10 replies to this topic

[Slot Car Rod]

I just restored this beautiful 1/24th scale MESAC Lola T163. The MESAC chassis and most of the components were supplied by Victor and the body is an eBay purchase.

 

The car is fast and is fun to drive. The car probably has too much brakes, even after dialing up the controller brake pot. Eric even suggested disconnecting the controller brake wire entirely. The car has good balance with neutral handling.

 

 

Rear wheels are Rick's wide reproductions and were supplied by Rick. Rear tires are a pair of the magic MESAC soft black tires. Front wheels and all four of the wheel inserts are Russkit. Front tires are cut-down Cox Firestones.  Rear portion of the body was recreated out of sheet plastic.

 

 

Cox injection stacks. Russkit mirrors. Victor supplied the interior and most of the detail parts.

 

 

Short wheelbase chassis is also fairly narrow.

 

 

The car is powered with an NCC 20 armature C-can motor. A 7-tooth pinion and a 34-tooth Cox spur gear are used.

 

 

Mildly restored chassis.  

 

 

Chassis being restored. It was missing a rear axle tube and had the usual crash damage.

 

 

Body as delivered.

 

 

Victor has this mold.

 

[Bill from NH]

Nice restoration, Rodney! Was there a reason for the small holes in the pans, or we they made from reused material? Good use of the Champion jig wheels. I shortened the inner hubs on mine and tapped new setscrew holes. I found them easier to use that way.

[Alchemist]

The car looks great Rodney!

 

Rick's rear wheels look fantastic with the deep dish look.

 

Thanks for sharing Rodney.

 

Ernie

[Mad Mark]

Nice save!

[spudboy]

I enjoy seeing your MESAC restorations Rodney.  Thank you!

[Martin]

That really cleaned up well, like what you did around the rear valance. 

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks everyone.  Bill, the pans once had battery holders to power lights.  Self-tapping screws were used to hold the battery holders on.

I installed another NCC20 armature along with matching Mura long magnets in the motor.  Much better.

 

[Martin]

Hi Rodney, do you know or did Victor ever mention why a lot of the MESAC cars were narrow and short, was it rules at the club or was that what worked best on that club track.

Can you share the wheelbase and max width of this car ?

Looks even better on the track BTW 

[Slot Car Rod]

Martin, the car has a wheelbase of 3 11/16" and the car's maximum width is 3 1/4".  

 

The MESAC track could be set up with different layouts.  Most likely some cars work better than others with the different track layouts.

 

Here one of Don Sloan cars that he used to win the 1974 MESAC championship.  It is quite conventional.

 

Here is another 1/24th scale car Don used to win the championship.  This Elfin is smaller than the Ti22. 

[Bill from NH]

I notice the Elfin uses a modified 13D motor. I had thought these were primarily used in Europe. Does this Elfin use a Russkit body? All these MESAC cars I've seen posted on here have withstood the ages of time quite well.

[Slot Car Rod]

I remember the motors from the Monogram midget kits.  MESAC used some mystery magnets in the little motors.  The magnets seem almost as strong as Arcos.

 

Here is a Russkit Elfin, I believe.