15 replies to this topic

[Slotdragster]

I found two more chassis which look somewhat similar to Edo´s Wessels cars from a previous thread - might be from the same builder and era. I found them in England a couple of weeks ago.
Maybe some of the experts can shed some light on this stuff, especially the motors. I´ll post more pics within the next couple of days:

#1 has a Mura motor with Cukras 27D arm, the motor does not really fit the chassis (too long for the motor box) and has now found a new home in my Phaze III chassis.

Edited: I´ve now added a few detail pics of the Champion motor and arm - I am still looking for an ID on that.
Also, the endbell bushing on the Cukras/Mura motor is worn out so if anyone happens to have a spare that fits, please let me know - thanks!













#2 has a Champion motor with a balanced ? arm that I would like to know more about.
The motor has a weird-looking clear/see-through endbell. I´ll post some detail pics of the disassembled motor later.



















Thanks for any info.

Regards,

[John Secchi]

Kescha,
Cannot help you with the chassis although they do look typical UK chassis of the period and they both have Taylormade gears fitted. The clear orange plastic endbell was marketed by MRRC, and was used mainly by the home rewinders as a good alternative to the cheap 16D endbells.
[oneofwos]

[Slotdragster]

I´ve now replaced some of the pics and added a few close-ups of the Champion motor.

Thanks for any help,

[Edo]

Hi Kescha,
Thanks for posting the endbell pictures: it looks like an amazing custom job!
Hopefully we get more info about that set up.
Edo

[Markus Reichl]

Hi Kescha,

I guess I also speak for Allan and Edo to invite you to Egg for the next weekend to join us for the Thingie Proxy Race.

From Dorabira via St. Gallen it shouldn´t be too long a journey.

Bring some of your cool dragsters to show off!

Ciao,

Markus

[Slotdragster]

Thanks to Markus' invitation I'll be on my way from "Dorabira" or Wolfurt, to be more precise, to Egg by Zurich on Saturday.

A question for Philippe and the other experts: Does anyone have a spare endbell bushing/oilite for the Mura A-can in the picture below (the ribbed one right below the endbell) and maybe a few sets of '70-ies Mura C-can hardware (I have a few cans and endbells) for sale?



Thanks again and best regards,

[TSR]

Kescha,
I am pretty sure that we have one for you. I will be at the museum next Sunday i believe and will have a looksie.

[Slotdragster]

Merci beaucoup, Philippe.

Looking forward to start the restoration.
Any ideas on who made the arm in the Champion motor?



Cheers,
Le Russe

[TSR]

That endbell bulletproofing job is beyond anything I have ever seen. However, it makes perfect sense as at the time when the manufacturers were using meltoplastic . . .

[Jairus]

Slotdragster,
Philippe sometimes skims over the message and fails to see the question . . .

Your arm looks like a Champion item because of the black comm ties. At least, that has been my experience.

[TSR]

That's because I am old and decrepit. :mrgreen:
The arm is a Champion not because of the tie around the comm but because the color of the epoxy on the blank. As a general rule: reddish/orange or light blue epoxy: Champion blanks; green, Mura blanks.

[Slotdragster]

Thanks for the info guys.

Am I correct with my assumption that both motors (the Cukras-Mura and the Champion)are from 1968-69?

Cheers,

[TSR]

Kesha, the first motor with the plated can is NOT a Mura motor, let alone a Mura-Cukras. The can is a Tradeship can, and the motor was assembled from loose parts by the builder.
The Mura-Cukras motors only used the two-hole D-sized cans, made in the same tooling as the Tradeship, with the cans painted first in fogged colors (silver, orange, gold . . . all fogged in black, all with first-generation black endbells and flat brush-holder retainers) later in solid colors (white, purple, and eventually, pink with white endbells and pentroof brush-holder retainers).
I cannot read the engraving on the arm, but it could be a last generation genuine Mura-Cukras since it is tied around the commutator (the early versions were not).
ALL the Mura-Cukras production happened within a year, between mid-1968 and mid-1969.

The Champion can as shown (black "525") came in late 1968 and Champion used it in various forms until 1973, mostly in low-cost RTR cars and kits. It was competitive briefly in late 1968 but was used in the UK until 1971.

I hope that this info helps.
Here is a pic of some Mura-Cukras motors with the various colors:



(Picture courtesy Electric Dreams museum)

[Slotdragster]

Thanks again, Philippe, for clearing this up - I am obviously still learning.

The arm says "Cukras 27D" and I am still more then happy to have it.

Cheers,

[TSR]

It means that what you have is a double-27 AWG gauge arm, corresponding to a single 24-1/2 if I recall correctly. Nice arm!