18 replies to this topic

[slotbaker]

Hi all, I'm interested in building a couple of 50s~60s sports cars and want to use the good old Pittman 196B in scratch built frames, and I'm after good ways on improving their performance.

 

Apart from a good zapping, what other mods or improvements can be done to 'hop' them up?

 

TIA.

[SlotStox#53]

Here'swhat Rick did very recently with all original hop up parts.

Although this is for the 196A they're almost essentially the same mill.

[slotbaker]

Thanks Paul.

I did see that magnificent job, and I suppose I should have put a qualifier in my original post.

Rick used a some nice bits that I don't have, and probably unlikely to ever get one set, let alone enough to build 3 motors with.

Of course, if anyone has Crane brackets or 6v arms available, I'd love to buy them.

(I checked out EJs and can't see the Pittman pole pieces or arm)

 

I was thinking of more simple things, like what the average 13~15yo might have been able to do in the day.

- Ball races for arm and axle

- Re-wind?? How many turns, with what gauge wire?

- Balance the arm

- What else??

- Zap

 

[SlotStox#53]

don't know on rewinding the Pittman arms, but even just a fresh epoxy and balance job on the standard arm would be a good start.

Speak to John, he's rewound the bigger Pittman arms so should be able to sort one out.

I think the armature shaft is .093" or 3/32 as I remember fitting a set of brass bevel gears on one before So probably a set of 3/32 ball bearings would work.

Could look to do away with the axle hanger and graft on a standard motor bracket.

Normal pittman dc65 brushes and Simco brush spring (just like Rick used)

Just a few ideas & sure others who messed around with these back in the day will help out.

[Howie Ursaner]

Here is what a 15 yr old did. He got a 6 volt 65 arm form a 65x and put it into the 196b. I then put a kemtron kit front end on it. No rewinding for this one. no bb needed. we used brass bevel gears i think by tradeship . have fun

[slotbaker]

Thanks Paul,

Thanks Howie,

I appreciate your input.

 

I've been looking out for 6v 65x Pittmans for a while, and have only been able to snag one so far.

Our local hobby shop doesn't stock them any more, but I'll keep looking.

 

This sounds like the best/easiest path to follow, so I'll have to put some more effort into my quest.

I've got the bevel gears, so I'm halfway there.

[Hworth08]

The 196B arm is 8 volts. I'd start with a stock motor and gear it 9-27. You probably will need an old metal gear that were thinner or just use bevels.

 

The Kemtron swivel frame that Howie mentioned, #1640, shows up fairly often on ebay and was "modern" for the day.

 

Cox Gran Prix wheels were popular then but the Russkit set screw wheels are better, just not as pretty.

 

Just for history... The Aristocraft  6 volt motor is a fair amount faster than a modified Pittman. They just came along after the Mabuchi motors took over.

 

Don't over-engineer a car of this era. Simplicity is charming and there wasn't many parts to choose from back then. Low power equals easy driving. Arco 33 magnets darn near spoiled model car racing.

[dc-65x]

The replacement armature is also from EJ's Hobbies. The brushes and spring are eBay finds:

Ed @ EJ's Hobbies: 616-956-8043

Pittman #100256 Armature DC65A-6 $5.00 Catalog page 11

Give Ed a call and see if he still has these.........

[don.siegel]

If not, I've got one Steve... and despite what some of the period articles said, it's not a drop-in modification! The PIttman arm is slightly longer than the stock 196B and something's got to give - grinding out bearings or other little tricks - Rick probably has a good idea on that. 

 

Also, gearing and everything else depends on your track. I would go with 4:1 or even higher gears, depending on the straight length. True that these aren't as fast as a few others, including the Atlas 6V, but they're very easy to drive, with decent speed. 

 

And then there's the unobtainable "X" arm for the 196B, mentioned a few times here... 

 

And amen on the Kemtron chassis, an easy fit and excellent chassis! 

 

Don 

[slotbaker]

Don H. Thanks. I plan on keeping it as simple as possible, and hoping to come up with an old school grunty setup to match the simple, old school grunty bodies that I hope to use.

 

Rick. Thanks. I don't have the EJ's catalogue, and only was able to check out the website. I'll send Ed an email.

 

Don S. OK, thanks.  I could see by Rick's thread that the transplant wasn't straight forward, as you say. Rick's turned out real nice, so it's a good one to emulate.

 

[Hworth08]

Steve,

 

The beauty of the stock 8 volt arm is it can be geared higher. I ran one on a commercial track with 14.2 volts in four 24 minute SRT Fun Races  geared 3:1 and the motor barely got the brushes broken in.

 

Another good frame choice I forgot earlier is the Dynamic that was just a bolt-on item. Keep the car light and a 196B is extremely reliable.

 

Maybe assemble a very simple car and get the "feel", then round up parts for others that may prove faster.

[dc-65x]

You could even try scale size silicone or urethane tires and actually drift the cars around the track.
 

 
It really scoots!

It really is fun to do

[slotbaker]

Thanks Don, I've got a Dynamic frame with 196B in it, and it does go pretty nicely with stock rubber tires on it, but I want to build an old style scratchbuilt frame to go with the old style open frame motor.

 

I'm planning on fitting urethanes (already gottem) and 2 of the cars  will probably end up as display.

The third car will get some track time but rarely raced, if ever.

 

I was originally intending to build 3 identical cars, but I'm now thinking I'll just go with 2 stock motors, and 1 modified, but build them to look the same.

 

I'm hoping to get a period looking chassis like Rick's magnificent work in the previous post. It'll probably look more like a 15yo made it, and not as nice as Rick's.

[dc-65x]

Your cars will be great Steve. It's so cool you're building them!

[slotbaker]

Thanks Rick.

I'll post stuff as I go, when I get my new place sorted out and the workshop together.

[dc-65x]

That would be great Steve and thanks for sharing your projects.

[idare2bdul]

I bought some neo magnets that make these motors come alive. I think they were from England. I bought them on Ebay.

[hiline2]

I bought some neo magnets that make these motors come alive. I think they were from England. I bought them on Ebay.

Would you mind sharing a few photos of your Neo-motor build ??

[Howie Ursaner]

The 196 with the 6 volt arm is bulletproof. It can take 24 hour enduros one after the other at 14.5v . it runs forever.and it is fast.