[autoavia]

These two were pretty battered when I got them. I have been working on them on and off for about 18 months.  

The Chaparral had cut arches, no rear lights, no exhausts, only the flat plate for the intake trumpets, and the area around the front lights was a mass of old glue.

The Lotus had no roll bar or rear lights and one of the vents on rear deck had been melted under a layer of glue. The screen was rough and the headlight covers were beyond saving.

The Chaparral screen broke while I was trying to clean it up so I bought screens and light covers for both cars from Brad Blohm but in the end decided to rescue the original Lotus screen and I scratchbuilt the other missing bits as best I could. 
I got my research wrong and painted the Lotus wheels yellow but I will sort this out later.
They aren't immaculate but are good enough for our vintage 36D class.

   

   

   

[Mitch58]

They look great, I have a few of these I take out of a drawer and fuss with from time to time. I attempt to restore them a bit even though I've never been much of a modeler.

We also have a class for these though I usually run a Classics Industries chassis with a Porsche 906 body as they are so much lighter and quicker. My old Coxes are purely for pleasure.

[autoavia]

At Southend Slot Racing Club we run vintage race evenings once a month in Winter and twice a month in Summer and some of our racers who support the evenings come from up to 50 or so miles away. 
We run a 1/24 hard body 36D class specifically for Cox, Monogram etc and a seperate 1/24 open class for cars built from pre 1972 parts with vacform bodies where most race a Dynamic chassis with a 26D motor.
We also run similar 1/32 classes, 1/24 American Iron Hard body for NASCAR etc and an F1 class open to any F1.

The rules are here 

http://www.southendslotclub.co.uk/frirules18.html

but the front engined GT class is no longer front engine only and we don't run the Retro classes any longer as we decided to run more vintage classes instead.

I still have 3 or 4 1/24 Monogram and a 1/24 Tamiya to rebuild but they all take a lot of time.

[chrisguyw]

I have always been a big fan of the Cox 1/24 cars, and while I do have many that I race in somewhat stock configuration, I have also always been less than impressed with their lack of competitiveness vs. some of the other kits/RTR's of the time.

I have tried several modifications over the years, and have settled on the chassis mods. (in the below pics.) as my "go to" chassis mods for the Cox cars...(rules permitting)

The goal(s) were to.....

1/ Freeze the drop arm
2/ Allow for guide height adjustments for various tracks
3/ Lower the front ride height without using non scale tiny front tyres
4/ Add some much needed weight
5/ Allow the chassis to be returned to stock configuration easily

The pan section that I came up with accomplishes all my goals.

I have raised the front axle tube (vs stock) which allows a lower ride height with same size wheels/tyres.

It slips on over the upper chassis mount, and uses the drop arm retainer tube holes in the chassis for the rear pan mounts.
I can undo 3 nuts/bolts, slip on the stock nylon front axle carrier, and the chassis is reverted to stock.



Bottom view.......



The drop arm is frozen via a 2/56 nut bolt, which also allows for guide height adjustments for various tracks. The drop arm is drilled, with the 2/56 bolt passing through, as can be seen in the prior pic.


 
The finished chassis,......this one utilizes the "Dino" chassis with the FT16D motor on the adjustable aluminum motor plate,.........this is by far the best Cox chassis for any Vintage racing,..........unless your rules specify a 36D, in which case the 36D "Team Modified" chassis is the one to look for.

The original Cox FT16D has had significant upgrades......Tradeship endbell, can bushing replaced and soldered in, zapped/matched Arco magnets with shims, drill blank motor shaft, rewound/balanced arm, improved/trued comm., better brushes/springs and heat sinks.



A similar chassis sits under this Cox "Dino"





Cheers
Chris Walker

[autoavia]

Chris I had seen your neat, well engineered modification before but our club rules only allow the drop arm to be locked and a guide movement restrictor so I had to find another way.

 On the Lotus I used a bolt through the front body mount and though an existing hole in the drop arm. I don't have anywhere to cut metal at present and my metalwork skills aren't very good anyway so I used wood to make up a guide restrictor. The front of the restrictor fits over the collar that carries the guide post and I drilled a hole for the bolt that locks the drop arm to stop any movement. I was also worried that a metal one might short out the braids.

 On the Chaparral I couldn't use a bolt through the front body mount to lock the drop arm as the bolt fouled the front body post so I epoxied a wood block in front of the slot in the body mount and screwed into the block through a hole in the drop arm. The only downside is locking screw for the drop arm has to be taken out to get to the front body screw. The guide restrictor is the same as the Lotus.

I must admit it isn't the most elegant solution but it looks like it will work ok.

   

[chrisguyw]

 
I must admit it isn't the most elegant solution but it looks like it will work ok.

It should work just fine...

Cheers
Chris Walker

[autoavia]

Thanks Chris