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Hi All,
I'm planning to enter a vintage race meet later in the summer and have decided the car I want to enter into the pre '88 class is an XLS. I used to race one with a few mods back in the day, but really didn't know what I was doing then, so now I want to build one up with as many period mods as I can. I have a huge stock of parts, so have most of what I need, but there are a few bits I'm still looking for.

Proposed Spec:
1) GRP Repro of the standard lower chassis to be made using my one good chassis as a template. Cut slots where the battery clamps go so velcro straps can be used as I did back in the day.
2) Try to get a repro Parma Fat Cat shell and undertray, otherwise run standard XLS. Penguin had some on Ebay last year, so I've sent a message in hop...
3) Polish up transmission side plates. Heat sink to be fitted to motor mount. Alloy eccentrics.
4) MMS layshaft, front and rear diffs with alloy outdrives.
5) Wasp orange hi torque drivebelts.
6) Wasp slipper with 68dp tufnol spur for authentic whine.
7) Front driveshafts mounted with the outer sleeve on the wheel end, so they can easily be swapped between normal or one-ways.
Ball joint and turnbuckle brace fitted between rear of front shock towers, allowing crashback but reducing bending during shock operation. (Idea stolen from Kaszal's Procat thread, but he did say it was old skool).
9) GRP 'U' plate mounted on top of front gearbox to strengthen the open front of top deck.
10) Long screws all the way through the front transmission housing, bolted on top.
11) GRP spacer plates used behind the front transmission housing for belt tensioning.
12) Drill blanks to be threaded both ends and used to mount rear lower wishbone brackets through transmission.
13) Front and rear ARBs to be made.
14) New wire wing mount to be made.
15) New 'cheeshead' screws and nylocs throughout.
16)'Infill strips' made to sit in recess of undertray to prevent cracking around screw holes. (Again, stolen from Kaszal's Procat thread, but a great idea to stop the undertray splitting along the screw holes like it always did)
17) Shocks to be refurbished Schumacher originals unless I can find a pair of Kyosho gold fronts - or the holy grail full set of Brimod shocks. Original Schumacher silver springs to be used - will have to measure stiffness and arrange into matching pairs.
18) Original (black unfortunately) wheels with either full spike or block tyres. Have one pair of rear wheels and wide and narrow front wheels to choose from. Won't need to glue tyres, so easily swappable.
19) 11triple brushed motor
20) Speedmaster ESC (assuming it works)
21) Futaba 27mhz radio gear.
22) New nimh stick pack, mounted sideways.

Items I need/really want:

1) T079 upper rear suspension arm mounts - BEEN LOOKING FOR OVER A YEAR. SOMEBODY HELP!!!
2) Ballraced steering assembly.
3) Alloy layshaft bearing holders.
4) Buds orange long drive belt.
5) Belt covers (can get from TBG).
6) Alloy front and rear inner transmission housings would be lovely, but surely overkill for a (gentle) racer...

So as you can see I have most of what I need, but I really, really need help getting those T079 parts. I don't want to fit Procat rear suspension (as I had BITD) as it won't be authentic pre'88. As a last resort I can make some I guess.

Are there any great mods from BITD that I have missed, or any specific recommendations anyone can make? I'd love to make something really special if possible.

Here's what I used to race (after breaking the XLS chassis and replacing with a Procat one):


Cheers!

Sounds like a very nice piece of build! The T079, and the 77 for that matter, are very hard to come by. At the moment I can't help you... I'm also going to do an XLS build but first have to finish some other projects. In my part of the world we now have the Nordic Vintage Challenge with some different rules from you. Classic 2 and 4WD up to 1985 and 2 and 4WD 1986 through 1994. So to narrow the gap to the newer cars I'm going a different route with my XLS.

It's nice that you have the earlier limit. Then you can do some of the good old set ups much closer to the racing scene back then. With the vintage electronics it will the really cool. You have a massive collection of options and to spice it even further is overkill in my eyes. Looking forward to see this one!

Quite a list That's going to be a cool CAT.

You could get alloy mounting brackets (T076) BITD, but I can't think of many more period mods you could add. I probably have a few of the other parts you're looking for, even a T079, but only 1...

Paul.

Sounds like a cool build.... & thats quite a list of upgrades!!

I presume that you are entering the Iconic RC meeting at the end of July?? Hoping to be going myself - prob do pre 88 2wd with a JRX2 & the post 93 2wd class with my Losi XX

DerbyDan wrote:Sounds like a cool build.... & thats quite a list of upgrades!!

I presume that you are entering the Iconic RC meeting at the end of July?? Hoping to be going myself - prob do pre 88 2wd with a JRX2 & the post 93 2wd class with my Losi XX

Yep, that's the idea DerbyDan. I also hope to run a C2 in the 89-93 2wd class.

I'm really looking forward to it as I only raced against a few locals BITD, so never saw any of these great cars running. I bought my XLS 2nd hand for £50 in the early 90s but didn't really know anything about it.

CAT3K wrote:Quite a list That's going to be a cool CAT.

You could get alloy mounting brackets (T076) BITD, but I can't think of many more period mods you could add. I probably have a few of the other parts you're looking for, even a T079, but only 1...

Paul.

Hi Paul, I don't suppose you could take few measurements of the T079 could you? At least the I'd know what I need to copy.

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.

Thanks Paul,
That's a great help to get something made up.

Cheers,
Iain

I started to get a few parts together this evening to work out what I am going to use:



I have two different types of nylon rear diff I could use. The one on the left I think is the MMS item and the one on the right I think is Wasp. The middle one is the MMS front diff. The MMS rear diff has nylon outdrives and a larger diameter ring of balls (Sorry, can't hink of any other way to express it!). The Wasp diff has aluminium outdrives, but a smaller diameter ring of balls. Bearing in mind I'm intending to run middle-of-the-road power, which would you guys recommend?

Also shown is the MMS layshaft, Wasp slipper, numerous tufnol spurs, aluminium eccentrics, orange drive belts, lightly polished transmission sideplates and the motor heatsink - anybody know who made this?

A few NIP items include the steering pivots, rear shock mount (will probably make a copy, given this is being raced) and I think the correct diff screw with cone washers.

I can't see from your pic properly but a MMS rear drum will have the fences the same as the layshaft and the one that hasn't I think may be a trinity one but I may be wrong. I think it's just a matter of choice of to which you use I have a trinity rear drum in mine which will take the 6mm long belt I intend to run in mine.
But which ever you do use I would Frey and use the alloy outputs as the MMS ones can melt if you give them too much stick.
What electrics do you intend to run ?

Both diffs have the fences on the outside edges - all my nylon diffs do, but no fences in the middle like the layshaft has.

I can only use the aluminium outdrives with the Wasp/ Trinity diff as the diff rings are too small fir the MMS diff.

I have now entered the revival meet on 27th July, so no turning back.

Groomi wrote:I have now entered the revival meet on 27th July, so no turning back.

Excellent... see you there!

Of the two diffs - i'd go with the Wasp one with the alloy diff halves & the hex diff plates - the alloy parts have got to give a more consistant & positive location for the diff washers... I currently have the MMS drum pulley in the back of the ProCat - but i've used the Hex diff halves from Schumacher's own 'Hex Diff' - I don't like the idea of relying on the friction/glue between the plate & diff half face. Do the alloy diff parts locate into the pulley or each other? If they do I would prefer that method.

What is the part number for the packet with the diff screw in it? Looks like a recent header card so possibly still available I presume? The parts look like they are for the 'Pro-diff' from the BossCat/Cougar2 etc - but should work in the older design diff - only the Std centre bearing in the MMS diff will be too loose over the M3 screw.

Dan the diff screw is still available from Schumacher I think it's part number U857 you get the screw, spring washers, nut and cover

This might be old news 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