AirDave's Kool Wheelz Collection

[richkat]

Originally Posted by airdave

yeah, nobody cares about my name. lol

"Just shut up and put out the models dave!" they all say.

Oh Dave, some of us love you.........Rich
(we even like the monkey and butterfly boat)

[richkat]

And the Koolwheels Funny looks GREAT, and can't wait for the HEMI Under Glass....Rich

[rickstef]

hmmm, with all of the drag cars, one could build the paper version of a cacklefest

[rmks2000]

I also look forward to the Hemi Under Glass.

A general dragster-related question - I had a model of a dragster a long time ago and I think it came with its own car carrier that looked futuristic for the time, a little like the Deora. Anyone know what the kit was?

[rickstef]

thinking about this one?





and here it looks like they extended the model kit of the Deora

[airdave]

haha I used to have that model.
I think I built the Dragster, but thats all.

[rmks2000]

Rick,

Don't know how you found it but thanks! I'm pretty sure I had the first one. I may have gotten my transporters mixed up.

Bob

[ARMORMAN]

Actually, I Have a sizzlers track, car and charger...in the box...

Originally Posted by airdave

Hot Wheels Sizzlers has EVERYTHING to do with it!
The first KoolWheelz paper models are the Sizzler's Juice Machine and Livewire car.

Sizzlers were my thing.
I lost all interest in normal Hot Wheels when Sizzlers appeared in 1970.
I would kill to have my Fat Track and cars once more!!

How do I convince you to send them to me John? lol

Its funny really...you can still buy a lot of vintage Sizzlers stuff quite cheap today.
Nobody wants it.
Nobody (but me) wanted it back then.
Thats why Mattel gave up on it.
That, and the fight with Johnny Lightning toys.

If you bought Sizzlers 30 years ago...about 1985, then you must have purchased
the Johnny Lightning Sizzlers (not Hot Wheels) since they owned the name at that time.

Hot Wheels did so some powered cars again in the 90s, but they were called X-V Racers.
(I have one of those in my Hot Wheels inventory.)

Wow...the memories...

[richkat]

I think the 2 axle one is kit-bashed.......Rich

[airdave]

"Wild" Bill Shrewsberry is quite well known as a Drag Racer...hes also the man who "raced" the Batmobile.
In the sixties, the TV studio wanted more exposure for its Batman TV show,
so they sent a specially modified Batmobile on a tour of Drag Racing tracks throughout the US.
Bill Shrewsberry was the experienced Drag Racer hired to pilot the famous car.



Wild Bill is probably better remembered for his wheelstanding Drag cars... such as the L.A.Dart and the Hurst Hairy Oldsmobile.
He also had a hand in designing the famous Lil' Red Wagon wheelstander.



The first (accidental) wheelstander, was a Hurst sponsored, Plymouth Hemi equipped 1965 Barracuda
and Bill Shrewsberry helped develop and build that experimental rear engined car.

When first tested by Shrewsberry, the car did not perform as planned. Too much weight in the rear of the car
caused it to launch its front wheels into the air when power was applied, and so the project was actually a failure.
However, the drag racing fans loved it.
And a drag racing phenomenon was born.

Bob Riggle was hired to drive the car as an exhibition racer
...racing down the quarter mile at speeds well over 100mph on only two rear wheels!
Exhibition matches between vehicles like the Lil Red Wagon, Hemi Under Glass and the Back-up Pickup soon became
the star attraction at many drag racing events.

I tried to pay attention to the original 1965 Shrewsberry/Hurst Barracuda when designing this model.
There have been nine different versions of the Hemi Under Glass...the most recent, a recreation of the original Barracuda
by driver Bob Riggle...but using a 1966 Barracuda and a slightly modified paint scheme.

The original 1965 still exists today, in Bill Shrewsberry's private collection.



I chose to include the central gold stripe on the car, even though this was added when the car became a "wheelstander".
Originally the car was black on top, gold only on the sides.

I also chose to insert a Hemi engine...barely visible in the back window...with a Hillborn injection (those eight tall stacks).
Even though the original Chrysler engine had twin carburetors and an air filter housing,
and later incarnations sported a Supercharger (blower).



So, here it is...the KoolWheelz version of the Hurst Hemi Under Glass.
And, its close enough in scale with the Lil Red Wagon KoolWheelz model so you can put 'em side by side wheelstanding.
And yes, I am hoping to do a couple more Shrewsberry wheelstanders!

I'll have this model done and posted real soon...