8 replies to this topic

[Slot Car Rod]

Here are a couple of mildly modified Cox cars.   

 

Eric remembers the Ram 36D motor hop up kit being used mainly on kit cars like Cox cars back in the day.  The green Lotus 30 has a Ram 36D.  Strombecker chassis weights were added.  AJ's rear tires (with Cox wheels turned down for use as inserts) provide traction.  The guide has been updated to a Cox quick change one.  The drop arm spring was removed.  Gearing is 16 to 48.  48-tooth spur gear is the biggest allowed with the size of rear tires.  Steel front suspension mount added for strength.

 

The white Lotus 40 uses the newer Cox sidewinder chassis and a steering kit.  Bolt-on brass pans help the handling.  Urethane tires provide traction.  The body was pulled out of the slot car junkyard.  Screen vents were added along with the reproduction windscreen.  The body was ground thinner on the inside and painted white.  The roll bar is made of tubing.

 

Both cars are easy to drive and very stable on a hill climb and on a club track.  As mentioned to Rick, the Ram motor car could use more brakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[don.siegel]

Very neat jobs Rod. 

 

Is one faster around the track than the other? 

 

Don 

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks Don.  The green Lotus really works on a blue king track and the white Lotus drives really nice on a road course.  They both work fine on both styles of track.

[MattD]

Hard to beat the model quality of the Cox Lotus.    They are fine models, but clunky runners.   In 64 that didn't matter.   I think Chris has done the ultimate Lotus and I kind of copied the runner version I have from his fine car.

Modified car before decals   Protrack rears with Cox inserts, lowered in front, raised in back. body floats.

 

Stocker 

[Slot Car Rod]

Nice cars Matt.  Cox cars like most kit cars drive fine with a few modifications.  My first 1/124 scale car is this Cox Cheetah.  The Cheetah actually made it around the monstrous Oakland Speedway upstairs track.  The Cox Cheetah was lowered, AJ's tires added, different gearing and a 36D with a hotter armature and RAM endbell.  The mildly modified Ford GT also works well.  Weights added.  Hotter armature.  Urethane tires.

 

   

 

 

 

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[Larry Horner]

Love the wire mesh detail on the Lotus 40!

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks, Larry.  I installed a set of Champion Arco magnets in the green Lotus that has a Ram armature kit.  The Ram armature has a larger diameter compared to a Mabuchi 36D armature.  So, the one-piece Champion magnet shim that makes the magnets closer to the armature was modified.  The shim areas between the magnets and the can were cut off and eliminated.  Top and bottom shims were made to center the magnets, and the Champion magnet clips were retained.  The Ram motor brush arms were bent to align better with the commutator.  The motor was run in at 3 volts.  As I remember, Rick measured Arco magnets as being about 20% stronger than a good set of Mabuchi magnets.  Hopefully the car will have more brakes.

 

 

The chassis was lowered with the addition of a new front axle bracket made of brass.

 

 

[chrisguyw]

I  built and posted this one a few years back,........runs very well.

 

Cheers

Chris Walker

 

I had a couple of goals in mind,...........I wanted to be able to "freeze" the drop arm, and allow for guide height adjustments,....lower the front end by raising the front axle (not just cutting down the tires), add some much needed weight, and, be able to return the chassis to its stock configuration easily..(not really sure why I wanted this last element)

 

It sits under a Lotus 40 shell, and I did use the "Dino" chassis, which is considerably more competitive than the stock 36D chassis. It is powered by a reworked (J. Havlicek) motor.

 

 

 

Undo 3 nuts/bolts, install the nylon front axle holder and it is back to stock,...again I am not sure why I ever considered this important.

 

 

The machine bolt/nut through the drop arm freezes the drop arm and allows for guide height adjustments.

 

The front axle tube sits higher in the chassis than the original front end nylon bit, reducing front end clearance, without reducing the stock front tire diameter......the front wheels also sit a bit higher in the wheelwells, which does look better.

 

[MattD]

Chris' Lotus was the inspiration for runner I built.   While my work isn't near his level, the brass pan and adjusted wheel height is a great improvement over a stock car. and my car does turn fast laps.