ollieholmes Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I wouldnt normally post my builds that are not large scale subjects here but when i posted a photo of these kits in the 'make others jelous' thread there was a little bit of interest. Im going to build three kits (one has yet to arrive) as a display to the man they call the father of Drag Racing. Don Garlits For those of you who dont know much about drag racing ill give a short run down of the man they call the father of Drag Racing, Big Daddy Don Garlits. He is world famous for changing dragsters from the early front engined designs where the engine is in front of the driver to what we know now as normall where the driver sits infront of the engine. This came about after a nasty accident where he lost several toes on his foot after the transmission exploded. Reproduced below is a famous photo of the accident: He went on to set many records including the first to hit 170mph,200mph, 240mph, 250mph and 270mph at the 1/4 mile. He also became the first person to go over 200mph at the 1/8th mile. Hes retired several times from the sport but returned in 2014 with a new electric powered dragster to set a speed record of 184mph. which i beieve is a record in an electric powered car. Onto the models: First up im building this kit which is of Dons first rear engined dragster which started the revoloution: The engine went together very easily: The rear wheels use rubber tyres and the front ones are all plastic: The chassis are coming together: And lastly the rear wing mounts are on: spacewolf, LSP_K2 and dmthamade 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I like!....Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmthamade Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Great to see dragster kits being built. Looking forward to the finished builds. Are you planning on adding fuel lines, plug leads, etc? Don LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieholmes Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 Great to see dragster kits being built. Looking forward to the finished builds. Are you planning on adding fuel lines, plug leads, etc? Don To be honest im not sure. Im not sure my modelling skills are yet up to the challenge when everything is on show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bellis Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 For those of you who dont know much about drag racing ill give a short run down of the man they call the father of Drag Racing, Big Daddy Don Garlits. The great Don Garlits is many things, but "The Father of Drag Racing" is not one of them. The sport existed before he began competing in 1954. "Big Daddy" is just a nickname used to promote his appearances, much like the "Swamp Rat" nickname which he gives to his cars. Looking forward to following your builds! D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmthamade Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 To be honest im not sure. Im not sure my modelling skills are yet up to the challenge when everything is on show. I get what your saying, kinda like putting a fully detailed cockpit into a 1/72 aircraft. I remember doing the 1/16 Revell dragsters and funny cars, wish they would rerelease more than just the Hawaiian funny car. That would be easier to detail. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee White Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Big Daddy. He was one of my heroes as a kid. I had the poster of him 'staging' against an A-7 on my wall for years. Cool doesn't even to begin to describe him- How many top Fuel rail drivers do you know that can have a blow over, pivot in the middle of it, and land, facing back toward where he started? I heard he casually motored back to the start line after that, but that may be urban legend. And that model of the event that took half his foot is beyond belief!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 The great Don Garlits is many things, but "The Father of Drag Racing" is not one of them. The sport existed before he began competing in 1954. "Big Daddy" is just a nickname used to promote his appearances, much like the "Swamp Rat" nickname which he gives to his cars. Looking forward to following your builds! D I have to disagree. He changed top fuel many times. Lots of firsts. And Lee, he is /was one of my heroes, just I wasn't a kid at the time........Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_K2 Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I get what your saying, kinda like putting a fully detailed cockpit into a 1/72 aircraft. I remember doing the 1/16 Revell dragsters and funny cars, wish they would rerelease more than just the Hawaiian funny car. That would be easier to detail. Don One of the fellas on modelcarsmag.com did one of the big fuelers that looked utterly fantastic. You really have to look hard at the photos to even tell that it is a model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bellis Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I have to disagree. He changed top fuel many times. Lots of firsts. And Lee, he is /was one of my heroes, just I wasn't a kid at the time........Harv Ok. But, his "Big Daddy" nickname stems from the 1960s when he consistently brought his family to the races more so than his innovations. His many innovations were mostly met with ridicule at the time unless he actually won trying new things - which was not all that often. Nicknames are not applied to people on-the-spot for how their impact on the sport is viewed in hindsight. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieholmes Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 I get what your saying, kinda like putting a fully detailed cockpit into a 1/72 aircraft. I remember doing the 1/16 Revell dragsters and funny cars, wish they would rerelease more than just the Hawaiian funny car. That would be easier to detail. Don Ive got the Hawaian Charger kit to build sometime and im always on the look out for more. The only other drag racing kit ive got currently is Ed McCulloch's AA car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieholmes Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Big Daddy. He was one of my heroes as a kid. I had the poster of him 'staging' against an A-7 on my wall for years. Cool doesn't even to begin to describe him- How many top Fuel rail drivers do you know that can have a blow over, pivot in the middle of it, and land, facing back toward where he started? I heard he casually motored back to the start line after that, but that may be urban legend. And that model of the event that took half his foot is beyond belief!! Heres a video of that famous blow over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHcVzJxaYRM spacewolf and Lee White 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel_W Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) About the last place I'd ever thought I'd see a dragster model is on LSP. What a pleasant surprise. So far your build is looking quite good. Can't wait to see it finally finished. While I'm not a dragster guy, I have a deep and long interest in road racing from the earlies 60s through the 80s. I've actually bought 5 kits ranging from a Lotus 49c and a Lotus 72e kits, to a McLaren M8B Can Am car. While the interest in the real deal is there, I just can't seem to get the Mojo flowing to actually build them. Joel Edited January 17, 2017 by Joel_W LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieholmes Posted January 17, 2017 Author Share Posted January 17, 2017 About the last place I'd ever thought I'd see a dragster model is on LSP. What a pleasant surprise. So far your build is looking quite good. Can't wait to see it finally finished. While I'm not a dragster guy, I have a deep and long interest in road racing from the earlies 60s through the 80s. I've actually bought 5 kits ranging from a Lotus 49c and a Lotus 72e kits, to a McLaren M8B Can Am car. While the interest in the real deal is there, I just can't seem to get the Mojo flowing to actually build them. Joel Ive got a general interest in racing cars so ill try and post more here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacewolf Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Nice to see different subjects.. and they are 1/35 + so they fit in :-) I've always learned neat things from modelers of different things, from materials to tool, to adhesives and finishing products. Saw the neatest trick to metal discoloration on exhausts from a video of a guy doing a racing motorcycle... using his wife's make up kit ! The more we build, the more we all win ! Vaughn LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now