Businessman and entrepreneur J.D. Stacy came into NASCAR in 1977 with money almost literally spilling out of his pockets. By 1982 he was providing full sponsorship to five teams. While not a multi-car team in the way we have today, all five cars were painted in the same style but in different colors. But the old line that you could make a small fortune in racing as long as you start out with a large one came true and by 1983, with only four wins to show for all that money spent Jim Stacy would disappear from the scene. But on this day at Riverside things were going very well for Stay and his drivers.
When the green flag fell on that warm summer day in the California desert, our young driver with the big money sponsor was starting in fourth place. The pole sitter was Terry Labonte who was also being sponsored by Jim Stacy. Darrell Waltrip, the defending NASCAR Winston Cup champion was next in line, driving what may have been the best car on the circuit, Junior Johnson’s Mountain Dew Buick. Starting in third was "Handsome" Harry Gant in the Hal Needham owned Skoal Bandit. Our young driver was in some fast company indeed. Following those four into the first corner that day was Dale Earnahrdt, Sr., Bobby Allison, West Coast star Roy Smith, Benny Parsons, Neil Bonnett, and rounding out the top ten was Richard Petty.
The race became what was typical for most races in Riverside in the heat of June in those days, a contest of survival. Richard Petty and Harry Gant would both have engine trouble and finish 36th and 35th respectively. Bobby Allison also did not finish due to an engine failure. Darrell Waltrip finished 32nd with a burned piston. Benny Parson’s Pontiac lost oil pressure on lap 81, but Roy Smith finished 6th, one lap down. The rest of the top ten starters finished on the lead lap with Neil Bonnett in 5th, right behind Dale Earnhardt, Geoff Bodine (who had started 14th) and Terry Labonte. And who was this young upstart who beat the best on this day? None other than Tim Richmond.
Richmond would go on to win the second race at Riverside later that same year for the first two NASCAR Winston Cup wins of his career. He would go on to win one each in 1983 and ’84. And then, after not winning in 1985, he would tear off seven wins in 1986, and two more in 1987 before his life was cut short.
Since I was big Tim Richmond fan when he was driving, it seems only natural that I would build models of his cars. My model of the Buick that he raced into victory lane on that day in Riverside is the subject of a full build-up article in the June 2007 issue of Scale Auto. And here are a couple of photos I shot of the actual car at that race, and a few of the model.
Now, here's a color chart for you:
Color Chart for ‘80s Buick Regal*
Engine:
Block – Dark metallic or flat black
Cylinder heads – Aluminum
Intake Manifold – Aluminum
Oil Pan – Aluminum
Valve covers – Aluminum
Air filter housing – Aluminum
Air filter element – flat white
Drive belt – Flat black
Drive pulleys – Steel
Transmission - Aluminum
Chassis:
Frame and floor pan – Ford Engine Light Blue
Roll bars and most interior panels – Ford Engine Light Blue
Crush panels behind roll cage - Silver
Dash – semi-gloss black**
Roll bar padding – flat black
Seat – semi-gloss black**
All suspension and steering components – Semi-gloss black**
Rear end third member – reddish brown primer
Drive shaft – flat white with steel U-joints.
Wheels – Ford Engine Light Blue
Weight jack screws – Steel
Shocks – Yellow
Springs – Yellow or blue
Brake calipers – dark steel
Radiator – Aluminum
Oil cooler – Aluminum
Radiator Shroud – Aluminum
Body:
Inside and out – Ford Engine Light Blue
Spoiler – Aluminum
Window trim – Silver
Rear window straps – flat black
Grill – dark steel
* All colors listed are Testors’ Model Master line
** You can make semi-gloss black by using a 50/50 mix of gloss and flat black.
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