Builder:Paul Canney

I've always been quite critical of the AMT Digger dragster's upper and lower clamshell body. As time has moved onward and different composites of styrene, the earlier releases seemed to hold their upper and lower parts relatively straight.

The later releases, to me, seem to lose rigidity and are hopelessly twisted and warped.

So I simply stayed away from them. But, (there's always a 'but), when the last release included Don Schumacher 'Stardust' decals, I had to build one!. The twisted clamshell parts in my kit was the driving force for me to build a 'better digger'.

This was built over the period of 3 weeks as I struggle with yellow paint. That and as I'm still using up rattle cans I purchased in 2016 - 19 while recuperating from foot surgery.

I relocated the external steering rod and cobbled together a poor man's rack and pinion steering thingy.

It's not very realistic but aside from this photo shoot, I don't see the body ever being removed again.

I left the radius arms off as well, because, well, just because.

The front wheel fairings were very last minute and left over from my Cosmic Charger build a couple of months back, and I have to say, I think they bring a new look to the digger.

Closing up the steering hole on the left side of the body was pretty easy to fill and a few days of filling and sanding later and the body is seamless.

Before he takes it for a quick spin, TV Tommy & Jungle Pam talk about the cool color scheme that the Shoe had come up with, and Tom hinting at a cool blue Stardust.. rumors.