Firebird Stock Car 56K warning

Ripper7777777 over on R7R built a custom dirt track micro t that was just way too cool! He used a ford 3 window coupe to make it a vintage ride and after he finished his build he decided to offer the chassis. I was going to build my own but I really like the way his looked so I ordered one asap. So, I figured why not post a build thread?

When decided to get one of Rippers micro t chassis I'd planned on doing a Camaro stocker. I had it all planned in my mind; I was about to order a resin body on ebay, but luckily I needed to go to Walgreen's and pick up a prescription...while there I saw they had their scale models on sale, they had some really cool choices for a stock car build. I almost went with a Malibu, they also had a Dodge Charger that would have made a good General Lee, but then I saw it...a 74 Trans Am. Close enough to what I had planned and on sale for $11!

So, first off, the chassis is very nice. It was cut well and the holes all line up! That's something that even large manufacturers sometimes don't manage to get right so thanks Ripper for taking the time to d this right. I cut my original chassis back a little further than Ripper did so that I could keep the section that aligns the servo. I think it probably adds a little strength too.













So, now that I know I measured the chassis pretty close, I may have been a mm or two over; but once I radius the wheel wells it should be about right. I started on the body: cut the inner fender wells and fire wall, mocked up a sheet metal interior, offset and slanted the body.









I need to radius the fenders still, then I'll start working on the rollcage. I think I'm going pavement short track with this just because everything I usually do is geared towards dirt. But I do like the open rear of the body, I may go dirt...I'll have plenty of time to decide while I build the cage.

sweet looks i love the old school muscle cars....

the lug

I saw that project on Ripper and it was pretty cool, hopeuflly yours comes out even better! Looking foward to a great build.

Any ideas as far as the color?

I'm kind of torn, I am thinking of going for a copy of my mid 80's Camaro:



or the late 80's:



But both of them were kind of plain...I loved both cars (well, the sand colored one tried to burn me to death...but I still have fond memories).

Maybe late 90's early 2000's:




or a buddies car that took over driving for a while:



Or maybe the car of the biggest name driver who ever intentionally put me over the hill:
(Scottie Bloomquest)


But most likely I'll go with something close to my signature for streetfire.net:

Sweet!!!

I got my popcorn and drink for this one!

Also, how much was the conversion chassie?

Yeah, I'm loving this build. The Chassis was $26.50 shipped...Rippers ordering thread here

Here's Ripper's original car.

OK, I have the interior started, it's still rough but at least things are lining up pretty well.

God thats sick!!!

I love it!

Im gona throw this on my x-mas list!!!

I've been playing with some paint schemes, I know the photoshoping is rough, these were just really quick drafts to see what it might look like.

Simple:



More involved:



I think I like the first one better, but I haven't decided on anything yet. I'm open to suggestions.

I personally like teh 2nd one, but its all up to you.
Some two tone flames would be cool!

maybe for the second swich the colors so you got the yellow up front and red on the roof cuz you got those yellow rims...

the lug

Oh, those rims aren't going to be around long...I have a few ideas for rims, think mud-plugs.

mud-plugs...

Never heard of them...?

BTW, what did you use to make the roll cage?
Looks like JB Weld and antennae tube.

Oh, yeah I forgot, not everyone's grown up around dirt racing...my bad. Most dirt tires are run between 3-11 lbs of pressure. When the track is sloppy you drop the pressure to 3-5 lbs. Even with beadlocks the mud can work it's way into the tire and really cause a nasty blowout. So, when you have a sloppy track most guys use mudplugs: they are dense foam rubber that fits inside the wheel and keeps the mud out. There are newer versions that are like hubcaps that bolt on, but most guys just use the foam.



You can see some pretty faded looking plugs on this car...they may not be faded, theymay just be soaked with watery mud...or they were trying to match the car?




The roll bar is JB Welded...JB Quick, actually. The tubing is Evergreen styrene tubing:
tube
sheet & pieces


Better modelers can do amazing stuff with it:


This was almost entierly scratch built (note the mud plug on the rear tire):

I never knew that.

Thats very interesting!

Are you going to take out the foam in the tires to simulate the lower pressure?

I had problems with my quick weld bonding to my antennae tube, even after sanding it.
Ill have to pick up some styrene!

I may pull the foam and see what happens, but at least until spring this will be run indoors on carpet so I'll probably wait. Your LHS may have the styrene if they have many static modelers. It's the same stuff that plastic models are made from so you can use all sorts of glues, I used JB so that it could take an impact but CA might have worked.

Ok, I learned something, if you don't use your painting skills for long periods, you lose your painting skills.

That being said, I'm pretty happy with the way this has come out. I need to find a better way to mount the board so that I can still move it to adjust for weight but not have it bounce loose as the car runs. The wheel wells are radiused for bigger wheels and tires, which I have on the way...I was going to use the DT tires but it when I was testing I found these work better...so they will probably be my running tires and the others will be the "sitting on the shelf" tires. I wish I'd tried these tires before cutting the wheel wells, but... well anyway, if you are going to do something like this try Losi's street meat tires first. If you mount the front tires backwards and the rear the right way (they have a directional tread) it makes the car do perfect four wheel drifts on smooth concrete. well, at least t does with this body, but if you change the weight by using something else???? It's worth a try anyway. If I had a working video camera I'd show you what I mean but for now I guess it will have to wait.

Dang that thing looks sik!! Great job bro!

cool, that came out really nice man,

the lug

Good job, it turned out

looking good

Hey thanks. I need to get a track built for it sometime this summer.