3573 replies to this topic

[Champion 507]

I think the boys in Chamblee would have been happy with your build using their stuff. Nice job.

[havlicek]

Thanks Doug...the Champion stuff is very cool, making it easy(er) to put together a really nice motor. The 55T/#29 wind is awfully nice too and should be a really good runner. BTW...I got a little package that I'm sending your way.

-john

[Champion 507]

John -

I've been standing out by my mail box in 25º to 35º weather waiting for it. Brrrrrr.

Just kidding.

Thanks John. I look forward to getting it.

No need to toot Champion's horn any more but they were the first truly full line HIGH PERFORMANCE slot car company I guess in the world. And overall, it was pretty decent stuff. In the days when I couldn't afford $9.95 for a factory built motor, you could buy the parts and build it yourself. Every time I wound another arm, I always hoped it was faster than the one I did before. I wound anything I could get my hands on. I would have rewound a horseshoe if I thought it would get closer to the stake.

Don't misunderstand me. Mura's stuff was great too. I'd like to have a half a dozen of their hi-temp endbells, magnets and blank arms right now! It's just that Champion's line also included RTR and kit cars, frames, controllers, bodies, gears, etc. in addition to their motors and tires.

[Jairus]

I WISH it had been that warm here.... these last few days anyway. Back up to 25 tonight finally. Burrrrr.

Tis the season for slow delivery due to all the fruit cakes being carefully transported by our Federal postal service.

[Champion 507]

It got down to 11º a few nights ago. B-b-b-brrrrrrr!!!!!!

There are also a bunch of fruit cakes who don't have a clue how to drive in ice and snow that are causing a bunch of wrecks. It seems when we have snow or ice, some people seem to go faster. DUH! Is that one or two brain cells you got under that 55 gallon hat bubba?

[HarV Wallbanger III]

Yo guy! ya need any more stickers? What is your favorite one?? Just let me know.

[havlicek]

No need to toot Champion's horn any more but they were the first truly full line HIGH PERFORMANCE slot car company I guess in the world. And overall, it was pretty decent stuff.

Well, I can almost hear the rumblings of a debate coming on that one Doug Besides the "who was first" thing, Champion's stuff was a significant step up from anything Mabuchi had done and to this day a really good motor can be fashioned with their parts. Considering how many decades later this is, that says something. Before anyone chimes in with how cheap modern motors can blow them away, that's really besides the point. Gimme a bunch of Champion OR Mura stuff to tinker with and I'm a happy camper By the way, I don't even care whether it "early" or "later" stuff...it's ALL good

Yo guy! ya need any more stickers? What is your favorite one?? Just let me know.

Hi Barney,

Well since you asked, I like all of the colors...so whatever you got! Did you ever get that motor to play around with?


-john

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

I am not sure I would assert that an FK beats a vintage motor except on price!

As for champion. In the day, natural manufacturing limits ment that whatever they did in motors was usually several months behind what the small local motor builders were doing.

I didn't buy a "whole" anything until Bob Green came out with "factory" issues that actually met my personal standards of quality. Even then, I usually did "mix and match". When I discuss the motors of this period, you will notice I never talk about "out of the box"...as I never did that!

Fate

[HarV Wallbanger III]

I'll get some silver and do some in that as well. No never did order it tell me again where, what and part #....
Thanks

[Phil Irvin]

It got down to 11º a few nights ago. B-b-b-brrrrrrr!!!!!!

There are also a bunch of fruit cakes who don't have a clue how to drive in ice and snow that are causing a bunch of wrecks. It seems when we have snow or ice, some people seem to go faster. DUH! Is that one or two brain cells you got under that 55 gallon hat bubba?

......THATS DAMN NEAR T SHIRT LEAVEL.......We had a wind chill of -12 the other night......I went out my door.......Made it 3 feet before deciding I didn't need to go get dinner....SOO I orderd delivery..Let them freeze. I gladly gave them an extra large tip....

PHIL I.

[havlicek]

I am not sure I would assert that an FK beats a vintage motor except on price!

...oh I wasn't necessarily talking about an FK Rocky. A modern C-can G20 motor is somewhere between $40 and $50 and that's a fast motor right out of the box (er...bag). So obviously, we're not necessarily talking about the appeal of vintage motors from strictly a performance standpoint. My thought was about the fact that a really satisfying performance experience can be had with a completely vintage motor (of course in a vintage chassis as well)...these things can be fast. Even the padlock crowd can have lots of fun! Heck, someone could restore an early 60's XKE Jag and get some thrills (in between trips back to the garage to fix stuff)

No never did order it tell me again where, what and part #....

No problem Barney, here's a link to the SCX RX42B motor. Think sort of a modern 13UO Mabuchi...that actually has potential

-john

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Well..... a "Vulcan" in the day, or a signiture something, the real motor not the mass motors usually involved about 50 bucks off the shelf. Modern 50buck motors are sinfully cheap by comparison.

But, as you probably realize, I just really enjoy the motor building part. Not for performance, I just like the work.

Fate

[havlicek]

...of course Rocky

Speaking of work, I just finished-off a really nice Champion FT16D build for Mr. Frank and one of his cool thingies. Frank had sent me a bunch of motors to work with, but there wasn't anything really worth the effort. Some nice ball bearing cans with blown bearings, all the endbells were cracked either around the bushing or at the hardware screws or both, arms that were groundbalanced etc. I was able to use one stack by replacing the shaft with a drill blank, so that's something So Frank told me he wants to go fast, and I figure a single #28 wind is getting close to the max for this type of motor. I installed a salvaged Mura com after replacing the shaft and had at it like so:


I then put together a NOS Champion endbell with some Tradeship hardware and also sleeved/installed a ball bearing in the endbell. For the can, I used a NOS Champion can (both the endbell and the can came from Roger at Mid America) and the stock Champion magnets which are surprisingly good.



The arm meters around .3 ohm and the completed motor draws somewhere around 1.75 amps after a short break-in. The whole thing sounds very strong and while it does warm-up a little after a while on the power supply, it seems like it is just this side of safety

-john

[Jairus]

Killer John!

Nice to see the Frank is getting into vintage motors finally!
J

[havlicek]

Hey thanks Jairus. Yep...Frank does some really neat thingies, but they just don't seem right without some appropriate horsepower in there

-john

[Mr. Frank]

Well guys; I'll be waiting and reporting as soon as I get it.. Can't wait.. Thanks John.. Your the motor man... Mr. Frank

[havlicek]

No thanks necessary Frank. Now do your chassis magic and have some (more) fun

-john

[havlicek]

This one took a while longer than most. After trying to be "practical" with the old Mabuchis for a while now, it was time to throw "practical" out the window. My friend Ernie wanted a two hole Mura to "go like a banshee". So I got out a Mura and tore it apart, cleaned it up and gave it a fresh coat of white appliance epoxy paint. While that was cooking in the Easy Bake^TM oven, I got busy with a #23 wind After brake-in, it's down to a solid 4 amps and the motor spins down as hard as it spins up. It doesn't seem to get very warm after extended running on the power supply, but this is a motor that's definitely right "on the edge". I think driving this one will be something like what General Chuck Yeager went through...OK...I exaggerate sometimes



-john

[Tex]

Somewhere, a closet is missing it's wire coathanger.

[havlicek]

For sure Tex. This motor is deep into "holy cr*p" territory, and for a few laps at a time should be a real thrill (and a handful) to drive. I think that with the right gearing...meaning numerically high enough to let the thing wind, and the right chassis/tires it should be something. I can't really get it past 5V or so freewheeling on the power supply without getting frightened and at 2V it sounds like a pretty hot Mabuchi rewind at full power. Spooky, but these old Mura motors are tough as nails

-john

[Alchemist]

""it was time to throw "practical" out the window. ""
I like throwing stuff out the window too - LOL!!

WooHoo! Can't wait John! So, you think I should consider a gear ratio of 8:1 or something like that - LOL!!!!!!

I've been receiving applications for my AARP card but I feel like an excited kid impatiently waiting for the toy I've been wanting all year!

Thanks so much John!!!

Ernie

Does this mean I will need a new controller? I have an older Parma 1 ohm controller?!

[havlicek]

Hi Ernie,

I'm glad you're stoked...don't drink any caffeine before you try the motor though I think the car is going to be twitchy with that controller and things might get warm too. Maybe someone here can chime in with their experiences and give you better info on the controller. A choke might come in handy as well so you can dial it back some Seriously, don't forget my offer if the motor's a bit too much OK? Oh yeah, on the car a couple of things might need attention. First, getting it to "hook-up" might be something to look at (traction). Second, having weight in the right places (over the guide, at the outside edges) will be important and maybe some air control to help keep it planted. How you do all this will depend on the chassis and body you're going to use, but there are loads of folks here with MUCH better experience at setting up something like this than me. Maybe they'll also chime-in.
I haven't mailed it yet as I'm waiting to finish off some more motors before going to the Post Office. It's a solid 30-40 minute wait this time of year, so I want to go there as few times as possible until after Christmas.

-john

[havlicek]

Another "Tiny Terror" SCX RX42 rewind for Ed Miller. A #29 single wind that draws around an amp and is neutral-timed so it can go either way. The arm draws about 1 amp:


...the completed motor:


-john

[Alchemist]

Wow! Another work of art - what size is the motor/what scale car will it be powering please; 1/32 scale?

Ernie

[havlicek]

Hi Ernie,

Yes, I believe the cars that use these type motors (there are several very similar motors by the manufacturer) are all 1/32 scale. The motor is very slim...somewhere around 7/8" wide by 5/8" tall even though the arm is a "standard" .510" or so. The motor isn't very short due to the long endbell mostly, but the endbell can be replaced with a modern C can endbell without too much trouble...and the can could be cut down a bit also without touching the stack which would leave it short as well. Neat motors.

-john