[Rat_Fink_67]

Seeing as Tim's bitten the bullet and put his out there to the masses I figured we should probably do the same! For those of you who don't already know, we (the Kirk family) are part way through our own project too. After we'd won the Super Modified championship with our Rat Fink Camaro, we'd achieved what we'd set out to do from the outset with that car and after the first couple of events in 2008 realised that another season with the same machine just wasn't pushing the right buttons anymore, so she was sold on to pastures new and my Dad hung up his driving gloves.....for about a week.

After numerous conversations with Rob Loaring and Tim Garlick (yes Tim you're getting some of the blame for this too) it was decided that nobody could quit drag racing without giving nitromethane a try. Having already been following the growth of the nostalgia floppers in the States and becoming fans of the class anyway, the tubing was soon ordered and the rest is history!

The chassis has been built by fabrication guru Al Smith in his Nottingham base and is a 123" hybrid design that's incorporated the best bits of various different chassis designs as well as a few items from the latest nitro funny car spec sheet. There's still plenty to be done at this stage like mounting the brake master cylinder and various tabs and brackets but it looks like a funny car now at least!

[torment]

very nice,wheres al based as i am from nottingham too..

[Rat_Fink_67]

The body?.......well it had to be a proper muscle car, and none of this dropped sided, bubble topped rubbish that some of the "nostalgia cars" in the States are leaning towards now. After seeing what was available the choice was easy: nothing says "muscle" like a Hemi 'cuda.....


On the jig for the first time (yeah we started the chassis before we got the body).


First mock up on it's wheels.


I was bored ha ha.


As she stands now, correct ride height, all the tabs for the frame work, firewall and tin work glassed in.

[Rat_Fink_67]

very nice,wheres al based as i am from nottingham too..

Thanks, he's based in Hucknall.

[Rat_Fink_67]

As you can see in the last body pic we have the engine in there for mocking up. We're using a TFX block with AJPE stage III nitro heads, topped off with a Kuhl blower that's been modified by Littlefield with billet rotors and a few other of their tricks...


The parts are building up!


We're really impressed with the period rocker covers and breathers we managed to find, hopefully it's little details like that that'll make all the difference.


Thought I'd just try her out for size....ya know, just in case!




Titanium clutch can & Lenco have also been bolted in so we know how much room we've got to play with for tabs, brackets, pedals, levers etc! The clutch can is an ex-John Spuffard item and came complete with clutch which we're going to modify to lose a couple of surplus discs


The motor plate will be trimmed down when the engine comes out again once all the mocking up is done.


Apparently there aren't too many of these hats around anymore, but we managed to acquire a brand new one from Jonny Nilsson (owner of the Tre Kronor Arrow), and think it complements those period rocker covers nicely.


Just about right! The opening in the body is going to be neatened up and brought closer once we have the fuel lines and blower belt guard in place.

[wizardsgroove]

That looks absolutely spot on (as do all the UK builds). Congratulations on the build so far and cant wait to see them run.

Keith WB78 Soul Town Shaker

[Rat_Fink_67]

Thanks mate, I'll update as and when anything happens

[Rat_Fink_67]

Our previous steed for anyone not familiar with Rat Fink..

[ukdrn]

How cool is this being able to follow these builds, thank you very much guys
These are looking fantastic and I and many others can't wait to see them, it also gives us a very small idea of the time, money and commitment you people are putting in to this class.
Excellent stuff.

[Rat_Fink_67]

Yeah hopefully it'll convince others that we're serious about getting the class up and running over here, and maybe even attract other racers in to a similar build! Thanks for the interest