[LMP]

Well, this isn't quite as good as one of Tamar's posts but I thought I'd make my contribution

These techniques are likely to be applicable to a number of Scalextric or Carrera shells with potential for use in GT3 racing. In particular this is relevant to the DiSCA GT3 Euroseries regulations as all of the mods here are allowed within those regulations.

The finished shell will of course require a polycarbonate interior with driver's head, bust, seat back and steering wheel.

Currently my Bentley body tips the scale at 19.2g, adding ~1.5g for the interior I should come in at less than 21.0g. That's still less than the factory issue bare shell by Scalextric, so there are gains to be had!

You could of course go to town, but the gains made vs. risk of fragility are not worth it in my opinion. I'm satisfied that this shell will be competitive on a grid requiring a 19.0g minimum body mass, so let's see how it goes in Manchester!

 

[munter]

a vac form set of widows might save a gram or two....easily done if the rules allow it.

 

[GRUNZ]

Given that I am preparing a similar car, thanks Gary for sharing the details.
Anyway, I am stuck at the moment without the interior.

 

[tamar.nelwan]

Hello Guys

@ Gio:
There are two types of lightweight interiors available for a Bentley Continental GT3:
From Slot.it with code S06-XA1 and from MTR32.com (Milan Tomasek)

@ Munter:
Cutting the center section from the roof alone will save you 1,5 - 2,0 gr. The Conti is a big car with big windows and with the Scalex they're the bullet proof kind

@ all concerned, interested
For the GT3 Open class DiSCA wants to use as much parts from the stock cars as possible.
A tray type interior is a prerequisite to fit the O2 chip and AW longcan Motor, so as that needs to be swapped anyway, we might just as well use a lightweight one.
Stock windows can be trimmed as long as they follow rule 1.2

1.2. The exterior of the body shell must appear original and unmodified from the manufacturers design when placed on the circuit and viewed from angy angle.

So as long as the visible part of the windows is there....

with kind regards
Tamar

 

[munter]

Tamar,

I have cut and shut windows on many standard cars to save a few grams. Vac forming over the top of the original piece and then cutting and glueing the windows back in place individually saves more weight and retains the standard look...again I have done that several times now.
I suggest it would take an eagle eyed judge to detect the difference.
Grinding or cutting the centre section out of the original piece can lead to cracks and breakage....ask me how I know.

Who is shooting anyway?

 

[tamar.nelwan]

John, for a man with your skills and experience....your absolutly right, the eagle eyed might even be pleased because your (vac formed) windows might even fit better.
However painting window frames and applying a proper windshield streamer to retain the standard look of the windows...
...is a skill that most slotracers still need to master (although most couldn't be bothered

)

As for cutting and grinding the centre section out of the Bentley glass house, yep that also requires some skill.
With the Scalex and Carrera bodies you won't run that much of a risk to break or crack them..as they are bulletproof thick.

But take one of the thin Black Arrow and Scaleauto windows and you might crack them by just mounting them in the body...ask me how I know
Best to leave those untouched

with kind regards
Tamar

 

[tamar.nelwan]

Hello Guys

Here's an update on how to put your Scalex Conti on a Diet. As with all weight loss programs...its a case of shedding tiny bits of weight here and there.
In the Disca testing we like to take things step by step, so on the bottom left you see the weigth of my Conti with the steps taken as Gary described in his earlier post.
Removed the centre glass section and the little bits. Gary's estimate of 21gr with a lightweight interior was spot on.
Not bad for a 1st stage, but considering we'll be up against a lot of light BA bodies that will most likely need balast to achieve 19 gr. time for stage 2.
My preferred tools in such matters...the rounded #22 X-acto blade and these Dremel bits. The thing you want to avoid here is...heat.

In stage 2 there are no big lumps left to remove, so instead of whole grams, you'll have to look for area's where you can shave a few tenths.
Find five of those and you do have a gram less. Its as simple as that. You provide the elbow grease and sweat, she'll loose the pounds (or grams in 1/32

)

On the bottom right you can see where I found extra material could be easilly removed. The area just in front of the rear wheel arches I wanted to thin anyway as here the chassis was rubbing against the body. The door panels were a second area, these are the same as those super resistant Scalex bodies so take out your scalpels and scrape away.
Then there's the back of the boot lid, which in certain areas, is about 3mm thick. This area is best handled with the dremel bits.
Last but not least (and not visible in this shot) there's the roof panel. This is about as thick as Sheffield Steel, use the blade to thin this down.
Takes a while, but when you persevere...the scale will reward you

with kin regards
Tamar

 

[stoner]

all of the above advice is spot on. the biggest weight saving before resorting to the dremel is vacformed windows and lexan interior. the rest as said is dremel and scalpel work. John

 

[munter]

QUOTE there's the roof panel. This is about as thick as Sheffield Steel, use the blade to thin this down.

No surprise but I do it differently. I use the round end dremel burr and scoot it around in a circular motion using light pressure.

 

[GRUNZ]

Hi Tamar
I am putting my through the same diet. I am currently at 20.3 gr body only.
What is the weight of your lexan interior?

thanks.

 

[GRUNZ]

I put mine through the same diet. I have a couple of extra vents (behind the rear wheel arches) now but the best I have managed is to bring the body down to 19.4 gr.
I read that the lexan interior is 1.5 gr. So if I put that in I will be at 21 gr.
I can see that you manged to bring her down to 19 gr with the interior: Well done!

By the way, I have lights now. After removing the lead (that was 7 gr), the whole car is 93.4 gr.

 

[GRUNZ]

Yesterday I did another pass on the body of my conti and manged to shave off another gram.
I think that is good enough for me without making it too thin and fragile.

I have removed all the lead on the chassis and put in the suspension kit. This is what she weighs now:

I have ordered the BS motor and the wheels from Gary. I think that once I install the pro-comp wheels she should lose some more grams.

 

[munter]

Is that 93grams with the lead removed? seems heavy.
What is the weight of a standard car?

 

[GRUNZ]

Hi John
yes, that is the weight without any lead. If you check the other thread, Tamar's fully assembled car was around 89.
What you mean standard car? The scaley version? No idea...have to check.

 

[munter]

Yes, standard car is box stock Scalextric model.

 

[munter]

Sorry, maybe I am confused. This thread is not about the standard Bentley? or is it just yours with an after market chassis?

 

[GRUNZ]

Gary, Tamar and I are preparing the Conti for the DiSCA GT3 Euroseries. The idea is to use the scaley body on a 3D printed chassis.
Min body weight for the body in the regs is 19gr, so specifically this thread is about how to make the heavy scaley body (or for that matter Carrera) as light as possible to be competitive with other pro-oriented models (like scaleauto and NSR).
Just to answer your question: a stock scaley conti is around 90gr without a chip.

 

[tamar.nelwan]

Hello John, Gio
Here are some pictures.
@ John
Yep, this thread is about a stock Scalex Bentley Continental...and what you can do to improve its handling.
As Gio mentioned these cars are build to Disca GT3 open specs, but even for those who run their Conti at home with the stock chassis and a ssd chip...
Forget about the dremmeling and cutting out sections of the glass...
...spending £5 on a vacformed interior would be the best tune up money can buy.

To the left the Stock Scalex Conti, 91,8 gr unchipped. Middle image stock body with full interior 31,5 gr.
The reason why the Bentley is heavier after the diet than stock is due to the engine swap (Long can motors are 8gr heavier than small can) and O2 bits and bytes (chip & hall sensor 4,2gr)
But most of that added wheigth is low down on the chassis.

@ Gio
Vac formed interior (MTR32) with Scalex rollcage and helmet, 1,6gr. Actually the rollcage is not required by the regs, but hey that extra 0,7 gr is worth its weight as eye candy

Set of Scaleauto procomp3 wheels with inserts 3,4 gr.
Cherry on you diet cake would be a slot.it PA01-54H hollow front axle which would save you an other gram.

with kind regards
Tamar

p.s. @ Gio: I see that we're both using the same scale, I also saw that you have used the evo-6 pod...good!
Dont chop off the arms for the side suspension, I will post on that subject soon

 

[GRUNZ]

Hi Tamar
yes I noticed about the scale too ;-)

For the pod, I guess you mean the two extra anchor points on the side of the pod right? I was going to chop them as we usually do for our analog racing on the SW pods.
The idea is that they impede side movement of the pod. But then I was that you are using grabscrews on them...I tried some grabscrew on mine but the holes are too big.
So I went for two screw that are used for fixing the DPR chips on the chassis.

By the way, that interior of yours look awesome. I was planning to put the rollcage on my as well.

 

[GRUNZ]

My interior is coming: John is working on it.

Although he is superbusy, he has taken into account my comments for detailing it.
Thanks John for your help. Now I have to make sure that the car will be performing as it deserves.