22 replies to this topic

[FastRichard]

I have a very old wing car frame with a strap motor. I would like to fix it up just for kicks. I cannot read the armature tag but the last character may be a 5. Would anyone have any idea what would be a good starting point for gearing?

 

Thanks, I appreciated any help.

 

[Bill Seitz]

That looks like a circa 1990 Group or International 15 motor which makes sense for the wire chassis which was spec at the same vintage. Try 10/38 gears for starters.

[FastRichard]

Thank you, Bill.

[Dave_12]

Looks like the can has been bent to fit a Pro Slot C-can endbell. 

[FastRichard]

I does in fact seem to have a bend at the endbell.

[mreibman]

it sure looks like a Proslot INT15 (15A) setup from the early 90's. Long can, uses a c-can size endbell, still available from Proslot (would recommend spending the couple of bucks on a new one).

 

they're long, and apparently, although I never did this, they ran them with the can upside down as a box stock.

 

it's an ok setup for messing around. I have some floating around somewhere if you need parts. I also have arms. I believe they use a .480, but possibly a .490 diameter arm - but the arms are longer than today's arms.

[Don Weaver]

it sure looks like a Proslot INT15 (15A) setup from the early 90's.

 

I was going to say it looks like a Camen I-15 strap.  Note the purple lamination dye...

 

IIRC, the really thick magnets meant the strap can "legs" had to be bent inwards to meet with the required C-can endbell.

 

Don

[FastRichard]

Thanks Mike and Don. I'm going to try the suggested 10-38 gearing next time we go to a big track.

[Bill Seitz]

I have the Camen setup, and this is definitely not that. Wrong endbell hardware, the can isn't bent to fi t the endbell, and Camen used a polymer bearing instead of an oilite. The endbell has seen better days but is probably still adequate. The rules from that period required full C-can dimensions, so it's likely to be the same OAL as boxstock arms, but G15 arms then were .500 diameter. Today's boxstock uses .518 arms. The later .480 and .490 diameter G15 arms are also usually shorter .850 OAL for a shorter setup.

[Don Weaver]

And another 50 year old memory bites the dust  !    Seems like they're getting more and more frequent...

[Bill Seitz]

Camen made their own purple endbells. The can mounting ears do bend slightly to fit the curved corners of their endbell, but not as much as this one. The polymer can bearing was another attempt to shed a gram or 2. Don mentioned the purple arm dye, and this does look like a Camen arm, just not in a Camen setup.

 

There's not much of the chassis showing, but it might be a Zap or a copy of one.

[Mike Patterson]

It could be earlier than mentioned. In the 1970s-80s I raced 15s in MORA (Mid-Ohio Racing Association) and the Tri-State USRA. We raced Grp. 15A (strap motors as pictured) and 15B (C-can motors). I raced 15B. They also raced 27s in A and B groups.

[MSwiss]

Strap 15 motors were a new thing at the '89 Nats in Wichita.

 

I know that for a fact because I pitted a guy in 15s and after he moved up easily from the semi running regular Feather 15 C can motors, he blew up a bunch of straps in the Main because he insisted on still using 10T pinions.

 

After that race, he and others switched to 9T's, at least with the short Koford Feather strap.

[FastRichard]

I appreciate all the information, thanks.
Richard

[Jeff Long]

This is what I raced in INT 15 in the early 1990s. The motor is a Camen can, Koford endbell and Camen hardware with Front Line magnets.

Attached Images

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[Jeff Long]

The chassis was made by Jay Horn.

[Jeff Long]

For some reason it is not allowing me to post a pic of the frame

[zipper]

This is what I raced in INT 15 in the early 1990s. The motor is a Camen can, Koford endbell and Camen hardware with Front Line magnets.

It was the favorite here until Koford made a smaller setup.

[Mark Onofri]

The switch to strap motors was enough to make me quit. Well, for 10 years. There's no quiting slot cars.
In that 10 years, disposable Playfit,falcon, etc. motors had arrived. Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum!

[NSwanberg]

Multi segement magnets. There was no reason to allow this other than faster faster you fool you fool.

[Mark Onofri]

Fire bad

[Mark Onofri]

When the magnets are soooo strong that you can't solder the pinion on without the bearing coming loose and sucking the armature to them..........

[Bill from NH]

You could use a setscrew or a press-on pinion. 

 

I don't know how you're soldering it on but are you cleaning & tinning the arm shaft as well a removing any burrs from the pinion bore? Slot a couple phenolic arm spacers (oil slingers) & put them right next to the bearing face, Put a drop of flux in the pinion bore, set, or hold it on the end of the arm shaft with tweezers or small pliers. Then slide it into position with a hot soldering iron. Finally, snap the phenolic spacers out. You could glue the pinion on with red Loctite instead, if you trust it.