28 replies to this topic

[Mike Steube]

[Jairus]

Wow!


Really wish you were my neighbor...

[Mike Steube]

[endbelldrive]

It feel like I'm there...looking over your shoulder. Much appreciated, Mike!

[Dooner]

Mike,
Great pictorial. So that is how the pros do it. Good idea to wrap the mandril handle. Mine keeps on slipping out. Did you drill the extra hole in the back of your jig and tap it or did Bryan? Is Corian easy to drill? Is that an RGeo drop arm wire bender? Beautiful job. How do you like your new Backtrack Jig? Thanks for the thread. This thread will help me be a better builder.

[slotcarone]

That is so SANO DUDE!!!!!

[68Caddy]

Post IV (Sorry Philippe I had to comment on this beautiful build. )

Mike, I see you around the track and I see you racing those great cars of yours and I have to say that you are one of kind. This build is way Sano and I been waiting for you to build it, and this is helping me to get me out of my depression.
Thank you Mike,(even if some people think I have to much to say)joke, being facetious of course.
Why did I do this? I guess I need to say what i have on my mind.

NestaHalf Breed

[MSwiss]

Wow! Great job. Great pics.

I knew with your imagination you could up with some great idea's how to utilize the jig.

Those drop arm pics were something really needed to help spark the Jailbreak movement.

[Zippity]

Cool. Thanks for the great 101

One question, how did you get the 2nd bend on the drop arm so close to the first?

Did you use a spacer (bar) of some sort? I can't figure it out from the pix.



Ron

[Mike Steube]

Tomorrow I'll post some more pics. More drop arm pics. Pics on aluminum tubing inside the brass axle tubes so the 3/32" axles and jig wheels could be used. Ect. Thanks Mike and Geary. The jig let's one build a good chassis.

[redbackspyder]

Mike, Simply Art in my book ! Let them have Monet and Picasso, hell , no one can drive worth a damn with one ear, and one is not worth a sh++ on hearing "HOLD BLUE UNDER THE BRIDGE ". Just simply beautiful

[John Gorski]

Sano building post Mike! Like the outdoor lighting effect
wish I could build outside .... sun light rules for lighting.
People need to see "HOW TO" posts to get them motivated
& excited about our sport & show that they can do it to.
Especially by the top people in racing

[havlicek]

Man what a beautiful build! What is made clear by the pictures is that it's not about the tools or even the techniques...both can be acquired, it's about the confidence and experience. It also doesn't hurt to have the eye of a craftsman/artist either! Much respect...Yowsa!

-john

[Noose]

Perfect! Great tutorial Mike.

[Mike Steube]

Cut a piece of rod around 9" long. Center it in your cheesey S&K bending jig. Bend the rod. The radius will be slightly too large for the four rods that you will solder into the center. Put the bent rod into your hobby vise and squeeze the radius until it's the correct size.



Install the tube and rails. Only solder the rear of the arm rails. Now solder all of the arm rails but, don't solder the tube in place. Now center the tube and solder it in place.



Now make two lines on the arm. One at 3/4" and one at 5/8". Place the arm in the vise aligning the 3/4" mark. Push the arm forward to approx. 45 degree angle. Loosen the vise. Now align the arm in the vise at the 5/8" mark. Pull the arm back towards you to a vertical position. Remove the arm from the vise and turn it over and align it in the vise at the 3/4" mark. Tweek until it's sano.







I've been soldering a #10 brass washer onto the bottom of the arm to give strength to the guide tube.

The next two pics show the aluminum tubing I used to shim the 3/32" axle to the 5/32" axle tubes. Cut the aluminum tube slightly smaller than the axle tubes.

[John Streisguth]

So, I take it that a "slab" drop arm is the defacto standard with these cars?

[Tex]

Hey, Rick! Looks like someone else besides me knows how to torture one of your earlier jigs! LOL! The Mikester lays down the heat!

[Mike Steube]

There is no standard, only personal choice.

[John Streisguth]

There is no standard, only personal choice.

The reason I ask is that I could swear I saw a debate about this, as most of the photos of the R&C series cars for 1966 did not have slab arms until either at the end of the year or maybe early 1967.
Doesn't matter either way to me, just that if these were not common until 1967, then why not allow plate arms since these were starting to be used in '67? It would make building easier, and would seem to give the same basic result.

[Mike Steube]

Terry Schmid, Mike Morrissey and Tony P. were experimenting with the slab/rod drop arms by the fall of 1966. With the R&C Sport Car rules I made the call for no brass plate drop arms to keep brass plate and strip, except for the motor bracket, completely out of the mix. These rules are a balancing act. Back to the drop arm of this thread. After bending the first rod with the U radius you have the option to build a straight or tapered arm. Just spread the rod's legs wider and fill the arm with rod leaving the necessary gaps. I was thinking that a builder could write his name in the drop arm with pieces of brass rod as long as he didn't have some big hurkin' first name.

PS. The brass rod arm helps improve everybodies soldering and bending.

[One_Track_Mind]

Hi Mike,
Some really great info your sharing!

What is the overall maximum length for the drop arm main rails,with a .675 guide lead center from the front axle tube? BEFORE making the bends! at the 5/8 and 3/4 mark. Doesn't the bend make it shorter?

I'm a little confused as to when or what step you need to get the guide lead set at length and still have enough wire at hinge point.

Thank You,

Best Regards,

[Mike Steube]

Make sure the arm has an overall length of at least 3 1/4" before you make the bends. After bending the arm it will reach out to 7/8" + guide lead. These are the measurements I've been using on my JD sport cars. They use 7/8" guide lead. As you know when building the arm it's better if it's too long than too short.

The guide lead on the GP chassis in this thread is 5/8". Center of the front axle to the center of the guide's pivot pin.
I've held back from posting specs. I think each builder needs to measure the body and choose his specs.

[Hworth08]

I built one of Mike's "slab" drop arms. Not being a fan of the solid arms from a vintage standpoint, I was reluctant but willing.

Well, I'll have to give Mike credit. This design just about builds itself. When using brass no bending jig is needed, just use a long peice of 7/32nds tubing to bend the first rod around. The bend doesn't have to be perfect as the 4 rods placed inside the U bend will align the rods. The next 4 or 6 "outside" rods couldn't be any more easy as they are straight!


Thanks Mike! The design is very effective and a fair amount easier to build.

[Duffy]

[Mike S.] I've held back from posting specs. I think each builder needs to measure the body and choose his specs.

I've found that we don't all visualize in the same ways; some don't visualize at all! I can't draw a picture, f'instance, but I can build chasses in my head where the next guy might not! All different.

But, I've seen this sort of hesitation a lot--"what's the size, what goes where, what if I do it wrong--" in the hobby I'm currently on sabbatical from, I tell guys to just lay down stock and look at it, see if it fits the picture of what they're doing, cut & fit--and if you get it wrong, it's still easy to fix. A lot of the not-knowing goes away if you start moving rods around on your table, and then you get used to doing it and no more hesitation.

Duffy

[Mike Steube]

True words of wisdom, Duffster.