AMT Competition Parts Pack T Altered Completed 04-05

[Bernard Kron]

Many moons ago mrknowetall (Don Banes) gave me an AMT Competition Parts Pack (Thanx Don!) and I'm finally getting around to building the T Altered that's in it. The catalyst for starting this was the Round2 Double Dragster re-release. The Parts Pack instructions for the T Altered show a "typical competition frame – not included" which is the Fiat frame from the Double Dragster kit.

The Fiat frame is fairly primitive and inspired me to try and capture the look and feel of the early altereds of the '59-'61 era before things started getting more sophisticated. The body and roll bar structure are from the Parts Pack and most of the frame and suspension are from the double dragster. Wheels are AMT '40 Ford with Modelhaus tires, The lovely seat was made by Dave Nelson (racer 13) who gave me a pair last year. Gorgeous isn't it? The paint is Duplicolor Yellow and Torch Red. I plan to leave it unpolished just as it would have been in a competition car from the period. I haven't decided about numbers and decals, yet. I may leave it plain… The Pontiac motor is also from the AMT Competition Parts pack with the Hilborn 2-hole injector and scoop from the Chrysler Hemi in the Parts Pack. The scatter shield is from the Tommy Ivo Showboat with the in-out box from the Double Dragster Fiat.

Here are some quick and dirty snaps from the workbench. Still lots to do but already pretty far along for about a week's work at the most. These cars were brutally simple!

Thanx for lookin',

B.

Edited April 6, 2010 by gbk1

[jedimastergary]

Nice one glad to see some one build this car got the kit

and been wondering howto build it. Now i see competition

been thinking either like a WW II airplane or rat rod for

for mine still not sure have a dual supercharged 351 ford

from a old dragster kit I trashed, and a 29 pick up track

nose just need to build a frame and that is my weak point

frames are hard for me to build.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx for the kind words. I'm glad you all are diggin' this build.

Finally got some bench time in today after yesterday's most excellent Pacific Northwest NNL. And I landed up spending waaayyyy too much time making some front motor mounts to get the blown Poncho's nose up. The paint on the brackets is just some acrylic I threw on there for mockup purposes – I promise to clean it up before I finish the build. I also landed up lowering the front radius rods a bit – I never have liked the way they mount on the original AMT frame set. Not shown in the pictures is some additional fab work on a lengthened tie rod for the steering (the T bucket sits further back on the frame than the Fiat does), some decisions on the final placement for the Moon tank and grill shell, and some additional detail painting , drilling, cutting, etc.

All in all a pretty productive day. Maybe it was the inspiration I got from all the cool models I saw at the PNW NNL…

Pretty much everything is ready for final assembly. But I still can't decide what to do about decals and signage, if any. I kinda like the bare amateur racer look. I tried some white number decals this afternoon but they get lost in the yellow paint. Maybe some red numbers? Perhaps just a few trade decals on the sides of the cowl and along the bottom edge of the body? I can't visualize it quite yet… All I know is I'm going for a fairly authentic look of a midwest/east coast style low/mid buck altered circa 60-61 (what money there is goes into the motor first and foremost).

As you can see, the new motor position really radicalizes the look. It's period correct for the transitional era I'm targeting but it's hardly subtle. So, along with the signage issue, I'm still kicking it around in my mind's eye. What do you guys think about all this?

Thanx for lookin'

B.

Edited March 29, 2010 by gbk1

[RJWood]

Looks very cool, the angle of the motor gives it a real dragstrip look.

As for decals, I see it with some simple black numbers and a class designation letter

kinda like this 26/g

You mught have to find out the designation for your class car, but just a thought.

Keep up the nice work.

[Bernard Kron]

I'm nearing assembly time! I got the floorboards made, front steering finalized and decided that the motor sat too nose high, so I raised the motor mounts slightly while I was cleaning them up. I also came up with a decal scheme. The sponsor/owner is "North State Tire Sales" running out of northern Ohio at Dragway 42 and Kil-Kare Speedway, fictitious but typical of this kind of runner. Here's a photo mockup showing the slightly lowered nose of the motor and the signage layout including the art for the sponsor name.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

[oldscool]

I like this one a lot! Great work!

oldscool

[jedimastergary]

Looks lik it is coming along good nice build

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx for the kind words. I'm glad you like it.

I'm about done with this one. I just have some gauges to install and to fasten the body to the frame and she'll be ready to go Under Glass. In the meantime here are some shots of the decals and the interior. I simplified the "NorthState Tire Sales" logo in keeping with the low bucks theme of the build. The interior actually took quite a bit of fabrication. The Parts Pack doesn't come with any bracing for the steering column and there's no floor for the T-bucket. Also, the Parts Pack Pontiac doesn't come with a fuel pump, an odd omission, so I landed up pinching one from a Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

Edited April 3, 2010 by gbk1

[jbwelda]

thats very nice and i think it looks way better with the motor not so nose high. fun project i bet!

[jedimastergary]

Looking good like the decals and how itis coming together having this same kit

I know how hard it had to be to buildyou had to find everything to put it

together with that is why mine is still in waiting to be built not

sure how to do frame with no money to buy one been trying old model

plastic to make tube frame but nothing usable yet one more try before

it goes back in box for bit.

Edited April 3, 2010 by jedimastergary

[Raul_Perez]

Too cool, Bernard!! All of the little bits fit together perfectly!!

I'm gone for a week on vacation and you built a whole model!! I don't think I've done much since you were here in February!!

Later,

[Bernard Kron]

Too cool, Bernard!! All of the little bits fit together perfectly!!

I'm gone for a week on vacation and you built a whole model!! I don't think I've done much since you were here in February!!

Later,

Thanx Raul. Hope you and yours had a good vaca...

This thing is done now. It can be found here: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29668

[Raul_Perez]

Thanx Raul. Hope you and yours had a good vaca...

This thing is done now. It can be found here: http://www.modelcars...showtopic=29668

Yeah...we had a GREAT time!! It's hard not to have a good time in Maui, especially when the weather is as good as it was last week.