27 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

How can I not build one of these beauties............
 

 

 
.............when I have this equally stunning Lancer scale lightweight body:
 

 
I'm going with the Lancer's narrower scale version on the left:
 

 
I'm approaching this build the same way I intended to build it in my last build thread..........but that one turned into a King Cobra build. 

 

Here's a link to that thread:

 

Lancer Honker build now a King Cobra!

 

I want to have some fun with my scale bodies like my Lancer Honker so I’m going to open things up from my usual approach to vintage building by doing the following:

• Approach this build as if I was a hobbyist back in the early 70’s building just for the fun of it.

• Use any vintage or repop vintage component available from the early 1960’s to the early 1970’s.

• Use any style of vintage motor and chassis design from the early 1960’s to the early 1970’s.

OK, time to take my time machine back to the early 1970’s and get to work on my Honker.

 

This time my Honker is going to be a scale anglewinder with chassis design inspiration from perhaps an unusual source:  

 

 

Pics of this GP car with a clone I built of an Aguirre chassis are coming up....

[dc-65x]

Here's the early 70's Aguirre GP car with the body off:

 

 

 

I'm using the Aguirre center section design combined with the drop arm, plumber and pan setup from the typical "Lee Gilbert style" 4-rail chassis:

 

 

I find this Z-shaped gizmo that connects the motor box to the inner main rails to be pretty cool:

 

 

[Bill from NH]

That "Z" appears to keep the inner rails from bouncing out of sync with the outer rail movement. I've not seen it used before.

[Tex]

it would seem to allow more flex.... (?)

[dc-65x]

I've not seen it used before either Bill. I built the Aguirre chassis clone 20 years ago and no longer have it (thanks for loaning me the original for my build Rodney!). I think it must have more flex with the 2 inner main rails not connected solidly with the motor box Tex. We'll find out soon.   

 

To fit the scale Honker body my chassis will be only 2 7/8" wide. I don't want to use "skinny pans" so I need a narrower center section than a traditional 4-rail chassis with an 1 1/4" drop arm. That's why I'm trying this Aguirre design.

 

To fit the scale Lancer Honker body the chassis will be build for these specs:
 
3 13/16" wheelbase

 

7/8" drop arm width

 

13/16" guide lead

 
2 7/8" overall chassis width
 
2 7/8" front track width

 
3" rear track width
 
15/16" diameter front tires
 
1" diameter rear tires
 
1/16" track clearance

[Bill from NH]

Had I wanted to add more flex, I'd have tried smaller diameter piano wire, such as .055 & .047, or even some brass rod. 

[dc-65x]

That's what makes scratch building so interesting Bill, there are different ways to achieve what you are after. As for me, I just thought the Aguirre design looked cool!    

[Larry Horner]

I love the detail where the pans are sculpted to follow the contour of the frame rails ... that is indeed very cool looking!

[Bill from NH]

The Aguirre brothers were both very good slot car racers & they sold some neat slot car parts to others. We never used their chassis locally during the 70s, but their O-ring fronts & small hub rear tires were popular.

[gluebomb]

Really like the way you're "mixing it up" a little with these builds, the scale aspect also.

It's like dropping in on the member of some cool 70's era club, MESAC or NAMRA maybe, and getting a seat at the bench. 

And we get a Honker after all - Nice !

S.

[dc-65x]

Thank you Simon.      You described exactly what is on my mind with my this and my previous build thread. 

 

I really like the pans sculpted to follow the contour of the frame rails too Larry. Well, maybe not while I"m trying do it!  

[Martin]

I was lucky enough to find and buy an Aguirre original car sitting in a display case at a small local slot car shop.  I was excited to clean it up and preserve its beauty.

Found in the 80s I later was able to meet the Aguirre brothers at a pro race in 93. I took the car to show them and they were happy to sign the wood block that I display the car on. 

Hope this adds to your build thread Rick. 

 

 

 

 

It did not come with a this Elfin body but it is a survivor, repaired, restored and to me seemed to be a nice fit.

 

[dc-65x]

Nice car Martin.
 
I had a fellow Slotbloger PM me with this request:
 

I have a request for you. In one of your next builds can you show how you make the cutout on rear axle tubes - both the straight cutout and the angled cutout. I haven't been able to master this and have gone thru a lot of 7/32" tubing trying to make these. I've ended up using the Cobra pre-cut angled tubes as a replacement.

  
I have a hard time with this too but I’m persistent!  
 
I’m sure there are lots of different methods and I was using this one:
 

............ We need a torque tube for the rear axle. PdL's original is 1.250" long with .250" on the 2 bearing side and .140" on the single bearing side. If you don't like doing a horizontal cut with the cut off wheel you can "nibble" it out thusly and finish it with a file:
 

 
The finished part:
 

  
 

I remember PdL asking me why I didn’t just make 2 vertical and 2 horizontal cuts and be done with it?      Well I now follow his advice and that's the method I'm comfortable with.

 

First the cut lines are scribed in the axle tube:

 

 

The vertical end cuts are first. It's hard to see where the horizontal cut is ending so I make sure to stop short:

 

 

Then I come back and and connect the 4 cuts with the cutoff wheel and nibble away from the top where I can see what I'm doing:

 

 

I don't worry about getting really close to my layout lines because this Grobet Swiss pattern pillar file with safe parallel sides makes really quick work of what's left:

 

 

Here most of the remaining material has been removed with the coarser of my 2 pillar files:

 

 

A finer cut pillar file finishes the job. Calipers work great to measure along the cut to make sure it's parallel.

 

 

OK, so that's what I'm comfortable with. I'm sure there are a zillion ways to accomplish this that may work better for some than others.

 

As they say, "Your results may vary".   

[Mark Onofri]

Having created enough scrap brass than I care to admit, I'm also interested in the method for angle cutting the axle tube.🤔

[Bill from NH]

I make two vertical cuts with a small round cutter in my Unimat & connect them horizontally with two Dremel disc cuts. Finally, I use a small flat file to remove any burrs & make any needed adjustments. I also used my Unimat to square up the tube ends.

[Mark Onofri]

If I only had one

[Bill from NH]

Can be done with just a Dremel or one of its clones. I bought a B&D hand-held at Walmart as a backup for my Dremel.

[Mark Onofri]

https://youtu.be/WlO...CcmPnFIXg0Qy9Qu
I was going to try one of these but.......

[dc-65x]

With the axle tube conquered, it's time to go after my personal nemesis......the dreaded motor box.      

 

 

I only made one scrapper before this one. It fits around the motor with maybe .030" more clearance than the minimum required but I'll take it.  

 

I filed my usual notch for the bottom motor attachment screw head clearance:

 

 

The motor box, axle tube and its 2 braces (one left long for now):

 

 

Next, into the jig for soldering.........

[Bill from NH]

When motor brackets were used locally in the early 70s, it was commonplace to grind a flat on the bottom of the motor box. That area & the bracket were wire-wrapped using a fine gauge wire. I think only a top screw was then used. 

[dc-65x]

Yes, I've seen vintage chassis setup that way Bill. It's a great way to solidly get a motor in place.  

 

I'm building at a leisurely pace just for fun and I'll bet nobody ever has or ever will setup motor brackets the way I do.         

 

motor can machined flat on the mounting surface

motor can tapped for 2-56 machine screws

motor bracket adjusted (bent) if necessary and lapped flat

motor bracket screw and bearing slots clearanced if necessary

 

Setup this way I can barely loosen the motor mounting screws and the motor slides back and forth smooth, "like a sled on snow." I can take the motor in and out a zillion times during my build and not have to worry about self tapping screws distorting the can or striping out. When the motor goes in for the final time the gear mesh is easy to adjust and it's soldered in place with the usual bracing.   

 

Everything in the jig and ready to solder:

 

 

Out of the jig and a rough cleanup:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill from NH]

We went to soldered-in motors & eliminated the brackets because it made for easier & quicker motor changes during a race. I remember my first scratchbuilt wing chassis I used a motor bracket, but none have since. That chassis also used 1/8" axles, 3/4" fronts, & 7/8" rears. It wasn't very competitive on a king track.

 

I built some chassis for the local raceway to sell when they couldn't get 888's from Rehco. Those 6 or 8 chassis all had motor brackets too.

[SpeedyNH]

nice jig wheels. you make those? 

[dc-65x]

Those jig wheels are what happened when I bought a whole boatload of Weldun spur gears at the Good Guys Swap meet 25 years ago.    

[dc-65x]

The main rails bent to wrap around the motor box:

 

 

And ready to go in the jig:

 

 

The front axle uprights. The one in back gets a little bevel to tuck up tighter to it's partner in front:

 

 

Go time:  

 

 

All soldered up and ready for trimming and a cleanup: