Scratch build Nitro tethered race car, second try!

[CertifiedMike]

Unbelievable!!! From a pile of wood and metal stock... what a beauty!!!
I'm a fan of the racing green and tan leather accents too.
Red or green... it already looks great!
I love this build!!!

 

[Doom!]

Well obviously it should be Yellow. I am so impressed how well this is coming along. Beautiful work.

 

[Roog]

Thanks to everyone for their words of encouragement.
As my last job of 2024, I attached the lower body part to the chassis and plonked the upper part on top for effect.

Happy new year all.

 

[WickedFog]

Dude, that is so awesome!

 

[Roog]

Dude, that is so awesome!
View attachment 213376

Thank you, Well it’s getting there and I hope that most of the really messy work is now done.

I am starting to think about the grille, in the photo of the real thing it looks like vertical and horizontal blades forming a cross pattern or squares, I think I might settle for horizontal blades. Either way it has to be robust, I’m aiming for a representation of 1950’s F1 rather than detail. It has to be durable enough to use.
I’m on the look out for pre made mesh perhaps?

Fine expanded metal might work.

 

[WickedFog]

Thank you, Well it’s getting there and I hope that most of the really messy work is now done.

I am starting to think about the grille, in the photo of the real thing it looks like vertical and horizontal blades forming a cross pattern or squares, I think I might settle for horizontal blades. Either way it has to be robust, I’m aiming for a representation of 1950’s F1 rather than detail. It has to be durable enough to use.
I’m on the look out for pre made mesh perhaps?

Fine expanded metal might work.

Check these guys out.
https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=4443&language=en

Although, I am wondering where the air is going to go. Can you block off the rear of the car behind the engine to send all the air out past the head?

 

[Roog]

Check these guys out.
https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=4443&language=en

Although, I am wondering where the air is going to go. Can you block off the rear of the car behind the engine to send all the air out past the head?

Cheers @WickedFog its amazing the stuff that companies make!

I’ll check out a local model shop.

I may well block off the ‘headrest’ area behind the engine for appearance and one option for the grille would be to mill slots in a 1/4” thick piece of aluminium to leave thin linear ridges proud of the background, then flooding black paint in the groves to give the impression of louvres. Terrible use of a tool though. There is little or no reason for air to pass through the car body for cooling because of the short run time.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Thanks to everyone for their words of encouragement.
As my last job of 2024, I attached the lower body part to the chassis and plonked the upper part on top for effective.

Happy new year all.

View attachment 213371View attachment 213372

Happy new year!!!

 

[Roog]

I have been making a custom fuel tank for my tethered car, fuel take off is at the rear of the tank and on the edge furthest from the tether point, as once the thing gets going the fuel ends up on the outer side of the tank and is forced in to the engine, no need to pressurise the tank from the exhaust. I had some thin brass plate and tube so after some cutting, bending and persuading I have a square ish tank that I can fill through the cockpit opening.

In the past I have used a gas blow lamp to heat the whole thing in one go, the end result is something slips or doesn’t quite solder, so I dug out an old 80W soldering iron, designed for making leaded windows and that worked very well, much more controlled and you don’t get oxidation due to the excessive heat from direct flame.

 

[Doom!]

I love that you make most of your own stuff, the tank looks great.

 

[Roog]

Here is the tank ‘placed’ in position ahead of the engine

I have placed the body over the chassis and added a simulated screen made from card, I’ll use this as a pattern to cut the acrylic one.

The GRP body needs a bit more finishing, but I am itching to get some paint on it!

Here is the acrylic screen, now all I have to do is figure out how to bend it without damaging it. I have a small crafts hot air gun, I might try that.

 

[WickedFog]

Dude! I mean holy cow dude! Speechless. ABSOLUTELY SICK MY MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Roog]

I love that you make most of your own stuff, the tank looks great.

Thank you @Doom! and @WickedFog but believe me, if I could have bought a tank the right size I would have!

I suppose I should find something to bend the screen over once heated?
I’m sure I have a baseball bat somewhere

Also thinking of how to package the RC for the throttle. The linkage can go down the side of the tank putting the RC at the front of the car.

It has been suggested that I run with the throttle wide open and fit a fuel cutoff ‘aerial’ which you hold out a broom or a cloth to knock the ‘aerial’ back as the car goes past which cuts off the fuel by squishing the pipe. I still prefer the extra control which an RC throttle gives.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Thank you @Doom! and @WickedFog but believe me, if I could have bought a tank the right size I would have!

I suppose I should find something to bend the screen over once heated?
I’m sure I have a baseball bat somewhere

Also thinking of how to package the RC for the throttle. The linkage can go down the side of the tank putting the RC at the front of the car.

It has been suggested that I run with the throttle wide open and fit a fuel cutoff ‘aerial’ which you hold out a broom or a cloth to knock the ‘aerial’ back as the car goes past which cuts off the fuel by squishing the pipe. I still prefer the extra control which an RC throttle gives.

The shed is creating some fine products! This has been an amazing journey! The car looks absolutely amazing!

 

[Tunedfrog]

I have been making a custom fuel tank for my tethered car, fuel take off is at the rear of the tank and on the edge furthest from the tether point, as once the thing gets going the fuel ends up on the outer side of the tank and is forced in to the engine, no need to pressurise the tank from the exhaust. I had some thin brass plate and tube so after some cutting, bending and persuading I have a square ish tank that I can fill through the cockpit opening.

View attachment 216587

View attachment 216588

In the past I have used a gas blow lamp to heat the whole thing in one go, the end result is something slips or doesn’t quite solder, so I dug out an old 80W soldering iron, designed for making leaded windows and that worked very well, much more controlled and you don’t get oxidation due to the excessive heat from direct flame.

Amazing work bud. Looking awesome.

 

[Roog]

The shed is creating some fine products! This has been an amazing journey! The car looks absolutely amazing!

Thank you @CertifiedMike the shed has been reasonably productive this winter although it’s bleed’in coldout there at the moment.

 

[CertifiedMike]

We are right around 40°. Its the warmest its been in months!
Next week we have a couple days, high 13/low -2 !!!
This is hopefully the worst of it now. We will take sunmer back from that other hemisphere and claim what is rightfully ours!!!

I want a shed that makes beautiful cars!!!
I really am blown away by this build. The whole thing is fantastic!
It doesn't look like it would take much to bring this to a full R/C build with the next car!
I hope you love the car as much as I do!

 

[Roog]

Hi @CertifiedMike i really appreciate your comments, I do need a bit of encouragement as life is not great for me right now for non-hobby related reasons.

My hobbies actually stress me out, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love making things, but the doubt I carry with regard to “will it work or tear its self to pieces?” Is terrible. I think I should build a kit RC car and enjoy it!

Despite the slow pace of this build, I am really impatient, meaning that I kick the can around the yard for weeks, then get fed up and just build what’s on the screen at that time, hardly the best approach :0(

One issue I have at the moment is that the top body part has ‘sprung’ curling in at the lower edge, I should probably try again but I’ve lost heart in the moulding process. I have checked the moulds and they match, so I suspect there is something I have done wrong in my laying up of the GRP?

Sorry I’m beginning to sound neurotic, today I hope to package the RC in its box, that might make me feel better :0)

 

[WickedFog]

Hi @CertifiedMike i really appreciate your comments, I do need a bit of encouragement as life is not great for me right now for non-hobby related reasons.

My hobbies actually stress me out, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love making things, but the doubt I carry with regard to “will it work or tear its self to pieces?” Is terrible. I think I should build a kit RC car and enjoy it!

Despite the slow pace of this build, I am really impatient, meaning that I kick the can around the yard for weeks, then get fed up and just build what’s on the screen at that time, hardly the best approach :0(

One issue I have at the moment is that the top body part has ‘sprung’ curling in at the lower edge, I should probably try again but I’ve lost heart in the moulding process. I have checked the moulds and they match, so I suspect there is something I have done wrong in my laying up of the GRP?

Sorry I’m beginning to sound neurotic, today I hope to package the RC in its box, that might make me feel better :0)

That sucking in of the upper body is something they use autoclaves for, to heat the part in the mold while in a vacuum. This keeps the parts from warping when released.

I don't know if this will work, but try cutting you some wooden dowels to stretch the body a bit past where it needs to be, heat it up really good with a heat gun or hair dryer, then quench it in ice cold water. See if that doesn't help it retain its shape afterwards. If you have any scrap parts to try it on, that's what I would try. Or lay just a strip in your original mold and make you a test piece to try it on. If it works, you should notice the dowels will slide out fairly easy.

 

[Roog]

Thanks for the ideas, I guess what ever I do I have to do it before I paint.
I did think about fitting permanent props, I am also considering masking the gap with a thin black rubber edging, giving the car a rubbing strake!