40 replies to this topic

[SlotStox#53]

With a Sports Coupe entry pretty much finally off the ramps at the factory, Team Pittman decided they wanted to enter the R&C G.P races as well.
 
A Du-Bro BRM H16 bodyshell was already at Pittman headquaters, so the design team decided to construct a chassis for a fairly narrow body!
 
The motor was already waiting in the form of a second 6001 Pittcan motor as had been used in the fairly-delayed Porsche 906 build, seeming great at the time but the geeks soon realized that the BRM body is very narrow! Requiring in similar fashion a very narrow chassis, biggest thing being would the 6001 motor even fit underneath?!?!
 
With all these questions hanging in the air (and after initial motor fitment to make sure it could squeeze into the BRM suit! ) the engineers got going on laying a chassis out.
 

 

 

 
Working with the narrow confines of the BRM and looking at the race reports it was apparent that a three-rail design as sported by other entrants wasn't going to work in the normal sense. So it has three rails, but the third rail sits on top of the bottom two. Allowing for a stronger chassis with more rails but still narrow enough for the body.
 
It was also decided that the outer bottom rail was to angle out towards the front axle tube as Dave Grant's from the third race report below, out of piano wire for strength and flex.
 
Plus the fact it looks like the older F1 suspension.
 

[SlotStox#53]

Once the soldering iron had cooled the initial frame had taken shape.
 

 

 
Here's how it looked with basic body lining up in progress.
 

 

 
Several attacks with a Dremel wire wheel and a major trim-up of all the rail ends etc here's what the crew were left with.
 
               


 
With some quick buffing up and fettling of the two 6001 mills and a crash course in airbrush useage to follow, so both the 906 and the GP car end up with color on the bodies!!

[Pablo]

Shweeeet!!  I learned some jig tricks here, you are using the jig screws to set the rear axle height, and the wood fixture to secure the main rails. Nice use of the jig features! 

I like the build!

[Gator Bob]

Good stuff, Paul!
 
Nice.

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks Pablo & Bob

 

Have been using that wooden fixture as I haven't got any of those spring steel straps/hold downs that Rick T uses, plus I haven't crafted any Duffy "fingers" as yet So although perfect for holding down all the side rails it's too long for holding a lot of other bits so you have to get inventive.

[Hworth08]

Real nice! Very typical of what may have showed up at any track.

 

It was a great era, at least at our track. Everyone knew what everybody was running and when a new car arrived we all had to have a look and discuss the design. Everyone was excited to see how the car would preform.

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks Don

 

Unfortunately not being around when these great cars & great tracks/races were taking place I've been studying all the wonderful race reports closely & watching all the fantastic builds in this area of the forum for inspiration, hoping it would rub off on the chassis as it takes shape !!

 

Now if I can just get past the finish line with this & the Pittman Porsche all completed

[dc-65x]

Looking great Paul! You'll have LOTS of punch from the big 6001. I just track tested my Plate GP car so I'm making progress too.

 

Rodney is working on scheduling the Proxy event at Eddie's Slot Car World this summer. We're going to rent the track for a day. I'll be there too and we'll have lots of pictures of all the cars (on and off the track), a Tech Chart with all the cars specs, a through timed ringing out and evaluation of all the cars driving characteristics on Eddie's great road course.

 

So everyone build on

[Hworth08]

Hi Rick,

 

Not so much a fan of the Proxy events but I am interested in this one.

 

Has any guide lines been posted yet?

[dc-65x]

Hi Don,

 

Steve Okeefe started a sub-forum dedicated to the R&C Series:

 

Rod & Custom Road Races revisted

 

Basically we're building cars to the 1966 R&C rules. Here's a link to the idea:

 

A celebration of the R&C Series

 

Hope you will join in the fun!

 

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks Rick Great to hear the 6001 has a LOT of punch ! It needs to as they're a hefty mill to lug around the track  

 

Never tried one on a track before or seen one race so it's a whole new experience. Same for the famous 26D , only ever heard mythical stories from my Dad about his experiences racing them in the late 60's as I grew up racing very sub par Scalextric (although went much better after Dad converted them to ISO!!)

[Bill from NH]

I put a lot of racing time on a 6001BB during 1967-68. At the local track, everyone competitive was running a Champion 707, I had two of them, but wanted to run something different. I put a 6001BB in an International stamped aluminum chassis. The car, being lighter, was very competitive with the 707s, but I wouldn't say it was any faster. But it was good enough for me to park my 707s. That motor also proved to be very reliable. After numerous racing hours on it in 67-68, I put it on a tire truer I built in the mid-70's, where it still sits. Somewhere along the way, I've come up with a second 6001BB. I know I didn't buy it, so somebody who was disappointed by it must have given it to me, but I don't know who. That motor, I've never had in a car or put power to.

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks for the race /reliability info & your experiences of the 6001 , great to hear it's still around in that tire truer Will you be putting that spare 6001BB in a car Bill?

[SlotStox#53]

TIme for initial body pinning

 

Ignore the Parma rears ,they've just been called into service until I get round to mounting & truing some donuts. Can see the 6001 peaking out from underneath the body... It does FIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dc-65x]

Looking good Paul. The big Pittman might be a tight squeeze for the driver.

 

I've had a heck of a time getting a driver to fit in my Plate GP. The motor sits about 3/32" higher due to the loose fitting plate below it. I've had to separately cover some of the motor behind the driver to meet the rules:

 

"Cockpit area must be covered with suitable material (plastic, cardboard, etc,) in all classes so that chassis and motor cannot be seen through the cockpit area."

 

Onward!

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks Rick , I was factoring in some imaginative dremeling out of the drivers torso/head !   Plus any base material for the driver to mount on, or cover the motor, thanks for the headsup  

 

Onward indeed !

[Bill from NH]

Nice looking chassis Paul! I has that strong look as it sits in the photos, one like it won't readily come apart while being raced. That center section would probably make a good sportscar chassis too. I await seeing the car's overall completion.

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks Bill looking at it the chassis would make a good sportscar, maybe have to replicate it for another R&C entry this time with outriggers for a sports body .

[Pablo]

"Plus any base material for the driver to mount on, or cover the motor"

Hworth tip from the 60's: Fine wet/dry painted sandpaper.

[Gary Bluestone]

Love the build, but would suggest swapping metal crown gear for a nylon one. Vintage Cox or similar of course. Those metal gears eat pinions and are too heavy, affecting acceleration, braking and cornering.

[SlotStox#53]

Pablo , thanks for the Hworth tip/trick for the driver mount/base

 

Thanks Gary ,haven't totally decided on the gear yet ,having never seen yet alone used a rare Weldun ally crown I thought I'd see what it was like Must say unlike a lot of the "other" pot metal gears it appears very lightweight and a very well made piece.

[dc-65x]

It's hard to tell from the built car pictures but Paul is running the rare Weldun aluminum crown gear:

 

 

It seems this gear found favor with the R&C folks for only a few races. It is very lightweight but probably also quite prone to ware, especially if the pinion selected is not a good mesh.......which is more than just using a 48P gear.

 

All this said, a true running Cox gear is also a great choice for an R&C car.

[SlotStox#53]

Rick, those Weldun gears look stunning up close like that and in person   Can testify to the selection of the right pinion for a smooth mesh! Had to go through several before one felt & sounded right, made matters worse having the Pittcan motor with the larger shaft and not many in my bits box of the right shaft size

 

Could still end up with a Cox gear on the car, we shall see

[Gator Bob]

The car is shaping up really nice Paul.

 

If you need any other 'big hole' pinions I've got your back. Just ask.

 

Rick, Thanks for shown that 'face gear' ... don't think I've seen those before.

[SlotStox#53]

Cheers Bob After the Porsche being the "first" ever R&C type car I've built( still finishing off ) this GP car has gone together really well & feels good.

 

Gonna have to either find some old Revell track/modern Carrera or build my own wooden so I can eventually test the cars I build !

 

Will definitely keep the pinions in mind