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New Build XK 120 FHC

1972 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  GRAH1
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There have been a couple of things I wanted to try lately, (slot car wise!), and as I had a day off today I thought the opportunity too good to miss.

First I haven't used a lexan shell since my ECRA days in the sixties and secondly I wanted to try a chassis with the Guide mounted behind the line of the front axle.
Everyone always used to say that it wouldn't work and the car would be far too unstable to use.

Well...................



The shell I got from Bruce Patterson (Patto's Place), some time ago on a whim really as I like 50's/60's British Sports cars. I remember in the old days, (some say good old days), spending hours trying to cut out wheel arches with a pair of scissors and trying to get them round, never with a great deal of luck. Well nowadays it is really easy with a dremmel with a sanding disc.

I painted the body following closely a picture I found of a Historic-racing meeting. I had forgotten how nice it really is to handpaint a shell, (from the inside), I really must get some more.

The chassis is fairly straightforward. PCB Main chassis with a Slo.it Inline Pod and running gear. Motor is my favourite V12 but the 24K version. More than enough power for this little beast. Wheels are the "scratchbuilders saviours", i.e. Ninco classics and guide is TSRF.



The picture shows the chassis arrangement, which is easily cut out using a Dremmel cutter and sanding disk. I have left this one unpainted as it shows up a little better in photographs, but eventually it will be painted black.

So how does it run? I was a little concerned about this so it was with some trepidation that I oiled up the car and set out a test track. The car was superb and it wasn't necessary to add any weight to it at all, which surprised me. Handling was very predictable with great tail slides.

All in all very worthwhile, and pretty cheap to build little car, which can easily hold it's own with my other classic slot cars and I will defiantly not hesitate to build more.

Regards

Alan
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That looks great Alan - love that real retro vibe


But how much of that PCB did you buy? Wish I had shares in Maplin
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Looks like I designed a winner with the "use a motor pod " idea ,pity mine didnt go as well as yours in the proxy , well done Alan the car loks great.
Really pretty Jag there!
You hit on a good Patto shell. I find the quality a bit variable, but he has SUCH a great choice. Long live vacforms!
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I've been doing that for years.On long wheelbase cars,it helps get them round the tighter corners found on Home Set track way more ellegantly.Beautifully controlled tailslides seem built right in.





This car is now part of a very fine Swiss collection.
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Nice one Al!
And Alan (this could be confusing) By the way- how does your Patto Jag measure against the Ninco monster?
Very nice Alan. Simple is best as they say, I'm glad it performs well.

David
Thanks for the comments Chaps. Very simple little car from a very simple person!.

Al that car is very neat, I will certainly have no hesitation in mounting the guide behind the axle line in future cars. The TR3 springs to mind as that also has a very short nose. It may also prove useful for one of Mac Pinch's racers....Ummm

Howmett ..I don't have a Ninco jag, but this vac form looks significantly narrower. I do have an Aurora Kit, (as yet unbuilt), it is the roadster version, (complete with side spats), and that is wider than the vac form.
Vac shell is 46mm, Aurora is 51mm. Interestingly Wheelbase is identical!.
I would say bof the two the vac form has the better proportions.

Graham..Will always be grateful for your design, waiting for the next one!. By the way my Proxy car developed an"oval bearing" before the race, so it's coming home for a pod change, should go better them!.

John...Thinking of opening my own branch of Maplins . Just as a warning I bought 10 sheets of 8"x4" and I've still got 8 left, but I'm running out of motors.

Regards

Alan
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Got a PN for that body,it looks pretty nice,and if Grah1 would get his finger out and knock off a bunch more of those MKIIs,I might be persuaded to take at least a couple of each.

I got a lot of 196Bs to use up.
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Email me your address again Al Ive lost it I'll gladly knock you up a couple of Mk2s and a c type too if you want no probs.
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