475 replies to this topic

[Jairus]

Good points Mike, thank you!

[boxerdog]

I think Mike and others are right, some modern knowledge will be evident. Some type of perimeter arrangement to support the body mounts and protect the front wheels and body to some extent, and current rubber are two things that come to mind. Seems to me that the "spirit" is maintained as long as everything is rigidly mounted, no floating anything. JMO.

What i remember of the era is that every time you went to a new track, you would uncover some local guy who had built something you had never seen before, and was really fast...at least on his home track. There was a tremendous amount of innovation going on, and rules that encouraged it. This really sounds like fun!

[Jairus]

Welcome to the group David!

[boxerdog]

Thanks, Jairus. George and I have been discussing this offline and hopefully we can all participate. We could even watch the carnage at Eddies!!!

[Jairus]

REALLY? Got anyone in mind that is willing to direct a race there? Dave has failed to respond to my inquires.

[boxerdog]

Don't know about that, I've only been over that way a couple of times. I sure hope someone steps up!

[Gator Bob]

Got parts together (less body), waiting on final word for chassis rule. It has been bounced around and we have heard the issues....should there be a formal vote on Jairus chassis question.

So...
The subject on the table is 'Parameter frames'. Allow or disallow.
If disallowed then we will be limited to two central rails front to back, one motor/axle bracket and one guide tongue with body tubes.

All else stays as it was.
I await the masses response.


I voted "Allow" and one else voting?

[don.siegel]

Yep, I would vote to open up the chassis to any period style as well - personally I will be using a U-Go style, but seems we shouldn't make it mandatory - leave it up to everybody's good judgement and spirit of fair play...

Don

[fxgeorge]

My thinking over the past day takes me back to the original subject of this thread, "Thingies, what were they all about?" Back around 1966, I'm not sure we thought of our "slotcars" as "Thingies". We thought of them as "1:1 scale slotcars" thereby eliminating the concept of "1/24 scale models of cars". I wonder if what we did in the East Bay really isn't pertinent to this discussion after all!

There are others who are more well versed than I am in the history of slotcars and they probably know more about this. So, for you historians, is it possible that Thingies existed as a Bizarro World of Scale Model Race Cars? (the B.W.S.M.R.C.) In other words, if the normal slotcar world was composed of model race cars with heavy chassis and ultra realistic concours quality bodies, then the Thingie was the "anti-scale" car, but it was an outgrowth of true scale cars. Was the Thingie supposed to be a futuristic representation of what COULD be a real car...that is certainly what some of the Classic RTR cars look like...I think there were other companies making RTR "Thingies". Kind of space ship looking things.

So, is the East Bay "1:1 scale slotcar" even included in the definition of "Thingie"? There is no doubt that what we did in the Land of Ron Mura and Bob Lenz was destined to become today's wing cars. Was the Classic ASP the predessor to a 2011 Group 7 slotcar? Man, my brain is hurting now doing all this thinking....

[tonyp]

From where I stood, thingies were the bizzaro world too. The wing cars of today started as those cars in the first Rod & Custom road races as used by Steube, Morrissey, Warmack etc. The Pro cars slowly developed to scale looking to scale looking with spoilers than with small air dams and more aerodynamic bodies started to come into the mix..

We were running full floppy pan heavy chassis with high side dams as the wings cars do today. The chassis only went to the direction they now are with the invention of the cobalt based magnets which allowed for smaller and lighter motors. If you had all the magazines and papers you could follow the progression.

[MSwiss]

The chassis only went to the direction they now are with the invention of the cobalt based magnets which allowed for smaller and lighter motors.

And smoother tracks with more banking and larger radius turns.

[MantaRay]

I'm vote Allow...........and agree with No Moving Parts

[chief32s]

OK, this proxy is for Balls Out speed, and people will be designing for that in mind, lets see what they come up with. Their solutions may all be similar, they may be wildly different. But they should all be scratchbuilt (why limit things beyond that?)... The 'fun' is in the build as much as in the racing (actually, for me it is all in the build, I'm happy that someone else does the racing).

The rules I've been working on up to now are;

Choti style body
Max overall dims 3.25w x 2.0h x 8.0l
Scratch built inline chassis (brass and steel.. no exotic materials)
>1970 Motor tech (ceramic magnets, open rule arm)
1/16 ground clearance.

Am I still good to proceed?

Al

[32Deuce]

All systems go Al?

[HarV Wallbanger III]

I still think a weight rule only is the best way to stop more modern D3/ IRRA chassis designs from coming in..... inline only ... 75gr maybe? and any Thingie bod allowed..... maybe pay extra 10 points for a "new" thingie body design to promote some cool looking bods (like Scorpion, Blacklight etc...) Ray and I would have one!

[chief32s]

Of course, you could just say "rod only, no plate" and that would also do the job. But if speed is of the essence, and downforce is being provided by an aero ("negative lift") body, why would anyone want to build a heavy chassis?

I've been inspired by those U-go chassis and will be building something with those in mind (If I could actually get my hands on one that would be even better). But I will need some extra supporting rails for the body, so I will defo be having some outriggers of a kind. I like the chassis J has shown sofar, nice and simple, so that is the sort of thing I will be aiming at. Not sure how much protection the guide and the front wheels need though. I'm also thinking (like John H) of going 16d rather than using a weighty hunk of a motor. But I would like a super hot 16d, and bomb proof. (are you listening John, I'll be getting in touch shortly lol).

Basically I'm trying for ultra-light, with aero providing the downforce (that is if my design for the body works at all). Beyond that I'm in it to be in it.

Anyways, they are my thoughts at the moment. I really need to get on with it.

Al.

[endbelldrive]

A Modest Proposal:

Chassis: Brass, wire, solder...motor parallel or perpendicular to rear axle. (No anglewinders...nein, nicht, nyet, nil, nadda...)
All four tires have to touch the track...steering yes (remember caster fronts?)...floating fronts no...no restrictions on diameters or widths

Body: Anything goes so along with Chotis and Shinodas...any pre-1970 body...trimmed, slammed, heated, flared, spindled and mutilated but no Swiss (Hi Mike!) Cheese effect with the hole punch or staples to keep the body together.

Add on spoilers and front diaplanes yes on pre-1970 production bodies but an overall height restriction as well as a restriction on the length of side dams. The idea is to do what we did back in the day (not everybody had access to Chotis and Shinodas) which was to take a body like a Truescale Russkit Marco Mantis coupe body and optimize the aero package 1968-9 thingie style.

Kustom thingie body designs allowed but must be approved by Edo. Bribery encouraged and allowed.

Motors: pre-1970 can and endbell. Ceramic magnets only. Any armature...but choose wisely.

Clearance: Minimum 047" frame and gear ground clearance.

[tjsguns]

You mean like this?
As I recall an EBD frame w/ a Jairus Paint job.
Motor is a hot wound Hemi.

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[Jairus]

Chassis: Brass, wire, in-line only. (No anglewinders...nein, nicht, nyet, nil, nadda...)
All four tires have to touch the track...steering yes (remember caster fronts?)...floating fronts no...no restrictions on diameters or widths

Body: Anything goes so along with Chotis and Shinodas...any pre-1970 body...trimmed, slammed, heated, flared, spindled and mutilated but no Swiss (Hi Mike!) Cheese effect with the hole punch or staples to keep the body together. < I don't know how that will make the car faster Bob?

NO add on spoilers of any kind. Bodies are to be one piece period. This was suppose to be a Choti race and I have bowed to others who want to make their own bodies and still others who want to run Shinodas. So the alternative is to allow any Thingie body, but I am holding fast on the no added wings or spoilers. Therefore, one piece bodies only!
Everyone can afford a O2R Choti body today... right? Heck, they are cheaper than making your own!

Kustom thingie body designs allowed but must be approved by Edo (who?). Bribery encouraged and allowed.

Motors: pre-1970 can and endbell. Ceramic magnets only. Any armature...but choose wisely.

Clearance: Minimum 047" frame and gear ground clearance. I said originally .062, but you guys want to allow .047, that's fine with me. It's only two races.

[Jairus]

Okay, in an effort to keep Edo and that other guy... George I think, happy. I picked this up on ebay so I could start with a purely vintage entry to test. The chassis is a U-Go Smith item that was modified slightly to add weight.

The rest of the parts are pretty nice and will go into a variety of other projects already in the works. Seems almost a shame to part it out...
Construction begins Saturday, happy Wednesday everyone!

[32Deuce]

Nice find!

[One27ray]

I've seen done.

A few pic's of the thinnest Onewinger yet?? .015 thick











I threw in and insert to give the wing perspective- next I'll mount & paint it, left lots of room to trim body. At .015 , body is light & flexiable

[chief32s]

Amazing Ray, Are you still using PTEG? Such a deep pull.

Al.

[One27ray]

Amazing Ray, Are you still using PTEG? Such a deep pull.

Al.

Yes!.... Al.

[Jairus]

Okay, got the chassis done for my Choti Mule today. Took about 6 hours total from start to finish and I like it! Very vintage and I used quite a bit from the original eBay car: motor bracket, guide tongue, forward body mount and front axle.

A new set of rails were formed and slightly bowed so the motor would fit.

The finished chassis frame...


... and with all the bits attached.

The motor was originally built and re-wound by John Havlicek. I added a set of period correct heat sinks. Under the guide tongue is a layer of .070 lead with the screw helping keep it in place.

Ready for paint and lead wires. (Body by O2R)
Total weight: 95g