36 replies to this topic

[Jeff R]

Looks even better with motor and accessories Nice touch on the elephant ears, clean lines and also the arm heat sink.
Post pictures of body so we can drool some more.

[dc-65x]

Post pictures of body so we can drool some more.

Okie Dokie Jeff. I think my friend Adam had Jarius paint a pair of these back when this project first started. Here it is finally mounted and ready to go:







I did the best I could on the air control based on the few period pictures and text. A Mylar diaplain. I chose not to use staples:



Lexan gizmos on the front fenders:



And a rear spoiler with 2 different heights:



Finishing it off is a really cool Jairus painted driver figure:

Next stop, Eddie's Blue King............

[Phil Irvin]

This is the chassis that really made my racing way back when..... I built 6 with small differences. All with L style front wheel suspension. 2 with a bend in it to put most of the L closer to the wings with the wings at full lift and put the wheel straight up & down. 1 with out the front hinge & just the wings. That one was magic on an original ORANGE American...With the launching ramps.....

THANKS TO PDL

PHIL

[TSR]

Phil, I am truly honored. I hope that yours worked as well as mine.

Rick, please make sure to set up the front wheels so that they just touch when the guide has been set up. In the day, I used layers of strapping tape to adjust the correct height. Light spray glue is all it needs, but it WILL run in the heavy stuff with no trouble if weight is adjusted accordingly. On the old flat King with a S24, it would pull 3.6" without sweat. Sounds slow today but it was world record time then...

[havlicek]

On the old flat King with a S24, it would pull 3.6" without sweat. Sounds slow today but it was world record time then...

It sounds impressive as heck to me considering there was a whole different paradigm! The chassis weight and movemenet was key to handling and the weight of the chassis (and motor itself) was considerable. This placed a LOT of emphasis on the driver's skills as well. I was never a racer, and could (at my best) pull off a few good laps in a row...but marvelled at the guys who could do it at such a high level for an entire race. I think this is the basis for the appeal of cars like this beauty...as well as the combination of craftsmanship AND homegrown engineering that they grew out of.

If enough people were willing to risk these prized pieces...it would be something to see them race head-to-head again, and be driven by some of the very same pros where possible. There would have to be video of course...and some very VERY good turn marshalls.

-john

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

John, in some of the earlier spring conventions in Vegas, I ran mine commonly. One silly story. My friend Jim Cunningham was promoting a handicapping system for "run whatcha' brung" racing. It was too complex for me, but the short point is that the faster the car, the less your chances. The race part was based on how close you were to your best lap. Of course, the obvious problem is running a rare antique and stopping for other wrecks. Time stopped, time off affects super fast cars more than slow.

Well a friend of mine and I BOTH had cars from the period and we had been iching for a clean time at the track to have our own early 70s grudge match. Mine was actually one of these frames that P gave me a long time ago. And I have driven it HARD over the years. Anyway, we finally Gave up and entered the handicap race.

We finished last and next to last.

And had a blast making these old monsters just explode around the track.

I don't know what happened to my friend Marty, from then, John, but I still have MY car.

Fate

[havlicek]

Hi Rocky,

In this sort of "race"...I think people can make it much more complicated than it needs to be. Bring a car that roughly fits a category and race them as long as they:

1)Have at least some sort of clearance
2)Don't explode, catch fire or both
3)Meet a minimum weight requirement that approximates what was being done say between 1968 and 1978
4)Have a body with minimum air control devices

This needn't be a continuing race division or category...just a one time thing to see (and video!) the pros and their cars doing it oldstyle. The current retro thing is way cool for expanded appeal and all, so this really wouldn't be part of that. I'd pay to see it! (even though I don't suppose there's much chance of it actually happening)

-john

[Jairus]

Been tried a number of times at the yearly Slot Car Convention. No joy.
I even suggested it before the retro thing began after the first convention, and the subject comes up with regularity when Rick finishes one of his beautiful re-creations.

But... I am in if it can be organized!

[havlicek]

...I'd send one in for someone to drive if they would allow one of my bastardized cars in.

-john

[Jeff R]

The body just finishes of the car very well, great attention to detail.
Reminds me of back in the day. How did you say it? Back in the Twentieth Century , makes me feel old .
Awsome car hope you enjoy.

[dc-65x]

Thanks guys . This was a fun project and I can't wait to "see it move". I feel lucky to have a couple of like minded friends to enjoy the hobby with and see a few of these great cars thundering around the track at the same time.

Wait a minute . I feel another time warp happening . I think I'm feeling like it's 1972 at Buzzarama . There's TonyP and Fred "Da Flash" showing me their latest East Coast Rockets! ANOTHER PROJECT!

PRO Racing East Coast Style here we come .

Onward

[havlicek]

Rick...if this thing moves half as good as it looks (and I'm sure it will)...it'll be a missle! Top shelf all the way!

-john