9 replies to this topic

[havlicek]

... the legendary and completely fictional racer who won the also totally made-up 192-hour Tokyo Enduro of 1964 as captain of the ridiculously fake Team Mabuchi, I did an old-school FT16D.     I was going to use all Mabuchi parts (even though it only makes things more difficult). The shaft on this motor was splined, so I cut it off at the end, and pressed the stack onto a new shaft... a fiddly PITA.  Having done that, I was able to use the stock lams (which work well BTW) and installed a Tradeship comm.

The magnets were shimmed way-the-heck in and, after tossing the fiber stack-end insulators, the arm got powder coated. Of course, it had to be Yamaguchi-san's favorite 50t/29 wind.  To top off the set-up, the hoods got drilled and soldered to the brush tubes, and backed-up under the hood screws with a phenolic washer. A set of NOS brushes, 15 gauge stainless steel springs, and post sleeves made it all vintagey-goodie.

Result is a vintage motor (with some of my last clean Mabuchi FT16D parts) that sings a lovely song. Good for 192 hour enduro?... Certainly not!, but pretty danged good N-E-Waze.

 

 

[olescratch]

I notice extra "tying" is being used with this motor. Can you explain why? 

 

BTW, as usual, nice!

[havlicek]

Hi John,

I did some of my arms this way (although with unwaxed dental floss) when I was a kid. Now, I sometimes do it as strictly a "vintage" thing, but also these Mabuchi stacks make for sloppy and less stable winds/coils, especially out by the crown, and this strengthens/stabilizes the coils a good amount. I also went a little heavier with the epoxy on this arm for the same reason.

[havlicek]

Legend has it that Yamaguchi-san was like the Whitey Ford of slots. By the end of the Tokyo Enduro, he is supposed to have lost 10 lbs, even though other team members tried their best to keep him hydrated. 

 

I can't find it (because it doesn't exist in actuality), but there's a photo somewhere of him being wheeled into an ambulance after the race with him and his trophy on the gurney... his Cox controller dangling from the side! At the hospital, he was slipping in and out of consciousness, but was finally revived by wafting a bottle of oil of wintergreen under his nose! Whataguy! 

[Eddie Fleming]

You know I think I almost remember Walter Cronkite having that story on. Almost...

 

Great-looking motor by the way.

[havlicek]

Hi Eddie (and thanks!),

It's sad to think that because of the one small detail (his never having existed), most slot racers today know nothing about Yamaguchi. I think you may be right though, because I almost remember the Cronkite piece you mentioned. At first I thought it was Chet Huntley (or wazzit David Brinkley?). 

[A. J. Hoyt]

Do I smell a new fictional novel? I would read it.

[Gator Bob]

I'd watch the move.

[Alchemist]

 

 

Good for 192 hour enduro?.

The motor looks to withstand a 250 hour enduro easily! ! !

 

Simply gorgeous John!

 

Have you considered starting your own motor museum?!

 

Ernie

[havlicek]

The motor looks to withstand a 250 hour enduro easily! ! !

 

Simply gorgeous John!

 

Have you considered starting your own motor museum?!

 

Ernie

 

Thanks Ernie.  I just hope that Hiro likes it if he sees it...wherever he is!