20 replies to this topic

[macman]

Got this mostly finished tonight... Still a little rough, it will never be up to the standard of some of the amazing builders I see here...

Will eventually wirewrap the front and rear ends, but it looks like I have to straighten out the front end...

[Pablo]

Don't worry about how it looks, it'll clean up real nice with a Brillo pad.
You have some good design features going on there.

One recommendation: after a final cleaning, make the very last step the soldering of the completed front axle/wheel assembly.
If you use paste flux for this final step, instead of acid, no need for further cleaning, just wipe the paste residue off with iso alcohol.
Reason for this is, if you attach the front axle beforehand, (as you heat the front parts of the chassis) your clearance will always change by the time you attach the wheels. Install your rears for > .050" clearance, place an .050" plate or .055" wire under the front, and solder the front axle to the uprights... perfect .050" front clearance.

[slotcarone]

Great start Ben!! I don't think the wire running past the outside of the front wheels is legal for IRRA racing though. From my experience with retro chassis IMO your chassis will handle just as well and be able to survive a crash better if you were to cut off all of the wire past the front of the square brass where you are going to solder the guide tongue to. The reason for this is if you have any type of outrigger in front of the tire when the car deslots and runs into the wall, the impact will go directly into the chassis as this part will usually take the hit. Without any outrigger the impact will go to the soft front tire or body usually not doing any damage. I also suggest not wire wrapping the front axle mounts so that the solder joints can break in a bad crash rather than bend the chassis. The broken joints will allow you to continue the heat and repair on the break but a bent chassis is usually much harder to do a quick fix to. Just my own feelings on this stuff!!!!

[Pablo]

"I don't think the wire running past the outside of the front wheels is legal for IRRA racing "

Mike, your reasoning from a design standpoint may have merit, but I don't see any such rule in IRRA.
As long as the wire does not exceed the width requirement.
Would you please quote the rule you refer to ?

[macman]

Mike ... My purpose in extending the chassis railing in front of the guide attachment area is exactly that... PROTECTION for the guide & front axle...

As to the piano wire extending outside of the wheel , I was taking a page from the perimeter concept... this wire was originally intended to run all the way back to the rear axle attachment point & go into a piece of square tubing and float...to give a little bit of extra flex... BUT I ran out of piano wire... & since it is an hour and 20 minutes to get more, I adapted my design to something a little different... The tiny diameter bite bar may provide too much flex, that remains to be seen. The pans may eventually be attached to the perimeter wire via rectangular tubing to allow for floppy movement...
I may also add a third main rail for extra strength... possibly in brass for a dampening effect as in the Sampson F-1 chassis... just thinking aloud...

[macman]

Check out the Tony P pics of Bob Emott's chassis in the 1/24 procar thread... all front axle tubes wirewraped...

[slotcarone]

Ben I figured the reason why you built it that way and that was my point---it doesn't work out from the crashes I have seen resulting in broken chassis since we started racing retro almost 3 years ago. I will ask about the wire outside the front tires at today's race from the tech Meister himself and post the answer.

[slotcarone]

Check out the Tony P pics of Bob Emott's chassis in the 1/24 procar thread... all front axle tubes wirewraped...

You are rite--but different era--those cars were built like tanks!!!!

[Noose]

Well to begin with, there is the rule that no part of the chassis may be seen outside of the body when viewed from above. This particular version was deemed illegal a long time ago. No part of the chassis can be outside the wheels and tires.

[macman]

OK...
I guess I will abandon this one & build a conventional 3 rail... found a couple of feet of .o55 in the bottom of my drag box... & some footlong pin tubing...
Stay tuned...

[Dominator]

Actually you could still use the chassis. Just cut the outside wire and bend it in behind the front wheels.

[macman]

Went to a new to me (thanks to Slotblog) slot dragstrip & had some fun this evening...
Then came home & started on this... Tedious... with out a jig... More to come...

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[macman]

A few days later... Is this Progress???
w/b 4.5 inches, front axle to guide .825... front clearance .055... guess how I measured that???
More to come

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[Don Weaver]

Ben,

Before you get too much further along you will need to re-set your guide length to no more than 0.750"........maximum allowed under IRRA rules

Does this new build mean you're going to join us at 'Slots of Fun' sometime in the near future?

Don Weaver

[macman]

-Thanks Don, I was hoping for some constructive criticism from you, you are one of the best chassis builders in the SE, if your Warmack I got last time I was at SOF you is any indication of your skills... I have also observed that you continue to build chassis, & have time & ability to constructivly test them on a great driving track. BTW, I am considering setting this one up as a plumber... Heavy or light pans??? suggestions welcome.

Yes, I am hoping to make the Nov SERRA race. If you all were not 3.5 hours away I would have been down more... If there was someone from up here I could share expenses with that would be a big help. I am separating from my wife, so that hopefully will allow me to race more.

Good news I now have a slot Drag strip a half hour away from me... and they also have a very small 6 lane oval.

[macman]

Got the pans hung... Comments welcome...`a little more work to go, & some clean up...

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[Marty Stanley]

Macman,

Hey there my friend, one of the best things about scratchbuilding a chassis is that it is your design. If you find out that design does not work, simply heat up the iron and do a bit of unsoldering, an adjustment in the bend and attach it once again. Nothing lost.

I like the design of the protection as it is something I think is necessary for oval track racing!

How about giving this a try?

Just unsolder that single piece of wire from the front on the 'wings', make a change in the bend and then resolder it on like it is in the above photo?

With regards to making it look like some of the other builders out there, pretty don't make it fast!

[macman]

Yes Marty, I think that would work However, the front end on that chassis is real crooked... so I am thinking about taking the whole thing apart & making it into a F-1, since I don't have one...

[Don Weaver]

F1's are on tap for the November SERRA race at Abbeville.

Don Weaver

[macman]

Finished... now to get up to Archdale & test before November...

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[macman]

Got to run this chassis on our new king track in Mooresville sat nite, it rocked was great everywhere but the leadon, probably needs some lead at the back of the pans... I ran it with a NASTRUCK body since I didn't have a retro stocker to use,,, It worked VERY well, was able to hang with the 16-d flexis w/ COT bodys... the 3rail w/plumber worked well... I'm happy only bad thing was my can-am isn't working very well

At least I have a track to run on now. Still planning on running with you all in Nov, will try to get some interest in some other people coming down...