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SHORT TRACK MODELS by MR NASCAR

Johnny Boegeman's 1980 SUPERAMERICA ASA Buick Regal Salon

decals by BULLRING GRAPHIX!


Slowly, but surely, I am getting hooked on Vintage Short Track modelling, thanks in part to the influence of people like Rod McLeod, who does most of the BULLRING GRAPHIX artwork, Fred Sudlow of Fred's Resin Workshop, and guys like Tom Faletti, Chris Smock, and Mark Jeffries, who do first-class builds of interesting cars. It is also partly, or maybe even mostly, due to the homogenization of NASCAR design and driver personalities. By contrast, the short track cars, particularly vintage ones, represented by builds by the above-mentioned folks and many others on this site have far more character than the cookie-cutters being run in NASCAR these days. And it doesn't help that none of these are even being kitted right now...

This project was made possible by a set of graphics Rod sent me a few months back, inspired by the fantastic OLDS Salon body mastered by Tom, and available in resin from Fred. Although the actual Boegeman car was the Buick clone of the Olds, Tom/Fred's body was an ideal starting point. When I first saw Rod's artwork, it looked as ugly as the body style, for all the world like period graphics for a HotWheels car, so I felt that combining these would make for a truly unique racer.

Now, I originally had no clue who Johnny Boegeman was, or what the chassis for this car should look like, so I really need to thank Rod, and the folks on Fred's Forum for the help on this model - especially the chassis. The starting point for the chassis was the late '80's Monogram NASCAR Olds - Lake Speed's Wynn's car, to be exact, although there are several that would work.

There were several items that I needed to address - the engine would have been different, including a wet-sump system, unique exhaust system, changes to the chassis cage and addition of interior panels, plus different tires. I was able to adapt the exhaust headers from the Super Stocker GTO, along with the oil pan, to the Monogram engine block - thereby being able to use the Monogram engine mounts.

I had to butcher the firewall to allow the headers to exit thru the passenger-side area of the interior, add the interior panelling to deflect heat from the driver - these cars must have been nasty in hot weather - and I chopped a bit out of the rollcage to allow the body to snug up better onto the chassis - it looked to me like there is a slight greenhouse chop on the resin body. It was necessary to cut away a portion of the chassis behind the gas tank, as the body is shorter in the back than the OLDS NASCAR body. I also replaced the standard-practice Ford 9-inch diff with a quick-change unit as per Rod's suggestion, again from the Super Stocker kit.

The first time I mocked up the chassis/body, the standard NASCAR wheels/tires were too far inboard, so I made my own wider tires, by cutting 8 NASCAR tires, about 60/40, then combining the 60% pieces to make four tires about 125% wide than used in NASCAR. They gave a nice meaty look to the chassis, and filled in the wheelwells better by widening the track. I may also have gone a bit overboard with the McReary lettering on the sidewalls (should only be one set per tire), but I had seen these on one of Rod's builds, and fell in love with the look....As I e-mailed recently to Rod, who picked up on this little indulgence, it's nothing a little flat black paint won't fix if I ever feel the need... I painted the chassis red - it might actually have been black, but I thought red would make a good contrast. I added padding to the rollcage, using insulation from 14-gauge electrical wire, cobbled up a window net, and the chassis was done. Not as neat as some I've seen in various forums, but I was satisfied with it...

Body mods were also fairly significant, to get this Olds to represent a Buick as raced by Johnny. I shaved back the fender flares, and added the "hump" in the hood that is conspicuous on the Boegeman car. I also had to rework the nose to look more like a Buick. Also, after some agonizing with Rod, I cut out the rear tail light panel, and replaced it with screen. It was hard to confirm from available references whether this had been done, but I pretty well convinced myself that some chassis interior could be seen through that area in one reference shot of the actual car.

I had to make openings for the exhaust pipes in the right-hand side door area - figuring out where to put them so the rollcage wouldn't interfere was a challenge! Holes were drilled in the hood for hoodpins, which were added after body had been painted and polished. I used photo-etched hoodpins from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland.

Paint was pretty simple - entire car body was primed and painted black - all the other colouration is on the decal sheet. Once decals had dried 24 hours, I applied several light coats of TAMIYA TS13 clear, and polished it lightly with Turtle brand green polishing compound.

Last, but certainly not least, was fabricating and installing windshield, side glass and rear window. I had added L-channel around the openings to provide a mounting lip. The windows were cut from Mylar overhead sheet, and fastened in with Micro Crystal Clear.

The men who comprised the SuperAmerica Knights in the late 1970s and early '80s were well ahead of their time. Superamerica convenience stores - a primarily Midwestern chain - sponsored three drivers in the ASA and ARTGO racing series. The drivers were Tom Reffner, who was known as the "Blue Knight", Dick Trickle,known as the "White Knight", and Johnny Boegeman, who was the "Black Knight". Boegeman hesitated initially at becoming the "Black Knight". He felt the car might be too hard to see on a dark track and that its ominous imagery might cast an undue light on his reputation as a nice guy. These promotional Knights rewarded fans with everything from Frisbees to jacket patches to posters while winning more than their share of races during a short-track barnstorm until their breakup in 1982.

All the cars were succesful and all were unique, but to my mind, the Boegeman car was 'way out there... in the day, Bobby Allison referred to this body-style racer as "the ugliest racecar in America". That may be true, but it makes for a neat model! Thanks again to all those who provided input for this project!

These decals are now available from BULLRING GRAPHIX - Click Here!"

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