thinking of the driver as being one of my daughters babydolls . There's Kiki , who we refer to as being weird. Then there's Jack , the spaz, Kiki's younger brother. Off the wall ,I know , but you said to have fun with it. 

I may throw in an old Monogram Outlaw Winged sprinter later in the build , have a couple in the stash. Just need to see how my builds go this next year. Been having a tough time getting to the bench as much as I would like lately. 

Reference Page

Dirt Modeler offers photo etch and cast parts for both early and late modifieds and sprint cars, they even offer plans for a scratch built Rocket modified at no cost. They are well worth checking out, IMHO their PE and cast parts are second to none. Here is the link to their site.

http://www.dirtmodeler.com/

Retro Racing I like the older sprints from the 70s and 80s and John offers resin hoods from this era, both Gambler and Nance hoods are very nicely molded and primed. Also offered are detail accessories, and display cases. He has great customer and does ship quickly. You can email him at

retro-racing25@cox.net

Dirtrack Racecars If you are into dirt racing you have to love the old modifieds from the 40s and 50s so you will want to check this supplier out for sure. They offer short run kits at very reasonable prices and a line of Hoosier rubber tires for sprints and modifieds. Here is the link to their site.

www.dirttrackracecars.com

Scale Sprints is a sprint car model forum moderated by a Joe, he makes a lot of decals that are for sprint cars and modifieds. So if you want something other than kit decals and don't want to make your own check them out. Some of the other guys there offer them also, and more modern hoods can be found there, along with some other goodies.

www.scalesprints.com

 Teds Modeling Market Place is mostly for larger scale models 1/18 1/16 and 1/8 but he carries real braided steel lines that work on 1/24 scale models too, along with fittings for those lines. From .018 dia. up to .080 dia.

http://tedsmodelingmarketplace.com/

                   Completed Build Pictures