The Dragon Wagon - Parts 1, 2 and 3

[BRITBOY]

PART 1

OK, I hope you’re sitting comfortably because there’s a story to be told about this Dragon Wagon.

A very long time ago, before the Internet, I was lucky enough to find an incomplete Dragon Wagon in a charity shop – a very rare find in the UK back then. I put it together as best I could, using alternative parts to get it finished. Stuff like Fujimi wheels and tyres, front axle from some Lindberg kit and so on. It wasn’t 100% accurate but I was pleased enough with the end result (sorry about the dodgy photos but that was the best I could do 30 years ago!).

[BRITBOY]

Part 2

Fast forward about ten years and I had another stroke of luck with an Ebay win for a pile of parts. A pile of parts which, if you examined the auction photos really closely, contained all the missing parts for my Dragon Wagon – and with loads more to spare.

However, and for reasons I don’t fully understand, as soon as the parts turned up I ripped the above built up version apart, and used the freshly acquired spare parts to build a “vintage” Dragon Wagon i.e. before Tom Daniel got his hands on it. Various AMT model T parts were used to complete this project. As an aside, I submitted photos of this version to a Certain Showrod Site and was told it didn’t qualify as it wasn’t a real showrod – whatever that means.

[BRITBOY]

PART 3

So, the parts to build a “stock” Dragon Wagon ended up sitting on a shelf until this contest was announced. What better reason to finally build the kit I’d started over thirty years ago? I decided from the outset that I would add a little detail, mainly around the engine which Monogram had tooled up without any ignition parts etc., but it would otherwise be pretty much box stock. I drew the line at attempting to correct stuff like the steering which, if you look closely, has the steering column running into the floor of the cab but a steering arm appearing out of the side of the cab. Problems were limited to some badly warped panels for the cage and the running boards and, not surprisingly, the decals didn’t want to play at all. I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out and it does make a nice companion piece for the stock version!

[BRITBOY]

[BRITBOY]

And finally, it's Mr Tom Daniel putting his arm where the dragon's mouth is!

[DAVE "THE DUKE" ARMSTRONG]

Wow! VERY cool! Actually, all three versions are so well done! Great paint and detail! Love the addition of Ol' Tom there!

Man Harley, everybody's knocking it out of the park!

[BIGDRAG]

Great build ! And great story of how it came about, I`m sure Rick would have loved this !

[Sammy the ace]

well now that is a good history lesson

great builds harley i like all three of them

but l have to say i really like the vintage one

it has a certain charm

[OLDCOYOTE]

Great builds sir, all three are most impressive, especially when you hear the history.