I've taken in another stray CAT.. XL

[CAT3K]

I've always wanted to own one of these, mainly because it's Schumacher world champion.

I know i'm a sucker for buying cars with problems, but this one has a lot of them. On the good side it has MMS diffs front and rear, plus the layshaft. It's also got the rear suspention mod kit fitted to widen it (the paperwork for it is in the box), but the front is still narrow. I'm not sure if i'll return it to the narrow spec yet.













As you can see from the pics the bottom chassis has been snapped in two and repaired, functionally not too badly, but it looks terrible. The top chassis is broken at the front too as well as having a missing bumper and wheels. I'm probably going to be hunting for parts for a while to replace those.

Paul.

[Bormac]

Good on you Paul. Nothing like an old beat up CAT to remind you of what a good project is.

I bought a used XL back in the 80's from a fellow racer at Bormac. The car drove light years ahead of my standard Optima back then. A difficult design for me understand fully back then but it's years later when we undergo these resto's do we really appreciate and understand the design and even evolution of this awesome line of racers.

Today I own at least one of each and the old XL is still one of my fav's. Knowing your appreciation for the old Schueys I have no doubts that you'll end up with a really nice car before too long.

Keep me posted

[Groomi]

Great find. I too used to race an XLS (which was bought by it's original owner as an XL with the widening kit and MMS diffs & layshaft from new) without fully understanding how to get the best from it.

I still have mine albeit awaiting me making a replacement chassis. It had a box in about the same condition as yours but I threw it away in a determined clear-out a few years ago. Dammit!

Look forward to seeing your project progress.

[moozo]

Another stray to your collection, we should come up with a name for your place...

Buds orange belt too mmmm

Name suggestions below please

[CAT3K]

Well i've been really lazy recently with anything to do with my collection, but today i dug this out to try and make some progress. I bought a new chassis a while ago, but it's a bit of an oddity. The seller (am old racer) told me it was an XL chassis, however it's a bit shorter than XL/XLS, but longer than SWB. It looks like a Schumacher chassis for sure, and it still has the flashing from where it was cut, just like the originals. My XL bottom chassis is 275mm total length, this chassis is 265mm. The top plate is similarly shorter. Anyone ever heard of a mid wheel base?






I also had a good look over the buggy and noticed this lovely mod to the rear shock... I think i might need a new shock cap



Paul.

[DerbyDan]

Wierd! I wonder if the 'repair' was is actually a modification to make the SWB chassis longer? But then, what about the belt & top deck??

Or perhaps its something simple like that the XL wasn't quite as long as an XLS?

[CAT3K]

Wierd! I wonder if the 'repair' was is actually a modification to make the SWB chassis longer? But then, what about the belt & top deck??

Or perhaps its something simple like that the XL wasn't quite as long as an XLS?

I'm not 100% sure myself Dan, the topdeck on the repaired one matches the lower chassis length, so it's not been extended.

As far as i'm aware the XL and XLS chassis were identical in length, if they were not i suppose there would have been another length of bodyshell.

The bodyshell is the main reason i have not just used this chassis, i'd have to modify the body length to suit.

Paul.

[CAT3K]

Well i managed to get myself a lightly used chassis set, this time the same length as the original.



While i was stripping the car i noticed the right hand gearbox plate was bent (how??)



I hammered it flat with a rubber mallet and rebuilt the gearbox. The MMS diff and layshaft were in good condition and just needed a quick clean. The diff seems to be the drum type without the pulley guides.



This chassis set looks so much better





I need to get working on the shocks next as they're in pretty rough condition. I also need to see if a can clean up the rear shock tower.

Paul.

[DerbyDan]

That's coming along nicely! I'm sure you'll have those shocks polished & looking sweet in no time knowing you

With your rear shock mount its amazing how much better they can look just by going around the edges with wet & dry paper, not tried the peroxide trick with GRP but might be worth a go to restore that 'whiteness'?

[CAT3K]

Thanks Dan. I've been working on the buggy a little more today.



As you can see from this pic of the rear shock mount, i think it might not be salvagable. It's got a stress crack, extra holes and is very different in colour from the chassis now.



I think i have a good idea to replace it though. The top deck that came with the buggy originally is broken at the front, but the rest of it is in decent shape and should clean up well. I think i'll use this shock mount as a template and cut a new one from the top deck material

Paul.

[CAT3K]

I attacked the old broken top deck with my dremel yeaterday...

My hand cutting is getting slightly better, and the colour match to the chassis is perfect





I polished up the shocks and attached the new shock tower. I had to replace one of the shock caps on the rear, but the rest of the shock parts polished up a treat.





I've still got to sort out some wheels. I'd really like some original black ones, but i also have a nice new set of pink trinity wheels. If they'd have been 2" they would already be on the buggy, but they're 2.2" and i'm not sure if they'd look out of place.

Paul.

[DerbyDan]

Sweet baby Jesus!! That 'stray' has really turned into quite a pedigree show-winner!

Top work on that rear tower - it looks perfect to me! Great work on this restoration so far, you really are the 'master' of these schuey re-builds.

Any plans for how you are going to finish off the shell? The XL/XLS CAT is one of my favorite looking buggy bodies

[CAT3K]

Thanks Dan. I have a choice of the original style body or a Frewer Dog for Cat, but i haven't been able to make up my mind yet..

The Frewer looks cool, and i think it is roughly period correct (maybe slightly later for the XLS?)



The only thing is, i had kind of wanted to keep it looking like an original XL.

Paul.

[Groomi]

Great job. When I finally do mine I have a TBG XLS shell for it - hard to beat the original IMO. (Although I like the Parma Fat Cat even more if it was for a Procat chassis).

[DerbyDan]

That Frewer shell is super cool - but I think i'd stick with the original style, such a clean shape!

@ Groomi - I must admit I'm not a massive fan of the Parma FatCat.... R/C's first recorded appearance of the 'Fugly cab-forward' shell