[Tibbs]

Hi Guy's,
this is my first proper scratch build attempt, so I will make loads of mistakes but that's the only way to learn, open to any advice and tips from more experienced builders.

It is a TQ midget with a Suzuki 750cc motor bike engine replica of the car my late friend Ryan Stone (Christchurch NZ) built and use to race.
He sadly lost his battle with Cancer in 2012 at a very young age of 38.
He would've loved racing this round a slot track.
   

I've brought various bits of copper tube and square tube and I have some welding wire which I've realised I can use.
I got a few brass engine mount brackets from Phil Smith at Gaydon, I brought extra for future builds.
   
I follow a modellers youTube channel called Clay Kemp and saw a video of him making a brass frame for a TQ very similar to Ryans so I contacted him regarding the plans he drew out and he very kindly emailed a eps file to me so I could scale to what I wanted.
His soldering is a world apart from mine but you gotta start somewhere.
   
I started off with a £30 soldering iron from Lidl's but it kept burning the tips and I just couldn't get it to work consistently.
A guy called Tom Baker who I found on a Facebook page is an unreal scratch builder and he recommended Hakko 601 Iron, so I invested in one as I'm going to be using it a lot.
It is instantly noticeable the quality difference, I just need to get more consistent which will eventually come.

The main roll cage will be sprayed a ali colour so I'll clean up some of the solder that's a little lumpy.
   
I cut and ground the guide plate from a piece of flat brass and soldered a bit of round tube for the guide to sit in.
   
I've already tested the rolling chassis on a track and pleased to say it works a treat, the little motor that's in it I got my son to buy me 3 for Fathers day from Pendles and it's bloody nippy.
   
The frame work is really enjoyable but has been tricky trying to get bits to sit still while I solder, looking at one pic I've noticed I've not put a bend in one of the back support uprights but I'm leaving it as it will have the body shell over it.
I found a 3d print file of a Suzuki engine and a very kind man called Paul Young who is on a facebook page I follow printed me off some engines and little carbs. They have turned out awesome and will paint up really well.
Here's a few more pics where it's at.

   
   
   

Cheers

[Carver]

Impressive!  I really like to follow your somewhat unusual projects!  

Carver

[Tibbs]

Impressive!  I really like to follow your somewhat unusual projects!  

Carver

Thanks Carver,
I've got 4 different builds lined up after this one, one is some what more normal so I might do that one for you  it's a Scaleauto Audi R8 kit which I'm going to do Valentino Rossi's race car.

[Tibbs]

Progress on the chassis and body frame are almost complete.
I've learnt a lot about soldering since starting this, especially the need for a quality iron and the best tip i have been given is in between not soldering switch the iron off.
I've invested in a quality soldering iron and the difference is unreal.
Making the little connecting points for the roll bars was really enjoyable.
   
   
I couldn't find a small enough self tapping screw to fix the frame to the chassis and then I saw some crappy old glass sitting about so I stripped them and they had four really small self tappers. So when ever I'm at a charity shop now I'm getting rubbish glasses to stock up on screws.
The crash bars are bent and soldered piano wire which fit perfectly into the round stock brass.
   
I got lucky with the 3D printed motor, I found a guy on a model forum who was kind enough to print me the 750cc Suzuki motor which I found the file somewhere.
The exhaust is off a Suzuki motor bike model and I stripped the chrome with bleach so I can paint it more realistic, I've also got some 3D printed carbs  to fit which are tiny.
   
The only metal bit left to make is the rear crash bars, so I made the rear body shell first so I know the shape to bend to.
Oh and I need to make 4 shocks.
I haven't seen Gordon on here for a while, I hope he see's my effort at carving out the balsa.
Really interesting to work with as some directions it's a right pain to remove.
   
   
   
I did a quick video which some of you might have seen on Facebook, I can't remember how to down load them here.
It runs really well and I can't wait to get it around my Donnington track once that is made.
Cheers for looking

[chrisguyw]

Great work Tibbs'...............on your next build, try to set the guide tongue so that the front of the guide is just a hair higher than the rear,..not pointing down, as it is on the pic. below. 

When the nose of the guide points down,....a few not so good things happen, particularly on plastic (bumpy joints) track..............

1/ The braid only makes solid contact with the rails at the front of the guide, with the tails of the braid not making good contact (opposite of what you want).
(In the pic. of your car below, you can see this quite clearly)

2/ With the nose down attitude of the guide, the lower leading edge of the guide can catch on uneven track joints (not so much of an issue on wood)


Cheers
Chris Walker

[Kevan]

I'd also heavily brace the guide plate, it 'looks' precariously tacked on and bendable.

[Tibbs]

Great work Tibbs'...............on your next build, try to set the guide tongue so that the front of the guide is just a hair higher than the rear,..not pointing down, as it is on the pic. below. 

When the nose of the guide points down,....a few not so good things happen, particularly on plastic (bumpy joints) track..............

1/ The braid only makes solid contact with the rails at the front of the guide, with the tails of the braid not making good contact (opposite of what you want).
(In the pic. of your car below, you can see this quite clearly)

2/ With the nose down attitude of the guide, the lower leading edge of the guide can catch on uneven track joints (not so much of an issue on wood)


Cheers
Chris Walker

Hi Chris,
thanks for that tip, I really appreciate it.
I'm going to see if I can raise it.
cheers

[Tibbs]

I'd also heavily brace the guide plate, it 'looks' precariously tacked on and bendable.

Where else do you suggest to brace it Kev? I have the square tube under it and that is soldered all the way.

[Kevan]

Once you have the guide plate parallel with the track (or tilted up at the front edge very slightly as Chris advised so the guide post is at least vertical rather than leaning forward) I'd cut a triangular shaped vertical brass fin level with the top of the tube to stand behind the post tube and solder the tube/fin/base plate together. 
...It won't add much weight but add a ton of reinforcement.

[Tibbs]

Once you have the guide plate parallel with the track (or tilted up at the front edge very slightly as Chris advised so the guide post is at least vertical rather than leaning forward) I'd cut a triangular shaped vertical brass fin level with the top of the tube to stand behind the post tube and solder the tube/fin/base plate together. 
...It won't add much weight but add a ton of reinforcement.

Hi Kev,
I've tweaked the guide bracket up and I've added the little spring that came with the guide, I've tested it on a temp Sport oval track which is banked and changes angle to see it it digs in and it runs really nice.
Sorry to be dumb but do you think you could draw a rough sketch of what you mean re support Kev?
Thanks again Chris and Kev, unless you know these things they aren't obvious, especially when you spend loads of time looking at it while making it. Its great to have other peoples eyes some times.
   

Cheers