31 replies to this topic

[Champion 507]

In a recent build, Pablo was very gracious and not only re-gifted me a motor from long ago, but custom built a whole car to go around it.  It's the awesome LaCucaracha you see in the background, complete with scratch built multi-brass rod IFC chassis and custom painted vacuum formed Cuc body.

 

As I pondered what he was doing for me, I was also pondering how I could thank him. In going through all my junk...er, um, I mean, stuff,  I came across the splendid rewound Classic CM450 FT-26D motor you see in the photo. Then I remembered Pablo had given me that motor a number of years ago. I had intended to scratch build a chassis and put it under a late 1960's Nascar body, also in the photo. As you can see, I never got started on it.

 

I loved watching the progress as "the master" crafted my Cuc. So, I thought I would love to see a Pablo-built Mercury Cyclone being constructed right before our very eyes, computer screens and cell phones. I want to see how he designs and builds the car with the parts I have furnished him. I also want to see what kind of paint job he puts on the body. The only constraints he has is to build a car from the furnished parts.

 

Pablo, have at it! We'll all be watching. 

 

Upon completion, you have 3 choices:

 

1. Keep the car for yourself.

2. Sell the car for fun and profit.

3. Auction it off for charity or Slotblog.

 

The parts are boxed up and will be in the mail to you Monday. I hope you enjoy building this one. I will be anxious to see how it all plays out. Have fun and thanks again for the Cuc 

 

[Pablo]

Hey this is gonna be fun

SEND IT

[Champion 507]

The box is now in the capable hands of the U.S. Post Office!    

[Pablo]

Got it! I'm already making progress; the 'parts gathering phase" is almost complete

[Pablo]

Looking at the parts and thinking.......

26D rewind, heavy drop arm, heavy motor bracket, inline.

A big motor requires a heavy chassis and a heavy chassis requires a heavy body.

 

The Lancer Cyclone is a really nice item, but it's very thin, about 5 thou

If I built a proper period chassis for a souped up 26D, the pins would rip the holes out of the body just picking it up.

This body belongs on a light 4.5" flexi chassis with a "C' can or an FK motor as a "one-race" affair.

 

Doug, I'll offer you two alternative body choices:

-a big thick Thingie

 

 

or, a 4.5" 10 thou retro NASCAR body, Pablo painted, trimmed, and detailed.

It's just gathering dust on a shelf

 

 

With option #2, we wouldn't even have to bug Cheater to change the thread title

[Champion 507]

Pablo,

 

The NASCAR body will be fine 

[Pablo]

Underside of the body reveals it is a virgin - no oil droplets or track splooge

 

 

Specs: WB 4.5", GL 3/4", chassis and track width 3", clearance level 1/16".

Front wheels 13/16 OD, .375 wide, rear wheels 7/8 OD, 5/8 wide.

Motor bracket straightened, flattened, bushing holes hogged out as needed, then sanded with 400 grit.

Drop arm shortened and sanded with 400

 

[Pablo]

Motor bracket complete:

-oilites soldered in perfect alignment

-height jigged for .875 OD wheels with bracket face perpendicular to block and bottom at ground zero

-tinned bracing wire is .047

 

[Pablo]

Tinned .063 wire rails connect bracket to drop arm

 

[Pablo]

The monster is all jiggyyied up and I'd be a fool to not make this a Mike Katz retro Stock Car style chassis. Fairly simple, floppy pans, and you know it will flat out "WORK"

 

[Bill from NH]

That Mike Katz stockcar  chassis is like the Dennis Samson F1 chassis. On east coast tracks, both are capable of winning wherever they're run. I haven't heard if Mike ever tweaks the original design to run even better, or he still builds them the same way. perhaps he'll chime in. That chassis has won for at least 4 or 5 years. Have fun building yours.

[Pablo]

If a guy soldered in a toothbrush motor, this car would be legal for an IRRA® race. Just sayin' 

I added another 1/16 wire rail

 

 

Pans are .032 x 3/4", 2 3/4" long, with triple body mount pin tubes

 

[olescratch]

  Nice little trick right there, they both have pin tubes in the same places. 

[Pablo]

Thanks John   That trick has been around a long time, I can't take credit.

 

Front jig axle becomes a dummy. In other words, a temporary home for pieces of .055 wire uprights.

Later, dummy comes out, complete new axle/wheel set drops in and gets wire wrapped

 

 

1/16" hinge tubes nest between the rails. Forward tubes will house twin independent sets of wires a la Tony P.    Rear ones will have singles. Stay tuned if that sounds confusing

 

 

 

[Pablo]

Wheels are JK "Big Daddys" - fronts 3/32", rears 1/8".

Front axle/wheel set is done. Rear JK donuts are drying

Doug, are you digging this? Hope so

 

[Champion 507]

You and that soldering iron are quite amazing 

 

You're even more amazing if you're doing that with a Weller 100/140 watt soldering gun like we had to 50 years ago 

[Pablo]

All wires on my builds are tinned with my Weller Gun - everything from .015 to .094"

[Pablo]

[Pablo]

Pan management - .047 bite bars, .039 down stops. 20 thou lift and a hair of droop

 

 

Fronts are on and into the tumbler she goes.........

 

[Pablo]

 

 

[Champion 507]

Can't wait to see it finished 

[Pablo]

Brass pinion was rather longish

 

 

So I shortened it about a 16th

 

 

and polished the business end just for fun

 

 

Dynamic flag installation was a snap and I got a very nice wobble free rotation

Three 10 thou spacers got the ride height in the ballpark

 

 

 

 

 

[Pablo]

New Marlin wires installed. Made a pair of braid attachment gizmos from old braid connectors

 

 

Flag has a nice, soft self centering action.

I know it looks like the gizmos will contact the tongue, but it's just the camera angle

 

[Pablo]

I found a pair of orange nylon spacers to match the orange 26D motor nicely.

Rears trimmed/trued .900" OD X 5/8" width. PCH axle custom cut to fit.

 

 

[Pablo]

The antique and well-used endbell already had some hairline cracks and the upper mounting hole spread a little during installation. But she's in there nice and snug.

 

Ready for the body. The gears "liked" each other - she passed the drivetrain test real nice and smooth. Sounds like perfect power for a stocker