# Sprinter Update



## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

The AMG Outlaw Sprinter is dead. Long live the Outlaw. 

First built in late 1986 or early 1987, updated once in 1989 and used maybe 350-400 times to make cars over the years, the former Outlaw dirt sprint car has been totally remodeled. The original car looked like this, with its tear drop shaped hood, tall cage and absence of engine detail....










After seeing Zig's resing sprinter for the Tyco chassis I knew I had to bring mine into the new century. It was only a question of when. I don't have the experience in some of the fine details he does, but I do have an eye for angles. After purchasing a new issue of Open Wheel I looked at the pavement cars, and struck on a decent design.




























Everything except the bubble was removed from the old Magna-Traction chassis. A new cage shape was created and intigrated into a longer and higher hood. The back part of the cage was angled forward as Zig has done, and appropriate rock shield and opening for driver entry/egress was added. A scoop was added to the front of the hood as well.

Lastly some thin copper welding rod was bent to resemble exhaust, with collectors make from model car sprue. I still have some shaping and sanding to do but essentially it's done. Overall the cage is about .030 higher but narrower than the previous cage. I'm now debating using a molded in nerf bar or tank protector and roll cage. If I do add it I'll use a thick core solder to model those featutres.

I can't really use the term "Silver Crown" since it's owned by USAC so I'm planning on calling this a Gold Cup car. This is also since the original sprint car series it was built for was called the CCRA Gold Cup. It has made the transition from a fundimental dirt car to now being primarily pavement. 

I have a few of the old bodies left and I may make a plaster mold from one so I can make some at a later date. Otherwise, this is the version you guys will get when you order my sprinter. I'll be making some this coming week to be shipped out on April 3rd.


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## zig (Mar 11, 2004)

Hello Pete,
You brought your sprinter into the new century just fine :thumbsup:

Looks like a modern Eagle or Maxim type car.

Sprint cars are constantly evolving and changing, body styles come and go, 
tails keep getting smaller ect. But the basic look of all downtube type chassis are not much different than the 1987 Gambler that Karl Kinser helped design.

From 1987 to present day what Karl did is what everone else did. 
Funny thing is that some of the older style cars can still be competative.
It's likely that if you go to a weekly sprint track in Indiana you'll see a few racers still running a 10 year old car and keeping up with the pack. 
In fact If someone has a 20 year old sprint car,you can dismantle it, buy a new frame and body kit, and almost 100% of the pieces will fit the new chassis... Just lacking lottsa titanium pieces that have replaced the steel ones in the past 10 years.

To bad you had to loose your original mold... 
Here's a trick to try, when you first start pulling bodies over your new plugs, examine every body you pull, and take the first one that you think came out PERFECT and fill it with mold making silicone, in 24 hours you'll have a mold that will last for thousands of bodies, and still have your original too!

I use Alumalite "Quick-Set" RTV it's a two part silicone for making resin casting molds but works great for vacuum forming plugs too...

ZIG


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## zig (Mar 11, 2004)

Pete McKay said:


> I can't really use the term "Silver Crown" since it's owned by USAC so I'm planning on calling this a Gold Cup car. This is also since the original sprint car series it was built for was called the CCRA Gold Cup. It has made the transition from a fundimental dirt car to now being primarily pavement.


The term Silver Crown is owned by USAC, it's origin goes back into the 70's.
Up until 1973 to win a USAC National Championship driver like AJ Foyt, Al & Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Johnny Rutherford ect. ect. ect. Had to race both the Indy 500 type races and the Championship Dirt Races like the Hoosier 100.

In 73 the divisions were split and the Indy cars became Gold Crown. 
The dirt cars became Silver Crown... 
So really the Silver Crown or at least the Championship Dirt Cars have a history that dates back to the earliest days of motor racing in america.
http://www.rumbledrome.com/
ZIG


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Zig the Outlaws played the Thunderbowl in Tulare just down the road last month. I missed the show because of a prior committment but I've made just about every west coast show. We have a total of three quality dirt tracks within an hour of my house and I have a few friends that still race the 360's locally. I also used to attend the Copper Classic in Phoenix every year until last year, money is just too tight now to do that anymore.

I wanted a car that could go both ways (dirt and pavement) so I left off the molded in front wing like you had done on yours, this will allow me to make cars for the local Madera Speedway sprint racers who want them as slot cars. I haven't gotten my plastic shipment to vacuform yet but I expect it tomorrow or Tuesday and I'll have exampled painted shortly afterward.

I tried to find the Gold Cup we used to use when we began racing sprinters back in the late 1980's, it was just the top part of a trophy that I broke once in a fit of rage. I kept the cup and it was awarded once a year to the champion of my sprint series. The last time it was awarded was in 1995 when I won it back, it's around here somewhere I just have to find it.


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## zig (Mar 11, 2004)

Pete McKay said:


> I tried to find the Gold Cup we used to use when we began racing sprinters back in the late 1980's, it was just the top part of a trophy that I broke once in a fit of rage. I kept the cup and it was awarded once a year to the champion of my sprint series. The last time it was awarded was in 1995 when I won it back, it's around here somewhere I just have to find it.


We raced for the Silver Piston Award...Circa 1988








You didn't get to keep the trophy,just a polaroid :thumbsup: 

This car was a 440x2 with a wire cage, hand carved balsa wood tail,and a paper hood. Modeled after the 87 gambler.

I held the Silver Piston Award for two years with this car...
















440x2 with Madd Products sprint car with wing.
HA HA HA
ZIG


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Very nice. There are so few pictures of our racing back in those days because of the Great Desk Fire of 1998. I have a small model car crankshaft that's chromed that I might make a small trophy out of. But I think some of the model car trophies would be better. I just won the championship in modified class on Martin's track, I got a very nice $25 Jamba Juice card and certificate. Nice, but I have a big trophy case just for this kind of thing.


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## Dunk21 (Mar 23, 2007)

zig did you ever get your new resin sprints done?


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## zig (Mar 11, 2004)

Dunk21 said:


> zig did you ever get your new resin sprints done?


See HO Sprint Cars...
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?p=1898662#post1898662


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

The pipes didn't vacuform well, so they have been removed. The sides will go back to the original flat sides.


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

OK, I think this is the final design. Pipes were removed and went back the the smooth sides, dropped the nose and moved the forward part of the cage back a little. Haven't tested it yet but it "looks" right. At least it's a lot more aero than before. 










With the Eagle's popularity everyone has pretty much turned their backs on the sprinters and supers here, maybe this will help sway some of them back towards those cars. And since the sprinter now has that pavement car look, I'm sure it'll find a home in an upcoming series.


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

Interesting...
So why can't you paint the pipes on the inside of the body with a sharpie before you paint the body...


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

noddaz said:


> Interesting...
> So why can't you paint the pipes on the inside of the body with a sharpie before you paint the body...


No reason you can't. I just didn't on this body yet.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Pete,
love the simplicity of your mounting technique for the AFX style chassis. Cut and snap! Done. :thumbsup: rr


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

I've been contacted about making a NASCAR open wheel pavement modified much like the Whelen Modified Series car, for the Tomy chassis. Since the body mounting is the same I'll again use the body tabs to mount the vacuformed body. Those tabs are the best way to actually mount these bodies.


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*Or for that matter..*



Pete McKay said:


> No reason you can't. I just didn't on this body yet.


Or draw a set of pipes on a piece of scrap and glue it on the outside of the body...
Scott


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## zig (Mar 11, 2004)

Looking good Pete :thumbsup: :thumbsup: 
ZIG


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