86 replies to this topic

[Jairus]

Yes Philippe, that is indeed a better quality pic than I found elsewhere. Thankyou.

Update is that John Havlicek is currently in his lair winding the PERFECT #24 arm and Rick Bernardo is sending the perfect set of Mura magnets. Once both of those arrive the car will receive a final assembly followed by some glamor shots. Till then, I will have to continue polishing on my Cox Ferrari and keep on building small space ads while listening to Michael Savage and classic rock awaiting the second coming.

[TSR]

Cool, that's the only pic I have of the chassis of the one we gave back to Dennis Hill...

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

I didn't find out about Ron's passing until months later. I realized at the news that I wasn't even in the country. We lose track of how much the internet has changed our ability to keep in touch.

One of the "ron" stories is that he knew I loved steel. Often, out of the blue, sending me end cuts from somewhere that he thought might be useable in some 1/32 application. That was during a period where, like Mike, we were really strapped with the costs of schooling and our first kid. He seemed to delight in chatting about HOW I might hand cut steel to try this or that.

I think that P might remember a Lotus 30 with an auto hobbies body I sent him for some race where the chassis was cut from a single sheet of black spring steel. That was one of the donors from Ron!

Fate

[Jairus]

Soooo much has happened these last few hours and I CAN'T POST pictures because Fotki is down. But.... I have a D3 chassis half done, a body painted for Howmet and built a motor for the Ron Granlee car and just had to say SOMETHING!

Eventually Fotki will come back, but until then I just have to say that I just built the best motor of all time! Damn thing scared me just idling on the test bench
John Havlicek wound a beautiful #24 arm that runs so smooth that with out the noise I would not know it was running. Bill Steube could not have done better. The rest of the motor is a standard "Green" can Mura. Looks like nothing special, equipped with a set of Pro-Slot C-can magnets, but boy does it SCREAM!

Gold dust brushes, shunt wires, aligned brush tubes and a Thigpen re-pop com cooler round out the build.
Just wish there were a 1972 Pro-car Proxy because I just know that this puppy would cream any competition.







(too much of a boast? maybe... )

[TSR]

Jairus,
Why not using the "click to attach files" button and load the pics directly onto the post?

[dc-65x]

..........Just wish there were a 1972 Pro-car Proxy because I just know that this puppy would cream any competition.

(too much of a boast? maybe... )

Hi Jairus,

It would be fun to find out . My Neat Things 1972 recreation (with beautiful Jairus Watson painted MAC "Philippe" Ferrari body) runs pretty good. The original old Mura 27/28 armature might not go race distance . It sets a good qualifying pace for sure .

[TSR]

Rick, a real beauty.

[Jairus]

Indeed, a beauty for sure!

[havlicek]

Both of you guys, as well as Steve O'Keefe and of course Philippe have done more to keep the interest in the old craft of slotcars going than you get credit for. I say bravo to you all!

-john

PS, for those thinking that these gorgeous recreations of classic cars are "too nice" compared to the originals...scroll back up to the picture of the original with it's skirt being held up in such a sexy manner.

[Jairus]

Fotki is back up and as promised, the Havlicek/Watson recreation of a Bill Steube motor. Very smooth and quite a screamer.



Time to go finish the car now!

[havlicek]

Man I love those motors Jairus, and your motor build looks aces!

-john

[Jairus]

Thanks John!

Chassis is together but... now that I look at the picture I realize I forgot the lead.




Lead and body next!

[Foamy]

The more surprising when he passed away as only two of his former customers and friends attended the funeral besides his direct family. That was rather sad.

You saw what happened when you gave me that car.
I was distressed enough that I was sick for a week. . .
A hospital visit was too painful for words.
I'm just a mess. . .

Why is it that when my Father passed, it was like whatever.
This has me weeping like a girl. . .again. . .

[TSR]

Dennis,
It's OK, I understand. I know how you felt about Ron and you do not need apologizing in any way.


Now, go get that Ford its clear coat!

Jairus, the car looks great. Next time I race one, YOU build the thing!

[Jairus]

Philippe, you may get that chance sooner than you think. I plan to build a 1972 era car for proxy use. Going to send it to Rick for testing and see how it stacks up against his Neat Things car. Of course I'll also send it to you for some hot laps!
(heaven knows I have no tracks to play on here in Oregon any longer. )

Okay, here are the final pics.

The paint on the nose is all a lie. Paint was by Jairus, Chassis by Jairus, Motor by Havlicek/Watson and the body by Electric Dreams...

And "under the skirt" as John put it so well!


The parts are mostly what were used on the original rather than the rebuild. That would be orange lead wire and 48pitch gears, vs the yellow wires and 64p gears seen on the Foamy rebuild. Rick Thigpen said that I should use all Associated wheels and that is what I went with because most likely that was what Pdl used back in 1972. However.... Dennis has the ORIGINAL and no matter what parts I use... this is still just a copy.
On to the next project!

[Noose]

Buddy..that is one of the best you have done. Very, very sweet.

[TSR]

Yes, it looks very good indeed.
P

[One_Track_Mind]

it's all beeen said, I just got a smile on my face looking at it.

[dc-65x]

It turned out really nice Jairus .

I can see a "fantasy liver" similar to that in my future (if you'd do it for me ). Maybe with Eddie's Slotcar World on one side and Captain Rick on the other .

Beautiful car indeed.

[Duffy]

........"Fantasy Liver"...??

Eeeewww.

[TSR]

I think Rick meant "livery".

Or not...

[TSR]

Here is another similar car I restored not too long ago. it was in excellent original condition as it had been rebuilt after a race and never used again, so it only needed a minor cleanup.
An interesting detail regarding the Steube motors of the day: they of course used machine screws instead of self tapping, and the one retaining the motor spring has its head machined down so as to fit inside the Mura brass collar.











I believe that this car was built in September 1971. It is a double .063" rails, meaning a "King track" car, but the lead mass on it means that it was probably used on a flat track. The reason why I favored lead to thicker brass pans was because the lead is heavier and sits lower on thinner pans. In this case they are .032" like for the drop arm. The motor is a single-23 built by Bill.
These cars were good for 3.75" or so on the King, and were "launch free" in the long straight because of the high tension of the drop-arm springs, effectively locking it up, but allowing the main rails to flex at will.

[dc-65x]

I think Rick meant "livery".

Or not...

Darn spell check ! Yes I meant liver-E .........just kidding...livery

An interesting detail regarding the Steube motors of the day: they of course used machine screws instead of self tapping, and the one retaining the motor spring has its head machined down so as to fit inside the Mura brass collar.

It looks to have a fiber washer insulating the "spring post" from electric current too? Like so ?



Wonderful car Philippe.........May I have it?

[Duffy]

I want one too.

Good thing Freddie Neill wasn't a butcher. "Didn't we shaaaake....Liver-eeee..."

[dc-65x]

Good thing Freddie Neill wasn't a butcher. "Didn't we shaaaake....Liver-eeee..."

Fred Neil - I've got a secret (didn't we shake sugaree)