107 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

“SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED”

 

I thought it would be fun to build up a Phase III plumber chassis from their kit. I want to see what one looks like without the factory built versions massive amount of solder.

 

Click on any picture to enlarge

 

 

Here all the bits are dumped in a pile after a quick soak in TARN-X to remove 50+ years of tarnish which preps them  for soldering:

 

 

The instructions consist of this hand drawn diagram:

 

 

I think these pictures from a recent eBay auction will be more helpful:

 

 

 

The first picture advertisement I have found for the chassis kit is from a March 1969 issue of Model Racing Journal:

 

 

This chassis kit uses a 16D end bell drive motor bracket with a large motor angle. Those characteristics are similar to these 3 top finishers built by Staskie and Emott in the Feb 1969 Hinsdale Manufacturers race:

 

 

Since this will be a first quarter of 1969 build a body other than the soon to be ubiquitous McLaren M8 can be used for a little variety.

[Alchemist]

HI Rick,

 

Looking forward to seeing the comparison after you've completed your build version.

 

Thanks Rick.

 

Ernie

[team burrito]

you should flip it over & make it a left-hand drive - just a thought.

[Lone Wolf]

That chassis will never have looked as good as when you are finished with it.

 

After looking at the pile of bits it's no wonder many were left assembled.

 

How many racers back in the day could actually assemble that and make it aligned, straight and flat. 

 

If you really wanted to replicate the factory piece here is the iron they used.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364215627012

 

 

( Imagine giving a kid a hot iron to burn toxic fumes in the kitchen. We grew up in great times )

[Bill from NH]

Phaze iii chassis were sold both assembled & as kits. From 1969-75 I raced the non-plumbered version of this chassis weekly at Modelville Hobby in Framingham, MA. Modelville sold assembled chassis so one didn't have to be a chassis builder in order to compete in the weekly races. All these races were held on the Modelville AMCR Orange & they had 15-20 entrants on Friday & Saturday nights,

[dc-65x]

Glad you're following the build Ernie.  

 

The main rail has the front axle uprights already bent up at 90 degrees so it can't be flipped over unless they are cut off Russ. I wish this wasn't the case as those uprights caused me hours of chasing my tail while trying to refine all its bends. I'd get everything bent nicely only to find one upright was 1/16" ahead of the other.  

 

The good news is that I want to build a CCW rotation, end bell drive version anyway.

 

 

That is an intimidating pile of parts there Joe especially for a young builder back in the day. I can't help myself, I will be making a few little tweaks to the design so it won't be an exact copy but close enough so it will still be a Phase III.

 

Bill, it's a fun fact that you chose to race the non plumber version. Rodney found some period magazine commentary on this chassis and its plumber that I'll be sharing here soon.

[old & gray]

That chassis will never have looked as good as when you are finished with it.

 

After looking at the pile of bits it's no wonder many were left assembled.

 

How many racers back in the day could actually assemble that and make it aligned, straight and flat. 

 

If you really wanted to replicate the factory piece here is the iron they used.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364215627012

 

 

( Imagine giving a kid a hot iron to burn toxic fumes in the kitchen. We grew up in great times )

 

I started my chassis building with something simular about 1965 to 1966. The 25 watt iron and tips could do alright burning wood but couldn't solder much more than a wire to a motor. I switched to a Weller gun then to a real soldering iron: the Unger with an iron clad tip.

 

I look forward to seeing your version of this Rick.

[Bill from NH]

Bill, it's a fun fact that you chose to race the non plumber version. Rodney found some period magazine commentary on this chassis and its plumber that I'll be sharing here soon.

 

I don't know when Modelville started running the non-plumbered version, but that was the "spec" chassis used when I relocated to the area the summer of '69 & it never changed while I was there. Because these assembled chassis had to be rebuilt before raced, I bought a non-plumber kit at some point also. The non-plumbered version used four different drop arms.

 

Someone was selling the pre-bent wires on eBay within the past year. I don't remember the ends being bent up, so those could probably have been used for CW & CCW chassis.

[Don Weaver]

I have a couple of these without the front uprights pre-bent so either motor configuration will work.

 

Don

[dc-65x]

I still use the 1100 degree Ungar (now owned by and labeled Weller) iron with iron clad tip Bob.  

 

I'm stuck with the main rails with the pre-bent axle uprights Bill and Don so I'll have to make due.

 

As I mentioned I was chasing my tail trying to get the main rail wire bends square and parallel. I had literally given up. Everything looked pretty good but it always ended up wider than the jig pins I had setup for the 1 1/4" drop arm. But I finally realize not that much wider. I slipped short pieces of 3/32" tube over those pins and bingo. Everything lines up and the main rail are only spaced 1/64" wider per side than the drop arm.  

 

With the main rail ready I mounted my jig motor into the motor bracket and more work was needed. The bracket is way taller than a Mura 16D and keeps the motor 1/32" off the jig block:

 

 

Ready for the disc sander:

 

 

In the jig and ready to heat up the Ungar iron:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill from NH]

FERRET manufactured the chassis parts for Phaze III. They also sold some of the same chassis under the FERRET name.

[Pablo]

   

[Martin]

I like the way the rails hook over the front axle tube. I had not seen that detail done before.

 

In the "ALL THREE" pic, it mentions, "Notice all three have lead wire control tubes". Do you know what they are referring to?

 

Fun build, its going to be a beauty I am sure.

[dc-65x]

Hi Martin,

 

Emott's cars have short pieced of tube on the drop arm hinge the lead wires are feeding through. The Staskie car has them farther forward on the frame.

[Bill from NH]

I had to enlarge the photo to see the tubes, but they're there. They ran longer leadwire than would be used today & the tubes help keep the leadwire from dragging on the track.

[dc-65x]

That photo is a full size scan from SteveO's DVD. You can just click on it to enlarge it or do a "save as" and download it to your computer and really ZOOM UP on it. The original photo quality isn't too bad for an old newsletter.

 

I believe those cars are among the first of Emott's classic 2-rail, no motor box, plumber on the arm chassis.

[Martin]

Thanks, I see them clearly now.

Attached Images

• 

[dc-65x]

Things are clamped down so I can move the jig around in one hand and get the soldering iron where I want it:

 

 

This is the foundation for the entire chassis build:

 

 

The main rail is pretty well aligned with the jig motor:

 

 

The inner most brass rails are next.

 

 

[Jairus]

Rick, I think that 1/32" distance is because many of these chassis contained re-wind motors and the extra clearance is for the endbell screw!?!?

[dc-65x]

Hi Jairus,

 

Maybe, but Mura and Champion motors of the period wouldn't have that problem. If the motor were mounted to the bracket with a pan head screw, the extra clearance would be needed for the screw head to clear the frame rail. I used a socket head screw so I could cut off that 1/32" and lower the motor.

[dc-65x]

The inner main rails from the kit installed:

 

 

I decided to add a 1/16" piano wire cross piece like the Staskie and Emott cars pictured earlier:

 

 

 

 

[dc-65x]

Time to add the final main rails and this is where I am exercising my personal "scratch builder's influence" into the design:

 

 

Here rails #3 and #4 are positioned in the factory design:

 

 

As outline above I eliminated rail #3 and attached rail #4 to the front axle tube without the U-brace:

 

 

The center section before cleanup with the unused factory parts:

 

 

I'm pausing construction at this point to finalize a period correct 4" W.B. body which determines chassis width and guide lead:

 

[Bill from NH]

When i raced the non-plumber Phaze III chassis, we ran a mixture of Lancer, Dynamic, & bodies that came in a red, white, & blue box whose name escapes me. I think Associated actually pulled the bodies. Rick, you show a good selection of bodies in your photo.

[dc-65x]

Here are the 6 bodies I narrowed it down to for the March/April 1969 time period Bill:

 

 

A problem I ran into were the narrow 1/2" wide pans in the kit. If you add up the ten 1/16" frame and plumber rails, two 1/2" pans and the 1 1/4" drop arm the chassis (without any "slopski") would only be 2 7/8" wide. 

 

I've already spaced the chassis main rails 1/32" than the drop arm. I'm also going to build in some "slopski" into the plumber rail spacing and should be able to get closer to 3".

 

The bodies were at least 3" and some closer to 3 1/8" wide, except for this one:

 

 

The Lancer Super Competition Low and Wide Ford Mirage is a tad under 3" at the pans but widens out at the fenders to over 3". I mocked up the chassis and the Mirage fits bitch'n and I think the body looks bitch'n too:  

 

 

 

 

Now I can get back to work on the chassis. The drop arm is next with a 7/8" guide lead.

[Larry Horner]

The detail on that puppy is amazing!