247 replies to this topic

[SlotStox#53]

Just when you think this project can't get anymore exciting

Looking really swoopy and low with perfect stance! Plus a Noose paint job and genuine motor!?

[don.siegel]

Beautiful job Rick, and like Paul says, the stance is perfect! 

 

Which Russkit body is this? Their .010 competition body? It doesn't look much like the T70 on the Black Widow 4WD series... anybody do a repop? 

 

Don 

[dc-65x]

Here's the scoop on that body Don.....and I don't know of a repop 
 

Well, this just goes to show that miracles can happen. Howie has managed to get hold of a real Russkit Pro Lola T70 body. That's the body that he ran in the race just as Tony P suspected.
 
Here's a gen 2 "Pro" body (note the big round wheel openings)...
 

 
... compared to a first gen body as used on the Russkit Black Widow twin-motor cars:
 

 
Pro body on the bottom:
 

 
Pro body shown on the right:
 

 

 
Pro version interior, drivers head, and motor details shown on top:
 

 

OK, time to get the acid flux a-smokin'. 

[Howie Ursaner]

I love it Rick. It looks "right".    Can't wait to see that body painted. 

[dc-65x]

That's great Howie, am I glad you think it "looks right"! 

 

Are you in touch with Noose so he knows what you have in mind for the body?

[Howie Ursaner]

I will today!  

[dc-65x]

Okie Dokie. I will contact Noose to confirm his mailing address. Other than that, you and Noose take over and decide how it should be painted. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

[dc-65x]

The body was finished in record time:

 

 

JUST KIDDING!

 

While I really like the above period armature Lola, what Howie and Noose have collaborated on sounds absolutely awesome!    I can't wait to see it.

 

The body is on its way as of this morning.

 

But before it was sent Howie helped me with a few tweaks to make it, well, more Howie!

 

Before shot of the driver's height in the cockpit. The driver's chin is about even with the top of the windscreen:

 

 

Howie inspired driver install. The little dude's eyes are just barely peeking above the windscreen:

 

 

We also tweaked the way the front sits a bit. From this.................

 

 

..............I trimmed the body until there was just a "wafer thin" line of body below the grill opening, lowered and trimmed the nose to 1/16" track clearance and re-trimmed the front wheel openings for tire clearance.

 

A Howie - Sandy armature is on the way. When it arrives I'll finish off the motor while waiting for Noose to work his magic.............

[Bill from NH]

The body was finished in record time: 

 

I had a local racing friend, Josh, who used to paint most of his bodies looking like this. More than a little eccentric, Josh used Vasoline to mask his windows. I loved driving his 4-wheel drive Volvo station wagon. That car was sweet on the local Engleman.

[James Wendel]

Geez, Rick... that "flower-power" body-paint picture nearly gave me heart failure. 

 

Looking forward to seeing the real finished product. 

[dc-65x]

Hi James,

 

That's just a little "shock and awe" to keep us awake while we wait for the armature and REAL body to get here.

[Pablo]

Re - the Flower Power body - "May I have it ?"   Just kidding, Capt. Rick

What year did Edo write that famous line ? I'm guessing about 2005 ?

[dc-65x]

I'm not sure when Edo wrote it Pablo, but it's one of my favorite.  Oh, and Rodney's already got the body!

[proptop]

Re - the Flower Power body - "May I have it ?"   Just kidding, Capt. Rick

What year did Edo write that famous line ? I'm guessing about 2005 ?

 

Remember "Psychedelic Soul"? (I think it's in Edo's Toads and Princesses thread?)

It kinda reminds me of that sorta vibe...but this one here is a lot more groovy, man...ya dig?

[dc-65x]

This project has been on hold waiting for some period motor bits from Howie's Cobra teammate, Sandy Gross. I think they were worth the wait.
 
First up is a Pro modified 68 Mabuchi can:
 

 
The horrible ball bearing has been removed and an oilite bushing soldered in it's place:
 

 
Next up is the heart of the beast, a new old stock (NOS) Cobra double wind arm:
 

 
Now this genuine Cobra arm is a bit "new" for Howie's ARCO inline but Howie has some thoughts on that.
 

I think that in the overall spirit of the car this original Cobra armature, with an endorsement on the package by me and Sandy, captures that magical time period. All things considered it is the best solution for this car.  It is very close to what I was running then.

 

Coming from the vault of Sandy makes it a must use item.

 

I agree but when I saw this item from Sandy's goodie bag...........

 

 

..............wouldn't that arm and this can make one cool motor!

 

Then I got an idea.   I dug and dug and dug through my big bag-O-arms and lookie what I found:

 

 

That's a reconditioned used arm that's a duplicate to the NOS arm in every way I can verify. I placed it on top of the NOS box for the picture. Here are the 2 arms together:

 

 

The only difference I can tell is the "used" arm has a slightly darker epoxy coating.

 

 

So...........here's what I did. Thinking that this is one hot arm for a Mabuchi setup............I put the reconditioned Cobra arm in it.

 

I saved the NOS Cobra arm for that 1-hole Cobra can. It would use a Mura "unmeltable" endbell and other go fast goodies that could extract the most performance from it.

 

Of course Howie can veto this and an arm swap would ensue.

 

But as of now, here's the motor. It's got Sandy's modified can...........

 

 

...........ARCO 33 magnets and shim, soldered brush hoods, .014" brush springs and brass spring post protectors:

 

 

 

Time to screw all the pieces together and get the roller tested on the track..........

[SlotStox#53]

Oh WOW!!!

Was it worth the wait or what?

I love watching your builds Rick, picking all those original parts our of your vast collection . But this car with these original parts from the racers themselves it's just gone into the stratosphere!!!

Those 2 cans, the arms.......

Onward.

[dc-65x]

Thanks Paul.

 

I got the car assembled and made a few laps on my track:

 

 

The car ran beautifully but after only a couple of laps my worst fears for this motor were realized. I was reminded why endbells advanced beyond the basic Mabuchi unit to handle hot double wound arms. Even with a brass spring post protector the motor suffered a melt down:

 

 

 

There was no binding and the arm spun freely in the setup. The magnets are strong though a bit less so than Blue Dots. The air gap wasn't excessively tight at about .540". The brush springs are the light. The rear axle spins freely and the gears mesh nicely.

 

I guess it's really true that a .1 ohm, high timed double wound arm and a nylon Mabuchi endbell really don't mix!

 

So.........I'm going to try this:

 

 

It's a Mura "unmeltable" endbell that is almost pure white like a Mabuchi. All my other "white" Mura's are a very yellowish off-white. With the motor installed in the frame you won't be able to tell it's a Mura........

 

Stay tuned for the next melt down........I mean track test. 

[SlotStox#53]

Holy smokes batman !

Car looks great sitting on your track

[dc-65x]

It's back "on track" Paul......thank goodness. This is the 3rd motor I've built for this car.

 

But first here are some of the parts used. The guide and lead wire for the car..........

 

 

.................and the gears. I tried a Cox pinion but the Weldun crown didn't like it at all. The Tradeship works well although I'd like to find some vintage steel pinions for these more powerful cars:

 

 

Finally, I used narrowed modern wheels and tires for the track and the vintage stuff for display. On the left are some Alpha SBR "blues" and the vintage Welduns on the right:

 

 

Here it is all together with it's newly rebuilt motor:

 

 

Mounted in the car the motor mods don't really stand out but were they ever needed. I had to upgrade some of the other parts of the motor to be able to handle the arm.

 

 

I built this car so Howie could drive it. I don't expect 40+ year old stuff to go a full race distance. Actually, often this stuff wouldn't go race distance when it was new.   The car is a blast to make some full tilt boogy exhibition laps and then respectfully parked to cool a bit. No need to hammer it for a 4 minute heat to have fun with it.

 

On my track it's got ton's of power, good brakes and the chassis handles what has to be greatly increased power perfectly. A testament to Howie's original chassis design.

 

I'm hoping I can talk Rodney into letting me send the car to him to evaluate before it gets the body and is sent off to Howie to try.......

[Half Fast]

Looks like you changed the springs for some coppery looking ones. More or less tension?

 

Heck of a Job overall!

 

Cheers

[dc-65x]

Hi Bill,

 

The tension should be the same with the same wire size and number of coils. Overall a light spring.

 

The springs in the previous motor were Certus .014" Pre-Bent Springs. These were slightly corroded and had to be hand polished which took about 1/2 hour. They were overheated and ruined. I didn't feel like polishing another set so I use some Certus "Alloy Lubricated" Pre-Bent springs also .014", The "Alloy Lubricated" (I imagine) explains the red color..........and also means I didn't have to polish off any corrosion.

 

Did you notice anything else?

[Half Fast]

Oh Oh! I didn't know there would be a test

 

 

Cheers

[dc-65x]

No, not a test. I'm just hoping the other things I did don't stand out like a sore thumb!

[Don Weaver]

I've never seen anything you've done stand out like a sore thumb! .....

 

Don

[Pablo]

Ultra sweeeet, Captain.

That arm just wanted to breathe like an athlete