1/24 Vintage Modified Coupe: Tom Baldwin #7

[Vintage 1/24]

This one is a pretty straightforward build. South Shore Speedway on Long Island is running a "Retro-Modified" class, so I had to build something up. Even if it isn't an all-out contender for the top of the podium, it is a great excuse to build another Islip Speedway replica of a local race car I remember from when I was a kid.


4.5" FCR BASED MODIFIED COUPE -



On the bottom is the original style Parma FCR (4.5" wheelbase). Above that, is the trimmed down pan to better conform to the shape of the coupe body.


4.5" FCR BASED MODIFIED COUPE -



I used the 'old standby' '36 Chevy Modified kit - I think it originally was an MPC release in the 1970s, then it was AMT, then Model Car King, and then DTR... and right now it is not in production. I added in some styrene to form a cowl, and I added some back in at the rear fenders so the wheel cutouts wouldn't take "a bite out of" the rear deck lid area. I also made up some little rear fenders - all in an effort to replicate the actual car driven by "Tiger' Tom Baldwin at the famous 1/5 mile oval - Islip Speedway.


RIGHT REAR VIEW -



I added in small construction details like the brass 'over rider' on the rear bumper and the rear quarter nerf bars.



EXHAUST DUMPS AND FUEL CELLS -



I made some brass exhaust dumps soldered to the chassis, and I used a thin plastic blister pack (actually the packaging from an H&R motor) painted and double-stick taped in place to simulate the rear fuel tank on the actual car.



AIR CLEANER FITTED TO THE CARB -



I used two really tiny neo-magnets to mount the air cleaner. One glued in the carb and one glued in the air cleaner. This works really well, allowing me to pop it off when removing the body, and it just finds it's position magnetically. *Click* and it is in the exact correct position.


PRIMER STANCE -



I tried to make up the various chassis bars to match photos of the actual car. I will post up some pics when this is closer to finished. I have already turned laps with it and it is a lot of fun. So I guess I am already enjoying a return on investment!

[DRW21]

Just simply AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HomeRacingWorld]

:text-yeahthat:

[nhdungeonracer]

Aw geez... it ain't even painted yet and I want to throw mine away after seeing this... :lol:

I will say I will be using this one as a guide when I build my next one. Thanks for the pics and the inspiration!! :auto-checkeredflag:

[Vintage 1/24]

I have to post some pics of the Baldwin Coupe as it gets finished up - I do have the car painted and the decals are done. I have even been racing it locally - no podium finish yet, but it is coming along...

VINTAGE MODIFIEDS AT SOUTH SHORE SPEEDWAY-



Here is pic from December 18, 2015 with some of the 'Retro-Modifieds' on the podium.

nymodifieds.com supplied the 'scale' whisky bottles for the podium(s) that night.

That Gene Gamache #1 red Coupe is *hand-painted* - no decals - it has a great vintage look/feel all the way around.

[pastor bubba]

Those are some nice looking cars.

[TuscoTodd]

WOW! That is shaping up to be one sweet looking car!
Thank you for sharing the pics!

[Vintage 1/24]

This slot car is being built up as a replica of the 'Tom Baldwin Coupe' as it raced at Islip Speedway in the early 70s...

You may have heard of Tom Baldwin, as his son has had 'some success in racing' in the years since this cool looking coupe raced at the local track when I was a kid.

Anyway - I make my own decals, and I even offer up a few sets on the nymodifieds website (and I could scale these for 1/32 if someone was interested)...

There is a trick involved - I do not offer 'white ink' decals, so a work-around for 'non-white' cars involves using a white base decal paper as an "under layer" for the clear color printed decals that I do make.



WHITE BASE DECALS FOR THE TOM BALDWIN COUPE -



I printed out a white decal sheet and trimmed the shape and put it down in position. The white artwork conforms to the outline of the "Grumman TOMCAT" decal.

I did not have to use anything for the engine-turned gold leaf style #7 or star burst effect - they are just clear decals on the light yellow body color.





'TOMCAT' IN PLACE -



I place the 'clear' color printed decal over the positioned white base shape. The end result is a decent quality appearing decal for a specific subject.

There was a Grumman plant located about 3-4 miles from Islip Speedway - and growing up around there I saw these "TOMCAT" and "Anytime Baby!' round stickers all over town.
I guess Tom Baldwin thought a few would look good on his race car, since he was named 'Tom' afterall...

I also made up grey 'shut lines' or 'shadow line' decals for the deck lid since I didn't model/master them in. You can see the gas filler cap has been added as well...





THE CLASSIC GAS CAP -



Although not a perfectly scaled and detailed piece, this method of creating gas caps seems to have a special place with slot car builders... It has been done for like 50 years now.

Basically you solder a 1/32 brass rod into a slot headed screw and it creates a plausible-from-a-distance gas cap filler. The screw threads actually let you spin in into the styrene body, and adjust the 'stand off'' as you see fit.

I still have to blow this all apart - paint it up, add some details, clear the body/decals, and add inserts, but it is coming along...
Works for me and it is a nod to *slot car tradition*.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Looking impressive all around. Well done!

[MrAdept]

just WOW!

love the detail in the chassis and I would not have thought to make a gas cap that way!

Mark

[TuscoTodd]

Great looking decals / details and the tip about the gas cap is pretty slick! I had never heard that before - but it definitely looks great!
Thanks for sharing!

[Vintage 1/24]

I did finish this one up - and I even managed to put it on the podium with a second place at South Shore Speedway last week...

BALDWIN COUPE TAKES SECOND IN 120 LAP FEATURE! -



They have a great program running at South Shore Speedway - lots of Vintage Islip Speedway Modified cars in the mix - tremendous fun - South Shore Speedway has a Face Book page and runs oval track slot car races pretty much every Friday night - so check it out if you want to get in the mix!


TIGER TOM BALDWIN ENTERS -



This is a random fan shot of the #7 entering Islip Speedway from the pits, back in the early 70s.



TOM BALDWIN COUPE SLOT CAR -



...Sitting on the kitchen table getting ready to race again - only this time in 1/24 scale. The color shown here is probably a little 'richer' than it actually is in real life.



TOM BALDWIN POSED WITH COUPE -



This reference shot was the kind of 'hero snapshot' that was sold at the souvenir stands at Islip Speedway. I think they cost $1 and came with a little plastic/cardboard frame for display.



RACE CAR IN SCALE -



Again, just a shot of the Coupe sitting on the kitchen table right before running at South Shore Speedway Friday night - really cool that this car had to make its way past Artie Tappan's #14 Vega/Astre in the feature that night...

It is like the racing has never stopped, and the Islip Speedway modifieds keep battling it out 30-40-50 years out - only now it is in 1/24th scale!



READY TO RUN -



This car was a tough looking competitor back in the day, and the scale racer has every bit of that stance. Lots of fun building all of these "NY Modifieds"!

[SpeedyNH]

I love those things. used to race a dirt one myself.
nice job!
speed

[DRW21]

That's ME!!!!!!!

I want to make one of these but in 32nd.

Great build sir!!!

[Vintage 1/24]