Dirt Late Model>>Paint and decals on! 10/02/21 page 4

[Tom Birky]

Started a dirt late model based on an AMT Nascar chassis. This will be a 'curbside' build. Hood probably isn't going to come off and it will be as technically incorrect underneath as can be, but I'm going for the look of a current dirt late model without the pain of scratchbuilding a complete tube chassis. To simplify things, I'm starting with the nascar chassis. I'm going to use all of the stock suspension mounting points to get it up on the wheels quickly and pretty much square with the world. This isn't the 'only' way to build, but thought some may like to follow along. I've combined quite a few techniques I've seen on our forums over the last few years and added one or two of my own.
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I started with a vacuform body from Ron Coon. Since the body is 1/24th scale, and I want to build 1/25, I cut the nose off and the sides off. I'm going to fab my own deck, this will allow me to make it a little narrower to get it to scale. The new deck sinks a bit in the middle, then slightly up to the rear. The deck and tapered filler pieces are made from .030 sheet styrene.
Tom Kirby, on Flickr
20180106_191103 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr20180106_191122 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr
20180106_191128 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

[Tom Birky]

I'm going to make my own front spindles. This is going to make the front wheels poseable, they'll be tight and square and very strong to allow lots of handling. I start with the drill bits and plastic rod and tube shown below. The 1/16th and .080 are solid rod and you'll need a drill bit for each. The 1/8" and 5/32" is tubing.

20180209_212901 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

Start by drilling a 1/16th hole in the lower A arm where the kit spindle would go, then repeat for the upper A arms. We'll run the 1/16th rod (.062") through them for the spindle pin.  The upper a arms are glued to the frame, including the tubular part where it just contacts the edge of the frame. Since it's a curbside, I don't care that the spindle is touching the frame there, I'm going for strength. Glue the lower a arms in also and run the bit through the align the holes.

20180106_192937 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_192953 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_193033 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_193126 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_204035 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

[Tom Birky]

Now to make the spindles. I wrecked a couple till I got the hang of it. Start by taking a length of 1/8" tubing and drilling a .080" hole in it. Then cutting a longer than needed piece of .080 rod, super glue it into the hole. After it's set up, drill the hole in the tubing out with your 1/16" bit so the spindle rod will slide through.

20180106_200255 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_203039 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_200425 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr
20180106_203359 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

With the A arms already glued in place, now I carefully cut the spindle down till it just fits between. Sanding a little off of the top or bottom to center it. I aim for the center, but you could raise or lower the front end by making your spindle longer or shorter on the ends.

20180209_213046 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

The last thing is to take a short piece of the 5/32" tubing. I slightly notch one side then slide a short piece on over the axle stub so it butts up to the spindle. A bit of glue on it makes the axle to spindle joint very strong. Using PPP wheels, I drill the axle holes all the way through with the .080" bit. The wheels will slide on very tight, but still removeable.

20180106_204217 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

[Tom Birky]

Now, to get the chassis up on 4 wheels. I always feel I have a better chance of finishing a car if I get it up on the wheels as soon as possible so it starts to look like something. I'm super gluing a Ron Coon Resins quick change axle to the kit trailing arms. Leaving the center part free on the tube for now until I get everything set side to side. Now for the fun part! I cut the kit chassis off right behind the rear coil spring mounts. I'm going to use the kit springs during the build process for strength and to set the ride height. They'll be replace with coil over springs later. Next I trim up all the unused stuff on the chassis with my little side cutters.

20180106_204930 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_195422 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_195641_001 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_195744 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180106_205243 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

Up on 4 wheels! I mocked up the 3D nose and fuel cell from Dwight at Custom Dirt Cars. Looking racy!

20180107_192933 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

[Tom Birky]

My next order of business is to shorten the wheelbase. The kit chassis measures out almost 109". Dirt late models run a 103" to 105" wheelbase. I cut the front chassis stub off right in front of the floor pan and removed about 3/16" I think. The cool thing about these chassis is how easy they are to shorten. By trimming the little jack nubs off the side of the frame, the floor pan sits perfectly flat on the bench minus the rear suspension. I took a little off the front stub on each side and slide it up to the floor pan. The front cross member that runs under the oil pan will sit perfectly flat on the bench as well. This makes it easy to level and glue it back together. Some liquid glue and a small piece of plastic glued on each side gives it lots of strength.

20180106_205731 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180208_220550 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

After a little test fitting of the body, I needed a little piece of square stock glued to the top of the rear frame to bring it up to the correct height. Then I drilled 2 holes for the rear frame stub. The rear frame will be made from 1/16" rod. Glue in two lengths and eyeball them to make sure they're level with each other. I left them long for now.

20180208_220610 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180208_220603 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

[Tom Birky]

I glued little spacers temporarily to the bottom of the frame to get the body lined up where I wanted it. Then I fabricated a front firewall. Technically wrong, but I wanted it to keep the body centered and locked in on the frame. The firewall glues right to the front of the floor pan. Then I glued strips of flat plastic to the bottom of the body, one in front and one behind the firewall. This will hold the body securely where I want it. I glued a similar strip to the bottom of the body where the rear of the frame touches it to keep it centered.

20180209_204734 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180209_204644 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180209_204635 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

Everything locked down. With the body secure front to back and side to side, I cut my little spacer blocks off the bottom of the chassis.

20180209_213233 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180209_213245 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180209_213432 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

20180209_213224 by Tom Kirby, on Flickr

[sentsat71]

Interesting WIP build...

IF Revell gets around to re-issuing the old ASA kits, would those frames work for the DLM and IMCA Modifieds?

Big Donkey has an IMCA style modified body to go with the also incorrect old MPC modifieds...have thought about getting one someday just for the heck of it.....

[pdaly28]

Interesting WIP build...

IF Revell gets around to re-issuing the old ASA kits, would those frames work for the DLM and IMCA Modifieds?

Big Donkey has an IMCA style modified body to go with the also incorrect old MPC modifieds...have thought about getting one someday just for the heck of it.....

Ron Coon also has a IMCA modified body that one day I'll get,but have 2 long term projects going now and 2 to follow

[pdaly28]

and as usual Tom,your work blows me away!

[MarkJ]

Looking awesome, Tom. That chassis work is phenominal.

[Bob P.]

Very interesting build Tom, I'm watching and learning. I can't wait to see this one finished.

Bob

[Tom Birky]

I'm working on it. The nose is giving me some trouble. I'm  going to give it another go tonite perhaps.

[Bob P.]

That's coming along nice Tom. A lot of work in this one already. Keep us posted on the progress.

Bob

[pdaly28]

lookin good Tom!love the work you put into these!

[spotter23]

So cool, thanks for showing the details so far.......the end build will be sweet