Slingster Bantam Coupe Meets Bantam Blast Super Bash!

[jbwelda]

Here is something I have been hacking around with for awhile, filled the Monogram Slingster Bantam coupe body wheel wells and reverted to stock, then got the idea that the chassis in the AMT Bantam Blast might work to create a somewhat-replica of a car I saw at the races some years back.

Body still needs work and the chassis does too but its coming along.

Heres the rough prototype:








I am working on moving the rear axle forward about an eighth of an inch to fill the wheel well better. And I plan on having the bottom of the body approx parallel to the ground, or at least at less of an angle than in the photos here.









Comments appreciated and thanks for looking!

jb

[Dave from Pleasanton]

Love where you're going with this. I don't know why but the slicks seem way oversized in diameter. Maybe it's the wide angle lens on the camera. Raising the front of the body would look much better. The engine seems too far forward in relation to the body. I assume you're going to cut a bigger hole in the roof for the driver. It would be pretty hard to get in and out. Is it possible to lower the driver down into the chassis so that not so much of the roll cage sticks out? My 2 cents. Keep at it and I'll follow along.

[jbwelda]

thanks for the comments, Dave, you make a number of valid points. The tires are too big and I am now trying different ones, the ones that were on there were the smaller AMT M&H slicks but I have since switched to some smaller diameter and width cheater slicks from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland, and there are smaller still ones with the Slingster kit, though personally I like the cheaters most. The tires that came with the Bantam Blast were really big weenie tires, which might be ok for altereds but look too cartoony for me on anything much less this little Bantam body. The ones in the photo were an improvement on them, but I agree they looked too large.

Not going to cut open the roof; if they got a pilot who cannot get in there, they need to get another pilot, I just design em, not drive em!




There will be junk extending forward of the body to the back of the motor so that won't be a problem, and I am currently working on getting the rear end down further to get the body more parallel with the ground. Which will put the roll cage more up in the air but thats life.

Seems like Monogram/Revell just cannot win: the original Slingster, the Sizzler was way too big, and I think they went way too small with the Slingster, so they overcompensated reproducing and correcting the original kit. Still I like the body and some more creative notching will make it mate with the chassis better.

More pics soon probably.

Thanks again!

jb

[Dave from Pleasanton]

No more donuts for the driver then. Smaller slicks will drop the rear of the body so it will be closer to level.

[jbwelda]

I will get some more photos up soon, this is moving along at a decent clip. Am due to leave for Bonneville and beyond for a while so will try to get them up before I split. Thanks again for watching!

PS: I wish this coupe body wasn't chopped. Stock roof height looks so much better.

jb

[jbwelda]

Its coming along, this is about where it stops for now, be back in a few weeks and will resume work at that point meanwhile it onward for higher inspiration.












closeup of the engine, I am getting increasingly lazy with details and not sure how well a front timing cover for a SBC fits a hemi.




thanks again for looking!

jb

[Dave from Pleasanton]

Looks great. Timing cover fits so it works. It's not like there's anything behind it (like a timing chain and sprockets). If it's not to late you might move the tach up to the roof so the driver could see it since his head is above the roof. :-)

[TooOld]

This is looking very cool JB , I like that you're using that Bantam body on the Bantam Blast chassis ! I built a couple similar with Austin bodies and also wondered how a driver would get it . . . not my problem it's his !

[jbwelda]

A little progress report, this is going to look a lot better with the front wheels on and on the ground but its shaping up pretty well in the meantime. Just stuck on some decals, am going to micro-sol them today and then clear the whole body again later in the week. Meanwhile am searching for a smaller parachute pack or may just fab up a back for the big one and mount it out on the pushbar with some support bars. Also trying to figure out where to put the radiator shell, and small, mini actually, Moon tank like in my prototype photo. I have it propped up in front of the chassis crossmember, but I like it better between the front suspension arms and the fuel pump on the front of the engine, but then the frame sticks out kind of awkwardly.  I knew I should have lopped off six inches or so of the frame front, but too late for that now. (Its never too late for dremel therapy.) The front end is a mess too but ok if you do not think too much. I could have done better up there, but it is what it is as this point. The cowl over the transmission turned into a struggle too, it fit all the ways up to final fitting and then it didn't...a familiar story. So I popped it off and am currently weighing my options, leave it off as in the photos (hardly miss it) or carve it out some to fit over the trans scatter shield thingie, will probably go with the latter since even if I mess it up I can still do the former.

Thanks again for looking and all comments appreciated!










jb

[Dave from Pleasanton]

That does seem like a very large parachute. Can you turn the Moon tank sideways so it fits within the grille shell? OBTW it looks great.

[jbwelda]

Closing in on it, or circling the drain, you decide.

Bantam radiator shell is dragging on the ground and the fuel tank is slightly askew, reflecting the slight warp in the frame despite my best.

Just got a couple things to touch up, mount and wire the drag chute and should be done. Will post a finished thread when I finish it up.

Then its on to the long planned proper Futurista build for a change of pace. I fear pearl white esp over yellow.











jb

[TooOld]

Lookin' good JB , great work !