Vintage Sprint Car

[kmeaders@q.com]

Well Syd; welcome to the sprint car world of models. MF did a fine job on that body. I just now saw this thread and I'm excited about seeing someone else building an 1/8 scale sprinter. With an Offy, no less, this will be great. Ken

[sydeem]

While waiting for the vintage body I rummaged through my junk yard to see what parts would be available for my 1949 Sprinter. I found T rail frame parts, a quick change rear end, a deuce front end assembly (with a straight rather than a dropped axle) and a radiator. Ready to go.


Being impatient, I wanted to see if I really would be able to handle all the bent tubing that would be required for this model so I tried a front suspension part just for drill not knowing yet if it would scale properly to the body.





Lot of part clean up yet to do and if the model starts to look really good I may have to actually buy a T donor kit for clean looking chassis and suspension parts. This is the Offy I hope to install.

[kmeaders@q.com]

Syd; nice work. Here's a plan I have, in my garage, of a 30s sprinter. It's sort of in line with what your building, maybe a little bit earlier model. That Offy motor is perfect. How did you do the hose clamps on the injectors? Ken

[sydeem]

Thanks Ken. I took the liberty of reproducing your drawing with distortion fixes from Photoshop and there is helpful information. For instance I can scale everythin based on the 91" wheelbase. I will be somewhat more modern though I think.

[kmeaders@q.com]

I'm glad that it is of some help. There's a few dimensions that will come in handy. How did you make the hose clamps on that Offy? Ken

[sydeem]

They were photo etched after market parts from I forget where but they are available from a number of model parts houses. I originally got them years ago when working on Pocher kits. Try "Model Motor Cars", or "Scale Details".

[kmeaders@q.com]

Thanks, great source. Ken

[sydeem]

The Madd Fabricator delivered the vintage sprint car body. Wow - light, thin walled and smooth!
.
.
I can't draw worth a darn so I goota use photos to see where I can go with designing a layout. Took photos of parts I have on hand. The motor might sit about here.
.
I guess the frame top should be at the body line (don't know yet how I am going to cut this beauty up!!!)
.
Then the wheels (not these but about the same size). (Need to stub the drive shaft to leave room for bell housing and tranny.)
.

[kmeaders@q.com]

The Madd Fabricator delivered the vintage sprint car body. Wow - light, thin walled and smooth!
.
.
I can't draw worth a darn so I goota use photos to see where I can go with designing a layout. Took photos of parts I have on hand. The motor might sit about here.
.
I guess the frame top should be at the body line (don't know yet how I am going to cut this beauty up!!!)
.
Then the wheels (not these but about the same size). (Need to stub the drive shaft to leave room for bell housing and tranny.)
.

That looks great, although you should probabley flip that rear end over or run her in reverse. This will be fun for me to watch because of my extreme interest in these types of cars. I'm looking forward to building a Kurtis Kraft midget with one of the Madd Fabricators bodies in the next few months.

[sydeem]

Sharp eye Ken! I was concentrating on manipulating the images and lost sight of the detail. Corrected pic.
.
Looking from the top it is clear I can move the frame inside the body keeping with the late 40 early 50 style. Wish I was competent to do a tube frame. Also it looks like any of the kit V-8s will fit this body.

T
AAA

T
.
It
A


.
AL

[kmeaders@q.com]

That's cool how you overlay the motor/ frame over the body in those pictures. Please don't think I'm a know it all or being a pain but if you move the motor back, half the distance to the front of the cowling(about 3/8"or 1/2") it wil be more authenic and give you room to get the radiator in ahead of the front axle. As you might recall, when you sit in these things the back of the engine is about an inch or two from your right foot toes (when you got it floored). Also ( I need to shut up) widen the frame out to have the body sit on the rails and then you have an attachment point for the radius rods and nerf bars. Doesn't seem that far away to do that. Those cars are around 22" to 24" wide so 2 3/4" out to out should work. I promise to be quite from now on, through your build, unless you ask. Ken

[sydeem]

Keep talking Ken, I will need all the help I can get as there are no instructions for this kit.

[hot ford coupe]

That body is way better than any resin body I've seen. It truly rivals any injection molded body. Nice work MF. Great setup, Syd. I really love those little sprinters.

[sydeem]

Now to cut this beautiful body up so I can layout a frame.
..
Then I found a slight Ooops. If I guide on the bottom pan to layout a frame there will be a tilt.
.
Looks like MF used the upper panel line to establish the side panels. But if we tape things back together we can mark the off side panel using the floor as a guide, cut a panel piece and remake the off side. A little putty while final sanding will erase the old panel line.
.
Then everything comes up roses and we can proceed to the frame.
..