80's era Dirt Track Late Model

[roadhawg]

Well, I had a couple of requests for more pictures of this, so here they are. This is an older build, I think it was '93 or '94.

By the mid 80's, dirt track cars had pretty much stopped resembling their street counterparts. While this particular car would've been called a Camaro, the bodies were hand fabricated from sheet metal and the roofs were fiberglass. The tube type chassis were built on a jig, and most were coilover suspension with a torque arm connected to the rear end attached to a "5th" coilover. This model represents such a car.

The chassis is a modified unit from a Revell ASA kit. The front clip was replaced with parts from an AMT Nascar Thunderbird. I scratchbuilt the coilover shocks and the torque arm. The hubs are from the ASA kit, while the wheels are homemade.

The engine is a small block Chevy. Most cars hadn't made the switch to dry sump oil systems yet. The Schoenfeld "weedburner" headers are modified parts box pieces. I added wiring and linkages.

The body is made pretty much just like the real ones....from hand formed sheet brass, using the roof from the ASA Camaro body. The interior "tin" is various pieces of Evergreen styrene.

While the paint scheme was based on a real car that was running at Lanier Speedway at the time (it was still dirt back then), this represents a fictional car. Lettering is a combination of different decals and hand lettering.

Thats about all I remember, but if you have any questions, just ask. Hope y'all like it, and thanks for asking about it.

More pics..........

[Dr. Cranky]

Geez, that's a great model and subject matter. That chassis is very well done. Great model. Thanks for sharing it.

[a/gass]

im not into that kinda subject - but it looks KILLER great. excelent work.

[weasel]

that's a nice CLEAN dirtcar ya got there.. lol

[DrewCfromSC]

Cool stuff. Right up my current builds interest! Maybe the model car companies might consider these? The modifieds series was a pretty good hit!

[randx0]

you did a really nice job on this ,especially for '93 or '94.

[bbowser]

Very nice. Love the air cleaner detail and those killer wheels. Great job!

[Draggon]

Now thats one GREAT model!

[Truck parts]

Tommy, What a outstanding job!!!!!!! I never did like the look of that body. Look like a door stop,but you did a great job on it .

[62rebel]

that's a wonderful depiction and looks completely accurate... and you said the one reason i stopped being interested in dirt track and Nascar racing; that they stopped resembling in any way the actual car. that is exactly the style of car i would have seen at Natural Bridge in the mid-'80's..... well; too clean, perhaps!

[krazyglu]

Tommy thanks for showing more pictures. This has got to be one of my all time favorite model's. I am not real sure why as I have never been real into dirt track anything, but you captured the look so well that I want to build one....someday . The sheet metal brass work is amazing...the hubs and way the wheels come off like the 1:1 is amazing. I think the paint colors and lay out are also what draws me in. Exactly like what I would see If I headed to the local dirt track Florence speedway on a weekend night. Awesome job Tommy and thanks for sharing.

[Slim Louis]

Great job, and scratch building!

[S. Svendsen]

Wow. That's some awesome model building right there!

[EriccT]

does anybody know where I can get somethign like this but a modern version or maybe a ump modified.

[Old Sprinter]

I have never looked in this part until today and I find your dirt late model, Tommy. That is a great car, sir. I just recently got interested in these things after spending my whole life around supermodiifieds, sprints and midgets. I'm building a 2007 version of a Rocket Chassis now in 1/8th scale. Nice work!