CanAm - Build Thread

[Audi1]

Here's a start on my brass chassis car for Dave's CanAm proxy. I started with a Carrera Porsche 917/30, but the body was too heavy to make it anywhere close to competitive. So, I switched to a Fly Porsche 917/10. Much lighter and I think it will make a good proxy car..........we'll see.............. Just thought I'd sneak this in under the wire before the clan descends.............

Once it arrived, I realized that it was a clamshell body/chassis. So, that meant an extra step or two.



After some cutting, the rockers were free and I could see how the chassis was going to form up. I'm using an IL chassis for this build, since I think it may be more straightforward than a SW chassis; even though my strong preference is for the SW configuration. Motor pod and bearings in place; the bracket comes from Dennis (gascarnut):



Next up, some wire bending and brass cutting; probably after the Holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Allan

[HomeRacingWorld]

And a Happy one to you. Great seeing this project, I will follow this. What a perfect car for this.

[docdoom]

I been thinking about diving into the black art of brass chassie making my self. Were would one fine that set block? I have looked on line but I have never seen one.

[Audi1]

Here you go, docd.

http://www.pslotcar.com/index.html

You want either the 2200 or the 2201 (inches or metric). Not inexpensive, but very useful for both plastic (HRS2 and other adjustable 3D printed chassis) and brass chassis builds. The price is actually coming down on these; I paid considerably more for mine a year and a half ago. Professor Motor carries them in their Precision Slot Car category.

Allan

PS From what I've seen posted by those who build brass chassis on a routine basks, it doesn't look like a black art to me; more like a custom engineered solution to the strength/flex/speed/handling question that we're always working to try to perfect. I'm sure my first one will be gawd awful, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try. :D

[dw5555]

Lets not forget the basic (Inexpensive) ceramic board...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CERAMIC-BOARD-H ... Sw34FVB4Yi

Dave

[docdoom]

thanks for the link

[Retro Racer 44]

If you will only be doing 1/32 scale, this honeycomb board is big enough, and the price is right.

http://www.amazon.com/Jewelry-Displays- ... ring+board

Cheers,

Keith

[TuscoTodd]

Allan -
Looking forward to seeing this one :handgestures-thumbup: progress!

[charley]

Help!!! I can't find the rules/sign up page for the Can Am proxy!!!

[TuscoTodd]

[Audi1]

I believe in declaring victory in small increments and if the later steps in brass chassis building are anything like the early steps, then those increments are going to get really small...........!

Today was "learn how to bend piano wire" day. The pic below shows the main rail; which is a two-sided box bend in a piece of 0.055" piano wire. Not a lot to show for a mornings' work, but a step ahead nonetheless:



Leading up to that, was a series of "learning pieces":



Fortunately, you can save yourself a little material, by cutting-off close to the faulty bend..............good thing to know.............

The rockers are back on the body now and I can see (imagination is a great thing!) the car starting to take shape:



I also made up a template out of 2.0mm styrene, to lift chassis measurements and to help with the dimensions of the side pans/guide tongue placement/body post attachment points:



It's traced from the portion of the stock chassis that was left over once I had cut off the rockers. I have some visible motor parts in the back that the 917/10 needs to show, so I'll need some sort of shelf to allow for the attachment of those parts.

On to the cutting of some of the central brass pieces............rear motor mount platform, front body post attachment, front axle/guide tongue, etc. Then the side pans, then................

Inching along.................... :lol:

Allan

[chrisguyw]

Hey, what's goin on here???......I wanna see sum mo bent wire!!!

Git to er boy........

Cheers
Chris Walker

[Audi1]

Ummm..........could be a little bit..........work and the Christmas Holidays getting in the way of play again...................... But, I'm on it! ;)

Allan

[bill from nh]

Allan, here's an quicker way to make those 2-sided boxes. Next time you got to make one, bend two "L's" rather than one "U". Lay the short legs of the "L's" side-by-side & solder the "L's" into a "U" shape. Much easier to make with virtually no wasted piano wire. I'm from the days when piano wire was a nickel per foot for all diameters, but I still don't like to waste any. That must be the yankee in me. :)

[Audi1]

Hi Bill, Thanks for the idea. I have zero soldering skills (outside of soldering motor lead wires), so I was looking to maximize the strength of the main body rail piece; that's the reason for the box bend. The two piece route seems like, perhaps, a better solution.

Allan