[Tamar]

Posted 06 March 2019 - 02:14 PM

The Road to Le Mans 1/32: 4 weeks and counting
Just 30 days before the start of the first practice session in Henley in Arden. With the MK2 Sidewinder chassis now on the bench, work in the last week was focussed on prepping the MK2 chassis and converting the MK1 chassis to a AW configuration. We've got a test session planned this Saturday where the goal is to give both chassis a thorough endurance test and compare both configurations.
 
 

From prototype to production
With all the post on detail bits and pieces of the Ford, I thought it would be a good idea to post an overview  of the chassis "development" from the original ProSpeed chassis via the prototype Mk1 to the now almost ready for testing MK2 chassis. 3 images representing a lot off work done in the past 3 weeks.
On the left the original ProSpeed design which more or less had the same shape as the Scalex Ford with the side skirts and diffuser attached to the chassis.
In the middle the Mk1 prototype where I'd cut of the side skirts and diffuser and fabricated mounting points for the body support grubscrews and the side suspension.
This is how we ran the Ford in the first two test runs. 
On the right the assembled MK2 chassis the with all the lessons learned and changes that were made "manually" to the MK1 now incorporated in the 3DP design.
The main difference being the addition of some reinforcement ribs on the chassis to prevent the chassis from bottoming out in the middle, a different shape for the Flex slots in the chassis with the forward grub screws moved..forward. This was to make more room for the O2 chip. 
 

 
The differences between the MK1 and MK2 are more visible from below. As you can see the MK2 chassis is a dedicated SW chassis, wrapped tight around the the Slot.it pod. 
Besides the shape of the pod surround you'll also notice that the rear of the chassis has now been beefed up and now has a U-profile in which we can glue a kevlar strand for even more rigidity and crash resistance. Just behind the front axle is the mount for the front suspension bracket (which I still need to fabricate) that will turn the quad point slot.it pod in to a tripod.
Last but not least, the guide has been moved forward by 1mm and the guide recess in the chassis has been enlarged so we can fit the Thunderslot guide with its wider and longer guide saddle.
 

 
2nd time around
With the 2nd chassis almost ready to run it was time to start prepping a 2nd center body section. Wasn't to happy with the first one anyway, removed too much material and the modifications were a bit crude. But you learn from your mistakes so I.m.o. the MK2 center body is much neater and cleaner.
Although we could in theory run the modified plastic parts....I do hope there will be time enough to cast the MK2 body centre section in silicone and laminate at least one GRP version.


Spend a good  few hours to get the motor wires, the ferrite man and the connector to the O2 chip in a position that works for both SW as AW configuration..without interferring with the body. Here's a look "under the hood" as you can see it all fits, but its a tight fit 

 
 
Pet project
Last but not least, a bit of scale detail. I needed to make a 2nd set of front wheels for the MK2 chassis, had a good look at the stock scalex front wheels and they are actually pretty good.
A quick trueing on the hudy and they were as good as the Delrin Sloting plus wheels I usually use. But with one difference...
...the Scalex wheel has scale spokes, no hub and insert.  
Modified some Black arrow brake disc which even when "lightly' coated with paint are not totally opaque and slid them over the wheel hub.
All we need to do now to create one of my long desired  pet projects...is to stick a red smd led in the hub and we could have glowing brake disks. 
 

 
 
Testing 1,2,3
So there you have it, both Ford GT's side by side. Although the MK2 is a good step forward (at least that's what I hope saturday's test will confirm) we'll most likely be racing a MK3 version in Henley with some minor detail changes and some extra 3DP bits & pieces.

 
to be continued...
 
with kind regards
Tamar