14 replies to this topic

[Jairus]

This is my entry for the Drift'n Fifties proxy race.  Rules and race dates are posted here.   And here on Facebook.
What I decided to build was a Ferrari 857 "Monza".  The chassis was raced from '54 to '57.  This version was powered a twin cam 4-cyl engine instead of the normal Columbo designed V12.

 

 

 

The body is vintage by Pactra.  Rims are taper lock of unknown manufacture.  The inserts are model car castings from my collection trimmed to fit tight.
Photoetch spinners are held on by an aluminum pin.

In order to make the chassis as bullet proof as possible, I used a milled brass motor bracket.
To which I added a brass tube that holds 4 ball bearings for maximum strength and support.

 

 

And now after a day at the jig, we have a complete center section.

 

This thread will go fast as I waited till I had the car mostly done before starting the thread.

Okay, to infinity and beyond!

[Jairus]

Okay, after discussing the rules with the host Sir Steve Kempson (a.k.a. Lowrider) he confirmed that the only plate brass allowed is in the flag mounting.  But not a full length tougue.... so this is what I came up with.  Sir Kempson stated it as "barely legal" so build accordingly.

 

 

Now, the rules allow either a plumber movement or floppy pans movement but not both.  I chose the plumber with a hinge running transverse behind the front axle.
The pan up-stop is the "S" bend tubing crafted to appear like the distinctive Ferrari 857 header and exhaust pipe.

 

 

To infinity and beyond!

[Jairus]

Okay, this type of car depends on the correct bits to make it realistic.
I always try to use vintage parts when possible so to that end.... A Cox guide and Dubro brass collar are sourced for the guide flag.

 

For the motor: only a JK Hawk 25 is legal for this proxy.
For the interior, vintage re-pop with an Immense Miniatures cast head.

 

These are super high quality castings and they also have full torso's and other figures available.
Immense Miniatures!

 

 

 

Guess it's time to start painting!

 

Moving on down the road!

[Jairus]

After days of fiddling, the chassis is done.  Paint is close... updates as they happen.
 

 

 

 

 

 

God bless! 

[SlotStox#53]

Great looking car Jairus

Certainly a bullet, maybe even bomb proof quality to it! Have to get some of those milled motor bracket.

Something about a fresh Pactra shell, gorgeous

[Jairus]

Enter Sandman

This Pactra body is the biggest issue for my entry in the Drift'n Fifties.  Even after polishing the outside and sanding the inside.... I can't remove blemishes or get paint to stick.
Pactra calls it: Pactron®.
I call it: should have used lacquer.

Anyway, those huge headlight "suger scoops" needed detail so with a heat gun I made some tubes and attached them to a set of model car headlights with lenses.

 

 

The look was pretty good, but the enamel I painted the body with didn't stick as I mentioned earlier.  So... as the epoxy dried, it pulled off the paint requiring touch up and other issues.
(Maybe I should get another body?)
 

 

 

Final results don't look too bad, but I do have a few months to test and make changes.

 

 

Numbers are hand painted.  Decals are the side shields and the dash gauges.

 

 

 

 

Next post should have testing info.
The little spring lead wire thingy is by Dynamic.  It keeps the lead wires from bending at the guide hole leading to a broke wire.  Pretty smart and dates back to 1964!

[slotbaker]

Beutiful work.

[Pablo]

 

Steve-a-roonie said he sent me two Mas 450S's.

IF I don't screw one up, you can have the other one if you want it.

 

I'm surprised enamel didn't stick - that's what would have been used back in the day, isn't it?

PdL says Pacton is a butyrate, which we know will curl with lacquer in any thin spots.

That leaves.....well, you're the pro so I won't say it....

[Jairus]

Thank you Paul.  But Steve is sending me an Aston Martin DBR1.  If this gets beat up in practice then I have time to paint a new one.

Figured it was butyrate when I wiped out the interior with alcohol.  The plastic reacted and turned slightly soft.  Had to use soap and water after that, and I DID sand the inside pretty good.
Weird thing is, I did the same thing with the Pactra Allard J2 body for the magazine article with no problems.  However it was painted with Lacquer so... maybe Pactra was right by saying to use Lacquer? (It was in the instructions.)

[Pablo]

In my experiments, iso alc messes up butyrate.

[SlotStox#53]

Very 50s! Who's wheels and inserts did you use Jairus? Those wires look amazing

[Half Fast]

Wow!

 

Jairus has set the bar at a very high level.

 

Build on racers.

 

Cheers

[Jairus]

Very 50s! Who's wheels and inserts did you use Jairus? Those wires look amazing

Thank you Paul.  The wheels are 'taper-lock' by someone.  Maybe K&B?  Had them set aside for years and love the way they never come loose.
The diameter is larger than Russkit repops so the inserts needed only a little sanding to pop in with no glue.

What are the inserts.... who knows.  
Came from some model car kit and since I throw nothing away... could be anything.  But they were chromed and benifitted from a black wash and a photoetch spinner held on by an aluminum pin.
The pin came from the latest Revell street rod model kit and was suppose to be used to hold the wheel to the hub allowing the wheels to spin.  But models should not roll in my opinion, so I kept them for some other purpose.
Like I said, "I throw nothing away. ;-)

[tjsguns]

Hi Jairus & Pablo & all my other slot blog friends from the past.
Been up to a lot of different stuff over the past few years.
Including contracting terminal Pancreatic and Liver cancer.
Doc's don't know how long I have but not likely very long
I'm now forced to sell my slot car collection
Greg Wells is helping me with the pics and they should be posted in the swap shop soon.
I hope you & yours are well
Say some prayers for me
(Sorry to jump your thread)

[Pablo]

May peace be with you, Tom, I pray for you.

 

The tjsguns collection will be yours to eternity no matter who buys it.

I hope it never gets split up into separate pieces and it keeps your name on it.