Wanted to build this one after seeing this short clip of Jack Sears racing it at Crystal Palace in '64:
What a beast! Holman Moody built three of the blueprinted V8 "lightweight" Galaxies for British Touring car racing in 1963. Rules dictated a stock appearance and the cars retained all their chrome trim and even the rear bench seat, this being punched through with a NASCAR styled roll cage.
All three Galaxies were very succesful and put an end to the domination of the series by the 3.8 litre Jags. The car I've built is the Jack Sears driven winner of the 1963 Silverstone Grand Prix.
Wanted brute power and torque for this one, had been thinking about a 4WD car to play with for a while as well. A bit of messing about and I came up with this; back to back 6v Kemtrons in Dynamic mounts with a sprung guide. I've geared both ends at 2.5 to 1 with all four wheels touching the track.
Ugly, eh? Slightly steampunk. What it lacks in grace it makes up for in sheer weight though - this is likely the heaviest car I'll ever make. I've not run it yet but plan to test it out on a tight basement track the next few days. Pretty sure it'll need plenty of re-working though so feel free to chip in with any tips, advice, mockery, etc. - I'll post back with my findings.
Cheers!
S.
1963 Willment Galaxie 4WD
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 02:26 AM
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#2
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 05:57 AM
Wow, that looks great! 
Can testify these Galaxies in the British touring car racing are real beasts in person, too! Saw them race round one of the UK's race circuits called Brands Hatch.
They sounded just out of this world, too. 
Great build! Look forward to hearing how that heavyweight goes!
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#3
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 09:25 AM
Simon,
I like this! Two padlock motors, wow!
A lot of times we kid about someone crashing their slot car and "knocking the wall down." With this beast, that might not be hyperbole. Heck, on some tracks, it might even fall through the track surface!
It's very likely "nerf-proof" as well...
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Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 10:14 AM
I love it! 
Rick Thigpen
Check out Steve Okeefe's great web site at its new home here at Slotblog:
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#5
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 11:04 AM
Super build!
Remember, two wrongs don't make a right... but three lefts do! Only you're a block over and a block behind.
#6
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 11:05 AM
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 12:01 PM
I love it!
Can we expect to see a dc65x Galaxy ?
This is perfect for your total performance series of builds, Rick.
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#8
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 12:13 PM
The wheels/inserts "make" the car, too...
It shows that you don't have to have the expensive Ulrich cast stock car wheels to look good.
Can we expect to see a dc65x Galaxy ?
This is perfect for your total performance series of builds, Rick.
I just happen to have an AMT 3 in 1 1963 Ford Galaxie Hardtop kit.
Very inspirational build, Simon. 
Rick Thigpen
Check out Steve Okeefe's great web site at its new home here at Slotblog:
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There's much more to come...
#9
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 12:34 PM
Great job.
Super-cool looking slot car.
Loved how you used the front wheel uprights to house the sprung front end.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 02:00 PM
Bob Israelite
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 03:04 PM
Ditto!!! Ditto!!!
9/18/51-8/30/24
Requiescat in Pace
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 03:13 PM
"If you have integrity, nothing else matters, and if you do not have integrity, nothing else matters."
Robert Mueller, special counsel (2013)
"... because people have got to know whether or not their president is a crook."
Richard M .Nixon, Nov 17, 1973
"Fool me once, same on... shame on you. Fool me... you can't get fooled again."
George W. Bush
#13
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 03:24 PM
Love the exhaust detail.
Yes. Meant to mention that. Using the body mount bolt hole to mount it.
Love those Dynamic modular pieces. Sort of like slot car Legos.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 04:54 PM
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 04:59 PM
You asked for suggestions. I suggest you get busy with a grinder and a drill to get her under that three pound weight threshold.
This car may require the installation of actual steel guard rails on the track.
Joe Lupo
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 05:08 PM
Simon,
What all the others said!!!
Brilliant "imagineering".
"We offer prompt service... no matter how long it takes!"
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"You want it when?"
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Posted 06 May 2014 - 07:00 PM
Simon,
Looks awesome!
~ Mikey
Mike DiVuolo
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#18
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Posted 07 May 2014 - 04:05 AM
Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words and enthusiasm !
Had a chance to run the car last night on the 60ft of 1/24 Strombecker track we use and it drives pretty much the same as the 36D hardbody stuff we run, has great acceleration, comparable top speed, and decent brakes despite it's sizeable mass. Cornering is much the same but there's a sweet spot definitely for powering it out of the tighter curves; Floor it too early and it's liable to de-slot or even flip - manageable, you've just got to watch it. I'm thinking a harder tire on the back might help with this as I could slide it around the larger curves no problem. Tires I had on were my own soft compound urethanes.
Lighter would be nice obviously but I suspect the cars current driveability is partly due to its weight, that it might be more prone to jump out of the slot due to compromises in "cornering geometry" without all that mass to keep it in? Most of the mass of the rolling chassis is in the two motors anyway and there's little that can be done to lighten them sadly...
Rick - If i'm not mistaken your beautiful 4WD Iso Grifo project was geared the same at both ends also? Did you notice anything similar in terms of cornering? Some of the stuff in the thread for that build suggested that having the fronts turn a little faster might be useful - did you ever play with that?
And yes, you MUST do a Galaxie.
Paul - Envy you seeing this in real life at Brands Hatch. As a kid and fellow Spedeworth enthusiast the closest I got to anything like that was seeing George Polley passing on the outside in his Ford Anglia, a different kind of impressive.
Now that little car would be a very cool build...
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Posted 07 May 2014 - 11:20 AM
Rick - If i'm not mistaken your beautiful 4WD Iso Grifo project was geared the same at both ends also? Did you notice anything similar in terms of cornering? Some of the stuff in the thread for that build suggested that having the fronts turn a little faster might be useful - did you ever play with that?
Hi Simon,
I had forgotten what I did on that car until I checked out my thread and found this:
Hi John and thanks. For tire diameters I'm going to run 7/8" fronts and 15/16" rears so the car will have the same look as a conventional R&C race car.
I had to do some cypher'n just like Jethro Bodine... "whoa doggie, look at that boy cypher!"
So.......a 29T in front and a 31T in back should work.
We'll see.....
Good grief! 
Looks like I went for the same gear ratio front and rear with smaller tires on the front. I'll try to remember to bring a different gear to try out at the R&C Proxy Event.
I should print this out as I probably never figure this out again.
Rick Thigpen
Check out Steve Okeefe's great web site at its new home here at Slotblog:
The Independent Scratchbuilder
There's much more to come...
#20
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Posted 08 May 2014 - 07:41 AM
Yes, please post back any info on the Iso Grifo if you get a chance.
S.
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Posted 08 May 2014 - 08:46 PM
Real nice build I realy like it.
"Drive it like you're in it!!!"
"If everything feels under control... you are not going fast enough!"
Some people are like Slinkies... they're really good for nothing... but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
