106 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

Hey Isaac, sounds like you don't have a Cox Cucaracha in your collection yet.  

 

Bill, I used some scrap "mystery brass" for the guide tongue and also for the next piece of this chassis puzzle.........the front axle uprights:

 

 

For the outer rails it's K&S 1/16" X 1/4" brass strip. Both were prepped for more flat head machine screws:

 

 

Here's the pile-O-parts laid out:

 

 

Finally to attach the outer section to the inner, some tubes for hinges and reinforcement gussets:

 

 

Everything in the Rick's jig aligned and soldered up including those front axle uprights. Screwed together for strength and soldered for permanent alignment:

 

[Isaac S.]

I did, sold it just a few months ago. They are pretty low, and fast. 

 

I like the design, I am eagerly waiting to see what the body is. Very wide and tall, I'm guessing a Trans-Am series Barracuda, Mustang, Camaro or Cougar. 

[dc-65x]

Trans-Am cars are very cool Isaac.......but not "BEASTLY" enough.   

[Bill from NH]

Rick, have you ever built a pickup truck as a slot car? I can't recall one, but then I don't recall everything either.

[dc-65x]

No I haven't Bill. I try to steer clear of trucks as the pickup bed implies physical labor to me....something I try to avoid!  

[don.siegel]

Corvette GS? 

 

I would have said Cobra 427, but you already did one of those! 

 

Don 

[dc-65x]

Finding a body for this car has been a journey Don. The motor is over 1" tall and I didn't want it to stick up above the bottom of the windshield or I wouldn't have room for a driver.  I spent a lot of time with my setup jig trying different bodies:

 

 

Like you said, a 427 Cobra roadster would work but since I'd already built one I thought of the Monogram version of this 427 Cobra Daytona Coupe:

 

 

It's certainly "beastly" enough:

 

 

I have a beautiful reproduction done by Boothe for EJ's Hobbies as I remember (I've had it for over 20 years). But I decided against it as I'd be stuck with another short wheelbase and short guide lead car. I have enough going against this build on the road course as it is.

[Tom Katsanis]

I like these jalopies I don't know what your plan was Rick but these are cool.

I'm expecting maybe something esrly can am style.

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[don.siegel]

That would make sense Tom - figure 8 jalopy racing was one of the few road courses where the big padlocks were routinely used... 

 

... but I'm still expecting Rick to surprise us with his choice! 

 

Don 

[dc-65x]

Jalopies are a very cool genre of vintage slot cars. I remember the steeply banked figure eight or oval (I forget which now) in the back room of Pasadena Speedway. There was catch fencing around the turns to keep people from getting killed by the flying padlock powered heavy weight jalopies.

 

For this beast I'll be using a mid 60's sports or GT car body. But first I need to finish the chassis.  

 

The ISO hinge tube is soldered in place:

 

 

Here's the mating hinge tube on one of the outer rails.....

 

 

......and the front axle upright soldered in place:

 

 

The chassis outer rail section:

 

 

It's ready for the "outriggers" next:

 

 

[dc-65x]

Before I hang the outrigger body mounts, a body has to be chosen.

 

The motor is the centerpiece of this build and it is mid 60's, American made and definitely BIG and BEASTLY. I think the real car that this model represents should be the same:

 

A mid 60's American Sports or GT car with a big block V8 engine and most of all is has to be a BEAST. And that tall RAM motor has to fit and still leave room for a driver.

 

To my mind there is really only one choice...............

 

[Isaac S.]

Ah, the J-car. It has horrible aero so I'm interested to see how it drives.  

[Pablo]

I want to hug that car in my grave for eternity           

 

This beast has to be the sickest slot car ever built     

[dc-65x]

Me too Isaac.  

 

Thanks Pablo. At least it could be the heaviest!  

 

I know the J Car was unsuccessful and worse still, the great Ken Miles lost his life in one. But for a beastly slot car.....look at this thing......it's got tusks!  

 

 

And its got a big butt to match the RAM motor and axle brackets.......

 

 

.........BIG "buttedness":

 

 

I know everyone has different likes and dislikes but for me.....I love this body for this car:

 

 

 

[Pablo]

Ah, the J-car. It has horrible aero so I'm interested to see how it drives.  

 

I don't think this car needs any aero 

[Isaac S.]

 

I don't think this car needs any aero 

, I have to agree when looking at it. 

[dc-65x]

Here's the Lancer body. It's a scale version in standard thickness butyrate, not the thinner lightweight:

 

 

 

 

It's really an outstanding example of Lancer quality.    

 

 

[Isaac S.]

Very cool. I used to have a Testors J-car body which I think is a factory painted Lancer. Super detailed. Wasn't quite as good condition as yours but it still showed. 

 

I thought that the thinner Lancer bodies were introduced in late '67 or '68, am I wrong/was there a lightweight J-car? 

[dc-65x]

You are most likely correct Isaac. I was just trying to clarify what I'm using. Although I have to say that when I first started working with the body I thought it was a lightweight. The body felt lighter and the plastic felt thinner than the earlier Lancer bodies. Overall it's nice. Not to heavy and not to flimsy........for a beast.    

[Isaac S.]

[Pablo]

Perfect body! Heavy cars like heavy bodies. That motor and chassis probably won't even know or care it's got a body over it     

[don.siegel]

The Lancer J is one of their best! I don't think they did that one in a lightweight version, but that's counting on my memory, not always a good idea! 

 

Here's mine, from a couple years ago, painted by a talented friend...

 

[dc-65x]

What a beautiful car Don. I just had to show a bigger picture of it:

 

 

I've been reluctant to use my J Car body because I don't think I can do that livery justice.  

 

There might be a "fantasy livery" in my cars future.......

[don.siegel]

Thanks Rick - I took that pic off photobucket and I haven't quite figured out their new codes yet. 

 

The paint job was by Pierre-Yves, a very talented guy! He even found some inserts that go well, from a static kit. It's got a Dynamic chassis with the Dynamic GE motor and brass side pans. Runs well, but has burned out its motor in both races I entered, one my fault and the other the motor's! Gee, I thought GE guaranteed these babies... 

[dc-65x]

I need to make some "outrigger" body mounts for a full size scale body with full size scale tires 1.000" fronts and 1.125" rears.

 

When you set a scale body down on scale tires the bottom of the mid 60's body is not 1/16" or less off the track like it would be with a "handling" body with small diameter tires.

 

Here's a scale drawing of the J Car showing it has closer to 3 times the rocker clearance of a handling body or 3/16":

 

 

Some problems with this are:

 

1.  My chassis is 1/16" off the track and that would leave a  gap between the chassis and the bottom of the body.

 

2.  The side of the scale body are not flat like lots of handling bodies. The bottom 1/8" on this scale body curve inward like the real car. This also means where the body curves inward is only 2 3/4" wide but at the flat sides where the pin tube go is closer to 3" wide:

 

 

I need to fill that gap between the chassis and body and raise the pin tube body mounts up above that curved section. I'm using some lightweight .014" wall rectangular tube as body mounts:

 

 

The holes in the body mounts were accurately drilled and reamed for 1/16" mounts:

 

 

And I had to drill holes in my assembled outer chassis for those 1/16" mounts too:

 

 

 

Into the Rick's jig and the mounts soldered to 1/16" piano wire:

 

 

The outriggers:

 

 

 

Finishing the body mounts is next...