32 replies to this topic

[geardriven]

Over a period of time recently, I seem to be acquiring a lot of individual MPC pieces which could ultimately build the early style MPC 1/24 tubular style chassis. 
 
Should I decide to move forward with a build, I am curious to know what bodies MPC fitted with this chassis arrangement. I already know of the '57 Corvette... I was interested to know if MPC used this chassis set-up on any other of their hardbodies and/or any of the flex (i.e. Lexan) bodies.
 
I would also be interested in photos to see if I am missing any needed parts.
 
Thanks.

[Lone Wolf]

They made two different types of those chassis. One for hypoid gears and one for standard type. The hypoid type allowed a lower center of gravity.

The pieces cannot be interchanged.

[geardriven]

I have a #430 Competition Frame and #410 motor as the build basis...

[Lone Wolf]

Chuck,

I will try to supply more info later.
 
For now, type the following into the Slotblog forum search to see the one that never was:
 
MPC Ramchargers '65 Coronet

[Dave Crevie]

I bought one of these cars as a kit back when they first came out. It had a clear Lotus 25 open wheel body in the kit. It did not come with wheels/tires.

I did not build it back then, because another racer had built one and it was horrendous as a race car. A few years ago I did go ahead and build it. It's fun to play with.

[MattD]

Lancia Ferrari (D50 or something like that), front-engine Scarab, Corvette, chassis came packed under a vac-formed body.

The '65 Dodge has never been seen, as far as I know, but it was pictured in a slot mag. They had an article about it and showed thecar, but probably one of a couple prototypes. No kit or packaging shown in the mag article.

[Steve Okeefe]

Chuck,
 
There were four bodies that I know about.  I've attached some photos.
 
First, a Dodge Ramcharger in April 1965:
 

 
Next, a Scarab in May 1965 (including pictures of the parts):
 

 
 

 
Then around July, a Lancia Ferrari:
 

 
Finally around October, a 56-57 Corvette:
 

 
 

 
There were later bodies, but they were made to fit the later Dyn-O-Can chassis. There might be more MPC bodies made to fit the Dyn-O-Charger but as I said, these are the only ones I know about.
 
One detail to remember, some of these were 1/25 scale bodies, not 1/24.
 
Hope that helps!

[geardriven]

The '65 Coronet in Ramcharger "dress" would be a nice car. As someone said before a stripped and repainted Polar Light '65 Hardtop would fit the bill... plus I already have a Ramcharger decal set looking for a body. I suspect I could build some simple body mounting points and avoid the bolts through the body top...

I was also wondering if the '66 Charger ever used the "cigar" frame with the inline Dyn-O-Charger motor. I might have a source for a reproduction Charger interior plate and I am curious if the inline mounting holes would line up...???

[Ecurie Martini]

I grafted a Dyn-O-Charger chassis into a Merit 250F Maserati about 15 years ago.  I took it to Las Vegas for one of the Rad Trax slot car conventions.

 

The only thing that I recall (vividly) is "losing" it on the high bank, hitting the wall, and discovering that the chassis was made of very soft aluminum!
 
EM

[don.siegel]

What do ya mean, they never made the Ramcharger???

 

 

 

 

Right out of the box, from 1965 - trust me! 

 

Some more period paper. When they came out in 1965, they were called the "fastest production slot car in the world". 

 

 

 

Some of their earlier packaging, in a big square box: three of the four blisters are vac-form bodies! 

 

 

I know you're talking about inline, but they also did a very funky version of the GTO with a shortened version of this motor mounted sidewinder, with an idler gear - can't find a photo offhand, but I'm sure somebody has one. 

 

Also, the motor/chassis unit came with a Lotus-Ford body, so you might find a few of these combos around as an MPC car... 

 

Don 

[TSR]

Don, we trust you! Of course you will have to explain why your car has a window post that does not exist on the MPC model, but never mind!  
MPC actually made a dozen of these cars for a demo in a raceway in mid 1965, and the bolts holding the chassis went right trough the hood and the trunk, helt underneath by a jam nut. Another jam nut located the Dyn-O-Charger chassis, retained by... another pair of jam nuts. 
While printed material was prepared, shown in the magazine article, the car was never issued as a production model. I have seen many fakes or replicas over the years but never saw one actually made like those samples. 
 

[don.siegel]

A rare variant, Philippe, direct from the usine in Reims, heart of champagne country, MPC's little know French factory...

 

Boy, are you guys suspicious!

 

Don  

[geardriven]

Don's example is a '64 Dodge and the earlier literature in this thread depicts a '65 year model car as well.
So MPC was creating multiple year model Ramchargers with the inline chassis.
With my age, my locality (close to 3 dragstrips) and my interests in auto racing, I had the opportunity to see the Ramcharger Dodges, "Dyno Don" Nicholson and others like Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick during my visits to the strip. It was a spectacle to see these behemoth full-size passenger cars propel themselves down the strip...
I also have the needed hardbody kit and the "Tameless Tiger" decal set found on his current '64 GTO...(another possibility).
I'd like to direct a question to Don by asking how the body is mounted to the frame. Are they using some type of interior plate (like on the later Charger, GTO...??? ). (I don't see bolt heads, jamb nuts etc. through the body surfaces.)
I am leaning towards a Ramcharger car and I need to devise a way to create a mounting system to attach the chassis via the designated front & rear holes in the frame.
If their is anyone out their that can show a "newerbie" some methods, I would be glad to put on the learning glasses and take in a tutorrial.
Thanks.

[MattD]

If you have resin casting abilities, it is easy to cast square, round or any shape mounting posts with large flat bases that you can fit to your chassis, glue into the body, remove chassis and shorten posts to get the desired height. If you have no casting available, you can go to the hardware store and get plastic inserts that are used for self tapping screws into a concrete or other hard surfaces. You drill a hole in the wall, slip the plastic insert in and then screw the self tapping screw into the hole in the insert. You can get a metal washer to slip over the insert and make a nice mount surface in the body. After painting these look OK. Round plastic tubing is also easily used.

Don is being tongue in cheek about the Ramcharger car. That car is not known to exist in an original issue slot car, only in home built, modified model kits.

[Steve Okeefe]

Don wrote; "I know you're talking about inline, but they also did a very funky version of the GTO with a shortened version of this motor mounted sidewinder, with an idler gear - can't find a photo offhand, but I'm sure somebody has one."

 

Here ya go:

 

 

[don.siegel]

Gear, 

 

I simply used two plastic posts epoxied under the hood and trunk, with some reinforcement. I think it's Evergreen brand that makes a whole selection of plastic sheets, tubes, etc. for hobby use. Found one that fit the 4/40 screw holders that are used in many different types of kits. I can take a picture of this, but am flying to Chicago tomorrow for Thanksgiving week, so it will have to wait... 

 

But that's a pretty standard method for mounting just about any plastic kit body to a chassis; I've used square chunks of balsa too, with wood screws. 

 

Don 

[TSR]

While the Dodge "Ramcharger" was never a production piece, and had its body crudely bolted to the chassis through the body as I explained in my post above, the Pontiac GTO was a sophisticated affair with the Dyn-O-Charger motor set sidewinder and using an idler gear. Nothing wrong with an idler gear but MPC did not engineer theirs too well, so these cars do not run that well unless modified to hold the gear from wobbling around. Dynamic used a similar system on their General Electric powered sidewinder chassis.
Here are pics of the GTO kit (the car was also produced in RTR mode, inside a smaller box)





Fortunately MPC dumped their Dyn-O-Charger motor in favor of a can-type motor called te Dyn-O-Can, manufactured by the same company. Rowe Electronics of New York, that later moved to Iowa because of the punitive taxation in the NY state.
The new motor was more powerful, lighter and offered superior performance to the "big" Mabuchi FT36D of which it adopted the general size, but fortunately not the Delrin endbells.
The later cars (Pontiac GTO, Bonneville, Dodge Monaco, Dodge Charger) were marketed in "double kit" form with a clear plastic, vacuum formed shell of a GM Mako Shark. The Charger was also available as a RTR model in various colors, some of them relatively rare and really appreciated by today's collectors.





The chassis basic tooling remained the same, now with different inserts for the new motor, and later versions had a larger lower hole and a kit of parts to mount the can motor inline or sidewinder. A Ford "J" car and two versions of the Mako Shark were also available in RTR mode, using factory painted vacuum formed bodies made, for the first time in the industry, from Lexan polycarbonate material. That early Lexan was very brittle and did not take lacquer paint too kindly.
 

[MattD]

This guy ought to write a book!

[Bill from NH]

No, this guy needs to complete the book he's been writing for the past ten years.  In ten years, I could have written this book in six languages, but I only know one.

[TSR]

Such impatience! 

[Bill from NH]

When did you actually start writing that second book?

[TSR]

800 BC, but I got delayed...

[Bill from NH]

We were beginning to think that your "Book of Excuses" would be published first.

[TSR]

I make no excuses. It is what it is, and will be out whenever. 

[Samiam]

Philippe,

 

A compilation of your posts here on Slotblog could easily fill two books. I always enjoy reading your recollections of all the cars,drivers and races. In small as well as full scale. I am amazed at your ability to recall all the details. Looking forward to seeing it all in print.

 

I would like to pre-order a signed Collectors Edition please. Do you accept Pay-Pal?