Harry Gant Late Model Sportsman Chevelle

[Mseitz]

Back around 1970 Harry Gant was tearing up the Late Model Sportsman circuit in the Southeast with a nicely built '64 Chevelle. Hickory Motor Speedway was his home track and he was usually in the featured event on Saturday night. It was often a Ford vs. Chevy battle with Harry's primary rival being Tommy Houston's '66 Fairlane. Other regulars included Morgan Shepard, Bob Pressley, Dale Earnhardt, Jack Ingram, Sam Ard and Butch Lindley. Great racing during that era and hometown hero Ned Jarrett was the Track Manager and PA Announcer. I was twelve at the time, lived a short distance from the track and loved it all.



Easy build with a recent AMT Chassis. Soldered on a guide tongue from an old parma flexi chassis and soldered in brass pin tubes. Swapped in a commercial track guide and a cox gear and that's about all needed to make this chassis work well. Paul Gage makes tires to fit the kit's wheels. I may go back with wider tires sticking out the sides but for now I'm enjoying racing it like it is.



Gary Adams, aka Decal-man.com has lots of LMS decals from that era.

[HomeRacingWorld]

This is a great effort. Well done.

[ourwayband]

Great build and Great story on one of the best drivers around..

Rusty

[dreinecke]

Oh, you know I can't pass up a Chevelle - especially one with a story and that looks this great! Awesome job!

[Mayberryman]

[Mseitz]

Thanks guys. Still contemplating more scale looking wider tires but its surprising how well the street width PG urethanes hook up on my track as is.

Mayberryman, Bosco was one of many not so famous drivers who put on a terrific show most Saturday nights for a chance to earn not much money. Junior Crouch, Ned Setzer, Glenn Jarrett (Dale's older brother), Benny Kerley were all part of that crowd that I can easily recall. Harry was working as a building contractor during the week while not racing. There wasn't any Skoal money to help hone his eventual dapper image, but he kept a ready smile before and after achieving fame.

And we haven't forgotten your interest in racing with us down here, just need to get one scheduled.

[VenturaAlfa]

That really looks great! The car reminds me of a lot of the cars out here in the west with the likes of Herschel McGriff, Jim Insolo, Ron Hornaday Sr., and a couple of other guys named Gurney and Jones.

Ventura Alfa

[TuscoTodd]

GREAT looking car!
:D

[Mseitz]

Often when I'm painting these cars I get bogged down worrying about buffing out a little orange peel or if I need two or three coats of clear. Here's a photo of Jack Ingram's Chevelle along side Harry's at Nashville. Easy to forget what a proper race car typically looked like back then.

[HomeRacingWorld]

"Easy to forget what a proper race car typically looked like back then"

I agree. I am guilty of the same. It takes just as much modeling, if not more, to make them look like that great photo.

[Mayberryman]