Chassis building

Hi

Russell, I have a couple old cans by Ian with proper cast endbells in them! My BSCRA spec cars from about 79-80. It was one of the things I took for granted.
Anyway, about the same time, the US stuff was moving on to what would become called "strap Cans". Simply we started by just sliceing the snot out of our C cans. Cs were Cheap and strong enough to cut up, the slightly smaller Ps didnt take well to this.
The really bad news was that there were so few group 7 races anywhere that it was not really being supported. At the time, pre-flexis, the vast majority of the surviving tracks were running gp 15 and womps, and parma had a "ready to run" called group 18 which was, essentially a gp 15 frame with a group 12 motor. Confusing.
I was in contact at the time regularly with Ian, and Gary Cannell and Pete Crane(Pete is/was Fitzpatric's son in law. Worked at Hesketh bank and was converting my merican money to english for me). People mentioned you from time to time usually in the context of pretty work.
In 81, I moved to South Texas and raced with people like PA Watson. At the time, PA and Jim Hunnicutt were promoting a "new" class of "open 1/32". PA had aquried some ECRA stuff but was unimpressed and could not get it to run. He decided that it was overpriced SH&&. And they decided to settle the class around modified womp frames with airdams! Even after I showed of an english spec car and made it fly for them, they just ignored it. Long sordid story.

On the X88 and all. These were essentialy the same motors. Early ones had ca 160 of 36 Awg, later 120 of 34. I have used themfor the basis of a lot of nice cars and motors. For small club and home tracks, or scale cars with 1/4" wide tires they have enough power for the app.

Fate

Just to get back to chassisisis for a mo', here's my Batmobile frame (now that's an easier word), finally done. I'll stick some more pics on the Vanquish Batmobile site if anyone wants to see anymore of that project.

By way of an update on my vintage F1 chassis project, here it is now with front wheels and guide fitted.



Although it rolls nicely on the set-up block(!) that beautiful Cahoza guide doesn't like my Scalextric Sport track at all. Rather than cut it down though I think I may make a new guide mount and use an MRRC flag instead.

The body shell in progress is a Betta 312T4.

Okay, John, let's get that puppy painted!

Hmmmm.... I know which driver I'd do it up for!

...number 12's to the ready Fergy

(Good grief... when did I get 3 thumbs... )

Well, the chassis is up and running now.

I decided to try a Falcon although those 30 year old sponge boots struggle to get the power down



For my Sport track, I also replaced the Cahoza with a MRRC guide.

The Body is coming along too - number 12's and red paint to follow...

Wha? indeed! Those Betta fronts are little beauties aren't they!

Well, prepare yourselves. This is something that you don't see very often - a FINISHED JohnP project!

To complete the chassis I just had to solder some 18swg piano wire to the rattler strips for body mounting and finally fit the motor brace (see inset). Here it is next to it's Betta Ferrari 312T4 body shell:



...and the underside with the body taped in position:



...and finally:



So that's it, my 1979 repro club F1 chassis - only 25 years late!

Runs great now I've cleaned up the tyres. And the controlled power slides? Love 'em!

Phew!

Very nice John!!

QUOTE And the controlled power slides? Love 'em!

Well, what did you expect with that number on the car?

Exelent Jon almost makes me want to build F1s again

Thanks for the comments guys

QUOTE (howmet tx @ 24 Feb 2004, 07:31 PM)Have you tried running it on three wheels as well?

Fantastic, JP. That's very sexy- you could take it home in a taxi.
...actually contemplating twice that many wheels for the next project

Hmmm... what should I call it? I know Project 34! Now that would be sexy. Or is it sixy?