Howmet's Happy Hour progress...

9682 Views 89 Replies 15 Participants Last post by BEEJAY7, Jul 31, 2004

Russell Sheldon

Discussion Starter · Jun 17, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Beejay won the prize for nominating the world's ugliest car, the Xylon, in the "Howmet's Happy Hour Part II" thread, which Howmet undertook to build. I was blown away by Beejay's nomination and have been patiently but anxiously waiting to see Howmet's progress.

It's been a while and I think that even Beejay has given up waiting, having removed his taunting (or should that be haunting?) signature picture. No doubt progress is being made in secret as every now and then there are some references to the project by Howmet, the most recent being a reference to Jackie Stewart's rear-end. The problem, I think, is that Howmet builds all his projects in the same closet where he stores his collection of Razzle.

Hopefully my own version won't take as long... the body is being made by Derick Thesnaar from Cape Town:-

The mould just needs to be cleaned up a bit before vacuum-forming gets underway. There will be a couple of 'pulls' for you too, Howmet and Beejay, in exchange for a pullover, of course!

Here's a reminder of what the real car looks like:-

Did I mention that it's a really tiny car?

Kind regards,

Russell

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41 - 60 of 90 Posts

G

· #41 · Jul 22, 2004

All the best thing in life are made in Wales.

Jeff.

McLaren

· #42 · Jul 22, 2004

Only Welsh people say that...

JohnP

· #43 · Jul 22, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Hey guys, can anyone clarify whether that is an exhaust on Alan's (now removed after torturing us for weeks just when I make a post referring to it!) Xzylon picture just behind "nearside" front wheel arch?

If so does anyone know if it is a feature that would be common to the pale blue 94 car in Russell's pics?

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G

· #44 · Jul 22, 2004 (Edited)

All today slot racing can be linked straight back to Wales!! see this thread.

http://www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1054

RR

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McLaren

· #45 · Jul 22, 2004

That's far too long for me to read.

Can you just give me the gist of it?

McLaren

G

· #46 · Jul 22, 2004

Ok Mclaren,
Rail racing which lead to slot racing was invented down a Welsh pit and I know because I have just written the book on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RR

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McLaren

· #47 · Jul 22, 2004

Rubbish....

McLaren

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Ecurie Martini

· #48 · Jul 22, 2004

QUOTE I've started work on my radical ebony chassis. Nothing if not authentic, the wood grain on the original ash chassis scales down to fine grain ebony in 1/32. Although the colour is not quite right, I may be able to bleach it a little.

Actually, ebony scales closer to 1/24 than 1/32 - a better way to go, and having the additional advantage of avoiding the need for bleach, would be to use boxwood - hard to find, but, if you have an old slide rule about (remember those, anyone) you might scavenge enough material for a small chassis.

EM

G

· #49 · Jul 22, 2004

Read the story Mclaren and you will see it's true.

RR

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McLaren

· #50 · Jul 22, 2004

Eugh.... Do you have a book for the blind that I could buy?

McLaren

howmet tx

· #51 · Jul 22, 2004

Have ample supplies of boxwood logs too! Brilliant idea!
Thanks, EM

JohnP

· #52 · Jul 23, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

OK Xyzlon fans

It's update time!

Having shortened the chassis, I replaced the pin and fixed braid set up with a TSRF guide. Also the magnet has been removed in favour of some lead weighting:

It all runs rather nicely and I was particularly pleased to find that the Go! mini-motor is actually quite a sprightly little beast.

The shell is proving to be quite a task but then what can you expect when working blindfold! In truth though Russell has made a lovely job of the shell thoughtfully including a flush fit window moulding and driver interior with the "kit". Yes, I'm actually enjoying the build! - they're coming to take me away ha ha he he ha ha...

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BEEJAY7

· #53 · Jul 23, 2004

Very good John...I hope the pills I sent you soon start to take effect.

I must also report that I too have almost finished my little devil.............In between bouts of nausea I even managed to get a lick of paint onto the body.

Pictures tomorrow if :-

1) I can hold the camera still long enough to take a picture.

2) the camera lens does not crack

3) Russell stops laughing long enough.

You may have also noticed that the signature picture has now gone, this in no way is related to Howmet's progress, (or lack of), but only to comply with Nuro's request for smaller signature pics.

I fear soon we may have to dispatch Thumb and his able assistant Argent to investigate the mystery of "Howmet's Virtual Xzylon".

Regards

Alan

PS Russell, the other shell you sent me is proving to be a nightmare!. I think you do it on purpose!.

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Russell Sheldon

Discussion Starter · #54 · Jul 24, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE I feel Russell is enjoying himself distributing these monsters from his Command post in Dubai, and it is somehow part of an evil plot to sabotage the Slot Racing centres of the world.

"Is this civilization strong enough to help us defeat the Cylons?"
- Commander Adama.

Cylons? I thought he said Xylons!

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JohnP

· #55 · Jul 24, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Lord Sauron address' the Xylon fleet:

It's really tiny isn't it!

"For thousands more years the mighty ships tore across the empty wastes of space and finally dived screaming on to the first planet they came across - which happened to be the Earth - where due to a terrible miscalculation of scale the entire battle fleet was accidentally swallowed by a small dog."
Douglas Adams

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Russell Sheldon

Discussion Starter · #56 · Jul 24, 2004

After all the agonising over the lack of decent pictures showing the rear of the Xylon, you won't believe what I just found.....

Tiny, isn't it?

Kind regards

Russell

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philsmith

· #57 · Jul 24, 2004

I have just realised that the Xylon was a Frank Costin car! and that on the book shelf I had the Costin book 'Flying on Four Wheels'
So here are the pictures from the book, I'll leave you to decide if the Prototype was better looking than the final version, personally I like them all!

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Russell Sheldon

Discussion Starter · #58 · Jul 24, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Thanks for the photo's, Phil! I wish that you had posted them earlier.... before the mould was made...

Still, I think that Derick did a great job given the lack of documentation at his disposal.

JP, the second last photo in Phil's post clearly shows the exhaust pipe on the right hand side of the car.

It sure is tiny!

With kind regards,

Russell

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philsmith

· #59 · Jul 24, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

In the bottom picture it appears to have covers over the headlights.

There are more pictures of the chassis etc. in the book, if anyones interested I can scan and post them?

JohnP

· #60 · Jul 24, 2004

A ha! Thanks for the pics chaps - still time to cut a hole for that tiny exhaust

If you check out the Jackie Stewart feature in last month's Motor Sport there is a picture of G 128 from the rear. Again you can just about make out an exhaust.

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