79 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

All jigged up and ready for rails. My jig motor has been cooked too many times but it still gets the job done.
 

 
Funny how you can't remember some things, but others you never forget - like endbelldrive's 2" front axle tube. 
 
Cukras' four-rail car in the December 1967 Car Model Road Race at Classic Speedway, Santa Monica, CA, used a Honda body.

So I took some time to carefully measure the exact chassis width measurements of the Weslake Eagle.

Front pin tube - 1.185", rear pin tube (center of body) 1.275", rear rails (adjacent to pinion) 1.260".

[Pablo]

My Cukras style 4 rails will be a combination of tapers and curves to make it fit.

The small Sharpie dots on the inner rail mark start and stop points where I made my curve.

 

 

olescratch may get a kick out of seeing the actual Champion chrome motor in place for the tacks

Both Champion motors are longer and slightly fatter than my Mabuchi jig motor.

 

At the second Sharpie mark, the curve stops and a slight inward taper starts.

The drop arm will simply be narrowed/tapered to fit the inner rails

 

[Pablo]

Inspirational video:

 

[Pablo]

Final trim on rear wheels .883" OD

 

 

Despite my attempts to use the 50 year old front rubber, it was a fail.

It looked good enough to use, but when I started trimming it from .775" to .750" OD, it chunked.

 

 

No sweat, I'll just install some new EJ's rubber on the Riggen wheels and move on

[Jairus]

Stuff happens Paul.
EJ's rubber is soft. Go slow!
Better would be to find a cheap "O" ring.

[Pablo]

True, but it wasn't an accident. The rubber was simply tired.

 

I'm no stranger to trimming EJ's but thanks for reminding me - Orings may work better on these hubs

I'll check both.

[Pablo]

Probably the biggest challenge of this build - squeezing 4 rails into the skinny body - I did it !

Met my width goals so the body can enjoy the benefits of the Cukras floating mount without being forced.

 

My uprights are done differently due to the nature of the beast.

Cukras' actual car used a Honda body.

 

 

Others have built 4 railers for the Weslake Eagle no problem.

True, but the ones I've seen were reproductions, most likely wider than this one.

 

I abandoned the curved rail approach - matter of fact, at one point I was sure 4 rails wouldn't even be possible.

Here is what worked for me in the end:

-rods are as tight to the motor as possible

-single inward bend in the rods at the front of the motor and no spaces between them

-drop arm will be custom sized and tapered to match inner rails

 

Of course, both motors had to fit perfectly and that took some fiddling.

Now I can breathe again ..........

[Pablo]

As usual, my moment of clarity came at 2 am. The orange donuts will be fine for the chrome 29 motor.

But the black 26 with Arcos will probably just spin them and the car will barely move

So I mounted some modern rubber (JK D-4) on another new set of Professor Motor 724 Russkit replica wheels

 

 

Jairus is right, a fat O-ring will work better for the Riggen front wheels, so I ordered some size 309's from McMaster-Carr.

[Pablo]

Yup, the 309's fit perfect

 

[bluecars]

Looks like you have a lot to use up. Better get to building!

[Don Weaver]

According to the package he has plenty of time:  "Shelf life: 15 years".  

[bluecars]

True that.  Only 34 more cars to go.

[Pablo]

The minimum quantity was 50, so you guys better get building. 

[dc-65x]

At least they only cost about $5 a bag.

[Pablo]

Y'all know where they are if you need some. 

[Pablo]

Chassis is done.

 

 

 

[Samiam]

Nice!

 

So many little details to peruse over. Love that drop arm.

[Cap Henry]

Man, that thing is sweet.

[Pablo]

Thanks, guys. 

 

Final trim of the D4 rears (.880") and O-ring fronts (.752").

Extended portion of Jet Flag blade removed, then re-dyed in black Rit.

1/4 oz. Associated weight attached with double sided wing tape to stay low as possible.

 

[Pablo]

I've always had difficulty using a screw and washer to secure vintage flag shafts.

The bulge created when the screw is tightened down always binds things up. 

 

I finally got serious and tapped the shaft hole 2-56. End of problem, no wobble no binding.

 

 

[Bill from NH]

We would cut the guide post about 1/16" longer than the length (or thickness) of the droparm's guide post tube holder.

 

Next, we screwed a self-tapping screw and washer into the post's top.

 

Last, we used a hot soldering iron on top of the screw to melt everything down and used a screwdriver to keep the screw down until the plastic hardened.

 

Using the soldering iron eliminated guide wobble, tightened everything up so the guide rotated smoothly, and didn't create any bulges. The self-tapping screws used were slotted fillister head body mounting screws.

[Pablo]

Cool, Bill. 

 

Assembly is getting serious now.

- genuine Cox Superflex wires.

- silver braids soldered to holder gizmos.

- custom sized and polished PCH axles.

- ball bearings are vintage seven-ball, unshielded, high quality but unknown brand.

 

[Pablo]

Each motor, mild and wild, has its own dedicated wires, clips, pinion, and wheels.

 

[Pablo]

Assembly is complete, for now anyway.

For testing purposes, modern braid is used and wires are left long

 

 

 

Drivetrain test: absolutely scary powerful

 

[bluecars]

Anther great build as always See you Sat.