Winter 2007/8

[Rocket R/C]

So what is everybody up to now that the season is over??

I have been very busy taking a new job that requires alot more travel and time, which has had me very busy the last month or so. Still I am scheming my winter projects. Here are some of the things I have going, and I hope some of you will mention your new cars that you are building, or whatever is going on..... winter is too long to just sit and think about next year... at least I need to be working on something.

I have a newly designed Stock Car chassis with longer arms in rear, and a front suspension that is much lighter than last year's car.... that was too heavy! I barely made weight at the worlds! This shows promise, and I am looking forward to taking it from paper to reality.

Next I have a hot rod chassis that is very close to done. I am looking forward to getting that finished and over to Gary G for testing next season. (Sorry Gary its taking me so long, but I am getting there!)

I have at least 3 new compounds of tyres that have been tested by the team drivers that need to go into production. I am excited about these, and hoping to have plenty ready for the Dutch Indoor in April.

I just had a big boost in the body shell and wing making department. I have 2 machines just about done, and almost ready to make Stock Car bodies and wings. It has taken a while to get this project going, and thanks to my buddy Kevin over here, I am well on my way. I am excited about this!

So please let me know what is going on with any of you, and what you are working on.... even post a picture or two if you like.

Pete #290

[grotty67]

Hi Pete, sure is boring now the season is over, ime working on a new body shell mold, i want to create something that is up to date with what is going on in full size. i should have a couple run off by the weekend to check the mold out. I think a lot of work can be done on aero foil design, i have been reading a lot of reports on off road and circuit cars, both formulas take seriously the aerofoils and interestingly they have adjustable wings, does anyone have any ideas?. I am also building a new car for next year, i have a new Whitaker chassis as i was impressed with the old one i used at the back end of last season, i like the ease of set up. At the last meeting i raced at East Tracks i ran a pair of back suspension arms i made from delrin, they are very flat with no burrs on the back so the movement is a lot smoother and i hope they don't wear the back axles as much as the molded ones, looking forward to the Christmas meeting at Leicester, Scotty #67

[streetscreamer]

Wow Pete... soon you'll have a complete model stockcar factory!!! Sounds interesting.
For me the season of 1/8 scale is over, but 1/12 scale just started. In Holland only in Lobith and Fryslan they race 1/12 scale stockcars indoor. Nice way to keep the members of the club together.. and very good for training reflexes. In 5 minutes 90-100 laps.......
In the meantime I'll clean my 1/8, ready for the EU indoor.

[gary328]

The stock car is having a refresh for next year not to many changes.

Cant wait for the hotrod to arrive and try something different at the hotrod meetings, how did the body turn out Pete did you manage to alter the one i sent over or have you gone for a new one.

Will continue to mess about with the 1/8th scale saloon stox with a couple of the guys at Adur we have managed to get the weight down to just a little heavier than a stock car, and they look good to. Lots of interest in them especially from some of the 1/12th scale banger lads

[Rocket R/C]

Thanks for writing in guys! Im glad to see there are others still thinking about it other than me.

Scott Im glad to see you working with body shells and wings. I too would like to see some updates in that department which is why I am going to do it myself. There is alot of room to work with wings, and to make them more effective. You mentioned adjustable wings.... well there is a class of full size car over here that has wings that self adjust according to how much air pressure is put on them. Basically the front of the wing is hinged, and the rear of the wing uses thin shock absorbers that compress under force, then spring back up as the car slows down. I will have to look at the rules to see if it talks about the wing being "fixed" or if it can float in the rear. Just some food for thought, and something I was thinking of trying, along with altering the shape and size to get the maximum use from it. Keep throwing out your ideas and lets chat about them some more.

As far as body shells go there is tons of improvements that can be made. First is to make them look like the latest full size cars, and second is to make them fit the chassis better. Also I am looking at running a longer belt and rear swing arms, so that moves the engine further forward. That means I will need a shell with more of a "greenhouse" or driver area in order for it to fit correctly. I also have ideas for a shell that will fit Trev's chassis better, as I have a few and none of the body shells fit right. There is alot of work that can be done there, so keep with it Scotty!

The delrin rear arms sound very interesting. I used polyethelene for my arms for the last worlds, and had quite a bit of problems with it, including snapping one in the warm up before my quarter final. I think either a good nylon, or delrin it the best way to go. I would be curious to know how thick you made them? I had to play with that so they would flex a bit, and I think I made them a little too thin.

Hey Bart good luck with the 12th scale! I ran one 12th scale race at Hathern raceway a few days after the worlds. It was excellent! It is a good way to keep your reflexes sharp, and also keep the club together. Because we dont have the 12th scale cars over here, we managed to start a 1/24th scale oval slot car club. All the same guys run these that run the Stock Cars. It is good fun and again, it keeps everyone together.
Get that 1/8 ready for the indoor... it will be here before you know it!

Gary, I actually have 2 cars built. One for the body you gave me, and the second for the new body that I have designed, but not finished yet. I have founf it is much easier to build a chassis to a body shell, than build a body shell to a chassis.... or maybe thats all in my head! Anyway its coming along, and it will be better relaxing during the winter and getting this finished right, instead of messing about with it and not having it perfect. I will try and keep you updated here as our emails seem to get crossed up.

[grotty67]

Hey Pete, i have made the arms 8 mm thick and relieved them to 6mm where the springs sit, they are cnc machined so all should be perfectly the same, Trev as had a pair and Roy Watson is trying out a pair too, i have done two meetings with them and seem pretty good, will have to see how they go next year. People have different ways of making a body mold, i first make a body out of sheet abs 2mm thick and glue it together with solvent weld, then i give it a thin coat of wd40 , then i start with the p38 body filler untill it is totally full , then remove the plastic (the wd40 helps here), then its to the sander and about 40 hrs of hard work, ive made 4 and getting better, my latest one i think is very good, i wanted to make it quite low at the front but the only trouble is the servo saver,so you have to have a lump there. I enjoy making them and its good to see the end result, sometimes!, Scotty 67

[trevortennant]

Hi all. Over the winter I have built a new low line chassis out of 20 x 10mm rectangular tube. We were hoping to run it last sunday but the weather was not condusive to anything.
In the process of putting together a Ben Harding 1/12th stocker. rather amsuing that this is a simplified version of my original Schumacher cars of 1986. We have finally at the point of racing at our new 95 feet 4 lane slot car track it looks garet see Leicester Slot car club site for pictures. The 1/12th worlds is going to see a great deal of 1/8th scale drivers competiting will be interesting how they get on. No one has won both 1/12th and 1/8th titles

[maikel144]

Hi pete,

I'm building a new 1/8 stockcar for next season together with Sander and it's getting along.

And just like Bart i'm also racing the 1/12 and going to the Worlds in december should be good

fun and racing well that's all for know,

Cheers

Maikel #144

[gary328]

Pete

What would the chances of getting one to me by early Feb as i have been asked to show a hotrod at the model world show in Brighton, and would like to take my race car and yours.

Gary

[Rocket R/C]

Gary, I will do my best to have one done. Probably the car that fits the body shell you sent me will be done. The other will need more time. Im just trying to get a shell done for it. Its wider than anything else out there. Sorry for delay with this, but its coming along.

Hey Maikel... how about snapping a few pics for us as you build the car?? Im curious to know how its coming along? Keep racing the 12th.... that is really fun! I wish I could come back over for the 12th worlds, but thats too many trips over!

Hey Scotty send me a pic of one of those arms if you can? I like your body mold process, but it seems that it might be easier to start with one of the old molds and work off of a duplicate. I have a stock car mold started out of wood. I will make the first shell from a wood mold, then once I have a shape I like, I will fill it with resin, and make shells from it. Thats the plan at least. I dont know how easy pieces of wood are to get there, but scraps are everywhere over here, and it glues and sands down easily, yet will take the stress of the vacuum pull. Just a thought. Keep working on it man, you are doing well!

Trev slot track rocks!! I need a drive on that during my next trip.... really fast!

Let us all know how that new Stock Car chassis handles Trev! That is a great idea. I need a pic of that also when you have some time.

[grotty67]

Hi All, car looks good Trev, ime also racing one of Bens cars at the worlds, the Schumacher car was awesome, i remember the first time you ran it down at Leicester, shame the a holes banned it, but hey they dont like progress mate, so here we are 25 years are with the same car, (should that now be banned ?) only joking!, Pete i can send you a pair of arms, but they are the standard length, let me know man, have you thought of trying the inside arm with slightly smaller hole centres to make it corner better, you would have to adjust the engine angle, but that would be easy?, i find wood hard to work with, i have completed my mould and have sold 5 already, people seem quite keen on it, ive added a lump in the bonnet to acomodate the servo saver to enable the bonnet to be cut down lower. I am at present getting some more nerfs made, we have had a problem getting hold of the material but Simon farrer has come up with some. Has anybody tried the 1/8th tyres that Adrie Midelkoop is making, is anybody bringing any over to the 12th worlds?, going to sign off on a sad note, really sorry to hear the sad news of Petes Passing, he told me he was very ill over 8 months ago, he was a very brave man to face it how he did and i personally am so proud that the Leicester Club helped Pete financially to go to Holland which i know was a dream of his, R.I.P Pete x

[jody391]

Hi pete ive been so busy with work!! wow didnt realise how fast time fly's, am so really looking forward to next year! How are you big dawg?

[Rocket R/C]

Im good, really busy with work but trying to keep the faith. I havent had much time for RC stuff this winter, but I am going to a larger indoor oval race in the middle of January. I will let you know how it goes and maybe post some pics on the site so you can see how we "yanks" get it done indoors. I only wish we had full contact..... but its still fast and fun!

Everybody keep in touch and let me know what they are up too!

[gary328]

Hi Pete

Looks like we are still having problems with the email, how is the hotrod coming along, do you have any ideas when you may be able to get one over. Looks like we wont have it here for the show next weekend.

Hope you are well and speak to you soon .

Gary