[Tropi]

QUOTE: The news is that the Scalextric Skoda Fabia is going to be four wheel drive. I don't have any other details at the moment so I can't say how this will work. I'd be grateful if you DIDN'T acknowledge me as the source for this as I'm not 100% certain this is public knowledge. You can probably claim a Slot Forum Exclusive, as I haven't seen this info anywhere else.

OK, we will!

And thanks for that snippet Mr XYZ - your secret is safe with us!

 

[Mr.M]

Perhaps we should start a poll!

Gear driven?

Belt driven?

Or BS?

Or even SCX helping out Hornby again for the umpteenth time in the last 40 years!

Mr.M

 

[Scott B]

I hear they are using a new and innovative system of magnetic torque transfer.

The idea is to have the shaft that emerges from the motor end in a largish magnet. Close but not touching would be another magnet connected, via Vanquish diffs, to the drive shafts. This would be repeated front and rear. The drive from the motor is passed to the wheels via the magnet "clutches". No gears to wear or make noise, other than those in the diff but we know they are almost unearthly in their reliability, and very smooth power delivery.

Sport version to have Ninco style Proshock suspension which would, thanks to play in the diffs, offer real four wheel independent suspension.

Just a pity they are putting it all into a model of a car which is not competing in most of the WRC this year…

Scott

 

[mtucker666]

Um - do i believe - I think not!!!?

Matt

 

[Swissracer]

No ! No!

It is all true Matt, the Skoda isn't competing much at all this year.

But then have they ever?? from what I remember of these 4 wheel wheelbarrows, they were only a tad less reliable than the Moskovitch!

Why should this one be any different?

Ok - yeah I know - back into hiding from the Skoda owners....

 

[AdrianG]

QUOTE (Swissracer @ 18 Apr 2004, 17:00)But then have they ever?? from what I remember of these 4 wheel wheelbarrows, they were only a tad less reliable than the Moskovitch!

Why should this one be any different?
Skoda rally cars have been the most reliable of the WRC cars over the last few seasons, you could always rely on them for a good result on the tough events such as the Safari.

 

[mtucker666]

Not on topic but what the heck.

Up close the fabia WRC has the best and loudest motor noise. You can almost see the airwaves reverberating. However in terms of reliability - Prodrive supply the gear box on the Fabia and their engineers spend a couple of months helping the Czech engineers learn the ropes of how it works. Within 1 week of the Prodrvie crew leaving them they had an urgent phoencall asking them to return as they could not get the car to go - it turned out to be a simple button press. Luckily they have turned over the engineering support to the germans (audi I think) so reliability will be good.

I think the Fabia will be a real contender in 2005.

Scott - I can't be bothered to try to see if the physics of what you propose can work (ie I'm too thick to work it out) but is this a real proposed development or another long tall tale.

Matt

PS I also drive one (minus a rear boot badge which someone screwdrivered off (I presume for street cred Beastie Boy style medalion).

 

[Scott B]

Don't ask me! I've got an engineering degree and I still can't fathom out how an ordinary limited slip diff works. As for epicyclic gears…

I was just rambling on, but from what I remember about magnets I think it could work, but I imagine the size and weight required would be a problem.

As I write I am just thinking why not have the motor shaft as the axle! No gears required, although some delicate finger control a necessity.

Scott

 

[moped rider]

QUOTE Or even SCX helping out Hornby again for the umpteenth time in the last 40 years!

SCX have only been around for about 10 years and have not helped Hornby out in that time and there is no co-operation.

Now if you are talking pre Techi-Toy SCX days when Hornby Scalextric offered cars to Exin Scalextric in Spain and Exin Scalextric offered cars to Hornby Scalextric in the UK then there was cross dressing in both directions.

SCX and Ninco run different motors to Hornby so it will be interesting to see what Hornby come up with.

Remember that Hornby are likely to have a full interior so the Ninco rubber band job is out. Sidewinder arrangements are favoured by Hornby in the rally cars so are we looking at a propshaft with pinions at each end driven by a second crown on the rear axle which passes the sidewinder motor on one side and to a crown gear fixed to the front axle?

That would be superb engineering if it was the case.

Moped

 

[Wankel Ickx]

QUOTE That would be superb engineering if it was the case.

And crass stupidity in the same vein as VMG's diff.

I don't need a full interior, thank you. The long drive shaft is fine and dandy by me. It's a crying shame that the Kings of WRC won't be making this one - I mean SCX.

But there you go, the world ain't perfect.

 

[mtucker666]

QUOTE It's a crying shame that the Kings of WRC won't be making this one - I mean SCX
totally agree - they've got the handling and motor just right and as such they make up 90% of my rally cars (the others being 2x RS200's from Scalextric - actually I've got 3 Team Slot (RS1800, Quotro and Renault Alpine (and a Stratos on order)) so make that 80%!

However if scotts prediction is right then the fabia will be very interesting and a must have

Matt

 

[Wankel Ickx]

QUOTE However if scotts prediction is right then the fabia will be very interesting and a must have

Personally, I think Scott has been sniffing the lighter fluid again.

However, I am prepared to eat a Green and Blacks Plain Easter egg in one sitting if he is proved right.

 

[Fergy]

I think Scott got confused with next year's 1:1 Toyota.

Just in case, though..... Wankel, got an extra egg?

Hey, the egg thing could be construed as a form of religious penance!

 

[Harry Porsche]

The magnetic clutch set-up sounds pricey for Hornby. Possibly they would go with the Auto-Art Lamborghini arrangement using for and aft ring and pinion (or pinion and contrate) axles. I'm told the set-up isn't worth much for speed. As the man said" they aren't about anything good". Unless there is a very hot motor driving the system, I doubt all wheel drive would be worthwhile. Do the front wheels steer or do they drag through the turns? I should think weight is a consideration, so more mechanism = more weight for not much return.

Cheers!

 

[Coopdevil]

QUOTE (Ecurie Ecosse @ 18 Apr 2004, 15:39)The idea is to have the shaft that emerges from the motor end in a largish magnet. Close but not touching would be another magnet connected, via Vanquish diffs, to the drive shafts. This would be repeated front and rear. The drive from the motor is passed to the wheels via the magnet "clutches". No gears to wear or make noise, other than those in the diff but we know they are almost unearthly in their reliability, and very smooth power delivery.
Come on GRAH1 you can't resist a challenge!

Imagine that - four large magnets for the power transfer. Remove the traction magnet and what fun could you have mopping up in a non-magnetless class

Coop

 

[Tropi]

QUOTE mopping up
Careful - you might give our putt-putt friend ideas above his station!

 

[Mr.M]

QUOTE (moped rider @ 19 Apr 2004, 16:05)SCX have only been around for about 10 years and have not helped Hornby out in that time and there is no co-operation.

Now if you are talking pre Techi-Toy SCX days when Hornby Scalextric offered cars to Exin Scalextric in Spain and Exin Scalextric offered cars to Hornby Scalextric in the UK then there was cross dressing in both directions.
I was using their current incarnations to save on confusion.

Very clever use of the word "offered", mope, but quite how you would know what was "offered" to who I can't begin to guess!

"What have the Roma....spaniards ever done for us?"

The actual truth is that Scalextric UK accepted from Scalextric Spain the following vehicles;

Seat 600
Seat 850
Mercedes 250SL
Porsche 917
Ferrari 330
Jaguar E-type
Mercedes C111 Wankel
Mclaren F1
BRM F1
Honda F1
Tyrell F1
Peugeot 205
Mercedes 190
Porsche 956
Lancia LC2
Audi Quattro
Lancia 037
Ford RS200
BMW M1
BMW M3
Porsche 959
Ferrari GTO

And what did they take from Scalextric UK.........The Rover SD1 Police car!
Even the early single seaters (Lotus 21, Cooper etc.)were modified to swivel guide to meet the standards expected by the Spanish slot buying public.

I'm sure in these days of "fair trade" someone would be up before the beak for that imbalance!

While we are on the subject of Spanish designed slot cars in Scalextric UK sets, who remembers the Rallye International set put out by Hornby in the late eighties. A spanish designed Audi Quattro against the might of the Margate designed Metro 6R4

I'm sure that somewhere around the country there is a psychologist's casebook of a deep seated sibling hatred caused by a poor unknowing parent allocating the Metro to little Johnny.

And finally...........go steady with the use of terms like "cross dressing". I can still remember the pictures of you on SCI

Mr.M

 

[Tropi]

Cross dressing?
Cross pollination I believe.
The difference between wanting to be a bird and wanting to be a bee!

 

[Pendleslot]

QUOTE Please be aware that the Skoda Fabia cars (C2486/A & C2487/A) will be
all-wheel drive cars in both Limited and Standard editions. The cars as they
appear in the C1136 Rally Racing sets will be rear wheel drive only.
Official confirmation from Scalextric.
Sean

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Sheesh, how much will they really save by cutting out the front transmission from the set cars?