57 replies to this topic

[SlotStox#53]

So it's been a long time coming but it's finally time to have a go at building cars again. For the first journey back into slot cars I thought it best to go back to what I know, to dust off the skills. A Parma Womp-based BriSCA F1 stock car as raced by Wellgate Slotstox club in the UK.

 

For ease of build, what was available in England in the beginning and standard build for all members the standard Womp RTR was chosen. Here's what goodies have been collected so far.  All thanks to Scott at PCH. 

 

 

The basic formula was and still is a Womp chassis with pans cut down for a width of 1.5 , piano wire framework tethered around the front axle and at the rear of the chassis/frame via a hook and tube.

 

First thing after unbolting all the hardware is to attack the base chassis and mark out the 1.5" and areas to be cut off.

 

 

Probably many ways to do this but I have always just used a "junior hack saw" as called in England with the Womp baseplate held in a vise. After a little effort you end up with is...

 

 

Now to go clean up the edges and then mark out and cut the 1/8" ID brass tube for the front axle which attaches the top framework to the baseplate.

 

To be continued...  

 

While I go cut some tube here's what a few real 1:1 F1 Stock cars looks like. 

 

 

[SlotStox#53]

Taking a length of K&S brass tubing #128 with ID of 1/8" cut off a length at 1-3/8", this is a tight fit inside the front axle uprights so with slight trimming with a file adjust it so the tube has slight float left to right.

 

Here is the tube cut and in place on the chassis between the axle uprights.

 

 

 

Almost time to grab the piano/music wire and start bending and cutting. 

 

-Paul

[Pablo]

Very cool, Paul.

 

Are you planning a trip to Merry Old England soon?

 

I've never seen those kind of cars before. I'll be here, watching. 

[MSwiss]

Is there a reason you don't solder that front axle tube in place?

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks, Pablo. 

 

An England trip will be on the cards sometime this year hopefully.

 

Stock cars are awesome, small and BIG block Chevy engines with minimal silencing and two-speed transmissions... 

 

Now to try out some new side cutters against the piano wire. 

 

Edit:

Mike, the tube is purely there to tether the upcoming piano wire frame around the front axle allowing some float (acting kind of like bat pans and the like on 1/24 cars, taking the G-force out allowing better handling and no axle chatter).

 

All will be revealed soon.

[Hworth08]

Don't guess it's legal but we used to whack off the inline mount, fill in the open spot for the ring gear with brass plate, and solder the motor in as an anglewinder. Then cut off the guide mount and extend another mount about a half inch foward.

The little Womps handle surprisingly well set up that way. Still Womps though!

[MSwiss]

Mike, the tube is purely there to tether the upcoming piano wire frame around the front axle allowing some float (acting kind of like bat pans and the like on 1/24 cars, taking the G-force out allowing better handling and no axle chatter).

Cool. Sounds like a good idea.

[SlotStox#53]

Here you go Mike a set of older Wellgate rules showing a great line drawing/design showing the specs and the wire frame over the top of the womp chassis . Drawn and designed by Ken Holmes, originator of the Wellgate club and the design of the cars. Hope it shows enough of what will be coming soon!

 

 

Cool Womp mods Don ! Sounds like they were great little handling cars. Unfortunately not legal for these , inline standard Parma.

[SlotStox#53]

For the next part it's the piano wire strengthening rods that run lengthways along each side of the chassis to add some much needed strength for impending contact of the sport. Plus the support for the rear axle uprights and the motor support.
 





 
Some edge trimming and cleaning up for good solder joints on the wire strengthening. Will also solder in the rear bearings, too. Then it's onto creating the top frame.

[macman]

Interesting use of a Womp frame... So far, looks like some work could be avoided with the use of a Sprints Plus chassis (pre-narrowed), but those probably aren't available in England...

[SlotStox#53]

Oh I hear you on extra work! But as you say we never knew of the Sprints Plus chassis, so the Womp was and still is the only one available and hence much pan cutting.

Will have to check but I think my last car I built didn't even have the lengthwise bracing and the motor brace was low profile and linked the motor bracket to the base and didn't connect to the rear axle uprights.

[Mark H]

Cool project! Are you going to scratchbuild a body or does someone make them?

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks, Mark.

There are vac-formed bodies available from England but haven't got any yet, so will be scratchbuilding one from sheet metal like I did do a few times when I raced them.

The club does a few body shells plus one of the main slot distributors in England sells over 100 styles all based on real stock car shapes over the years.

[SlotStox#53]

A little update on the stock car, a combination of remembering how horrible it is to solder the lengthways brace bars on the steel Womp chassis and the fact my last surviving car never had them. I ditched them and once again had a bare Womp pan. Bearings soldered in and a new low profile motor bracket support bent and cut out just like my last car had, waiting to be fixed in.
 
With some bending and some solder have got the starts of the top frame coming together.
 

 
Axle tube on and bumpers progressing well, it was time to start making the side irons "nerf bars" along with the A frame support that ties the front bumper into the axle tube for strength during contact.
 

 
When this is all soldered together it will look something like this:
 

 

 
Quickly fitting the top frame to the womp chassis gives you an idea as to what it will look like all soldered up and ready for the bodywork to be made and fitted.
 

 

 
Talking of the bodywork I grabbed some thin K & S brass sheet to make the body which will follow once this part is finished

[Pablo]

   

[SlotStox#53]

Stay tuned, sir.

Would you like a refill?

[SlotStox#53]

Got the side irons "nerf bars" soldered on along with the A frame and the front bumper addition.
 

 
Top frame almost finished now, just wire body clip to go on and front wheel protection wire finished.
Final finishing off, cleaning, and then paint for the frame to follow.
 
Here it is placed on the baseplate to show how it's looking.
 

 

 

 
Almost time to start on the body.

[Pablo]

It's a tough-lookin' lil' bugger! <G>

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks, Pablo. 

 

It needs to be tough in the racing! Track is two 8'x4' boards end to end, four lane oval, with one of the main straights where the four lanes come close together for a chicane the whole length of the straight!!!

So they need to take a good hit from a car at full throttle the length of the straight!!! >_<

More updates after supper. 

[justDave]

The Sprints Plus chassis used to be available from Chas Keeling - they're listed in the 1/32 section of his site. Some of us in the Rockingham Slot Car Club have cars built from them.

David

[SlotStox#53]

Hi David, thanks for the info ! Had just found that chassis on the SCD site looking for wheels for Pablo's vintage F1 build the other day.

Even if it was brought forward as a replacement or perfect alternative (of which the plus chassis is brilliant in both cases!) it probably wouldn't be allowed as they've run the Womp for so long, it's all that's been known.

What cars do you run at the Rockingham club, David?

[SlotStox#53]

Got the frames rear hook and tube finished off so the frame now floats/hinges nicely left to right and up and down both at the front axle and at the rear. Allowing for G-force to be absorbed going round corners and during impact with other cars !
 
Brass sheet now covers the bumpers allowing for a nice smooth finish and strengthens them too, along with a small strip of brass sheet as a brace/bulletproofing kind of thing for the front wheel protection.
 

 

 

 
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Time to start on the body along with the aerofoil/roof spoiler.
 
Along with final clean up of the top frame and paint.

[SlotStox#53]

What do we have here?

 

 

 

An innocent piece of K & S brass sheet... Wonder what's this being used for?!

 

 

Hmmm... it's looking more like a car... I... think...

 

 

OK... Where's the roof!

 

 

That's better. 

 

 

 

Almost done, just needs the body clips to hold it onto the top frame/chassis... Then time to attack it with some cleaning up and rubbing down! But the basics of the Stock Car is there. 

[Mark H]

Looking good! Cool chassis, I like how the bumpers and nerf bars have movement. Nice body, too!

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks, Mark. 

The original cars actually had the top frame fixed solidly to the Womp pan, wasn't until one broke during impact at the rear it was found to handle better! Leading to the design with the tube, etc., at the rear.

The body is fun to do and I used to do a mixture of either scratchbuilt metal or vac-formed styrene. This shape was used a lot by John Lund #53 in the 1:1 racing and I used to paint replicas of his cars.

Haven't decided yet whether it will be a #53 replica or my own design to dust off the painting skillz!!