Schumacher Cat ID

[railey72]

Just picked up this CAT and parts in a vintage lot purchase. I have always liked these buggies, just have never owned one. Looking for some help from you experts out there on which version this is. From what I understand there are 3 versions of the CAT. SWB, XL and XLS?
From what I can see it looks like it has different shocks (delta?). Also wondering about the black chassis. Is this an aftermarket or a later version? Kind of a bummer that the original body doesn't fit around it.

[uzzi]

Great find there....in the early CAT series there were the SWB, XL and the XLS. The first CAT appears to be an XLS that has an aftermarket chassis...most probably Trinity or TRC. It also has an orange belt by either Wasp or Buds. I am not sure about the shocks perhaps they are Delta ones.....the original versions are hard to find on their own. Front bumper is a JG version.

The second CAT is the SWB version...looks to be missing a lot of the drive train but a very rare car indeed. Both cars look to require some work but you have the beginnings of some cool projects....good luck and have fun

[vintage racer]

Yes,looks like the white one is the original SWB stick pack car,very nice find.

[railey72]

Thank you for the info fellas. The "XLS" is mostly complete but could use a restore and few new parts to be nice. The swb as mentioned is missing a lot of components. I did get a fair amount of parts in the lot so I need to dig in and see exactly what can be put together. I appreciate the ID.

[railey72]

Wasn't Kamtec or someone making repro bodies and undertrays for these at some point? Anybody know if these are still available?

[QuackingPlums]

Just curious, as I no longer have mine in front of me for comparison, but how do you tell the SWB from the XLS? My XLS was originally stick configuration too, and I upgraded it to 6-cell saddle myself.

[vintage racer]

Im definetly not an expert but allways thought that the stick chassis was the short wheel base.

[uzzi]

Kamtec was making them perhaps contact them to see if they have any in stock http://www.kamtec.co.uk/

How to tell the difference between a SWB and an XLS?

At a glance......normally by the shell especially the area in front of the cockpit of the SWB. That area in the XLS is alot more roomier and way slimmer looking. Without the body it is trickier to get right depending on the angle of the picture. Another tell tale sign is the grey bumper but that was also released with early XL kits. If you get to hold a real SWB in person it is noticebly shorter than most 1/10 buggies.

[QuackingPlums]

The XLS was definitely available in stick configuration too - I had to make my own saddle chassis and used my Optima tie-wraps until the official saddle-pack chassis and battery stays became available!

Looking at those photos, I couldn't tell whether it's a SWB or an XLS, so I was wondering if there are some other differences that I'd forgotten about (given that I no longer have my old CATs with me). There's that white post on the upper deck that I don't remember having, but I suspect that's a user modification. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference between wheelbases on the two cars either.

Hence my question - what makes you sure that this is the SWB? Is it the angle of the tapered lower deck?

[CNA75]

Hence my question - what makes you sure that this is the SWB? Is it the angle of the tapered lower deck?

It's difficult to be certain from those pics. However, the lower deck looks a little shorter and fatter than the XL/XLS lower deck so that indicates that it might the SWB lower deck. Best way to check for certain, however, would be to put it along side the other car and see if the wheelbase is shorter. I have a similar chassis to the other car and it is the same length as the XL/XLS chassis so would be a good indication.

I would also add that there are none of the widening bits that you find on the XLS. That said, such bits don't exist on the XL either but when you add it all up together things start to indicate an SWB.

[railey72]

Good questions and good points. I didn't think to compare the two or measure because I haven't been able to find a wheelbase dimension for either. Unfortunately when i put the two cars together they are very close. It is hard to get an accurate measurement on the parts car but I would say they are both about 275mm. Bummer.

[uzzi]

Wheelbase for SWB CAT is 250mm and for the XLS is 275mm. That bodyshell is confirm a SWB version.

[uzzi]

Next questions are,

Does the undertray match the top shell?
Do the holes in the undertray match the chassis holes?

If the answer is yes to both question...you can confirm it is a SWB CAT chassis.

[railey72]

Unfortunately, the chassis is not an swb. It does have a 275mm wheelbase. You are correct on the body being an swb shell though.

[QuackingPlums]

Now that I look back at that first picture, it's obvious really - the shell doesn't even reach the rear shock tower and it already looks short. Maybe this was an SWB that somebody upgraded to XL/XLS spec?