Cobra Daytona Coupe scratchbuild Watson Offenhauser

[grandsport3]

Morning Fellows, my latest project is building a "Backbone frame" for a 1/24 Cobra Daytona Coupe. There is a difference in wheelbase between each 1/24 Daytona slot and hard bodies. I've done a wheelbase "Stetch" of about 3/16 inch for the Unknown (Lancer?) slot, it also has a higher windscreen and more rounded roofline than my other slots and the K & B body. Been deluged with PinInterest posts and the Simeone Museum has excellent restoration photos of the "Missing" Daytona Coupe believed to be the US made one. Why did my subject also say "Watson Offy"?, because the Simeone photos show a "Backbone" ladder frame reinforcement from front to rear leaf spring mounts. My calibrated eyeballs said "This looks like the Watson Offy frame". Yes it is almost identical just smaller diameter tube. I chopped a new frame I have and tapered it from bellhousing to driveshaft end. I chopped the AMT interior up and made more reclining narrowed bucket seats from the AMT Warren Tope 73 Mustang I bought for the Great Gold stripe/lettered Firestone tires. It's coming along nicely but have to rebuild the tube body supports my eyeballs miscalculated and add radiator structure. Taking photos but having problems storing on my hard drive.

[Joel_W]

I'm really looking forward to following your build. Please post pictures so it's easier to follow your work.

Joel

[starfighterace]

Stepping back into my "wayback machine", to build an (mostly) accurate Daytona Cobra, you used the IMC Ford Cougar and the K&B Daytona Cobra slot car body. The IMC Cougar is based on a Ford Concept car based on the small block Shelby Cobra that suspiciously looks live a road version of the Daytona. Used a Shelby Cobra frame and the 289 HiPo engine. It fits very well.

The Lindberg Daytona Coupe kit is the American built body work version, if I recall correctly.

[mustangrex]

Yes Mark the Lindberg Kit body isn’t bad but throw away almost everything else as calling it a snap kit is generous. The Hiro and HRM kits are of course two of the best but are more than most want to spend. It’s a shame there isn’t a decent regular plastic kit of a Daytona Coupe with an engine that is in the $50 or less price range either in 1/24 or 1/25 scale. The aftermarket would of course make better wheels and engines and photo-etch parts and many other things to enhance a kit say on par with the Accurate Miniatures GS Corvettes.

[grandsport3]

Things are progressing, got a few ideas I'm trying and need some advice. I want to include wheel well inner fenders front and rear glued to underside of cowling, found out a '62 Corvette inner fenders fairly close with some sanding and cutting and drilled out for headlight housings. I had a junk Revell 427 Cobra Prototype slot car body that I experimented spray painting inside and it didn't curl.  Inserting it inside the Daytona Coupe body it was snug fit and I trimmed front fenders to nestle against Daytona front body and ground roadster headlights in fender down to the Daytona curve. Found that Burrago Ferrari 250 LM headlights and buckets are an almost perfect fit. My question is: Can I use an adhesive that will bond the outside of the 427 Roadster clear body to the inside painted Daytona without damaging the painted underside? I believe that Elmer's white glue will not hold, what about contact cement? Photo's are in the works.

[grandsport3]

OK' I've tried this twice. Third time Lucky, I need to save my reply before I open the links or else it closes the reply and I have to start over. Just right click open the links, they should open. Thanx, John

The striped body is an Unknown  "Junk" slot car body that took three weeks to strip BUT it's lines a very good and the roofline has a higher "Crown" than the other two slot bodies I have, anyone know the Mfg?

This project is on hold but inserted inside the Coupe body is a primered Revell 427 "Flip Top" junk body that I am using to hold the Burago Ferrari 250 LM headlight buckets and lens covers. I also split and narrowed the Burago seats and they make perfect "recline" Daytona Coupe seats. I need to join the two slot body rear wheelwells together. I left the hood "Bubble" clear to see the Webers (artistic License).

Thanx, John

[tatocorvette]

Sept 17, 2020 9:42:33 GMT -8 grandsport3 said:

Here are your pics:

[grandsport3]

Ismael, Thanx, How'd you do that? I think my initial problem was I had the "Beginner" account. PhotoBucket just said I needed the more expensive account to post on sharing site. So, I'll try it today with my Lola GT Mk 6 project. Thanks for assisting. John

[tatocorvette]

Hi,

I just reposted your links but using the "Insert Image" button on top. The link alone will not work.

Screenshot:


Thanks,
Ismael

[grandsport3]

Ismael, That's what I've been doing but sometimes the Image will open and I've had up to three images open but I can't move them around. Sometimes on;y one image will open then the next time the link will post. Then sometimes the link will open showing the image and sometimes the link will open to a black screen with a "Torn" icon. So I'll keep trying, what did you think of the "Backbone" chassis? Thanx, John

[tatocorvette]

That chassis is looking really good!  I like that the engine is surprisingly far back from the front axle. 

When you click on the button, make sure you don't have double "http://".   Also, paste the link only on the top of the two lines.  The second line is for alternate messages if error. Just ignore it.

Thanks,
Ismael

[grandsport3]

OK, I think I've got the Photo posting down now (finally) just have to learn to "Rotate" the originals before putting in PhotoBucket.

First shot is comparing the AMT 289 Cobra chassis with a 3/16 stretched 289. Second is laying the AMT Agajanian Offy roadster chassis to see if it was feasible. Third is almost completed "Backbone" between engine and differential and rear fender wells and floor pan. The radiator was tilted and the shroud is a door off a Lotus 30 slot body. The seats are narrowed AMT Warren Tope 73 Mustang parts. Next a junk Revell 427 Cobra Prototype provides an inner shell to hold the Burago Ferrari 250 LM headlight buckets (which I also going to use on my Lola GT Mk 6). Last is almost done, need to put wider tires on back and fair in the two rear fender edges into one. I'm leaving the hood bubble clear to see the Webers but will hinge the hood to see chassis. Thanxs for viewing!

[grandsport3]

Afternoon Fellows, Just a couple of shots of the Cobra Europe campaign transporter and Scarab F-1 transporter. Evidently Lance Reventlow did everything "Top Hole"! One I believe was a Bedford (the Cobra) and the Scarab some Italian brand. Did Both come back to the US? I believe John Mecom may have used the Italian one over here. He bought everything that tickled his fancy when he was in Europe. Must have been nice to walk in any car mfg and buy their latest!