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I built this one a year ago and raced it at the South Shore Speedway
(on Long Island) more or less weekly, where it took its share of hits but
was never really a top runner...

1/24 VINTAGE ASPHALT MUSTANG FASTBACK MODIFIED: HANK DEANGELO 8$ -



I picked up the body shell about 15 years ago and it was partially started -
actually it was a cut-up and cast-away built-up, and only a poorly painted partial body shell
remained. When I saw it - it immediately reminded me of an obscure race car from
Islip Speedway from back around 1972. In fact it looked so much like the car I
had in mind, I was convinced the original builder must have had that car in
mind...

MUSTANG FASTBACK SCIBELLI BROS. MODIFIED -




I had very little to go on, really mostly memories... I remember it was a
companion or team car to 'The Ace' Al DeAngelo's 7$, prepared by the Scibelli
Bros. The 8$ was a really low slung Mustang Fastback and was driven initially by
Al's son Hank DeAngelo.

THE AL DEANGELO MODIFIED 7$ MUSTANG -




I found one blurry black and white photograph of the 8$ car in action at Islip
Speedway around 1972. You can vaguely see the 8$ driving around the big wreck seen in the lower frame...

TRIPLE NICKEL ISLIP SPEEDWAY WRECK -




Not a lot to go on, but I drew up some decals, finished the body, painted it and
mounted it on a one-cut Womp chassis.

It runs a Super 16D, and slightly cut down 27mm Pro Tracks to work within the
"Street Stock" rules at the South Shore Track.

I pushed the wheelbase all the way out to 4 3/4 inches thinking it might make
the car more stable or easier to drive - I guess it did, but the car was never
really competitive.

WOMP CHASSIS STRETCHED AND READY TO RACE -




I had to cobble up the hood from scratch using sheet styrene. The chassis is
pretty straightforward - just some brass rod added to a stock cut Womp chassis.
I am building two new cars to compete and I am retiring this one... Then it
occurred to me that I had not posted up this Islip Speedway themed build when it
was first completed...

FRONT 3/4 VIEW of The 8$ MODIFIED -




Definitely not the most famous racer from that place and that era, but still
pretty cool to have another scale 'TOTEM' from the time when the Big Block
Vintage Modifieds ruled the short track ovals here in the North East and I was
still an impressionable kid.

VINTAGE MODIFIED TRIBUTE -

Simply outstanding.

Looks great sir.

Great looking car! Very nice!

Great looking car, nice job!

Very nice work. We raced similar setups in central NY for dirt modified cars back in the 80's, though we had to build our own bodies since there were no models of what came after the Gremlin era.

We learned Womp chassis extended like yours could get out of alignment real easy. It was hard to get them to sit flat and straight on a setup block, and if you did get it right before a race afterwards it was probably bent so one tire wasn't touching. Then guys started inventing hinged chassis, floating body mounts, etc. The guy who worked the counter at the local commercial track built me a stretched Womp chassis that was unbeatable with stock motor, tires, - everything. All I had to do was strip it down weekly to clean and lube it, and keep the clearance at exactly 1/16th of an inch. I still have all my trophies.

I love the way Long Island racers honor the history from Islip and Riverhead raceways.

Slothead

Them Mustangs look great, Wish I could do work like that. You sould be very happy with them.

Wow Oh Wow.. your Islip builds are AWESOME.. Works of ART..

I really dig the use of a very cheap, very available..womp frame.. a totally make it a masterpiece.. ( I even have a stack of these things I was cutting up for some sprints cars ) but plan on a Mod build now..

your paint and decal work is amazing.. do you have an Alps printer?

I really excited to get back to building again since I am loving my new Freeport track.. and your build help a bunch too..


wish we where closer.. I love to see these in person..

Thanks Kirk

Thanks to all for the positive comments!

ShotgunDave:
I try to put "1/24" in the subject line so other 'boarders' will know the general scale right off - but this kit is really 1/25 scale, probably from the AMT universe... The Monogram GT350 is 1/24 and fairly large. It can still make a nice slot car but it is bigger.

slothead:
Definitely would like to see some pix of the NY dirt mod builds... I raced this car in a class that is based on the Womp chassis with only one cut, no hinges etc. There are two piano wires side by side, either side of center, that allow for a bit of torsional roll in the corners, but still keep the car flat on the straights or at rest. I race at a few 'underground' private tracks here on the Island and there is a lot of interest in replicating the local cars, drivers and history - which is great.

Woodguy32:
Thanks - I am a fan of your cool creations... I don't have an Alps printer - so I have to work around the "white" issue. I draw the stuff carefully in Adobe Illustrator and print to Papilio decal paper from a color laser printer. I use clear and white decal paper as needed. For paint I use Krylon rattle cans, add decals, and then lay on lots of Krylon clear.... After it dries up real hard I will use automotive wax, sometimes even a little rubbing compound first. The paint can get a little heavy, but for Modifieds, which don't have a lot of fussy details like trim, emblems, door handles, wipers etc. it works just fine - and the stuff dries quick when building up coats.

And yeah, if you ever get out this way, to NYC, or out on Long Island - I would be glad to show you the cars and private short tracks we are running, and the racers, many who run cars taken directly from the history of the great tracks of Long Island like Islip Speedway and Freeport.


Thanks again to all for the good words!

:text-bravo: