1/25 Front engined top fuel dragster ( Don Prudhomme)

Over Easter break I wasn't felling much like working on my 1/48th scale armour so I thought I'd try something a bit different. As I have always liked Top fuel dragsters and especially the front engined kind I thought I'd give one a go. I haven't built one of these in well, years and years, back in the Testor's tube glue times, and well this kit is from that era too.

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-TfpKnQW/0/97b2489d/X2/FED%2006-X2.jpg


A pretty basic kit without many parts, thick chrome plate and horrible instructions. Just like I remembered them. Started right away with putting as many sub assemblies together as I can.

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-6gjGsv8/0/5a0f3f0e/X2/FED%2001-X2.jpg

The body was stuck together, gaps filled with CA and block sanded to get a good, straight and even finish. I still have more work to do before primer but it all fits.

The frame is thankfully one piece and straight but needed a fair bit of clean up to look presentable.

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-6G3GMgt/0/89643f7e/X2/FED%2005-X2.jpg

I have then started working on the motor using only bits from the kit and stuff I had on the bench, plastic strip and rod and some lead wire.

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-gm59bZD/0/197d1e20/X2/FED%2007-X2.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-VpX7trL/0/2916f048/X2/FED%2008-X2.jpg

So far everything 'fits' and should come together in the end but I still have a lot to do on the body to get it looking good. I'm not that great with gloss finishes and major decals but I'm having fun so that's good.

Thanks for looking in.

Progress;

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-wRHt9kg/0/c993dd45/XL/FED%2009-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-dNkQbJ5/0/66917c38/XL/FED%2011-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-q4KckwZ/0/ab4564a8/XL/FED%2010-XL.jpg

Final check to see that everything fits. Decaling and top coating next then the details.

Thanks for looking in.

as a kid growing up; used to go see the snake and the mongoose race all the time; when
they came to town.. guess that's where i caught the race bug..
nice job so far.. like the gritty engine look; as the post cards and models always show clean and pristine, but down in the pits, after a drag; sooty.. run hard, and put away wet..

I spent all day Saturday at the bench putting the decals on. I don't get along well with decals and these were pretty brittle and broke apart in a few places. I found that there were some rough finish in some areas of the decals like there was some 'grit' mixed in with the ink. They also didn't respond to any of the decal solutions I threw at them. In the end good old hot water and heated pads for soft paper towel worked the best to get them to conform and lay flat. I then spent much of today laying thin coats of Tamiya TS-13 clear over the top. This seems to have worked out pretty well and I'm not going to risk anymore futzing about and just let this set and harden for a week while I finish the chassis. Here's my progress so far.


https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-HRKpwQL/0/aa319f0c/X2/FED%2013-X2.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-VXM7Gds/0/39b926c0/X2/FED%2012-X2.jpg

I'll do a bit of semigloss black to the interior with a brush once this lot gets nice and hard. I still have to figure out how I'm going to mount the stearing arms and front rods. So far so good.

Thanks for looking in.
Dan

Finished;

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-9WGCwn3/0/1dbc24e8/XL/FED%2016-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-Qr7Km9H/0/96d19069/XL/FED%2018-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/WIP-Models/FED/i-c3PqHgG/0/6248415c/XL/FED%2019-XL.jpg

Thanks for looking in.

I hope you liked her.

Dan

Sweet looking car and a nice build!

/Niclas