68 Camaro Short Tracker

[gloobombking]

I built this one using the AMT 68 Camaro body, some evergreen rod and square stock along with some file card.  The chassis rails are AMT 68 elcamino and most of the suspension pieces are scratch built.  Shocks are .093 evergreen tube with paper clip shafts.  A piece of wire insulation is the stop indicator.  The bolts and nuts are Tichy Train Group detail items.  The interior sheetmetal is file card bent up like the real thing and the 180 degree headers are bent from solder.  I wanted this to look like a Howe copy from around 1972-73 racing season.  This is typical of the equipment I watched at I-70 Speedway and around my area during that time.   My graphics were printed for me by Bernard Kron along with some others for future builds.  




This is the car that gave me the idea for the build

[gloobombking]

Here are some pics of this mess coming together.

[afx]

Brilliant - great build! I also like your frame stands, I assume you made them?

[jchrisf]

Very nice.. as a little boy, I used to watch these and more just below you at I-30 Speedway.

[2whl]

WOW !! That is some great scratch building

[arcticwolf]

Very nice. Interesting you use solder to make headers, I use electrical wire. I might try solder, easier to bend for sure.

[4wheels]

As someone that built and drove cars just like this back in the day, I have to say this is one of the most period-correct builds I have seen! Very nice job. I still have a 1:1 set of headers like that in my garage! I experienced the change-over from full OEM frames to the fully-fabricated cars with pro-built motors first hand, it was a tough time for the poor guy!

Brian

PS - You have the front and rear hubs correct, one of my pet peeves on short track builds!

[mustang1989]

Man that'll WORK right there. Very nicely done and love the frame stands that you came up with. Nifty idea.

[Chris K. Hale]

Ok this completely reminds me of Saugus Speedway in Canyon Country Ca. Fri. & Sat. nights 1/8 Oval track.. Helping my late friend Dave Blankenship, (Super Stock Champ, Can Am Champ and forever fastest Lap Record Holder, Google It! ) in the pits a little and having a great time. I have a couple Oval cars to build , the Vega rebuild, Yes its still here on the project shelf, and i got a TJ's resins Late Model Sportsman Full detail resin kit , Camaro, that is so cool . Its too bad TJ's went out of business. Its a late 2000's model that is still identical to the current cars run on the weekends all over the USA. This build is AWESOME with great detail and I thought the first pic was the real car ...Excellent!! Chris

[gloobombking]

Yes, I made the frame stands from evergreen .093 tube.  I have used them a number of times for just this purpose.  I also have a different style I use on Rally builds.

[Joel_W]

Now that's one really brilliant build. I'm super impressed. The scratch building is just amazing to say the least.

Joel

[Bernard Kron]

Wonderful, not just the super frame work, but the stance, proportions and graphics. These can be such handsome race cars!