Back in Time - XLS For Vintage Racing

[Groomi]

This might be old new but just a comment on the gearbox plates. The left one (on picture, right in car #T073) is for the Procat, the right one is the hard to get for the SWB and XL (T072). Some people are very interested in the latter. If you put them on top of each other you will notice a different location for the rear upper hole. The XLS has got both of these holes.

David

Arghh! Good spot, I hadn't noticed they weren't matching. Better dig out their respective pairs and get polishing. Got some of the double holes to do too.

[Groomi]

Hmmm...

I'm struggling to source some new slotted cheese-head self tapping screws - any suggestions anyone?

I don't really want to go through the hassle of sorting through boxes and bags of old screws, picking out the good ones and cleaning them up etc, so if I can't find any then I may go for cap head allen bolts (similar-ish look and at least I can use my normal tools while trackside) - am I right in thinking UNC 4/40 thread should be a straight fit?

PS: I'm not really thinking about it for this build, but has anybody ever tried using nylon screws? My thinking is that most of the screws are just going into plastic parts anyway, so in the even of a serious enough crash it's just going to rip the thread out anyway, so maybe a nylon screw would be strong enough? (Or maybe it'll just rip the head off and leave a different problem?).

[Peakey]

I've been replacing all mine with machine bolts from kayfast1 on eBay fast delivery and well priced.

[Groomi]

The T079 is still attached to a junker XLS I have. Here's a picture and some measurements.





The overall length is 29mm, overall width is 21mm. Width at the wishbone end (left where the pivot pin goes through) is 15mm. The pivot pin is set 3mm from the left into the plastic. The rest is all angled and tough to measure at any one point. Hopefully this helps a little.

Paul.

What sort of thickness is that piece Paul (or anyone else)? I'm thinking about 6mm by the looks of it? I've found sheets of black nylon on Ebay of varying thicknesses which I could get and then get busy with the Dremel.

[Groomi]

I've been replacing all mine with machine bolts from kayfast1 on eBay fast delivery and well priced.

Yeah, I used metric dome head allen bolts throughout on my C2 racer, but for this one I wanted to keep it more 'period correct'. One thing I do remember from back in the pre-Ikea days was the relative rarity of an allen key!

[terry.sc]

Schumacher didn't use cheese head self tappers, they don't exist. The early Schumacher buggies use pan head self tappers and you can buy all the sizes needed from Model Fixings http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/self_tapping_screws.htm Stick with self tappers, they hold better in the soft plastic that the early cars are made from.

As for nylon screws, first you would have to tap threads in all the plastics first, and in the first big accident you will rip all the heads off the screws.

[Groomi]

Schumacher didn't use cheese head self tappers, they don't exist. The early Schumacher buggies use pan head self tappers and you can buy all the sizes needed from Model Fixings http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/self_tapping_screws.htm Stick with self tappers, they hold better in the soft plastic that the early cars are made from.

You're right - I just looked back at the manual to check after reading your post. The cheeseheads were M3's for fixing the ball/rose joints in place. Maybe if I'd got more sleep instead of searching online for something that doesn't exist, I wouldn't make such silly mistakes!

Thanks.

[DerbyDan]

I brought a number of packs of screws from Modelfixings for my TopCat - spot on in terms of appearance & service!

I agree that it adds to that vintage 'look' to stick with the slotted pan heads & as Terry says the self tappers give a more positive fixing into the plastic, its much easier to overtighten & strip a thread with a machine screw in the older Schumacher moldings.

[CAT3K]

What sort of thickness is that piece Paul (or anyone else)? I'm thinking about 6mm by the looks of it? I've found sheets of black nylon on Ebay of varying thicknesses which I could get and then get busy with the Dremel.

Good guess, it's 6mm

[Groomi]

What sort of thickness is that piece Paul (or anyone else)? I'm thinking about 6mm by the looks of it? I've found sheets of black nylon on Ebay of varying thicknesses which I could get and then get busy with the Dremel.

Good guess, it's 6mm

Ah, so my wife was wrong - I am good at judging measurements...

[Groomi]

I've used modelfixings before, but they don't list all the sizes I need for this build in Stainless Steel, so I've ordered everything I need from Accuscrews, for delivery tomorrow.

I've also ordered the 6mm black nylon sheet to make copies of the T079s.

Finally, I've managed to source a full set of Kyosho Gold shocks. They're badly scratched and worn on the outside so I might end up stripping and polishing them.

Hopefully a few other goodies will turn up today too.

[Groomi]

Here are the Kyosho gold shocks along with an MMS alloy Z bracket and some other alloy brackets and the original XLS wheels which were sadly painted over in the 90's - bling wasn't cool back then.


And here is the replica Parma 'Fat Cat' shell with undertray and a whole load of new stainless steel screws of all the various sizes.

[Groomi]

The gold shocks are still very smooth indeed, despite looking worn and tatty - they'll be great on a runner. So I set about testing out how to make them a bit more presentable:

LEFT: Original shock with heavily scratched and worn anodizing.

MIDDLE: After stripping down and spraying with oven cleaner for about 10mins to remove most of the anodizing (Will probably leave for about 15mins next time).

RIGHT: After a very quick rub down with P1200 wet and dry and a once over with Brasso.

I think this is just fine for my needs as it will be a runner, there is no point in trying to polish out every little scratch.

Now a quick question for you Kyosho experts. What alternative have I got to those horrible C-clips? Could I use an E-clip so at least there is a vague chance of not having the thing ping around the room?

[Groomi]

The full set of Kyosho Option House Gold Shocks, stripped, lightly polished and rebuilt. Very smooth, but no idea on spring or damper settings as I haven't built the car - hmmm, best get onto that...

[DerbyDan]

Those Kyosho shocks cleaned & polished up really nicely - & look more like the original Schumacher items. I must admit that I've fitted Kyosho Golds to my ProCat, but like you I'm unsure what oil/piston/springs to use, also being longer I'm sure droop limiters will be needed inside the shocks (especially at the front) & I'm guessing with the longer shock bodies 'up-travel'/compression maybe reduced? I'm actually building up a set of original Schumacher shocks to the specs outlined in the Phil Davies RRC article.... That should give me a good starting point & if they were good enough for Phil to win the Euros, they should be good enough for me?