A voice from the past.

Popular model car when I was a kid.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RED-BARON-T-BUCKET-and-TRAILER-Car-Hauler-One-Kind-/150501318861?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item230a93e0cd

Wow. I remember that one, had the model.

That is definitely one I could see someone snatching up, cleaning up a bit then putting in a Barret Jackson type auction. Could bring some good money, its right in the nostalgia wheelhouse.

Looks like an almost pure show car of course.

I remember seeing the car at a show in the early '70's. I had the plastic model too.

I don't have the patience to read the whole fleabay ad on my phone, but if this is documented as the original, it is probably worth a bundle to someone.

I have the Hot Wheels version of that at home.

It appears to be the original, the add says:

"One of a Kind "Red Baron" Built by Jay Ohrberg of Hollywood Cars"

It's not the original. The Original Was built by Chuck Miller and had a Pontiac OHC 6 in it. We just had a length discussion on it at out Model car meeting when it model was re released.

Reversing the usual procedure of developing plastic models from full size vehicles, the Red Baron show car was inspired by the Tom Daniel's Monogram model kit of the same name. Commissioned to custom car builder Chuck Miller by the Show Car Division of the ISCA. It was unveiled at the Detroit Autorama in January 1969. The Red Baron was originally designed by Tom Daniel for Monogram Models, and converting the design to full scale was much easier to design than build. For instance, Daniel incorporated a 1914 Mercedes aircraft engine to power his Red Baron. However, due to its improper scale, (hey, Daniel is an artist, not a car builder!) Miller had to improvise, powering his Red Baron with a Pontiac overhead-cam, 6-cylinder. One other non-cost-effective situation were the custom wheels conceived by Tom Daniel: Miller was forced to replicate these by using Sheet Metal. He cut them to resemble the wheels in the model kit, painted them black, and attached them to chromed steel wheels. The hand-formed, all steel body, equipped with replicated machine guns, sits atop a custom built frame and is topped off with a large fiberglass German WWI helmet. This is where another problem arose for Miller. Although Daniels' kit featured a chrome plated helmet, Miller was unable to achieve this with his car. Unfortunately, there were no companies at the time that had large enough plating equipment. Miller was forced to settle for a silver metal flake paint job instead.

So there is no "original", I did not know that.

This is a car that someone needs to re-create with modern techniques. The rims certainly wouldn't be a problem. It seems like a flat head 6 would be a good choice for an engine:

You can even get replica Spandau machine guns now:

aircooled wrote: So there is no "original", I did not know that.

There is, or at least was, an original. I saw it in person at a car show in the early 70's. Thanks to Wally for pointing out the specifics - I thought the helmet/roof looked 'not quite right' on the fleabay car, and now I see the other obvious differences.

While other kids were wasting time with girls and such we were learning important trivia like this. When Tom Daniels made the model he used an engine from a 1/32 scale german aircraft kit. The closest that Chuck Miller could find was the OHC Pontiac, but if you look at the model and the show car the intake and exhaust are on opposite sides. Hard to believe I spent many saturday nights alone isn't it.

Is this the only time the Pontiac OHC 6 was used in a custom rod?

I was building models back at this time, but usually preferred more stock looking vehicles, tho I did have the MunsterMobile in my collection and wanted the MonkeeMobile....but no stores in my area carried it.