[KensRedZed]

We race Hot Rods in our group. The bodies are the cheap Lindberg/Pyro static kits converted into slot cars. Everything is scratch built. Lindberg kits are all over Ebash and almost every flea market here in North America.

A little bird told me that both Kevan and Oxo already have Hot Rod kits. 

We already race 50's and 60's Sports Cars. So our club chose to make Hot Rods start at 1950 and older. The '49 Ford Tudor gets in just under the wire.

   

[Kevan]

Which reminds me I still have a box to ship to Kev.

[KensRedZed]

A question for our friends across the pond ?
I believe that muscle cars of the 60's and 70's used 3litre or higher capacity engines, but is it a characteristic of ALL muscle cars ?
Were there any under 3litre capacity motor muscle cars ?

I decided to revisit the original question.

GM tried to make a small muscle car. But it was quite the failure because it lacked power. It was not really a muscle car. Just something rare and different. At only 110 horsepower, my Z-28 Camaro would have eaten it for a snack.

The Cosworth Vega was nothing to be proud of. For the money, everyone that bought one wished they had bought a Corvette instead.

From Google:
The 1975–1976 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega was a limited-production, high-performance hatchback featuring a 2.0L inline-four engine with a twin-cam, 16-valve cylinder head designed by Cosworth Engineering. It was designed to create excitement for the Vega line, featuring a black-and-gold, F1-inspired, color scheme, enhanced suspension, and electronic fuel injection. Despite its advanced, hand-built engine, only 3,508 units were produced due to a high price point (near a Corvette) and emission-restricted power, making it a rare, collectible vehicle today.

   

[Kevan]

Nice engine...

[Kevan]

Strange that on the same website this picture was on the same page:

[ARUP]

Graham, I agree with your sentiment about the need for kits to replicate some of these American hot rods! I have converted a few plastic kits but their scaling is usually off by quite a bit. At least some of the purported 1/32 scale models are off. My Chevy Fastback is more akin to 1/35 size. Even though it doesn't seem like a big difference it is very evident against true 1/32 cars.

I like to build 'foreign' cars but do like to build 'Merra-can' ones, too! 

[KensRedZed]

There are lots of potential American hot rod kits around. But they all must be scratch built.

https://slotracer.online/community/showt...d#pid11394

[Gpa113]

I'm learning lots here guys, and laughing lots as well 

Great thread, keep it up. 

Oh, and if anyone wants to know about the Austin Cambridge/ Morris Oxford range, just ask..... Thought not!! 

Pip

[KensRedZed]

I'm learning lots here guys, and laughing lots as well 

Great thread, keep it up. 

Oh, and if anyone wants to know about the Austin Cambridge/ Morris Oxford range, just ask..... Thought not!! 

Pip

Thanks Pip,

Austin Healey? Absolutely! 

I think you're the only person that wants to hear more. I'll share one more thing.

From Google:
"The 426 Hemi (7.0L) is a legendary Chrysler big-block V8 introduced in 1964, renowned for its hemispherical combustion chambers and 425+ horsepower output. Nicknamed "the Elephant" for its size and power, it dominated NASCAR and drag racing. It was the pinnacle of the muscle car era, powering iconic vehicles like the Dodge Charger and Plymouth Superbird."

Very few people have ever seen a 426 Hemi with the naked eye. Even fewer have seen the inside of one. I was lucky enough to see one pass through our speed shop. My boss did the rebuild personally, and I was his gopher.

It's called 'the Elephant" for a reason. Everything about it is over-sized. It's a monster of cast iron. The connecting rods and pistons are insanely huge (and heavy). Here's a good pic to show the difference.

   

The crankshaft was also a monster. The mentallity at Dodge was Big, BIG, BIGGER!

While the heads had the biggest valves on the planet (almost). Chrysler decided that power was more important than reliability. The valve stems were one of the smallest at only 5/16th dia. If you missed a gear and the engine over-revved even once. You dropped a valve, and kissed the entire engine goodbye. The 426 Hemi was the only engine with ZERO warranty. Buy at your own risk.

As soon as the Hemi came out. Everyone that bought a Dodge/Plymouth product boasted that it came with a Hemi. A 440-Hemi. A 340 Hemi, A 6-cyl Hemi...    The boys at Chrysler didn't want people to call everything a Hemi. So they started calling the other V-8's a "Wedge" based on the combustion chamber shape. A 440-Wedge, etc. That helped set the record straight while boasting at McDonalds, eating a Big Mac. 

[Gpa113]

Cool Ken