35 replies to this topic

[Jairus]

Finally found enough time to finish a chassis and make the announcement of the partnership between John Havlicek and Jairus Watson.
A month ago I sent John an NOS Russkit 23 motor for rewinding and balancing.  
The motor arrived the other day, just about the time I was laying rails on the chassis jig.

Finally finished the drop arm last night and so... for the approval of Steve and Rick and anyone interested, I present the chassis for "Team H-power".

It's not a lot different from the 4th race chassis I built earlier this year but for the addition of one extra full rail and another on the outside.
 

Out back we have vintage brass bearing cups.

 

Up front the standard almost pedestrian looking brass axle tube and drop arm.
In fact, there is nothing new here and every wire and bend can be found exampled in the pages of the race reports.

 

Bare chassis weighs as it sits: 37g

Gotta go to work today and all day tomorrow, but maybe this weekend I can get her together and shoot some laps at the track.
 

Other bits going into this project are set of Martex rubber tires, Russkit repop rims and BWA inserts.

 

Arm wind and gear ratio to be exactly what Ken Larimer was running, 64-#29 and 4.625 to 1 respectively.
I think that's a good starting point prior to testing.


Body is a repop by TrueScale of the same Ferrari 330 P3 driven by Mike Morrissey in the 5th race.


Guess that's it. 
B)

[Gator Bob]

Nothing new here .... It's Perfect !!!

 

The J&J built 330 P2 will be 'one tough competitor' for all to deal with. 

[Pablo]

That's going to be hard to beat !! Holy cow that is perfect !

Where is the motor ?

[dc-65x]

Hi Jairus,

 

IMHO, everything is Okie Dokie. Nice chassis.     The vintage bearing cups and ball bearings are not seen in the race reports, except possibly in the Tyco/Pittman powered cars. They seemed to use 5/32 sloppy tube.....ARG!

 

BUT, there is no reason some enterprising racer could not have used them in their 1966 project. Consider yourself most enterprising!   I've used them too.

[SlotStox#53]

Utterly gorgeous frame you built there Jairus! Team H Power/J&J is shaping up to be one extremely hard combination to beat!

Can't wait to see how this perfect combination is gonna fly

[havlicek]

"Team H-Power"...hmmm, I like the sound of that.  It's a real treat to have one of my motors in ANY of your cars Jairus.  

 

-john

[Jairus]

Someone ask about the motor?

 

I have just a few minutes this morning so here goes.
The motor is a rewind Russkit 23.
John replaced the can bearing, painted the can and installed Champion magnets. (The Mabuchi mags cannot be zapped or I would have stayed with them.)
The Mabuchi "Lams" received a new drill blank shaft and Bugenis com before being wound with 55 turns of #29 wire.
Then the arm was balanced before being shipped.  It sounds great on the bench. Not a ball buster but better than a modern 16D Deathstar.
 

 

I searched high and low in my stuff last night to find replacement screws for those pretty little button heads, which unfortunately do not look period.

But short of drilling out the holes and putting in big ugly #2 mounting screws, I guess they stay for now.

 

Chassis assembly and body mounting Saturday when I have some free-time.

B) 

[dc-65x]

Hi Jairus...and John!
 
The motor and chassis look fantastic  

 

I know what you mean about those huge #2 sheet metal screws that most motors seemed to be held together with. Some guys even used REALLY humungous #4 screws . I know they are most Korrect and I've used the #2's quite a bit, but I really like these #0-80 pan head slotted screws:
 

 

They are just common screws and could have been used by anyone in 1966 if they wanted to. I remember back in the day going to Berg Hardware in Pasadena, CA to get "fancy lad" hardware for my cars.

 

Anywho, if you'd like to try some on this or a future motor, I can mail you some.

 

Onward guys, GREAT build

[havlicek]

Hi Jairus and Rick,

 

     I found some either #0 or #1 flat head slotted screws but with thread-cutting body instead of machine thread somewhere a while back and can't for the life of me find them again.  Sometime when I think of it, I'll just have to bite the bullet and get 0-80 and 1-72 taps so I can use machine screws on the "vintage" stuff.  Those button head screws really "bite" in the end bell plastic and don't have a HUGE honkin' head in the way outside the can...LOVE 'em, but they aren't "period" (although I have no idea when they were invented).  Those screws can be countersunk for a really nice fit and finish.  Hope the motor works out for you Jairus.  55/29 should be a good period-type wind and of course, the Mabuchi lams work really well, although they don't have a lot of room on them like modern ones do.  I kept the winds as consistent as I could, and your arm metered perfectly (at least to the thousandth of an ohm N-E-Waze)  

 

-john

[Bill from NH]

John, could these have been minature sheet metal screws from Micro Fasteners in Lebanon, NJ? I ordered some similar to the Mura self-tapping can screws from them a few years back.

[Steve Okeefe]

Jairus,

 

Is that guide post tube made with thick-wall tubing?  Sure does look like it.  I've been sneaking that stuff into my drop arms for years. 

[Jairus]

Nope, double tubed on top just to give extra weight and solder contact where it's needed.

[Bruce Wayne]

That's a nice idea Jairus on doubling the guide tube , it also has to strengthen the union at the tube/wire as well as give a little more beef at the top for stable guide retention 

 

Motor looks great in the chassis too, very period looking. Nice job John 

 

Hmmm, just so happens my little old and and tired Russkit 23 needs some TLC too...John, you can expect a PM 

[Jairus]

Whew... finally got the chassis ready for a first test run on Tuesday. (First open day.)

Tires glued and trued, front axle independently spinning and chassis movements/guide clean with no binding.

I even removed all the bearing shields so everything but the button head screws (soon to be replaced) look period correct!

 

A short note about the guide.
During the Dynamic Challenge race, Oscar sent me his entry which had braid clips installed. The clips and brushes put so much stress on the Cox guide that it split along the top which allowed the braid to slip out.  
Back then I had extra Cox guides so I swapped it out for a another one and the race went on.
But I never tossed the old guide for some reason.

 

Flash forward a few years and a Cox guide is needed for this project, and the guide box is almost depleted.
In other words, I am down to Ol'Oscar's left over split guide or some unknowns which were never used back in 1966 reports.

Yup, a little JP Weld and 10 hours to cure... she is good enough to continue with braids lightly shoved in.

 

So... for this race... a little of Oscar Morales will be joining us in the fun.
(Miss you my friend.)

Now... time to finish cutting that P3 body and get some paint on her!

B)

 

 

[dc-65x]

NICE!

[SlotStox#53]

Just......... ..... WOW!!!

[Bruce Wayne]

I think it's great  that you used the Oscar guide, maybe it's sweet destiny   

 I'm sure he would be honored and pleased too. Hey, re-use and recycle, you know I like it 

 

Nice shade of gray on those back tires too

Do you have any with modern Rubber to try out on Tueday? 

 

Although you've spaced your double rails out more, it's ironic how similar our chassis designs are, so am quite curious how your's works either way.

[Jairus]

Yeah... when you posted your chassis I almost changed my initial plan since it was barely on the jig.

But... great minds tend to think alike so... I stayed the course.

[Jairus]

First test run very promising!
Car handled just as expected, no surprises at all.
Very quick down the straight as I figured, able to take the bank no problem.
A bit of a tipper on the corners, no duh.... (they spray glued it prior to last weeks race) so I figure it will be perfect on a clean track.
 

Best time I could do was a bit over 8 seconds.

Median sucked because I had to marshall my own car...
But I am very encouraged.
Time to paint with more testing Thursday.

B)

[SlotStox#53]

As I thought , this team is going to prove most challenging during the Proxy

Great to hear the initial test was a success ...

[Pablo]

That one is going to be a contender all right 

[dc-65x]

Looks cool on the track Jairus. I can't wait to see all the cars on the straightaway at Eddie's for the group shot.

[gluebomb]

That's a beautiful build - can't wait to see it with paint on it ...

[Jairus]

Don't have to wait too long...
Had some time today and managed to get the paint and detailing done. But not dry enough to go practice with it so that waits for another day.
(Tonight is race night anyway with Go-Karts and Dirt Track Modifieds.)



Wait!??!?!!!!!!
I can hear you saying.... "GREEN"?
A green Ferrari?

You really didn't see that one coming did you? 

The master mold doesn't have taillights, exhaust tips or screen details so I added them.

Decals are off the vintage Dynamic decal sheet, drivers head Russkit and the interior a Russkit repop by Professor Motor.


Inserts by BWA, painted with Alclad chrome and topped by a model car wheel nut spinner.

 

I guess that's it other than total weight: 118 grams as it sits.

Still need some Team decals.

Rear track is 3", but front only 2.75" due to the body being narrower in front.
Wheelbase is 3.875.
Paint Tamiya and Pactra.
Front tires E.J.s Hobbies.
Wheels Russkit repops from E.D.
Jairus' clothing Goodwill.
Time to go racing.....

[SlotStox#53]

  Wow Jairus that looks sweeeeeeeeeeet!

 

Now seeing the body wearing it's color it looks a lot like the Cukras body that Victor was doing? Or am I just blinded by such a cool looking car