Race of Gentlemen presents... California Drag Racing 2023 Build Thread

[Bernard Kron]

52 minutes ago, Calb56 said:

Nailed it!

[53gmc]

Are the old "slingshot" style dragster trog friendly or no?

[Phildaupho]

[Calb56]

On 10/19/2022 at 8:20 AM, Calb56 said:

DRAG/RAIL: All entries must use stock model T or A frames only.  Homemade tube needs to be submitted for approval.  You can not lengthen frames over the stock FORD MOTOR COMPANY length, you may shorten if you wish.  Early homemade tube frames will be accepted.  Wheel base, and or  front/rear axels may move in either direction.  Acceptable engines are, FLATHEAD 4 cyl, FLATHEAD V8, STRAIGHT SIX and OHV 1949-1953.  (1960 and below, limited and only upon approval). No bodies or tin is allowed in the drag class, only a small firewall if desired.  Roll bars must resemble safety bars of this era. Roll bars must resemble safety bars of this era.  Square bars or round tube only. No roll bars made from exhaust tube please! 

 

[Bernard Kron]

When the TRoG (The Race of Gentlemen) community build was launched at the end of last year it triggered a stream of possible projects in my mind, the result of which is that I’ve got a string of hot rod builds going starting back to July of last year. With this project it’ll be six in a row and this will be my third car for the TRoG build-off. I’ve promised myself the next project  won’t be a hot rod, but in the meantime I’ve got to get this one out of my system.

This will be a ’32 Ford 3-window highboy with a severe 4 scale inch chop and a “all-the right stuff” ScoT blown flathead. The TRoG Airport Drags in Flabob, California near Riverside was the theme of the build-off, and one characteristic of the entries for that meet, one which is shared in general by the left-coast TRoG meets, is a relatively high degree of fit and finish compared to the rusty, crusty weathered vibe of the Wildwood, New Jersey TRoG beach races. My first two builds for the build-off were definitely of the weathered variety and for this one I wanted to create a car more like the relatively high-dollar traditional rods seen at Flabob and also earlier in at the Santa Barbara TRoG drags. That’s why I chose the “right-stuff” flatty. This vision also lead to some paint experiments which I’ll outline below.

To start with I set about working on the basic body. I decided to include the requisite louvered rear deck so often seen on TRoG style hot rods. The rear deck on the Deuce three-window, like so much of the that particular body style, differs from other Deuce bodies in several significant ways. For example it has suicide doors. It also has a wider rear deck opening than it’s cousin the 5-window. So, starting with the louvered deck from the Revell 5-window you either have to widen the deck lid or open the rear deck to a narrower width. Cutting open a narrower deck opening is simpler, requiring less finishing work since you merely have to fill in the old panel lines. The difference in width is considerable, about 4 mm. or 4 scale inches. That’s the approach I took which is illustrated in the following photo.

Next came the chop. As I said, it’s relatively severe in keeping with the style of chopped coupes at TRoG meets. Moreover, generally when I chop a coupe I will remove the rear window panel separately as an intact, un-chopped unit, so I can later control the overall size and shape of the window. But in this case I wanted a relatively crude “mail slot” effect so went ahead and chopped straight through to the widow opening.

Although the car is a highboy it will have a low overall stance. To achieve this I gave the Revell Deuce chassis I’m using a roughly 3 ½ scale inch Z at the rear. Being a TR0G-correct traditional rod it’s getting a Ford Model A buggy spring rear end with a Halibrand quick change. The Model A cross member is from an AMT kit.

The motor was interesting in the decision making I went through. Normally I would dig through my stash and use a kit flathead and spare parts for my flathead hop-up. But a SCoT blown version would require an aftermarket parts purchase, most likely from Replicas & Miniatures Co. of Marlyland. Not only would this involve some expense but also a significant delay. Perusing eBay I discovered several  SCoT setups, invariably requiring purchasing a complete engine and all 3D printed. As far as expense was concerned, they weren’t that much more than a blower-only setup. The one I liked most was from eBay vendor Jay’s Resin Wheels. What caught my eye was the triple-carbs, which no one else offered. Unfortunately to get the triples required getting the Ardun motor, but I have plenty of finned high compression heads (I’m using Offenhauser heads from RepMin) and the Ardun conversion could go into my stash for a future project. Delivery took less than a week and total cost was just north of 20 bucks. Quality is first rate. Can’t complain…

And finally, a paint experiment. I want to achieve a faded paint effect, old paint but with little in the way of rust or chipping. And with a moderate degree of semi-gloss. The photo mbelow shows my color choice, Tamiya XF-18 Medium Blue, a flat military color which resembles Ford Washington Blue. The photo below has two images one, against a bluch background and other against white. The black background actually is the more accurate with respect to color. The fender is the effect I’m looking to achieve. It’s done partially by brush painting. The Tamiya bottle paint is such high quality and so stable that it self-levels to a high degree. I will use Krylon Satin Clear to achieve the required semi-gloss effect, and that’s what you see on the fender. This will be my  first brush paint job on a full body since I was little kid, LOL.

Lot’s to do from here on out, but the startup has been encouraging.

Thanx for lookin’,
B.

[tim boyd]

On 3/5/2023 at 10:02 PM, ModWrench said:

Finished the front rim and mounted the tire. Pretty happy with the result. Started on cleaning up all of the motor parts and got a few sub assemblies glued together. 

Very, very impressive!   TB

[53gmc]

Got my fireball dragster in the mail finally. Ive decided to swap out the blown sbc for a "chrysler fire power" hemi from the 63 nova kit. Starting mock up now

[Bernard Kron]

This project is progressing nicely, with a minimum of unexpected hassles so far. I got the body and chassis brush painted, and as I’d hoped, the effect was that of old, oxidized paint, rather than the more exaggerated worn through or rusted paint that I’ve usually done. The only surface treatment I did was to burnish the paint with a light sanding with1000 grit sandpaper followed by rubbing it out with a paper towel. Where any red primer showed through I actually dry brushed the area with body color paint so that the worn areas are kept to an absolute minimum. It’s a type of weathered paint I’ve never attempted before. The stock appearing firewall is a re-pop of the Stacey David Deuce firewall from e-Bay vendor Forward Resin. It’s a top-flight casting and it’s finished in black lacquer.

The interior is the Revell 3-window kit interior with the only modifications being to lower the seat height to accommodate the chopped top and to add a floor shifter. Color is Testors Insignia Red. The rear wheels and tires are the really nice high profile bias ply tires mounted to ’37 Ford truck “artillery” wheels offered by Ed Fluck’s Drag City Casting based on masters by Dennis Lacy. The matching smaller diameter fronts are the stock Revellogram ’37 Ford truck wheels. Paint is Testors British Crimson over red oxide primer. The hubcaps are cut down and thinned AMT ’36 Ford spare tire caps because I’ve run out of Revellogram ’37 Ford truck caps.

Next up is fabricating the steering and suspension, then lighting, grill, graphics and final assembly.

Thanx for lookin’,
B.

 

[Calb56]

29 Ford roadster in the "4 cylinder auto" class. I'm using the Revell 29 Ford Roadster body and the chassis, engine and almost all of the suspension is coming from the old Revell 31 Woody kit.

It's a start...

[Ulf]

1 hour ago, Calb56 said:

29 Ford roadster in the "4 cylinder auto" class. I'm using the Revell 29 Ford Roadster body and the chassis, engine and almost all of the suspension is coming from the old Revell 31 Woody kit.

It's a start...

Nice
I will return to TROG as soon as I have built some more on my Ford van, the team must have a tow car. My 34 currently has an injected straight Chevrolet 6 with Fisher cross flow top.

We'll see if the team gets the pieces together for the race.

Edited March 26, 2023 by Ulf

[Ulf]

So, now I have tried to get the plastic pieces together to my 34 coupe.
The in line six in the AMT 51 Chevy was a bit crooked so instead of working on it I made my own engine block which at least is perpendicular, "the clutch" is an old Monogram rim and a part from the 51 air cleaner.
The ribs on the liftgate are a pair of valve covers from an AMT Corvette.
What do you say, can this pass as an in line 6 with Fisher Cross flow head ?
 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Ulf

[Calb56]

That looks good. Some creative scratchbuilding. 

[Bernard Kron]

For some reason this project isn’t moving along as fast as I’d like. Perhaps it’s a minor case of builder’s block… In any case the bodywork is completed with the interior and glass installed. Patina is where I want it. The picture below at last shows the car up on its wheels for a stance check – it looks pretty much as I imagined it. The motor is completed and ready to install, the rear suspension is completed, and the front suspension done except for the steering tie rod. Lighting and final assembly are mainly what’s left. Hopefully it won’t be long until completion, now.

Thanx for lookin’,
B.

 

[Calb56]

14 hours ago, Bernard Kron said:

For some reason this project isn’t moving along as fast as I’d like. Perhaps it’s a minor case of builder’s block… In any case the bodywork is completed with the interior and glass installed. Patina is where I want it. The picture below at last shows the car up on its wheels for a stance check – it looks pretty much as I imagined it. The motor is completed and ready to install, the rear suspension is completed, and the front suspension done except for the steering tie rod. Lighting and final assembly are mainly what’s left. Hopefully it won’t be long until completion, now.

Thanx for lookin’,
B.

 

Man, your builds are spot on. Always. 

[tim boyd]

Heh everyone, great progress all.  Keep plugging away, I say!   TB 

[Bernard Kron]

This project is alive and well despite my recent silence. It’s very close to done, but I’m waiting on a selection of white number decals in various fonts from Pattos’ Place in Australia. It takes a while to get here (I’m in Washington State in the USA). I’ll glue the body and wheels into place after I’ve determined the final graphics scheme. In the meantime the motor is in Place and the chassis is completed. The exhaust headers are from Replicas and miniatures Co. of Maryland,  cut down and flipped. I’ve set the car up as a street rod so it has full mufflers and headlights. For TRoG competition purposes the headlights are taped (using super-thin .75 mm masking tape). I’m off to the GSL this week (I hope to see some of you there). The decals should arrive any day now so I should have this thing done on my return.

Thanx for lookin’,
B.

 

[Straightliner59]

Very cool, Bernard! That's a great blue!

[Bernard Kron]

6 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Very cool, Bernard! That's a great blue!

Thanks Dan!

[Calb56]

They may have done it in April, just 4 months after last year's event but ours is still in December.

 

https://www.motortrend.com/events/the-race-of-gentlemen-flabob-airport-2023/

Edited May 3, 2023 by Calb56

[Ulf]

Slow process, deadline at work and professional life.

[Calb56]

https://www.motortrend.com/events/the-race-of-gentlemen-flabob-airport-2023-photo-gallery/

Edited May 11, 2023 by Calb56

[Ulf]

[53gmc]

Heres one i just finished thats more west coast style 

[Bernard Kron]

I was a little slow in getting this finished up after contracting Covid19 at the GSL. I'm all better now and here's a teaser shot of the completed model. More pictures will follow soon.

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by Bernard Kron

[Bernard Kron]

Here are the final photos of my T.R.o.G. Deuce 3-window, driven to Flabob, headlights taped up, raced and driven home: