Dan Gurney's 1968 Indy 500 Olsonite Eagle

By: Ismael "the Corvette guy" Gonzalez

  I know what you are thinking: This is not a Corvette. I KNOW!
 I love the Indy 500 and Dan Gurney is one the most important figures in American racing history. 

This model of the 1968 Weslake powered Olsonite Eagle represents Dan Gurney's 1968 Indy 500 ride.  It is based on the MPC Eagle model originally released in the late '60s. What was supposed to be a box stock build became an intense exercise in scratchbuilding.  The kit was not bad but many parts were replaced with home made aluminum and brass parts.  More details below the pictures.
 

MPC Eagle kit, 1/25. Reissued in the '90s

Cobra Colors paint

Kit's decals with whites from Cady decals

Here is a list of modifications:
- reworked body for better fit on the sides and top
- machined ignition module
- ignition wiring
- fuel plumbing
- machined cap for the quick change transaxle
- home made aluminum velocity stacks
- plumbed oil filter
- brass half shafts
- 3 piece machined shifter
- brass rear sway bar
- aluminum sheet gas tanks tops
- 6 parts each independent coilovers in brass steel wire and aluminum
- brake lines
- steel wire front sway bar links
- aluminum rear sway bar brackets
- aluminum upper rear coilovers pins
- steel rear sway bar links connected to lower arm
- solder headers
- machined aluminum tailpipes
- scratchbuilt seatbelts and hardware (I know the real ones are black, but I did them in dark red to add some color and contrast to the dark cockpit)
- brass roll bar
- machined dry sump oil tank cap
- aluminum gas tank caps
- aluminum rear wing with steel wire bracing
-.. and many others I don't remember now :)

1/22/2008