for the 7th time we organise the slotrace and modellingfair in Belgium
Adress:
Parochiaal centrum winksele delle
Mechelsesteenweg  1090
3020 Winksele (Belgium)

As promised ,a quick tutorial 
Steps
-1:cut the windshield frame off the body using the bisect tool(works faster than boolean) and align it to the world origin
   
-2: depending on the shape of the windshield if:
- it is relatively flat add a cube object.In this case subdevide it (edit mode,right click,subdevide command on top
   
,increase the number of cuts-the more cells the easier to deform)
   
   


-it is bubbly , design an approximation on your favorit cad program (i use freecad).Export it from freecad as stl ,import stl  to blender .
   

3 : you align the object to the windshield frame,you scale it if needed
   
4 (optional):You assign a color to each one (frame and object),not needed but will make your life easier.
   
5:hide windshield frame and add lattice
   
6:scale lattice as close as possible to the object (cube or freecad designed).Remember to scale all 3 planes
7:Subdivide lattice
   
8:link lattice to object
   
9:select lattice and switch to edit mode
10:start modifying the object by manipulating the lattice vertices.Please pay attention to restrict movement to one plane each time.(you do this by selecting the vertix, then press g to grab it and the letter of the axle (x,y,z),this way the vertex will move only on a single axle)The  target is to match as close as possible the frames curvature to the objects.It will take some trial and error
   
In order to save time and effort you can cut both (object and frame) in the middle and modify half of it.Then  use the mirror tool.If you have never used the mirror tool before, take into consideration the following:
-Mirror tool relates to whatever center finds convenient unless you specify one (this the reason we align the object to the world origin) ,the best being an empty object (under add command)->plain axles
- Mirror remains active so if you move or change something it will ruin your set so it is best to export as stl and reimport.In this way you neutrilise the mirror tool but you loose the capability of doing any changes.To cover this option i save both files .

Do not hesitate to ask.

   

The race isn't until next week, but the coverage has already started - scrutineering is being live streamed today and tomorrow on the official YouTube Channel, with the test day on Sunday. Live coverage then slips behind a paywall - either via the FIA WEC website/app, Eurosport in Europe or MotorTrend in the US. There's usually on-board coverage made available by the likes of Toyota, Michelin etc, plus highlights and free-to-air coverage (tbc) of the start and finish for casual viewers. If Le Mans is as important to you as is it to me, then spending £8.99 for the WEC coverage or £6.99 for the Eurosport Player pass (valid for a month - so includes the Monza WEC race too) is nothing. You might even find a free 7-day trial for Eurosport or MotorTrend - especially if you already have Amazon Prime TV.

   

My choice this year is Eurosport. They  start their coverage on Wednesday afternoon, with Free Practice 1 - and then pretty much every minute of every '24 Heures du Mans' session is broadcast live and then wrapped up in regular highlights programmes.

The official Le Mans site is the perfect place to get up to speed with the 2022 regulations, classes and entry list. In particular, the four classes - Hypercar, LMP2, LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am are explained here: https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/lemans/categories and the full entry list can be downloaded as a pdf.

The new Peugeot Hypercar won't make its WEC debut until Monza in July, so the five Hypercar entries are the same as 2021 - two Toyotas, two Glickenhaus 007s and an Alpine. Twenty-seven LMP2 cars are entered, seven LMGTE Pro cars and twenty-three LMGTE Ams. That's a big grid for the 90th running of the legendary race.

So who's going to win? Toyota are celebrating a decade of hybrid power in their Le Mans prototypes this year - and are coming off the back of four straight wins at La Sarthe. Alpine beat them at Sebring in March, but Toyota were victorious at Spa last month. There will be BoP tweaks for the Hypercar class, but a win for anyone but Toyota is most likely going to come down to reliability - and that could mean LMP2s in the fight for at least podium place. The battles in the huge LMP2 and LMGTE Am fields will be thrilling as always - and the BoP regulations usually ensure the GTE Pro Porsches, Ferraris and Corvettes will keep us on the edge of our seats for the full 24 hours.

It's completely pointless to predict anything - but good fun nonetheless. I'll get in very early, giving the kiss of death to cars I'll be cheering on...

• Hypercar: #36 Alpine of Lapierre, Negrão & Vaxivière
  
• LMP2: #10 Vector Sport Oreca of Sébastien Bourdais, Ryan Cullen & Nico Müller
  
• LMGTE Pro: #63 Corvette of Catsburg, García & Taylor
  
• LMGTE Am: #85 Iron Dames Ferrari of Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting & Sarah Bovy
  

I look forward to the abject disappointment of my favourites retiring from the race - if they make it that far.

Extreme slotting proxy anyone?

SCX A1008x300 Hummer H3 Robbie Gordon dirt effect:     

SCX 64620 Hummer H3 Rod Hall dirt effect:    

Three used and abused Scale Auto Mercedes SLS GT3 for sale.

The bodies have been used in club racing and are well battered - mirrors missing, driver platforms loose, rear valances detached and one of them is properly broken and will need gluing back together. Original rear wings broken and missing but new replacements included.

The chassis are new and unused but the tyres are cracking up.

£20 the lot plus postage at cost if anybody wants to give them a home.

       

If you didn’t get to chat to Maurizio at Gaydon, here’s his latest video…

   

A couple of new cars - F22s are back - test shots and wings for the new Porsche 962 - pre-production samples.

Ferrari 330 GT (1965)

After printing one for a customer I had a request from a club member so thought it may be a good idea to draw a chassis for it.

Designed for a SlotIt IL pod as the bodyshell is too narrow for a SW.

Here's the render with a pic of the bodyshell...the chassis is printing at the moment.

   

   

Monaco GP was the usual procession as expected but the Coke 600 NASCAR race at Charlotte on Sunday night was something else. Five and a half hours of total mayhem with some of the best racing action in a long time which went down to the wire with two green/white chequers. Umpty wrecks, including a quadruple barrel roll for Chris Buescher coming to rest upside down. Kyle Larson to the rear at least three times for pit lane infringements plus a spin with a burst tyre but came through the field each time and nearly won it, he overtook more cars in a single race than an F1 driver would manage in five seasons.

Some videos on the NASCAR website or 1 hour highlight program on Free Sports TV 9PM tomorrow. Well worth a watch.

       


       

Three UK sellers with a fourth unknown but non-UK seller. There were vendors and visitors from far and wide.

       

Including Giovanni Montiglio, Armando Bizzotto and Linda Lise of Thunderslots, who are discussing the finer points of their latest release with a couple of interested parties.

               

Weevils setting up. They had a number of my favourite Pioneer Legends, (R.H. pic) including some Dealer Specials at good prices. I was tempted but not for too long as my wallet was already complaining by the time I'd spotted them.  

     

..... and that's a wrap   (Part of SCS's digital track scenery.)

       

These two are discussed by 'Woodcote' elsewhere on the forum. Love that Escort. 

         

A couple of Bond movie cars.

               

The Bluesmobile with real 'rope' tiedowns - and the iconic Bastos Camaro, seen widely in historic racing series across the UK and the Continent. It's awesome to see - and hear - racing, as it lopes by.