179 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

It was good to have choices, but I like that one the best.

I'll polish the edges and call it done 

[Pablo]

Team Associated iron weight nests on the shaker platform, secured with contact cement. That's the only weight I'll add to this car. Eddie can decide where and how he wants more if needed. Fore/aft balance point is halfway between the axles and total weight is 143 grams

 

 

Brass polished with "Mothers California Gold" 

 

 

 

Boxing up the Lotus and sending it to the City of Angels 

 

 

[eshorer]

This has been a fun project to see take shape. It's at a bit of a disadvantage due to the narrow track width compared to other cars that are class legal. But I'm optimistic that I'll be able to finesse its way onto the podium. When the world (and our world of slot car raceways) opens up again, that is. First, I'll do my best to get the pin-striping decals on. If I can leave the Team Boola markings on it I will. In any case, I'll be able to run some laps with it on my King Mini Boola home track when it arrives, and I'll report back.

Thanks again for taking it on. I hope it wasn't too painful!  

Eddie

[Pablo]

  The only easy day was yesterday    But no more hardbodies unless I get to pick which one 

[Bill from NH]

Build them as inlines, but I don't see a line forming at your door. Does Billy need a new class or two?

[eshorer]

Build them as inlines, but I don't see a line forming at your door. Does Billy need a new class or two?

 

As long as it's called Slot Car RACING people are going to build the fastest, best-handling car they can in order to do well in the races. And as long as sidewinders and angle winders are allowed in the same class with inlines, the inlines are going to be left behind. There may be a few exceptions, but they would be rare. 

Eddie

[SpeedyNH]

back in the 60's, i used to build endbell drive inline brass pan chassis for my 1/24 long-wheelbase cars to get the center of gravity further forward without adding extra weight. i was about the only one that did it that way. then i'd recess the motor down through the pan to keep the weight as low as i could with my large-diameter 26D motor of choice and also help lighten the rear end a little. 

it worked pretty slick- i don't recall my inline '66-67 Fairlane ever losing a race; it contributed to my winning the club championship the first time. the '68 Charger that i built next was almost as fast, but the body was a little long so it didn't rotate quite as well. i still have that one. 

[eshorer]

It would be an interesting comparison with Hardbody cars in the same class, to see how much (if any) difference there would be between inline and the rest. We race Retro on the same track as Hardbody, and in the two Coupe races of the year (Checkpoint Cup and Summer Western Classic) any motor configuration is allowed, any inlines entered are usually toward the rear of the pack. ALL of the other races in SCRRA Retro are inline, so it's not like they don't know how to make them work.

Eddie

[Pablo]

If I was looking at the Lotus Europa body without regard to racing, purely from a "I'm going to make a slot car with this body" standpoint, the very first thing I'd ask myself is, "will it work as an anglewinder?".

 

And the answer to myself would be, "No".

 

But the car has to race against anglewinders, and a skinny top heavy inline isn't going to keep up with a group of experienced BP racers with wider bodies. I'm just re-phrasing what Eddie said.

 

Eddie wanted to put a Lotus on the podium in that class and I was the volunteer that built the car. End of story 

[eshorer]

The Europa safely arrived to Los Angeles yesterday. Except for a taillight cover and weight that didn’t stick its all good. I did my best with those pinstripe decals but a couple just didn’t make it. I wish I had requested a “quick-change” body system because those wiggly pinholders can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. It IS narrow, but the only way to have gotten it wider would have been to raise it another quarter inch. Ugh!
I’ll report on its running once I get it on a track. Dang I miss racing!
Eddie

 

 

 

 

[Pablo]

The weight was attached with contact cement. I admit it was a hair too large to fit between the shakey wires so it may have not layed completely flat. Try removing the weight, filing all four edges a little until it fits better, re-activate the cement with lacquer thinner, maybe add a little more, and re-attach.

 

On the body pins, actually I was amazed how easy they found the holes considering the floppy design. Stick them in one at a time halfway, stop, wiggle it gently until it finds the hole, then push. Ya gotta finesse them. Also, by looking between the outer pan edges at each individual tube, you can see which way it's pointed, especially if you pull the skirt outward a hair.

 

Drive it like ya stole it. I made it, I can fix it too 

[eshorer]

Here's a little video of the Europa in action on my King Mini Boola home track. First impressions: It's VERY smooth and I couldn't drive it out of the slot at 10 volts. The motor probably needs to break in a bit more, but all in all it's very promising. My track isn't glued at all, so I just conditioned the JK foam tires and had a go of it. I'm looking forward to running it at BPR when I can!

Eddie

[Pablo]

Sweet   Thanks for the video Eddie. She drifts nice and seems planted 

[SpeedyNH]

that's a really nice track, too! 

[James Wendel]

Love the car.... Love the track... hate the vertical video

 

[Bill from NH]

Eddie, what's the voltage run on the BRP flat track?

[eshorer]

Eddie, what's the voltage run on the BRP flat track?

I believe it’s 13.2. It’d be way too high for a Retro Hawk motor on my track with its 8 x 18 footprint.
Eddie


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[eshorer]

Love the car.... Love the track... hate the vertical video
 
https://www.youtube....h?v=f2picMQC-9E

I’ve since fired my video production department. :-)
Eddie


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bill from NH]

Thanks for the response Eddie. I sometimes run with a home/club hard body group on a routed Mini-Orange. We run at 10 V with motors less powerful than a Retro Hawk. 

[eshorer]

A little update on this car: I went to Buena Park Raceway for the Retro race on the Flat Track yesterday. I didn't get any time to tune the Lotus Europa, since everyone else was prepping their Retro cars, but I can report this for now: It's very smooth, with decent power and good brakes. It may be geared a touch low, but not too bad. The narrow wheelbase makes it more tippy than I like, but that may get sorted out with the addition of weight here and there. I hope I can run it in next month's Hardbody race, since that series has started up again. Stay tuned.

Eddie

[eshorer]

Hey Eddie, do you mean "narrow track"( width of the wheels side to side) or do you really mean narrow (short) wheelbase?

 

Oops. I meant "narrow track." The wheelbase and guide lead are fine.

Eddie

[Pablo]

I'm pretty sure Eddie means "Wheel widths" or "Track widths". And I concur with testing with more weighting.

If it were my car, the first weight experiment I'd try is the simplest - double another 1/16 thick chunk of lead atop the Team Associated iron weight.

 

If that doesn't improve it, you'll have to start cutting lead pieces to fit whatever real estate you can use. Including the BP Platform. 

Thanks for the report, Eddie 

[nomad2race]

I first saw a Lotus Europa when the first ones arrived.  I was smitten, but year before I could get my drivers license.  I studied every inch of the car and as much as I loved it I was puzzled by the hardware store bolts that secured the seat belts.

 

Years later, when I was driving and could afford a used Lotus.  I found a black/gold JW special edition with the coveted Twin-Cam engine for sale.  My first date with my wife was to see and test drive it.

 

The car was beautiful and being a slot racer, really appreciated it's low center of gravity. Being 6'5' tall with size 13 feet I knew fitting into it was unlikely.  I had read and was true that the pedals were far enough forward to accommodate my long legs and was still flexible enough to wiggle into place.  Headroom was tight but imagined fitting a Gurney bump if it prove intolerable.

 

Having to remove shoes to drive was a bit more troubling.  On the test drive, the car was a blast on the open road, but in traffic having ones eyes at license plate height was claustrophobic.  I was a close call, but i passed on the purchase. But not on the girl.

 

So I built this.  I have not replace the mirror detached in it's last race.  I used the Tamiya kit and Sakura running gear. Polymer tires and a light, mild SD type motor balance the car nicely.

 

       

 

I think I built this one about 1992.  Does that make it Vintage?  

[Martin]

Great looking slot car Jim. Looks good in black and gold.

Do you mean JPS ? or is there a "JW special edition" I have not herd of?

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[SpeedyNH]

John Wyer maybe? 

a crazy ex-GF of mine had a Europa back in the early 70's, and yes, it was a tight fit at my 6'-¹/₂". with the center backbone, it was like no other car. hers had a Renault R16 engine, but you didn't get left at stoplights. 

one day just to freak me out, she drove across lanes by going under a semi trailer on the highway. 

she ended up wrecking it, backed up against a tree off the road in the rain. (later, she did the Exact same thing to my freshly-rebuilt GT-6+!)