19 replies to this topic

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Gents,

Don't know about you, but I consider that a Cheetah without seats and without a nearly complete pilot (we don't care about feet) is missing something.

Silly situation, as Cox had almost everything to make a more complete car.

Only a specific pilot would have been needed...

Now, those of you who know the Cheetah slot model might not fully understand me.

But those who know that Cox also made a static model with a more complete interior as well as a magnesium chassis for the little 16D TTX-150 motor may begin to see the light of some silly idea ...

Here's below the Cheetah Cox that, to my opinion, Cox could have made...

Pictures were taken one hour before I had to deliver the car to a friend of mine during a swap meeting. The clear parts cement has just been applied, so you may see some white spots here and there before the whole became dry and clear.















More explanations to come on the transformation of the static kit interior.

Later-on: more Cheetah cars to come...

[John Kit]

Jean-Michel, a fantastic build!

The interior is very well done!

There is nothing like seeing a superbly-built model that is also a real and working racing car!

I really enjoy looking at your work.

Very well done as usual!

John Kit

[Dave Wilson]

Jean-Michel,

Love the new interior, very well done!

Very well done as usual!

Would like to see more of your work with pictures from start to completion!

Always eye candy.

Cheers!

[Jean-Michel Piot]

This time I will not give details of all the work, but will focalise on the main modification (I will also show you how to recreate the roll bar).

I had several Cheetah slot cars to restore, bought one day by "error" long time ago a magnesium chassis which was the one for the small motor and also bought a NOS static version of the COX cheetah.

The chassis for the little motor indeed gives room. Unfortunately it does not give room enough for the genuine interior of the static version.

Though I decided to try to cheat everywhere I could, to diminish the height of the interior by notably cutting in the seats...

As the prototype worked, I decided to produce a very limited serie for my own use, this including orders I received from two friends. So I copied my special parts in resin with silicon moulds.

On the first picture, you see on the left the parts of the static version and the chassis for the small 16D motor, on the right the more well known stock version with big 36D engine and the flat interior.

[Joe Mig]

Jean-Michel,

An in creditable build! Thank you for taking the time to post and share this with us.

You must have an abundance amount of time and skill to be able to achieve this detail and craftsmanship on your slot car builds.

[milmilhas]

Jean-Michel,

Pas the paroles!!!!! And the OSCAR for best of the best slot car modeller goes to...

JEAN-MICHEL PIOT!!!

[Jean-Michel Piot]

You must have an abundance amount of time and skill to be able to achieve this detail and craftsmanship on your slot car builds.

Time? No... It's just that, while listening to the radio, I have nothing else to do... And I sometimes listen to the radio late in the night.

The fact that I also have a very practical workshop and a permanent place where I can paint helps not to lose time (see in Scratchbuild section the topic called "Show me your workbench).

I insist on this because of the importance of having a dedicated place. Before moving to my loft I used to spend most of my time not WORKING on the models cars or slot cars but SEARCHING where the hell were those damned tools or products or stuff if not all the three at the same time...

As for the skill, well, you know I started building kits when I was a boy and, very soon, decided to never grow up (mentally speaking, I mean ). I'm also lucky to know very skilled people here in France, notably Pierre-Yves Lebeau and Chris Boyer who were kind enough to show me some of their techniques.

Chris is the boss of "Proto Slot Kit" that was distributed in the US by Electric Dreams. Pierre-Yves is a professional designer. See here their common last baby (master-sculpted by Pierre-Yves, put in production by his friend Chris). It's 1/24 scale:

Aston Martin DB3S

At last, I'm a member of a French forum dedicated to slot cars, where many people show their techniques. Not only do you learn from others but also you may think of possible enhancements to the technique you see. So sharing with others is really useful!

Thanks to all for your kind comments. I really appreciate them.

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Miguel, you're too kind... and I mean it!

There are things here I see I would be unable to do.

Notably splendid brass chassis... (I might spend a lot of time contemplating those beauties).

And I also know better than me, people who create models from scratch... The two friends I just cited, a dentist here in Paris whose name is Peter Pré (have you seen his Chapparal, his Mercededes Renntransporter, his brand-new creation of Ecurie Ecosse transporter) only to speak of French people I personaly know. Oh yes indeed, I had the pleasure to visit Peter Pré in his flat and see him from time to time.

There are lot of excellent modelers in Germany as well : P. Schwaar from Phoenixracecars.de, K-H Hornberg from Fein Design.

And what about Bosmeck, Jairus, etc., in this forum (sorry, I cannot give all the names).

Miguel, your enthusiasm is sympathetically "Latin" (I know what I'm talking of, I'm Latin as well ... ) so I see here some exaggeration.

Many thanks nevertheless.

[milmilhas]

Yes, Jean-Michel, I'm Latin and in this case I express from deep of my heart my feeling about this Cheetah project because I have a great feeling and a strong connection with Cox Cheetahs!!! And from what I have seen all my life (and here in Portugal there are great modellers, too), this car is amazing!!

[TSR]

Jean-Michel,

Miguel's dad was the Cox distributor for Portugal in the 1960s, so indeed Miguel has a definite emotional attachment to the Cox models...

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Thanks for the explanations.

Miguel's Dad distributed splendid toys!

I have a special attraction to Cox models which I only discovered recently, while I first was attracted by the Lotus model because it was a Lotus. The technology is great. All those very technical parts... Working on those chassis is a pleasure. I then decided to make a Cox collection.

This is the reason why I really wanted to make my "specials" as close to Coxspirit as I could by only using Cox parts.

Another way to have a complete interior would have been to put the interior of the static version, not even modified, in a car with a front engine home made chassis. I know an excellent modeler who did that.

But I really wanted to make my series of cars be 100% Cox, using a Cox chassis.

And there was that chassis for TTX-150 that lot of people did not know what it was made for...

I now have three of them and am looking for few others.

In few days I will also show you a restored genuine Team Modified Cheetah. Not a Cheetah with a TM chassis, a rare find of a car which had been build from the rare kit. So this car will not have a "complete" interior but will be my pride.

[Pete L.]

Hi,


Will you bee posting pics of the TM Cheetah during restoration as well as the completed car ?

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Few pictures were taken during the restoration, but I will post them. May-be next week-end.

Thanks for your interest.

I will create a specific topic for this car because here the purpose was to show a very special car with complete interior and pilot that was made with genuine or modified Cox parts.

[bosmeck]

Few pictures were taken during the restoration, but I will post them. May-be next week-end.

Thanks for your interest.

I will create a specific topic for this car because here the purpose was to show a very special car with complete interior and pilot that was made with genuine or modified Cox parts.

For Christ Sake!... buy a light box and show us more pics

I love the Cheetah brother - excellent work and real cool interior.

I see you did the seal around the headlight but I think the headlight pit needs to be matt black instead of red. Or get rid of the seal and have it clear. I think that would look better. IMO what do you think? It's an easy change

I know......................... "constructive criticism", but I agree we need it

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Chris,

The light box is one of my projects. I know that I need one, you are totally right.

I've asked in the little shop I've been going in for years to order a "Cubelight" from LASTOLITE together with a reflector and two lights in December and still have no news. I'll call him.

Now, as for the Cheetah headlights, well I did the way my 1/1 Lotus Elise is ... (Yes it has a dark seal around the Plexiglas that covers the headlight pits).

I admit the way you paint your headlight pits in black is really nice.

Not sure I will do the same on this one because I delivered it to a friend of mine and he is happy with it. Next Cheetah will be mine and will have the chrome covers.

But I have several Cheetah models to build or restore, notably a lime green Cheetaracha (NOS body kit) where I could try.

I would then be in a position to compare with my blue Cheetaracha.

I will let you know for sure. Thanks for your advice

[Jean-Michel Piot]

For Christ Sake!... buy a light box

Done!

Just a quick try without even cleaning the car. I have to enhance a little the process (I do not have your experience) but for sure this will be better !

[bosmeck]

Done!

Looks much better - great highlights

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Thanks Chris.

I have to create a background, use a reflector, tune up a little but indeed you were right !

Here is the Cubelight from LASTOLITE:



Very simple indeed. It can be folded easily and isn't expensive.

[Jean-Michel Piot]

The friend for whom I restored and modified this Cheetah came to my place today, before going to a Vintage slot car meeting.

Then, I was able to take better pictures of the car:

[slotbaker]

Beeeyoootifull.

Cox Cheetah (either scale) my all time favourite iconic car.