29 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

I've always liked Monogram's brutish 427 Cobra Daytona coupe:

 

 

 

There are 4 new kits on eBay as I write this ranging in price from $250 to over $800. Although the  packaging and box art are cool I'm interested in the car itself. 

 

A while back I found a well used example of the car with what I thought was a body in nice shape for $90. I saw the auction shortly before it was to end and didn't have a chance to ask questions of the seller.....so I took a chance.  

 

 

It has a nice unmolested interior although it's missing the driver's head and steering wheel:

 

 

The running gear is also unmolested with the usual bit of corrosion an rotted tires:

 

 

Unfortunately, the body has a huge crack in the nose that didn't show up in the listing pictures: 

 

 

Disappointed, I just stuck the car in a drawer for months until I found this body on eBay for $10:

 

 

It has no cracks but those decals have got to go!

[Mr. M]

The stamped crown gear was the worse ever invented. I never could get it to work. Sounded like steel cutting steel.

[dc-65x]

Chris, I think the stamped crown gears were great for sawing pinions in half.     

 

Even the die cast crown on this car has really dug into the steel pinion but they aren't usually as bad as the stamped gears. I will be replacing that pinion:

 

 

 

[Martin]

Look forward to seeing your build Rick.

 

Chris I believe the gear you speak of is cast not stamped, not saying it was any better. I think it maybe a zink based alloy casting.  

It may of been cast by MDC or Wilson ? It looks a lot like theirs. Even Dynamic used that same cast material for some of their gears.

[dc-65x]

Hi Martin,

 

Monogram ditched the stamped gear and went with a cast gear (as seen on this car) after their early generation of cars.

[Flathead]

Even mentioned it on the packaging.

[Eddie Fleming]

The rear glass in that Daytona coupe is just atrocious. 

[Eddie Fleming]

I did find this image of a 65 coupe but lord it is ugly.

 

[Mr. M]

I had a Lotus Monogram open wheel car from Green Stamps, thanks Mom! The gear was definately stamped. What were they thinking?

[dc-65x]

"atrocious"........."ugly".........oh my.      I see it more as "brutish" and "purposeful".     

 

Again, here's the crack free replacement body with horrible decals............

 

 

...........and the body with the decals removed and a good polish with Novus #2:

 

 

 

 

I stripped the replacement bodies interior (left) of the driver's head and steering wheel and transferred them to the cracked bodies unmolested interior (right).

 

Since Monogram decided their version of this Cobra should use 5-spoke American style mag wheels I replaced their molded in spare wheel with a nice "kit bashed" wheel:

 

 

I'm also adding a dual 4-barrel intake from the Cobra Dragon Snake model kit to replace the big raised bump in the stock interior. It fills the clear hood bubble nicely and should look good with some detail painting:

 

 

OK, time to freshen up this rather sad mechanical mess:

 

[Martin]

With some of Ricks famous added details this kit will be transformed. 

 

Looking at Eddie's post #8.  I suggest you could cut out the side windows. Leaving the clear air scoops of course. Its kinda a strange shape anyway and was probably meant to be removed? It could be replaced with a flat clear window. 

It would have a side benefit of showing off the driver/ interior detail a lot better. My 2 cents.

[dc-65x]

Martin, it's fun to think of little things that could be added to our slot cars models. Side exhaust pipes and a rear gas cap could also be added to this one. But for now it's time to clean up the running gear.

 

Here are the pieces in all their filthy, corroded glory:

 

 

Starting with the brass parts, they get a good cleaning with brake cleaner and a soak in Tarn-X:

 

 

They look much better.........

 

 

............but still have some gnarly' spots:

 

 

They could be removed with some mechanical polishing which I may or may not do. I think I'll leave it like this for now. The color of the brass after polishing kind of changes the look from a stock chassis.

 

 

 

[Martin]

I am impressed with your range Rick. From Pro car to kit car all with the same eye for detail.

 

Yes, you got to do those white side pipes, and I love the leather spare wheel hold down straps.

 

 

 

[dc-65x]

Thank you Martin but I'll just be using the detailing bits I've already shown on this kit car. You are a great modeler and could do wonders with a Daytona coupe of your own. The pictures you show are from the earlier small block car though. No leather straps for the spare tire or dual side exhaust on the big block version but still plenty of detailing options.  

 

The motor and it's mounting and axle brackets are ready to go:

 

 

[Martin]

You are correct, those pics were from my K&B car project, I just loved the color combination of the white pipes and the blue etc.

 

I save dozens of pics while researching that earlier car. But did not know much about the  1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona 427 Super Coupe.

 

So still reading about Peter Brock’s 427 Type 65 Super Coupe's place in racing history.

 

[dc-65x]

The chassis is coming together as its parts are cleaned up:

 

 

 

Time for some wheels and tires. The original tires were dried out and broke into pieces when removed from the wheels.

For rear tires I went with urethane reproduction Monogram slicks from a French firm called SLOTCARSTYRES.

 

Here's a link to SLOTCARSTYRES

 

Original dried out tire on the left beautiful repops on the right:

 

 

These French tires are not poured into an open mold with a crappy back side. Both side are nicely finished:

 

[dc-65x]

The roller is all together.  

 

Here are some before and after pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front and rear closeups:

 

 

 

New parts used:

 

1 pair    Cox Superflex style braid

 

2           5-40 threaded axles

 

1 pair   Monogram front tires

 

1 pair    urethane repop Monogram rear slicks

 

1           10T steel pinion gear

[slotcarone]

Looks great! I notice you reversed the lead wires and the gear. How come?

[dc-65x]

Hi Mike,

 

I removed the lead wires from the motor, trimmed a bit off and soldered them back on the motor for a nice fresh joint with no broken wires. I didn't pay attention to the original position of the colored wires. Functionally it doesn't matter.   

 

I oiled the motor bearings, buzzed it up and put the crown gear on the side that I thought would allow the motor to rev the fastest and the car to go forward.

 

I like the later era motors that are timed in a specific direction. No relying on the sound of the motor to know which direction is fastest.  

[slotcarone]

Yes I remember way back when using the sound of the motor to determine the gear side very often.

[dc-65x]

I've got the interior dolled up a bit. I hope with all the window area on the body this will brighten up the car a bit:

 

 

 

 

[Mark Onofri]

After reading in several of your posts about Tarnex, I finally found some. I didn't get
any where near the results that you do. Is it because I followed the instructions?

[John Luongo]

excellant work! great attention to detail!

[dc-65x]

Sorry you don't like your results with Tarn-X Mark. I've had another Slotbloger tell me it didn't work for him on copper.  

 

I wash, degrease and dry the parts then immerse them to soak in the undiluted Tarn-X solution. I show before and after pictures here and all I can say is it sure works for me......on copper too. 

 

Thanks John. I thought the car could really benefit from some wheel inserts and engine detail and still look like a Monogram raceway kit car that it is.

 

Here's the finished project:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to do a "What If" livery as if Shelby American had actually raced the car. I also did this for my RAM 850 powered Ford J-car in the background:

 

 

Fun stuff!   

[Martin]

You would be hard pressed to find a better example of this kit car.  Nicely done Rick