52 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

This is a project I've been wanting to do for quite a while. 

 

Two sets of Tradeship 3.5:1 bevel gears, two 64P stainless steel Weldun spur gears, a pair of SKF 3/32" ball bearings, two pair of Boca 1/8" ball bearings and a nice new old stock Pittman DC65 6 volt motor:

 

 

It's going to be a 4WD with a single motor and a drive shaft powering the front wheels.   Here's my highly technical proof of concept:

 

 

I'm going to make up a series of 4 "bulkheads" to mechanically align the motor and drive shaft and tie everything together in a space frame design.

 

Here's a space frame example, a Lotus 7 chassis:

 

 

Rather than tubular bulkheads I'll be making up sheet brass pieces along the lines of the old Russkit 22 motor brackets:

 

 

The initial sketch of one of the motor bulkhead brackets:

 

 

But first I need to get the Pittman DC 65 ready for the project. It needs to be disassembled and the end pieces drilled and tapped to mount to those brackets. I'll also be doing a 1960's style "hop-up" by adding ball bearings and epoxying and balancing the armature.........

[Bill from NH]

Rick are you building the original STP  Indy Turbine? Or a monster truck?

[Alchemist]

Hi Rick,

 

Hope all is well!

 

Glad to see you showcasing your new project - a technically challenging project at that!!

 

Looking forward to viewing the progress pictures.

 

Thank you for sharing!

 

Ernie

[dc-65x]

Hi Ernie 

 

I'm not quite sure what body to use yet Bill. I want it to be from the 1965 or so time frame. It also needs to not have enormous wheel openings. It needs to look good with 15/16" diameter tires.

 

I don't want to angle the front of the motor down close to the track like I normally would with big diameter tires. I want to keep the driveshaft inline with both gears.

[dc-65x]

My good friend Rodney just emailed me about different gear arrangement that would allow the use of larger diameter tires and the motor to be lowered below the wheel centerline. Thanks Rodney.

 

If I moved the rear pinion gear off of the motor shaft and on to the drive shaft the motor can move up or down. The drive shaft and it's bevel gear sets are aligned with the wheel centerline and the motor drops down for a low center of gravity.

 

That's good to know because there are several later 1967 Lancer bodies with BIG wheel openings I'd like to use with a scale tire size 4WD.....maybe with a hot 26D motor..........

 

But for this build, it's already set in stone. The motor brackets for my initial gear arrangement are off the milling machine.........

 

 

.............and ready to go:

 

 

I was going to work on the motor first but I got wrapped up in the bracket design and went with it:

 

 

Now, back to that motor..........

[Larry Horner]

Wow Rick, your craftsmanship never fails to amaze me! And just so you know, your Iso Grifo post from years ago is what started my own AWD madness ... I blame you! But seriously, thank you for inspiring all of us. And this build is looking amazing! 

[Steve Deiters]

Very cool.

[havlicek]

Super nifty Rick!  I think there might be some watchmakers in Switzerland peeking-in for tips and tricks! 

[dc-65x]

Thanks, I'm glad you guys like the project too.

 

The heart of this beasty:

 

 

It was dissembled down to this point. No need to re-stack all those pole pieces. 

 

 

I epoxied the arm windings and did a period razor blade static balance on the arm:

 

 

It's all polished up and ready to go:

 

 

The motor end plates are next.......

[Jairus]

We all have to flog ourselves on a crazy project.  I am still working on my second STP Turbine car..... [eyeroll]
Enjoy the flogging Rick, it looks good so far.

[dc-65x]

Thanks Jairus

 

I drilled and tapped both Pittman end pieces to attach the motor to the motor bracket bulk heads. I also lapped the back sides of the end pieces flat and milled the mounting surfaces flat too:

 

 

The pieces in front are the modified bits all buffed up and with ball bearings installed:

 

 

All the modified pieces ready to come together:

 

 

The assembled motor back in the setup fixture for some final fiddling before I start the chassis:

 

[munter]

Looks impressive...I bet it will sound great too.

[James Wendel]

An excellent point, John.  Capt'n Rick needs a YouTube channel so he can share short track-test videos.

 

(Sorry Rick, it's just wishful thinking on my part.)

[dc-65x]

I don't know about modern racers being interested.........drifting Pittman powered vintage style cars with urethane tires around the track is a whole different world from today's cars that are punched from turn to turn. Bounce a modern car off a wall, no problem. Just put the car back on and go. A brass rod vintage car like I'm building would wad up into a ball.     The car has to be driven.....not punched. It reminds me of real car racing before down force from air control took over. 

 

Next up are the rear bearing mounts. I'm using more sheet brass and some very vintage bearing "duffys" (holders):

 

 

All soldered up:

 

 

Ready for the chassis build........

[stoo23]

Wow !! that's Wild !!,.. LOL

Bit How on earth do you manage to keep your Building Jig So CLEAN ???,..

 

EDIT:,.. Ahh Silly me I just noticed it says "Setup Fixture" on it,.. DOH !!,..

[dc-65x]

Here's the setup jig doing a banner job of allowing me to get the 4 bulkheads fixtured in "Korrect" alignment with the motor, drive shaft and axles:

 

 

Here are all the gizmos and doodads I ended up with to get everything ready for making the 27 solder joints:

 

 

 

[dc-65x]

It's out of the jig, all trimmed up and buffed:

 

 

 

I did a test fit of the motor and all the gears. Everything was nice and smooth. Accurate drilling of all the holes in the motor and brackets and careful alignment in the chassis jig really paid off:

 

 

So far, so good

 

 

The drop arm pivot is next.........

[Pablo]

Wild chassis for sure       

[Larry Horner]

Once again, absolutely stunning!

[dc-65x]

Thanks guys, it's a weird one for sure. But when I test fit all the gears, wheels, tires and motor it really looks pretty cool.....in a weird way

 

OK, the drop arm hinge tubes are to be soldered up against the forward motor bracket for strength. That would mean the drop arm pivot tube would drag against the motor bracket.

 

This was a great excuse to play with my little hobby lathe:

 

 

I made some hinge tubes from bar stock slightly larger in diameter than the 3/32" drop arm tube. Yes, I could just double up the pivot tubes with 1/8" tube but that's no fun:

 

 

Here's the result. The hinge tubes are .110":

 

 

Now there's a slight gap between the pivot tube and the bracket:

 

 

Hey, it might work

 

[Pablo]

I bet the Hard Rock builders in New Orleans could have saved a lot of money if they had simply consulted with Capt. Rick 

[dc-65x]

I love my R-GEO chassis jig. It aligns and holds in place for soldering the center drop arm rod making for an easy peasy job:

 

 

The finished drop arm all trimmed out and buffed up. A simple design for simpler times 

 

 

Body mounts are next.........

 

 

[Horsepower]

What do you use to polish the tarnished motor pieces?

[dc-65x]

.On this Pittman 65 I used a Dremel carbon steel wire wheel and Simichrome paste metal polish.

[Horsepower]

Thanks!