[Martyn_]

any old oil you've got knocking about will do Darren - just to improve matters. Obviously each oil behaves a bit differently.

I've got fantastic results just using some 3-in-1. Put a dollop on a tire and rotate as you rub it in with a finger. Leve it dry for an hour and have a blast to see the difference.

Trueing the tyres also makes a heck of a difference. Get a piece of rough sandpaper (about 80 grade or so) tape it to your track. Hold the car over it, rear wheels in the air, nail the trottle and gently lower the tyre on to it. Give it a bit of a wiggle side to side and look at the tyre again. the dark bits havent touched the sandpaper, the light bits have. Keep going till it's all uniform colour and then do the other wheel.

Roll the tyres across some sticky tape - I use packing tape, others use gaffer tape, and be astounded at the amount of muck that comes off.

If all else fails, start searching for new tyres again.

If you look on e-bay, there are loads of offers for neodynium (sorry for spelling!) magnets, if you really want to go the mag route.

 

[Martyn_]

Trying not to hijack, so bare with me.

I know silicones are banned at most clubs and comps, I think because they muck up the track a lot, but urethanes? Not having experienced them I would think the following could be an issue:
1) Pick up dust and debris very quickly,
2) Hard to true without "blueing" them - i.e. quite a tough material to sand, and you'd have to sand them for so long they risk over heating and going hard at the surface,
3) Promote axle bounce (due to high elasticity)

Back on topic: Darren, have you also played a little with a blob of blu tack placed inside the body, usually just in front of the motor, to help with balance and traction? Experiment with weights and positions, I've got a few cars that are undriveable without but really good when I've worked out how much to put and where.

Enjoy fiddling and getting it all driveable,
Martyn

 

[Martyn_]

I meant urethanes Randy, as most clubs tend to ban the use of silicones. (EDIT** - I should have written "that I know or have read about" in there. Sorry).

Ref the "wd40 isn't oil" issue, I just looked this up on the online dictionary (which doesn't necessarily make it right! It just happens to agree with me and Greg). Lol.

oil (oil)
n.
1. Any of numerous mineral, vegetable, and synthetic substances and animal and vegetable fats that are generally slippery, combustible, viscous, liquid or liquefiable at room temperatures, soluble in various organic solvents such as ether but not in water, and used in a great variety of products, especially lubricants and fuels.

 

[Martyn_]

First club type race I ever attended (The "Llanmarino Grand Prix) there was much hilarity and ribbing of one particular racer as he had tried to sneak in some wintergreen based tyre prep. How he thought he'd sneak wintergreen into the county unnoticed, let alone sneak into a church hall, I have no idea!

When quized about why wintergreen was banned, I was told "allegedly it's carconogenic. Or as we call it, just too good"

 

[Martyn_]

In my experience embs, it's mainly down to the state of the tyres. I've run stacks of oldies on my sport track with varying degrees of success.

Some needed nothing more than a bit of TLC to get the tyres gripping, others needed replacement tyres - luckily, I've got a huge bag of old part worn tyres, I can usually ferret around in there and find something that'll do the trick.

A lot of that is down to how much power is being put down - with the sloppy old cogs, axles and bearings it not too much of a problem, but when you've got something whacking out a fair amount of torque, things need to be a little better in the tyre department, I've found.

(I had to edit out the first word I had in there and replace it with "ferreting". Suddenly realised it has connotations not suitable for family viewing to our cousins down in the antipodes! Those aussie and kiwi network techies must fall about laughing discussing network issues!)

 

[Martyn_]

QUOTE (chris99 @ 13 Dec 2011, 11:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi
Are you self taught or did you follow a tutorial which you could share as I think it's time to have a go at home-made tyres?

Chris
Hop on a plane to Bristol or Cardiff on Friday, and I'll take you down to Mr Modifier's house - he's going to show me how to do it Friday evening

Back to main topic, how are we getting on with the OP's original 70's and 80's cars (or was it 80's & 90's?) ?

 

[Martyn_]

Chris, it was a real revelation to go around Mr Modifiers and see how simple it was to make the moulds and tyres.

The key observations Richard passed on to me was the need to be meticulous in preparing the mixes, quick and accurate with your pouring, and just keep it all neat and tidy throughout.

Seeing a demo gave me the confidence to crack on and have a go myself. It really is as simple as described.

I can't quite remember who set the 6.6 lap record, to be honest