6 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

THE WHAT IF CLASS

Since I’m part of running the event I felt my “What If” cars should not to be in the same class with everyone else’s R&C entries. I still had 5 “traditional” cars to mix it up with you guys!

Also included in this field are my McLaren Elva with almost no track clearance, A GP car of Rodney’s with suspension detail that keeps the track width over 2 ¾” and two other entrants sports cars with slot car bodies produced in 1968.

WHAT IF CLASS DEFINITION FOR ANY FUTURE EVENTS:

Cars built with any chassis design or feature known to pre-date 1967 and equipped with components, including motor and running gear, known to be widely available during the R&C Series

The body may be of modern manufacture, but must accurately represent a prototype body style or variant known to be available as a slot car body during the R&C Series.

Burden of proof when claiming chassis design or feature dates, or component and body availability dates shall be with the claimant and shall be documented with published information.


THE WHAT IF CLASS RESULTS


A Tech Chart is being prepared by Steve Okeefe for each race report similar to what was done in the original R&C Magazine race reports. This will list all the specs and components used in each car. When it's ready Steve will insert the Tech Chart into this post and make a post to notify everyone.

So here we go with a more than full field of 11 What If Class Racers. All the on track pictures were taken by Rodney Chew. Thanks Rodney!

THE WHAT IF CLASS FIELD

 

 

QUALIFYING TIME EVENT

Fastest time was set by Foamy with a smoke’n 8.08:


 

Rodney's comments, "Very nice car to drive. It drive as good as an early Champion Flexi Car, a real drivers car"
 
This is a really beautifully built and prepared car, the Team Penske of the slot car world. We moved it to the faster and more highly contested What If class because of a mix up with Lola T70 bodies. This one is a low and wide Lancer Lightweight series #5165 Lola MkIII B CAM/AM. It first appears in the Auto World Catalog issue 1968 1/2. It's not the early narrower Lola T70 Chevy.
 
This car was so good that I'd bet money if it was narrowed up a tiny bit to fit a TrueScale Russkit Lotus 40 it would have still kicked everyone's butt no problem.
 


 

Second place went to Captain Rick’s Lotus 40 ISO with a 8.23 time:
 


 

Rodney's comments, "Vintage motor is slow to pick up revs, low on brakes and really holding this car back"


 

3rd place went to Captain Rick’s 26D powered McLaren MkII with a 8.68 time:
 


 

Rodney's comments, "Nice to drive but the big 26D makes the car tilt at the limit”
 


 

4th place was a tie with Don Weaver's Chaparral 2G and a time of 8.73:

 


Rodney's comments, "Needs some rear down force. Bounces at the limit. LOTS of horsepower!”
 
I think there may have been some mix up with Chaparral models. The Lancer low and wide light weight 2G body shows up in the 1968 Auto World Catalog whereas the 2E showed up in the early 1967 catalog. Anyway this lovely cars 4th place finish in the faster and more highly contested What If class is the same place it would have finished in the Sports Car class.



 

4th place tie’s other car was Captain Rick's Dynamic chassis with a rattle pan Ferrari 3L GP with a identical time of 8.73:
 
 

 

Rodney's comments, "Great driving car, drives like a flexi and you can hammer it! Could use more brakes, probably because of the weight”
 


 

5th place went to Rodney’s “Mystery Ferrari V8” GP with a 8.74:

 

 

Rodney's comments, "Lots of power and straight line speed but it tilts at the limit”

 

The chassis with its intricate suspension detail was originally built by William Haul and modified by Rodney for scale size tires:

 

 

6th place went to Captain Ricks twin motor, 4WD ISO Griffo with a 8.78. Body by Jairus:



 

Rodney's comments, "Drives like a Limo! Great on the straights. But lots of mass....no tight turns!”

 

If indy cars were legal I'd have entered a twin motor, 4WD Novi
 




7th place went to Captain Rick's 36D powered Ford GT40 with a time of 9.16:
 
 

 

Rodney's comments, "Good power and brakes. Car pops wheelies and bounces a bit. Car feels really tall”



 

8th place went to Captain Rick's twin motor rear drive Ferrari 330P with a time of 9.17:

 

 

Rodney's comments, "Fun but it's mass makes it hard to drive. Once it reaches its limit it really lets go!”

I thought this car would do better but the time doesn't lie
 
 

 
 
9th place went to Captain Rick's Mike Morrissey McLaren Elva "wing car" with a time of 9.38:
 
 

 
 
 
Rodney's comments, "Neutral car to drive but the car is underpowered”
 
This car doesn't have the legal 1/16" track clearance.
 
 

 
 
10th place went to Captain Rick's sidewinder Porsche Carrera 6 with a time of 9.94. The body is beautifully done by Jairus:
 
 

 
Rodney's comments, "Scary car to drive. Hops and catches air even going down the straights!”
 
This car is a turd!
 

 

CONCOURS EVENT


First up is Captain Rick’s McLaren MkII, second is the Jairus Porsche Carrera 6 and third is Captain Rick's Ferrari 330P
 
 



PROMOTER'S CHOICE AWARD

For the What If event it was given by Rodney for the car in class that, as he puts it, "I like the look."

The "PROMOTER'S CHOICE AWARD" goes to Don Weaver. Cool car Don. We loved the engineering that went into the Dynamic - brass rod hybrid:
 

 

 

Well, there we have it. I hope everyone had fun and thanks to all that entered!

[Jencar17]

   

[SlotStox#53]

Wow! Some fast & inventive cars in this class!!

Love the speed of the Foamy Lola, would be very interesting to see how much speed it would carry over as you say Rick, narrowing up slightly for the correct body .

Don's Chappy is really cool with that dynamic hybrid, I love it

Rodney's comment about your Brass pan F1 is priceless!! "You can hammer it"

[Foamy]

Couldn't get the nose of the TS Lola or Lotus to fit over the guide post. I made one of these for local jaildoor racing with Falcon 2 motors. With modern guides the TS Lotus was my body, that car won several So-Cal races with Bryan Warmack driving, and Howie Ursaner a couple times in Europe.

 

The Lancer body I thought was just thinner plastic, I had no idea it was a different mold.

 

This was the first time using Auto Air Colors, and was mostly painless. I use stick on dots for the number roundels, and that is not the hot tip with this paint. Bled under the edges. Use real masking tape or vinyl for masking.

[dc-65x]

 

Couldn't get the nose of the TS Lola or Lotus to fit over the guide post.

 

I hear ya. I had to REALLY shorten the guide post up on my Lotus 40 bodied cars to get them to work. I probably mounted the body a little higher in the front too.....but I REALLY like those Lotus 40's!
 

The Lancer body I thought was just thinner plastic, I had no idea it was a different mold.

 
Me either. From your build post I saw a Lancer box and a Lola T70 clear body. I thought it was the Lola T70 Chevy. Turns out you have one of the rarest Lancer bodies we know of. Rodney has never seen one in the flesh and I stumbled across my one and only example years ago I've have never seen another until yours showed up. It is shown in the December 1968 issue of Model Car Science, page 41, in the NAMRA WORLD race report. It's the pictured number 2 Roy Wong car.

 

Congratulations on your win and the fastest car overall in the event......and I still think it would have won no matter what body you put it in.

[CoastalAngler1]

You guys are not racers or builders...you are PURE ARTISANS!  Thank you for sharing these amazing cars and event!

[Steve Okeefe]

Here is the Tech Sheet for the what-if class. In order to see it clearly, you may have to download and view at 1280 pixel resoultion.