1975 Laguna Stock Car

[bobss396]

Like I need another project, oh well. This is the latest re-pop of the old MPC Southern Stocker-ish kit with the slope nose Laguna body.

I feel bad for any kid tackling this gem. Instructions are poor, some items like the rear cage kicker bars are missing.

The dash was so bad, I made my own. The basic cage went together okay. I made features to locate the body to the chassis, angle plastic along the rockers, a bar across the rear to support the chassis. 

Extended the rear of chassis by 3/8" to close the gap, made a tab to locate the bumper, there was nothing there.

The dash came out pretty good. I'm using Model Car Garage gauge set MCG 2098.

Lots of parts were taken from a WC donor kit. The big block that came with the Laguna is awful. I'm doing a fit check with the SBC from the donor if the headers work out.

I'm using some bigger PPP period correct tires and wheels. I have to play mix and match with the wheel backs.

I dropped the rear by 1/8", it sat a mile high.

[Shark]

Remember when MPC first issued those kits, we though they were pretty good, there wasn't anything else to compare them to. At least they did a good job on most of the bodies.

By the way, whose car are you building?

Edited January 25 by Shark

[dwc43]

By 75 those NASCAR type cars were running 358 small blocks. Really the big block was pretty much gone by 72. And most were running slotted wheels by 75 too. And that rear is supposed to sit high until you get the car up to speed and the aero would make it squat back down to normal. Can't believe they left the kicker bars out of the kit. That front cage around the engine is not correct either, but they put that in all the kits. 

Edited January 25 by dwc43

[Dave Van]

Good start!!! I was one of the folks that worked on those MPC reissues by Model King. I have a Fotki that has a few tips on these kits.....

https://public.fotki.com/DaveVan51/model-king-stocker-/

 

These are box stock builds to show what can be done. I did add a few roll bars with tube stock, nothing major. 

 

[bobss396]

I have some Kings Row decals and the kit decals are pretty nice. The 1973 Benny Parsons car, in red, shows a 427 decal on the hood. The kit 427 is awful, I have to see if I have another around.

So using the 1973 decals on the slope nose would be wrong... be nice to see if anyone notices.

If this builds up decently, I may do one of my MANY southern stocker Buicks as a late model.

[magicmustang]

I like the changes you have done.

Have a similar Laguna project (Cale Yarborough '76 Chevelle) I am working on. One other change I added was the coil springs (instead of leaf springs) trailing arms rear axle setup I stole from a later AMT GM NASCAR kit. Will be following.

Edited January 26 by magicmustang

[Mattilacken]

Sweet! Have been dragging my kits back and fourth but decided today before I saw your build to do a OB build on it.. but I have already scrapped the chassis, interior and engine..  will use a Monogram ‘80s nascar as donor for everything except motor.

i throw a pic or two of mine if you don’t mind.

Edited January 26 by Mattilacken
Some pics

[Shark]

Anton, interesting chassis swap, did you have to do any modifications to the chassis plate from the Monogram kit?

[bobss396]

On 1/25/2025 at 2:27 PM, Dave Van said:

Good start!!! I was one of the folks that worked on those MPC reissues by Model King. I have a Fotki that has a few tips on these kits.....

https://public.fotki.com/DaveVan51/model-king-stocker-/

 

These are box stock builds to show what can be done. I did add a few roll bars with tube stock, nothing major. 

 

You did a lot of what I had to do on mine. I still have a couple of cage bars to add. I ditched that "cow catcher" front cage piece. 

I have a 3D printed big block on order. The way the heads are configured, getting the headers in and doing plug wires is very hard.

I have a SBC I was messing with, but the headers hit the cross member. The 3D printed BBC with the headers should clear it.

[bobss396]

12 hours ago, magicmustang said:

I like the changes you have done.

Have a similar Laguna project (Cale Yarborough '76 Chevelle) I am working on. One other change I added was the coil springs (instead of leaf springs) trailing arms rear axle setup I stole from a later AMT GM NASCAR kit. Will be following.

I think the truck arm rear is more period correct than the leafs. Plus the rear is too high unless you do what I have done.

[bobss396]

This is it for today. The cage is close to done. The rear kickers came from an AMT donor and went right in.

I added 2 vertical bars by the side glass to give the cage more strength. The front cage piece was an abomination, so out that went. I added 2 bars up front and have to make up a diagonal bar.

The seat, also from the donor kit, was modified slightly. Steering column is aluminum tubing.

I used an old NASCAR radiator to make a new one. I'm waiting on a 3D printed big block. The kit one was awful, especially the headers. The new one looks to have similar headers.

I also have a big order coming from Ron Coon Resins. 

[Mattilacken]

5 hours ago, Shark said:

Anton, interesting chassis swap, did you have to do any modifications to the chassis plate from the Monogram kit?

Nothing major, the wheel wells in the rear have to be radious cut in the top since they are tall. And the rear axle needs to move forward couple of mm. The firewall fits ok just in front of the cross support in the body some minor sanding can help.
 

Other than that it’s out of the box. In my opinion it’s a better fit than AMT 1/25 tbird chassis since those AMT wheel wells are so narrow. 
 

great progress! 

[dwc43]

11 hours ago, bobss396 said:

I think the truck arm rear is more period correct than the leafs. Plus the rear is too high unless you do what I have done.

Should be a factory 4 link under there.

[Volzfan59]

Great job @bobss396, as usual. Looking forward to following along. Always loved those old Laguna S-3 bodies.

[bobss396]

21 hours ago, Volzfan59 said:

Great job @bobss396, as usual. Looking forward to following along. Always loved those old Laguna S-3 bodies.

Thanks. I came close to swapping a donor WC kit under it, one stop shopping. 

I have more than a few of the Buick and Pontiac Southern Stocker kits, I like the body on the Buick. So that may be up next. It has been a learning experience. 

[Dave Van]

23 hours ago, dwc43 said:

Should be a factory 4 link under there.

The NASCAR Cup rule at the time was the race car had to have the same TYPE of suspension at each corner.  IE the factory car had leaf rear race car must have leaf. Factory car had rear coils, race car must have coils. But the GM truck arms were used on cars like 76 Ford Torino too as it had coils rear.  The Dodges of the era had to run torsion bar front even though it was altered from production. This was the start of the full race car chassis that had nothing to do with the production car.. thx

[bobss396]

Cage is done. Added a Ron Coon overflow tank and fuel fill.

Pinned the spindles, added 00-90 threaded rod for front weight jackets.

Using a PPP window net. MSD boxes will be inside on the dash.

[DoctorLarry]

The T Bird chassis is more period correct for these cars but it generally needs to be shortened to get the proper wheelbase. The cage needs to be modified as well but it makes for a more realistic chassis.

[bobss396]

I ran into a fellow stock car modeler on FB. He used to post on Randy Ayers forum. He posted a link to his Fotki site and I already have done most of what he did. 

Another thing I have to explore is cutting off the front spindle hubs (1/8" diameter) and locating them up higher. I have to do a mock up later this morning.

[bobss396]

I decided to make up some bushings to help locate the front strut rods and lower spindle mounts. I still have to do the upper spindle locations.

[bobss396]

Upper bushings are in.

[bobss396]

My BBC from Jay's Resin Wheels showed up. I am impressed, nicely done and clean.

I cut off the oil filter, it was in the way of something I was doing. The headers will clear the front crossmember. I need to add a fuel pump and starter. I make my own starters most of the time.

I'm not sure on the front pulley system yet, looks a tad busy.

I'll be using Ron Coon Resins M/T valve covers, VCG Resins Muncie and bellhousing.

[bobss396]

I made a fuel pump...