16 replies to this topic

[Paul Jurczyszyn]

Guys,
How come D3 likes racing hard body's ? I living in the wrong state. Maybe we can convert MI. Over to D3 lol. Can any one post a hard body build from start to finish?
Thanks,
Paul

[Tim Neja]

Paul---if you look at our class's--there's MANY different builds!! I would suggest avoiding the big 36D motored cars as those motors are NOT currently being produced.  Stay with all of the TSR or Falcon motored class's!! And if you review the pictures--you'll see that many of our cars are "plumber" style of chassis--which are the easiest to make work well with a heavy hard body on them. Although Bryan Warmack has managed to get his "shaker" or side hinged cars working very well. The best car to start with from a "handling" standpoint would be the 80's to current stock bodied class. Anglewinders--and plumbers for the most part are working very well. My "Tim Richmond" car won the D-3 Hard body Nats this past year for example. That and my "Jalopy" bodied sidewinder are basically "plumber" style chassis and work very well.

FWIW
I am going to build some new hardbody cars--so If I get time over the next couple of weeks--I'll document the build.
T

[Matt Sheldon]

Tim,

 

I would be very interested in your build documentation as well. Really like what you guys are doing with hardbody.

[Keith Tanaka]

Guys,
How come D3 likes racing hard body's ? I living in the wrong state. Maybe we can convert MI. Over to D3 lol. Can any one post a hard body build from start to finish?
Thanks,
Paul

Paul, here's a website which shows a number of D3 hardbody cars/chassis. There aren't any step by step hardbody builds shown (yet), but you will see examples of different hardbody builds.

 

http://d3hardbodyrac....cgi?board=cars

 

The Phanfare website also shows many hardbody chassis designs but no step by step builds:

 

http://socald3.phanfare.com/5546362

 

I'm currently building another hardbody car ('55 Chrysler, Tim Flock version) and will try to document (photos) the process of building this car. Stay tuned.

 

 

Keith

[Bruce Wayne]

Paul, we build to these rules and race 95% of the time on BPR's MTT Flat Track, so that kind of dictates which car/body/class we build for. I find a big part of the fun and satisfaction is choosing a favorite driver or car model kit that fits into one of those categories and making the replica into a Slot Car.

To me it's like a miniature engineering challenge requiring both the skills of static model kit building as well as slot car chassis fabrication and racing. As Tim should have stated, build a Warmack Jalopy clone if you want to start right near the top in that class .

 

Most model kit bodies of our NASCAR, 3-C or Trans-Am classes will require some spreading and tweaking at the rockers to get them out to the max chassis width that the rules allow you. As a result of this, it is often easier to choose kits made in 1/24 scale to start off with, as they are bigger and require less effort in widening, as well as having largerr wheel arches. The process in 1/25 or even 1/24 scale sedan type bodies will most times require some heat forming and stretching at the bottom, but every project/kit/body is different, so it's hard to make a generic how-to. Same goes for mounting, but in all cases here you want a floating or loose body mount to allow some wiggle/jiggle.

 

I hope Keith's links to the above archived race reports with chassis/body photos will provide more than enough tech info to give you some ideas of your own.

 

Please feel free to ask me any questions regarding model kit building/bashing.

[MG Brown]

Paul- are you looking to make a D3 Hardbody or any Hardbody chassis?

 

If you aren't concerned about conforming to D3 Rules... check Brian Meharry's hardbody building articles on Slot Car News blog.

[Jim Lange]

Keith and I spoke a while back about the possible motor substitution for "Talladega Nights" hardbody Nascars. The modified 36D's are difficult to get your hands on although I have some arms coming and will be able to build some more motors if I can find Arco magnets for them. The other option is to allow a D can sized motor with whatever arm runs competively with the modified 36D. I plan on building a test car for this purpose and will document the build and results as well. These cars are an absolute "BLAST" to drive on the king track.

[Paul Jurczyszyn]

I'm thinking of starting a hardbody class in Mi. As of know I have a small trioval in my basement but going to re do and make a small 3 lane flat track. Going to try at least. I like the parma d motors easy to get ahold of and reliable . I like reading the d3 section due to I'm a modeler also and like the cars in all the classes. As far as chassie I would like an easy to build good handling to start, no H&R etc. I like to build, so if any one out there has a good plan the can forward to me with brass sizes and dia on it so I can get my feet wet in this class. As of know I have been building plans from the ind.scratch builders web form trial and error. But fun.......
Paul

[Ramcatlarry]

Hardbody uses make a lot of sense to many of us.  Mid-America is primarily a modified FCR class and real easy to make for late model nascar kits.  I like the idea of inline only using the retro chassy systems with model kits.

 

Trans am or open production sports cars seem like good short wheel base classes to work with.

[Keith Tanaka]

Guys,
How come D3 likes racing hard body's ? I living in the wrong state. Maybe we can convert MI. Over to D3 lol. Can any one post a hard body build from start to finish?
Thanks,
Paul

Paul, I just started building a '55 Chrysler, Tim Flock NASCAR. Since you asked for a hard body build, start to finish, I decided to document this build. 

I just started so it will take me some time to complete the build, but for now I'll post the step by step build as it occurs.
 
Here's the link to the build:  http://socald3.phanfare.com/5961952
 
This is an inline Falcon II powered car. In the future, I may try doing a step by step build of a typical anglewinder/sidewinder hardbody car. 
 
 
Keith

[MG Brown]

Thank you Keith for the effort you have put into illustrating this build, it is certainly appreciated.

[James Wendel]

I like the pale green color of your work counter.  

[Keith Tanaka]

I like the pale green color of your work counter.  

James, I bought it at IKEA. It's a glass table top. You can mount it on top of any table surface. 
 
Keith

[Keith Tanaka]

Thank you Keith for the effort you have put into illustrating this build, it is certainly appreciated.

 

Thanks MG. I'm having fun building/racing these old NASCARs. 

 

Keith

[Keith Tanaka]

The '55 Chrysler build is progressing. Most of the chassis pieces have been made. Here's the progress so far:

 

http://socald3.phanfare.com/5961952

 

 

Keith 

[Tim Neja]

Nice build documentation Keith!! I'm going to copy one of your chassis on my builds!! They seem to work well with the "flex" plumber style you have.  Thanks

Tim

[Keith Tanaka]

I completed the '55 Chrysler chassis today. 

 

Here's the link to the build:  http://socald3.phanfare.com/5961952

 

 

I need to paint the body next. I will take some practice laps on the BPR Flat track with this new hardbody this Sunday at BPR while the Wing Western States is in progress on the King track. 

 

 

Keith