If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'

Louise gave me a couple of American racers for my birthday.  The Dodge Charger Daytona of 1969:

and the Plymouth Road Runner Superbird of 1970:

These large cars are plastered with sponsorship decals, and have the huge spoilers and aerodynamic noses of the NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) cars of the time.  On first testing, they drove very fast but with unrealistic "glued to the track" handling.  I took out the rear magnets so now the back ends swing out nicely on the corners.

The post title is an old NASCAR expression. Junior Johnson, one of the early superstars of NASCAR, said this about his approach when it came to building cars:

I'd have four of five new things on a car that might raise a question. But I'd always leave something that was outside of the regulations in a place where the inspectors could easily find it. They'd tell me it was illegal, I'd plead guilty, and they'd carry it away thinking they caught me. But they didn't check some other things that I thought were even more special.

Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in hot pursuit!

At a slot car show earlier this year, I came across Chase Cars who manufacture bodyshells and chassis to recreate the car chases of films and TV from the 70s and 80s.  The unique thing about their chassis is that it leans and steers in the corners, so you get a more realistic appearance when racing their cars.

I bought a chassis and a couple of bodyshells.  First build is the 1977 Dodge Monaco police car as driven by Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the Dukes of Hazzard.

The bodyshell comes with roof lights, plastic windows and interior, with Hazard County Sheriff decals.  I had to get axles, wheels, tyres, a pickup and a motor to go with the chassis.

The tough plastic chassis comes in a single moulded piece that needs taking apart.

Quite a few bits...

After a few hours, it looks like this...

The steering mechanism links to the pickup guide so the wheels turns when the guide reaches a corner.  The motor pod is suspended and sprung in the chassis so it can rock when the car drives round corners.

I sprayed the car and applied the transfers.  I dremel-ed out the windows in the bodyshell and fitted plastic ones, and painted the interior with the model of Rosco.

The completed model...

High quality decals...

It is a lot of effort to put together but on the track it looks great, although the chassis is built for realistic roll rather than speed, so it won't keep up with the Scalextric General Lee.  Andy has also bought one of these chassis, so we'll see how they go together when he's built his.

Bullitt

I went to the UK Slot Car Festival today with Andy and bought (and sold!) some more cars.  I'd been interested in Pioneer slot cars since trying out their 68 Mustang Notchbacks at a show last year.  The Notchbacks are nice but what I really wanted was this pair...

... Steve McQueen as Bullitt driving the 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT...

...and the assassins driving the black Dodge Charger R/T.

These cars famously raced around the streets of San Francisco in the 1968 film "Bullitt".  They are highly detailed cars.  The assassin even has his gun half-covered by his coat...

...and it's a pretty good likeness of Steve McQueen...

They are both very quick and make another great pair to race on the Highwood Circuit - although no petrol station for the Charger to crash into and explode!

Just the good ol' boys, Never meanin' no harm...

Just released by Scalextric (and delivered a few days ago) is the Duke boys' 1969 Dodge Charger, the "General Lee".

This is a large and fast car, fairly well detailed.  But it can't race around the track on its own.  Fortunately, Andy spotted a Plymouth Road Runner at the Donington Slot Car Festival and I snapped it up.

This is a 1970 American muscle car in California Highway Patrol livery, manufactured by Carrera.  Ok, so it should be Georgia State or Hazzard County to really be Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane's car, but it's not a bad match.  And Daisy Duke did drive a yellow Road Runner - albeit a 1974 model - in later series.  Which is a great excuse for another photo...