Next year our Scalextric Classics class is evolving from hard tops first made in or before 1990 to hard tops first made in or before 1999. As some cars straddle the end date as long as the car is identical in chassis and body mould to a model first made within the time frame then it is OK.
As my Rover SD1 won't cut it in the new class I decided it is time to build next year's contender.
Hunting through my collection of eligible cars I settled on the 911 GT1. It is low, wide, and has surprisingly soft tyres (note to self - make a mould before they wear down).
So which SureChange guide to use. I could use either the SureChange CLASSIC or the SureChange RACING.
Looking at the chassis, the recess could accept the CLASSIC guide but the guide might need extensive trimming and guide rotation could be a bit restricted. So I decided to do a more complex job with the RACING guide seeing as this will be my big hope for the 2014 Classics class win.
The springy braid contacts (point "A") will need to be removed.
The front body mount screw is under the guide - this is not a problem with the standard push-in guide but will be a big problem with a screw-in guide. So it will have to be moved. Point "B" is the rubber plug that fills the hole intended for the bulb on some versions of this car (but not issued with the collectors club car for some bizarre reason). More on this later...
Point "A" shows the front body screw hole.
The SureChange RACING guide deck is thin and designed to sit inside a recess on Slot.It and NSR cars. The Scalextric 911 GT1 sits a bit higher so the guide is best placed on top of a flush chassis.
So I cut some thin black styrene sheet to fill in the hole when the rubber bulb plug was removed.
Then I cut and shaped some thicker white styrene sheet to make the chassis flush and smooth. It was all fixed in place with epoxy resin. The shape of mounting post holder restricts the rotation of the guide so, as the white styrene sheet has considerably strengthened the guide mount, I dremelled away at the hole to allow the guide to rotate up to 45 degrees either side of centre (point "A").
You can see a hole for the body screw in the black styrene (point "B"). This was drilled after I made the internal mounting post.
Inside the body there is an aluminium barrel that the bulb sits in (point "A") - this stops the car body lighting up and channels the light to the headlights. There is a screw holding it in at the bottom that I need access to if the interior is ever to be removed (point "B").
So I shaped some thick white styrene (point "A") and fixed it in place with epoxy resin.
Quick tip - I put some electrical tape sticky side up on a flat surface, added the shaped styrene and then the aluminium barrel (upside down from what you see in the photo. I then drizzled my epoxy resin in making sure the shaped hole for screwdriver access to the fixing screw (point "B") was unobstructed. When it was set the electrical tape peeled off easily leaving a very smooth bond between the styrene and the aluminium barrel.
Then I mounted the body on the chassis, screwed in the rear body mount screw so I knew everything was in the right place and then drilled a hole for my front mounting screw.
So now I can fit my screw-in guide and I can still take the car completely apart if I decide to relivery it later.
Here it is with the new front body screw hole labelled "A".
Fit the chip.
Point "A" shows you the ferrite man moved much nearer the chip, cut the guide wires near the chip and simply reverse the position of the ferrite man. This makes fitting the guide wires with eyelets a lot easier.
Point "B" shows where I cut the LED wires and added thicker and more flexible wire - the standard LED wire is meant to be static once the LED is fitted to the chassis - as we are moving it around lots it is best to use wire designed as guide wire.
The wires are routed down one side because of the lighting barrel/body mounting post. Despite this the wires move smoothly with no extreme flexing anywhere and the guide centres well.
And here it is, the finished article. The guide moves freely and very smoothly and rotates through 45 degree either side of centre.
It just needs some weight added in the nose and away we go.
Roll on next Tuesday when I can give it a run in anger on the club track.
