# Dragster Models



## nrf4497 (Mar 11, 2013)

Hello,

I'm not actually an automotive modeler (more of an airplane) guy, but I would like to build a model of a Top Fuel (Rail) dragster. There appear to be very few kits out there of these machines. I remember building a Revell Top Fueler (1/24, 1/25?) when I was a kid. Why are there so few kits of these amazing racers available? What IS available these days?


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Licensing mostly, there are still kits out there but they are the older releases. But for a company to license things like the decals it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Same with Pro Stock and Funny cars, even NASCAR. Everyone wants their pound of flesh before you can build their car. 

Everyone has their own places to find the old dragsters, mine if V8 Models out here ion California. There are places cheaper but this one is close to me, I'm sure other posters will give theirs. All you have to do is look.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Dragster kits were big in the 70s. They had all the old Don Garlits stuff, etc out. The kits were big when drag racing was big. Same as the Semi truck craze of the 70s, the sprint car craze of the 80s etc. 

Revell did do some new dragsters 10-15 years ago. They usually have one in their line up or run a dragster kit now and then. At one time Revell did some larger scale dragsters too. AMT and MPC also did some. A few of the old ones have been reissued. 

Licensing may not be the issue that it is with NASCAR. More likely it is lack of interest overall. While Drag racing does have a following, it is not particularly "hot" any more. If it were hot the kits would be out again.


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Dj, NASCAR is like the WWE, it's not so much licensing the decals from the drivers, it's the shape of the cars, etc. that NASCAR considers a property. You can find blank cars easier than you can the ones with decals, and places like Mike's Decals has resin NASCAR bodies up to the Gen5 car. For drag racing the chassis structure has stayed about the same, again sheet metal is different. With a 10-15 year old donor kit you can get a nice resin body to update the look for another $30.


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## t_stew78 (Mar 10, 2012)

Hobbylinc has a couple, including the Mcewen rail with a tree and I think a driver.


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