453 replies to this topic

[Tom Katsanis]

Yes as far as I can see Alan the Ram motor dominated I believe it was mostly to do with them being able to handle 36v better than the Pittmans.

A 7 pole armature is supposed to be a smoother delivery of the power.

& If you look back through the magazine's you can see that all the Ram powered cars had there gears on the right & nearly all Pittman powered cars had them on the left.

[don.siegel]

Ram motors also had welded wire connections to the commutator, instead of soldered like on the Pittmans; and Husting also talked about using Pittman 85A brushes on the Ram. In one of the drag meet reports from late 66, all motors used were Ram. 

 

Don 

[hiline2]

Alan, Isnt the original car in one of the "Slot Car" museums ? The one in California (Los Angeles Slot Car Museum).

 

Maybe they could take some detailed photos from underneath to see the drop arm wire detail better ?

 

PS: here is old link showing one of his other cars and you can see how he attached the drop arm wire in it .

 

http://slotblog.net/...52-years/page-3

[TSR]

Paul,
no, it is a different car. The one Alan is making such a fine replica was not in the Husting collection that was donated to the museum. 

[hiline2]

Paul,
no, it is a different car. The one Alan is making such a fine replica was not in the Husting collection that was donated to the museum. 

I knew it was same car , just that it showed how he  had connected the drop arm wire on that particular one which might of been similar.

 

So does anyone know where the subject car is ?

[Alan Draht]

HI everyone!  

 

Thanks for the efforts to find out how Gene Husting executed these details on the original car!  

[Alan Draht]

I decided to move forwards with the idea I proposed earlier of epoxying a small magnesium block to the side rail to serve as an anchor point for the drop arm's spring.

 

I also decided that Gene used the drop arm spring to both "lightly load" the pickup as well as serve to "stop" or prevent the drop arm from swinging past a point 3/4" below the front wheels.

[Alan Draht]

So, I found a length of  0.0285" O.D. tubing (I don't know what gauge that is) and 0.0200" piano wire that seemed to be the right stiffness for its intended purpose which slides neatly inside the hypo tubing.

 

I drilled a hole the length of the magnesium block for the hypo tube to slide into.

 

I epoxied the magnesium block to the upper stile of the left frame rail.  The block is the same height as the stile so it finishes flush with the frame top and bottom.

 

(A photo of Husting demonstrating how his dragster's drop arm and spring work -- the pickup's "stop" at 3/4" below the front wheels --  is attached for reference).

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 

[Alan Draht]

Simultaneous with building the drop arm's spring assembly, I worked on another essential part of the car:  installing a driver figure and roll bar to comply with the rules under which this Husting dragster raced and set track records in 1966.

 

The 1966 Rod & Custom drag meet "General rules -- All Classes" states, "...all entries must have ... a driver and steering wheel.  Drivers must have arms and helmets."

 

The Fuel Top Eliminator Division -- 36 volts" -- Dragster Class rules states, "Driver can be located anywhere on the chassis and roll bar does not have to be part of chassis, but must be securely attached".

 

Replicating Gene Husting's car from magazine article photos is fine, but it still necessitates figuring out how to install the driver and a removable "platform" inside the chassis.

 

I created a lightweight platform out of 1/8" square aluminum tube and body material that fits snugly inside the space between the frame rails which is 0.7760" wide.  A Russkit driver, complete with arms, helmet and a steering wheel, is epoxied to the platform.

 

The platform can be slid fore and aft for positioning.  Husting had his driver/ roll bar placed as far as it could go towards the drop arm hinge.  I think Husting wanted this kind of dead weight positioned forwards to bias weight towards the dragster's nose.

 

This replica copies Husting's placement of the driver figure and roll bar in his 1966 dragster.

 

Once the platform is positioned, the bottom surface is taped to the frame rails below to secure it.

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 
• 

[Alan Draht]

...

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 
• 

[boxerdog]

This is like a mini-series in that you are always looking forward to the next "episode".

 

Back in the day, we just hacked them together (we were lucky if we had access to a drill press) or gave up and bought a Russkit. We usually tried to copy Braverman's stuff, but we were not old/skilled enough to pull it off. 

 

Great thread!

[Alan Draht]

The drop arm's spring was fabricated to support the pickup end as Husting's photo shows.

 

Piano wire (0.200") wraps around the hinge pivot tube one time, then it bends up and back to insert the fixed end of the wire into its anchor block.

 

The O-ring acts as a retainer to keep the wire coil on the drop arm's hinge shaft as pictured.  This is helpful for disassembly and reassembly because without it the spring easily pops off the hinge pivot tube.

 

Neither the hypo tube nor the piano spring wire are glued to the magnesium anchor block.

 

I discovered that the hypo tube sleeve and the spring wire inside it both slide back and forth slightly when the drop arm moves up and down.  Gluing the wire and sleeve to the anchor block would impede the drop arm's freedom of movement.

 

The wire spring is held captive mechanically by the drop arm assembly, so it's secure in the chassis. 

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

[Alan Draht]

The spring supports/ raises the pickup when the car is upside down.  The spring places a slight load on the pickup to make sure the stranded braid makes good contact as the car travels down the strip.

 

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Alan Draht]

This is what the car looks like with the driver sitting in his cockpit, helmet sticking out of the cockpit opening, just like Husting's car.

Attached Images

• 
• 

[dc-65x]

Your project is really taking shape Alan, you should be very proud of what you crafted.  

 

If you haven't already lined up a period guide and that "ultra-flex" stuff they used in the guide instead of braid I can help.

[Alan Draht]

Thanks Rick!  

 

I am pleased with the way this project is turning out.

 

I haven't lined up either a period guide or the "ultra-flex" stuff.  I didn't know "ultra-flex" was a commercial slot car product.  I thought the mid-1960's racers made their own out of stranded copper wire taken from, say, lamp cord.  

 

So, yes, if you have a period guide and "ultra-flex" to spare, that would be great.  

 

In fact, I was waiting to complete the drop arm spring assembly and driver/ roll bar details before asking a question about the magwinder's guide and braid.

 

I'm assuming that the Pro's of 1966 like Gene Husting and Manuel Maldonado discovered through track experience that "ultra -flex" is the only way to go for magwinders.

 

Performance-wise, is "ultra-flex" still the best practice today at the drag strip?  Do most drag racers today use it regardless of which race class they compete in?

[Alan Draht]

I plan on painting the body.  Of course it's the last thing I'll do once I'm done building the car and it's ready to race.

 

Citing the Rod & Custom drag rules again, "General Rules -- All Classes" says, "Each car must display class letters and numbers not less than 3/8-inch high".

 

Here are a couple of photos of Gene Husting's car for reference.

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Alan Draht]

Is there a recommended method for reproducing the "AA/D" dragster class letters displayed on Husting's car body?

 

I don't know what font that is.  I'm just looking for a similar style of lettering.

[dc-65x]

Hi Alan,

 

I don't know what Gene used for pickup "brushes" on his car but I have this:

 

 

There are other period brands but I have extras of the International stuff you are welcome to if you decide that's what you want to use:

 

 

I remember seeing old magazine articles where they would twist 3 strands or so together and solder the end. Then put it in the guide and "comb" it our into individual strands.

 

I also have the Russkit "preying mantis" style driver's head like Gene used if you need it.

[Alan Draht]

Thanks, Rick.  I'll try some of the International "ultra-flex" wire.  I'll PM you.

 

You caught me totally off guard, though, with the "preying mantis" style driver's head!

 

The only major difference that I can see between the Russkit driver I was planning to use and the one pictured in Gene's car is that my driver's helmet has a visor and Gene's doesn't.

 

Is this a "preying mantis" style driver's head?  (Sorry the photo is out of focus; it's that way in the magazine article).

Attached Images

• 

[dc-65x]

Yes it is. I'm not sure what body that is. It could be the Russkit body...........

[dc-65x]

These could be the AA/D decals. The are vintage K&B:

 

 

They are 50+ years old. I have hung old decals inside a sunny window to let the sunlight bleach out most of the yellowing. I also use a light coat of Testors clear spray lacquer to hopefully prevent them from cracking (a tip from Jairus). There is only one AA/D decal on the entire sheet.

 

[Alan Draht]

Hi Rick,

 

Yes, that appears to be the very same decal Gene Husting used.  Of course it's the only AA/D on the sheet.

 

Thank you for finding and exhibiting that K&B decal sheet.  It makes sense that K&B would have this decal sheet to go along with their other retail dragster slot car offerings.

 

I am going to see what kinds of typefaces Letraset has to offer.  Maybe I can find something suitable there.

[dc-65x]

I'd be happy to send you the decal, drivers head and some of the pickup wire. It's nice to see vintage cars being built.  

[Alan Draht]

Hi Rick,

 

Thank you!  You're very generous!  

 

Oh, and Letraset doesn't exist any more.  Like telephone directories.