17 replies to this topic

[Slot Car Rod]

I finally found a 1/24th-scale model of a Lola T220 or T222 Can-Am car.  The Lola T222 I found is a Toj-Drom brand resin model from Germany.  

 

The Lola T220 was campaigned by Peter Revson in the 1970 Can-Am series.  The car was red with L&M livery.  There were two versions of this car.  After the first version was crashed, the second version featured a 10" increase in wheelbase for easier driving.  Customer cars of the Lola T220 were designated as Lola T222.

 

 

 

My car is modeled after Swiss driver Jo Bonnier's Interseries (European version of Can-

Am) Lola T222.  The car was campaigned in 1971 with Vic Elford and Jo Bonnier himself driving.

 

Vic Elford was leading the 1971 Hockenheim Interseries race until a door swung open.  He reduced his pace and finished third.

 

This Lola slot car took quite a few hours to build.  I wanted to incorporate as much of the model kit's engine detail as possible.  Also, the car has many photo-etched parts which in my opinion are not suited for slot cars unless you like scattering small parts around the slot car track.  I like running my slot cars.  I am painting a Bonnier driver figure for the car.

 

The transaxle detail came from an Academy McLaren Mk8 kit.  The dry sump tank is from an IMC Chaparral kit.

 

 

The chassis is a used Plafit.  A Mura C can Group 12 motor powers the car.  A Parma crown gear is fitted.  With lead added around the front of the chassis, the car weighs in at about 7 ounces.

 

 

Wheels are H&R.  Russkit Lola wheels were cut down and used as inserts.  Riggen knock-offs.

 

Out of five pairs of H&R rear wheels, the run out of two pairs of wheels were so bad, they were tossed!  Rear tires used are H&R fish foam.

 

Lola shown with David Hobbs McLaren M20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Larry Horner]

The whole car is gorgeous but I really love those wheels!

[Pablo]

   

[Martin]

I am disappointed in you Rodney. You did not make the door fly open in a turn but I bet you thought about it ?

 

Great build BTW.

[dc-65x]

A truly remarkable car Rodney and I really love the wheels. Did you make the wheel inserts without a lathe?

[Slot Car Rod]

Glad everyone likes this one.  Rick, I use one of the tire truer machines like a lathe.  I like your idea Martin   

[n.elmholt]

Super Nice build, Rodney - I have always loved the paint job on Bonniers cars :-)

Niels, DK

[Jairus]

Very nice!

[Clyde Romero]

excellent craftsmanship 

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks everyone.  The Lola was a difficult car to tune.  The rear tires would hop around the turns, and the front got light under acceleration.  

 

The chassis was an early generation Plafit chassis.  

 

In comparing the early chassis with the last generation of this type of Plafit chassis, I noticed the inline motor bracket with the early chassis has a large motor offset resulting in a hypoid gear layout.  The area of the plate chassis in front of the "u-bracket" with this early chassis was flexing and bending!  I had to keep bending the chassis back.  The spacer plate between the motor bracket and the chassis plate is aluminum.  The guide lead on the early chassis is small, and the front chassis spacer is aluminum.  Plafit corrected the chassis problems with their newer versions of this chassis.  The newer chassis plate is stiffer and, no more hypoid gear.  The new chassis also sports a steel front end with a proper guide lead.
 

Modifications to the chassis:

 

The early chassis plate and "u-bracket" were replaced with updated ones.  The new chassis plate is stiffer and the "u-bracket allows the motor shaft to be in line with the rear axle (no more hypoid gear).  The motor does sit higher now.  The aluminum spacer plate was replaced with a brass one.  Instead of using the newer front  steel chassis piece, I decided to duplicate it in brass.   An old brass chassis was cut up to create a "wing and guide thing".  The guide lead is now extended out and the wings supply weight up front and down low.  A chunk of brass sheet was cut out to make a front chassis spacer.  This part also adds weight around the front axle and down low.  The nose of the car sits a little lower with a shaker plate adjustment.

 

A Slick 7 shorty guide replaces the nylon one.  A NSR King 50 motor replaces the Group 12 motor.  Gears are now a seven-tooth angled pinion and a 35-tooth PSE crown gear.  Oilite bushings replace the ball bearings for more brakes.

 

A tire test was conducted.  I tried Pro-Track old and new foam compounds (non-drag race) and H&R Racing old foam and new foam and fish rubber.  The H&R fish rubber works the best.  Rear tire diameter is 1 1/16".  Front tires were trimmed down a hair and coated with clear.

 

The car is now fast and consistent.  With the wide rear tires, the car is not toss-able.  Smooth driving is needed.  With the NSR motor the car accelerates faster compared to the car with Group 12 power.  The NSR motor has more torque which helps to push around this seven and a half ounce car.

 

 

New chassis

 

Tire test

[Alchemist]

Absolutely stunning Rodney - as usual!

 

Are the resin body slot cars noisy when they run on the track?

 

Thanks for sharing Rodney.

 

Ernie

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks Ernie.  The JK Lexan Ti22 with a Champion Turbo -flex chassis turned  7.82 on the Slot Car World Mother Load.

The resin body Porsche 917/10 with a ScaleAuto anglewinder chassis turned 8.65

My resin body Porsche 917/30 with a Plafit inline chassis similar to the Lola T222 turned 8.78

 

All of the cars are smooth and quiet.  Modern gears including angled pinions are the key.

 

All cars have scale size wheels and tires.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tex]

 

Thanks everyone.  The Lola was a difficult car to tune.  The rear tires would hop around the turns, and the front got light under acceleration.  

 

The chassis was an early generation Plafit chassis.  

 

In comparing the early chassis with the last generation of this type of Plafit chassis, I noticed the inline motor bracket with the early chassis has a large motor offset resulting in a hypoid gear layout.  The area of the plate chassis in front of the "u-bracket" with this early chassis was flexing and bending!  I had to keep bending the chassis back.  The spacer plate between the motor bracket and the chassis plate is aluminum.  The guide lead on the early chassis is small, and the front chassis spacer is aluminum.  Plafit corrected the chassis problems with their newer versions of this chassis.  The newer chassis plate is stiffer and, no more hypoid gear.  The new chassis also sports a steel front end with a proper guide lead.
 

Modifications to the chassis:

 

The early chassis plate and "u-bracket" were replaced with updated ones.  The new chassis plate is stiffer and the "u-bracket allows the motor shaft to be in line with the rear axle (no more hypoid gear).  The motor does sit higher now.  The aluminum spacer plate was replaced with a brass one.  Instead of using the newer front  steel chassis piece, I decided to duplicate it in brass.   An old brass chassis was cut up to create a "wing and guide thing".  The guide lead is now extended out and the wings supply weight up front and down low.  A chunk of brass sheet was cut out to make a front chassis spacer.  This part also adds weight around the front axle and down low.  The nose of the car sits a little lower with a shaker plate adjustment.

 

A Slick 7 shorty guide replaces the nylon one.  A NSR King 50 motor replaces the Group 12 motor.  Gears are now a seven-tooth angled pinion and a 35-tooth PSE crown gear.  Oilite bushings replace the ball bearings for more brakes.

 

A tire test was conducted.  I tried Pro-Track old and new foam compounds (non-drag race) and H&R Racing old foam and new foam and fish rubber.  The H&R fish rubber works the best.  Rear tire diameter is 1 1/16".  Front tires were trimmed down a hair and coated with clear.

 

The car is now fast and consistent.  With the wide rear tires, the car is not toss-able.  Smooth driving is needed.  With the NSR motor the car accelerates faster compared to the car with Group 12 power.  The NSR motor has more torque which helps to push around this seven and a half ounce car.

 

 

New chassis

lol1.jpg

 

Tire test

lol2.jpg

 

 

just curious... why not narrow the Lola's rear tires a bit to make it more forgiving in the turns?

[MG Brown]

FYI- Carrera has this Lola T222 in several liveries, but in 1/32.

 

[Slot Car Rod]

Richard, you are right about the narrowing of the tires.  The tires that worked the best and ending up on the car are narrower and have very rounded edges.  

The 1/32 looks nice.

[Slot Car Rod]

The Lola on the Modesto road course.  The H&R fish foam tires worked even on a no glue track.  The track was cleaned for a home set 1/32nd scale car race.

 

 

The Porsche with the Scratch built chassis could have used more weight in the rear of the pans with no glue.

 

 

Can't wait to try the cars on the road course with proper spray glue.

[Slot Car Rod]

I just completed this coupe.  The body is resin and is painted with Tamiya paint.  The chassis is the Plafit first used on the T222.  It was rebuilt with the motor raised and the shaker plate and front end updated.

 

 

 

 

 

[Slot Car Rod]

Here is the resin Lola shown with a Carrera RTR.