Did anyone else run something we're building that class around?

Did anyone shake any cars down at Al's last week?

I will actually miss this Thurs but intend on making the following and will be bringing a box of Flys with me. 

Chris

Yeah, I forgot about the Daytona Cobras, T-70 spiders, and the more accurate looking Rev-ogram Shelby Mustangs.  They handle like crap but they look so good.  I think they'd be a good add for this class.

I think it'd be a good idea to see how well these all play together and make something work out of it.

If we start to broaden it up, it may lead to a spec motor- or maybe have the Mono-Rev/Carrera cars use a black stripe?  Let's see how well they do together first.

Funny you mention this...  I was also thinking the same regarding some of the similar era Carrera cars.  They would likely require a motor swap but I thought they'd fit in well with the spirit of the class as well.

My thought on the Mono-vell cars is that they seem to have a fairly stout motor, even if it is a slim can (am I think of the right ones?).  We'd have to do some comparisons, but I like the idea.

The thing I am keeping in mind as the goal for the class is:

"good looking, well-tuned, fun handling, slow-motored cars from the glory days of sports car racing that look as good as they go"

As that plays out in the rules, I am very open to the MRRC Cobras, the Carrera C- and D-types, etc...  Just need to make sure they are compatible with the Scaley/Fly baseline.

I know this is expanding the class pretty openly, but as Mitch points out- I imagine we all have some cars that have stayed on the shelf because they'll never cut it in the Classics or Classics 2 category but you'd like to run them.  This might give them a home, so I'm open to trying them all to see how they fit in.

If someone who has one (Mitch?) wouldn't mind putting some effort into setting one up so we can compare, I think that'd be a great start.

I've heard no violent objections to the option of replacing the rear axle, wheels, tires, gears at this point.  Any other opinions out there?

I will be reluctant to spec a motor other than the stock black stripe.  If they prove unreliable, then we can talk about it but if we're going to change gears, tires, wheels, etc... how much of the car will still be Fly?  I think motor should stay for now.

That said, I am not sure where the intent of a RTR class came from.  Knowing Fly "quality", I think the only way the group I race with (yeah, YOU guys) would be happy with them is to be able to do some tuning and use a handful of quality replacement parts.

As far as 3d printed chassis, I can rule that out for now and always.  Those are for the "Classics 2" category.  I don't see that being in the spirit of this class.

As far as wheels, I will phrase it in this manner: does anyone object to having the option to replace your rear axle assembly with gears of an identical ratio and metal wheels and tires of appropriate size and aspect ratio (regardless of vendor)?

I know there are other quality wheel vendors out there (BWA, SCC, CB) and while the Slot.It kits are very easy, some of the wider tired cars will need wider than stock Slot.It wheels to maintain their appearance.  I want that option on the table.

docdoom wrote:

are replacement slot axile kits a go or no go with these cars.

Currently still up for discussion.  I am hoping we get to a consensus shortly but I am leaning toward permitting it.

kidvolt wrote:

Thoughts...  it sounds like some of these cars need quite a bit of work to be competitive.  smile

Well, yes...  They are Fly's after all.

I am going to breathe a little life back into this thread.  The current rules package proposal:

Except for the following allowances, car should be box stock.  Specifically this means-

  • Stock motor

  • Stock wheel wells (may not be altered)

The allowances-

  • Traction magnet must be removed

  • Any rubber/urethane tires may be used

  • Tires may be glued and trued on the wheels

  • Guide and braid are free to replace/modify

  • Guide may be shimmed to appropriate depth for track

  • Grinding to fit (lead, brass, etc...) weight in is acceptable.  Grinding to remove weight is not.

  • Front stub axles may be replaced with a single, solid axle holding the stock front wheels

  • Swapping gears is allowed provided it is for the identical stock ratio (pitch may be different)

  • It is permitted to glue bearings into the chassis

  • It is permitted to glue the motor into the chassis

  • It is permitted to apply glue inside bearings to eliminate slop of oversize bearings

  • Chassis may be filed along its perimeter for float, but do not remove more than 1/16" of material.

  • Valances and other bodywork may be separated from the chassis and attached to the body provided it maintains the original profiles, features, proportions, and contours of the model.

  • BNOVA and similar guide repair components are acceptable for repairing existing cars but not as a tuning option

  • If it's not mentioned, you can't do it.

The class would be broken into two categories- front vs rear motored (inline counts as REAR motored; front motor has a driveshaft between the motor output and the pinion).  Any Le Mans competitors modeled by Scalextric or Fly which ran in the 1971 event or prior are eligible for competition.

Regarding wheel/axle replacements, I am inclined to allow it based on knowing that we will inevitably break them.  The stipulation is that the original wheel needs to be used to create inserts (or accurate replacements from other sources used) and the replacement wheel(s) and tire(s) need to be the same dimensions.  The objective is to retain the appropriate look for the car in period.

Philosophically, I think it's ok to have this class drift to a tuner class instead of RTR.  I fear if we don't allow the tuning options, there may be a dominant chassis but more specifically, I think we'll all get a little frustrated at running ill-handling cars at slow speeds.  I want there to be options on the table for improving the drivability while remaining a slow and pretty class, which should be guaranteed by sticking with the stock motor/chassis.  The wheels/gears/axles/tires options make enjoying the cars a possibility.

Thoughts?

CK

Yep, thanks for another fun night at Too Bad, Bill!  Lots of good close racing up and down the finishing order and a great time.  It was fun pushing to try to catch John in GT.  That car is a rocket!

Chris

Someone I have traded with on SCI has a number of cars which fit this bill for sale.  If anyone is interested, they are:


Scaley:
GT40 #95 White w/black hood, green nose
GT40 Gulf #1
GT40 #3 red
GT40 #4 gold
GT40 #11 Dk blue w/oragne stripe
D-Jag #60 White w/blue stripe
D-Jag #518 Blue

$35 each 1-2 cars shipped, $30 3-4 each cars shipped, $25 each for 5 shipped

Fly

Ferrari 512, silver no tampo
Ferrari 512 black, Playboy
GT40 #6 Blue w/yellow noce
GT40 #98 White w/blk hood
GT40 #130 White w/blue stripe
Ferrari 250 GTO #112 Blue w/yellow stripe

1-2 cars $40 each shipped, 3-4 cars, $35 each shipped, 5+ cars, $30 each shipped

Anyone interested in any of them?

Mitch58 wrote:

It would be nice to see something other than Ferraris and Fords.

I have 917's and 908's to tune up and intend on doing so!  There will be more than the two F brands.

Mitch- I picked up a used 906 with NSR tires on the rear.  IT IS AWESOME!  Unfortunately, it has a Slot.It white motor in it so it's ineligible, but the chassis handles the power very well.  With a stock motor it would be SUPER stable.

Also- Bill: The Slot.It F1 tires seem to fit the Fly GT40's very well.  Seeing as they fit and I am familiar with the compound, I'd recommend starting with the 917 or 512.  They don't fit on those wheels.

I am disinclined to run the Scaley GT40, unless mine are just that old and the newer ones run much better...  The Fly's run rings around them- at least on my track.

250GTO, 250LM, 917, and 512 tires would be helpful as well.  I can't seem to find anything which fits that rim.  While you're at it, a T-70 tire maybe too.

Depending on how the Scaley's run- some 300SL/SLR, D- and C-Type...  If people have them.

I did locate a few more of my Scaley GT40's and couldn't get them to run within half a second of the Fly's.  I would be curious to try their 250GTO and see if it gets better results.  The 512's and 917's I have seem to run pretty well too, but I don't seem to have truly effective tires for that wheel configuration/

reek455 wrote:

The problem I'm having is that most of mine have been modified in some way making them illegal.

Yeah, I think we need a way to be able to grandfather in the cars in our stable- less away from RTR and lean more toward tuned, slower, classics.  I do want to see them all play well together.

Bill, I'll be there early with bells on!

CK

Mitch58 wrote:

I know that the Fly and Scalextric sidewinder cars have room for weight. I don't know about the front motored cars.


Here's my thing about why I would still advocate grinding for fitting in weight:  I have tried tuning one or two of these by putting weight in them.  Once I did, they didn't want to button back up nicely.  All the interior pieces leave little space to put weight.  A modest amount of grinding solves that problem.  I remember thinking that it was a shame that to get them to run well, it looked like they were bulging at the seams.  If the whole intent is to make a pleasant class out of pretty- but slow- cars, I think it would behoove us to make sure they stay pretty as we make them enjoyable to drive.

I would like to leave the door open to grind to fit the weight in and that is why.  I am fine if other chassis grinding/trimming/valence relocating is off limits.

Any objections?

RE: Scaley Vette- game on Mitch!

Goose wrote:

I would like to start out running the the cars with no body modifications to see how well the cars run, and then have some modified body cars to run against to see if it creates a advantage, if it does then vote on the modified body into the rules.


That seems reasonable to me- but I would be inclined to take away the chassis trimming allowance as well.

Goose wrote:

Chris: with regards to; "Valances and other bodywork may be separated from the chassis" a modification to the car, and thus moving away from the "RTR" car concept of the class?


Yeah but...

I've always felt compelled to have the body be the body and the chassis be the chassis.  I know Scaley is fond of doing this with their cars and figured it might be a good option if we wanted to have them competitive with Fly's (maybe). 

If this was a dictatorship, I'd allow it but it's open for discussion.  I personally think it's quite comparable to chassis clearancing- it's done to get the body to float effectively.  If we're going to do one, I think we should allow the other.  Otherwise I'd say we only grind to allow weight to fit in.

Are you not in favor Goose?

It has been a long time since I seriously tried to tune a Fly but I think the axle dia's are the same and the wheels should slip on just as well as they do to a Fly axle.  I will see if I have one to monkey around with this weekend.

I agree a full axle assembly may be problematic to locate for replacement- may be more cost effective to just find another car and swap in/out the parts needed.

For the weight, I am fine specifying it needs to go inside, but I do remember that some of these cars were stuffed with interior detail that it was tough to find space to stick it.

Any discussion about the valence allowance?  I think it's a valid option for those scaley cars.

Regarding the Sloters, I did think about them too as I thought they were related in some manner.  The only one I have has a motor which is SERIOUSLY peppy and doesn't fit the intent of the class.  If they are appropriately motored and don't have a significant competitive advantage (not podded, etc...), I am ok to write them in if the general consensus agrees.

CK

I took a quick break and wrote something up.  What do you think?:

Draft rules package for the new "Le Mans Classics" category:

Except for the following allowances, car should be box stock.  Specifically this means-

  • Stock motor

  • Stock wheels

  • Stock wheel wells (may not be altered)

The allowances-

  • Traction magnet must be removed

  • Any rubber/urethane tires may be used

  • Tires may be glued and trued on the wheels

  • Guide and braid are free to replace/modify

  • Guide may be shimmed to appropriate depth for track

  • Grinding to fit (lead, brass, etc...) weight in is acceptable.  Grinding to remove weight is not.

  • Front stub axles may be replaced with a single, solid axle holding the stock front wheels

  • Swapping gears is allowed provided it is for the identical stock ratio

  • It is permitted to glue bearings into the chassis

  • It is permitted to apply glue inside bearings to eliminate slop of oversize bearings

  • Chassis may be filed along its perimeter for float, but do not remove more than 1/16" of material.

If it's not mentioned, you can't do it.

The class would be broken into two categories- front vs rear motored (inline counts as REAR motored; front motor has a driveshaft between the motor output and the pinion).  Any Le Mans competitors modeled by Scalextric or Fly which ran in the 1971 event or prior are eligible for competition.

Additional proposals for your consideration:

  • Valances and other bodywork may be separated from the chassis and attached to the body provided it maintains the original profiles, features, proportions, and contours of the model.

  • Weight affixed to the outside of the chassis is permitted only if it does not risk contact with the track power

  • BNOVA and similar guide repair components are acceptable for repairing existing cars but not as a tuning option

Discuss.....

wb0s wrote:

I wouldn't mind using this class as a replacement for the GT Class.

I would cry...  The Classics and GT classes are my favorites (aside from the BRM's) and I would hate to see GT disappear.  I am very glad to see more interest in the classic era stuff, even if it is slower and only minimal mods are allowed.

wb0s wrote:

This is starting to look a lot like our Trans Am Class.............

Except it will actually be slower.

kidvolt wrote:

Slot.It makes a kit for just this purpose.  Bushings, wheels, axles, gears.  highly recommended.

Stock wheels though....

Also- it's been a LONG time since I put effort into a Fly car but can the axle be harvested once the gear is off?  Are the axles knurled for the gear?

It may make sense to also allow a new axle to be used as well, but stock plastic wheels need to go back on it...