Challenger 1 1960

I built this model a couple years ago. When I built it I wanted to do it right. I spent almost a month researching the car on line before I even started the build. Then continued researching it while the build was going on. So here is the story.

On September 9, 1960 Mickey Thompson drove this car to a top speed of 406.60 MPH at the Bonneville Slat flats. It was the first car to reach 400 MPH. He failed to make the backup run within the one hour time limit because of a broken drive shaft. The record was unofficial because of that.He took the car to the salt in 1959 when the engines were just fuel injected but only went about 350 MPH. He returned in 1960 with the blowers added and made it to 400.

The kit is a nice kit but very challenging to build. Each engine drives a wheel so it has 4 engines, 4 transmissions and 4 rear ends. The tires were solid rubber.

I detailed the kit with spark plug wires, brakes lines and complete fuel system. The injectors were the hardest part of that to pull off.

After the build was finished I entered it in the Portland Roadster Show. I was amazed that it took 1st place in class. Then to make things even better it was published in the Scale Auto magazine "500 best show models". It is an annual that they put together. So this is my first for alot of things.

I hope you enjoy the view as much as I enjoyed the build.

Thanks to Bob Paeth for talking me into entering it in the contest. He told me it was a winner the first time he saw it. I am glad I listened to him. LOL Don't tell Bob I said that.

Thank you Max. This is the first build I had published. It was in the 2005 Scale Auto Contest Cars. Every time I have entered it into a contest it has taken 1 st place in it's class. I retired it and now it just sits there waiting on the new one to be built. I hope to start it soon.

Stunning work Buck !!