Built by: Brandon Flannery in Bakersfield, California

From time to time, people call on me to assemble model cars for them. Steve Caranza is one such lucky person. He asked me "What would you do with a T'rantula?" The wheels started turning, and myself, being fresh from the recent March Meets (nostalgia drags here in Bakersfield) knew there was only one answer to that question--make it into a real happening Dragster from the days of yore!

I began researching old floppers and gathering parts while the kit was shipped out to me. I cracked the box open and went to work.

Kit bashing is a great joy if you have enough parts in stock. I felt like an artist, and the boxes my pallet. There are parts from about 10 kits on this car.

The early Hemi is from the Mummy Machine, wheels and tires from the Boot Hill Express (a big thank you to Steve Hammann!) bits from here, bits from there, and crowned with a scoop from the Bad Medicine.

Somewhere along the way of smoothing out the headlight humps and filling seams, I got a little carried away. How is a driver supposed to get into the car with those small side openings? How is anybody ever going to see the white flocked seat or the red floorboard? A few rough measurements and two hours later we had a flip-open top. Hinge parts from a Monogram 57 Vette and an old muffler fit the bill perfectly.

The Testors metallic Blue was laid on, and period correct decals from all over my parts stash went down on top like icing on the cake. Aptly named the "Sling Shot", and it's coming to a strip near you.