rosco01
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Posts posted by rosco01
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Good work, Mac..... are you going to mold it?
frats,
Rosco
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31 minutes ago, Malomay said:
BUUT, looks like this is a Tasman proxy thread....so I'll get in trouble if I go off on any more tangents !
You and me both, Malomay... but, Longford was a very large part of the Tasman Cup.... and it is my belief that the OP would not be too greatly annoyed for information in the history of the series...
And yes - maybe one day, some savvy up and coming local entrepeneur will seize on what remains of the Longford circuit and actually do something about making it a tourist attraction... we can only hope..... some signage and boards with period pix would go a long way to creating interest.... perhaps, even - the Pub could sponsor locating them with reference to their own in house display to attract patronage.... that would be a good start....
frats,
Rosco
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He did get his name on a little HB 4 cyl Torana.... wow! - was that an appreciation!
Sadly, a lot of our world famous sportspeople had to go overseas to get recognition.... locally, they were held in the highest of esteems.... but to be accredited with international acclaim - it was necessary to front the world venues....... and many/most did.
It is just so sad, that we had such an international venue at Longford.... and aside from Albert Park lake.... I am scratching my balding head to think of one former such circuit which still exists.
Of course, we have the "Mountain"... in which the world came to us (the mountain must go to Mohammed syndrome)... and it was not until international competitors began to come here, the rest of the world began to watch....... and many international followers in motor sport believed their local favorites who came down under would "show" we in the never never how to win a race....... and were dismally disappointed that these icons did so poorly..... it was then, the world stood up and began to look down here...
Such an opportunity lost - Longford was, and in my mind always will be one circuit which stood out..... and sadly was let to go to ruin...
It's a sad testament, Shaynus - that what could have been more than a viable proposition - was let go and lost forever.
Longford is a long circuit, with some intricate driving demands.. the causeway and the two bridges... not to mention "pub corner" and the famous railway level crossing where cars often were completely airborne.... all from an almost first gear corner at the pub - and in one short stretch to the crossing on Tannery Road..... and beyond what is now a large roundabout - the photo above taken beyond that roundabout on a stretch of Tannery Road which is now rarely open.... and when open, only as an access road to a little park where you can launch a canoe....
It's a lovely area.... and there are member of this forum who have driven the entire circuit before it was closed and cut up..... the little township of Longford, Tasmania was very high on my list of places to visit in 2015 when we spent 6 weeks down in there touring in the caravan... the Penny Farthing races at Evandale were also on whilst we were there.... and the large Launceston airport is only a stone's throw from both Symonds Plain and Longford.....
Disappointed with Symonds Plain... small circuit with tight bends.... I don't believe Taswegians of today can appreciate what they lost when they cut up Longford.....
frats,
Rosco
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1 hour ago, Shaynus said:
Maybe the photo was taken after Rosco had a couple too many at the pub!!!
Sorry to disappoint your observation, Shaynus..... but Rosco does not partake of intoxicating beverage........ however, the euphoria of being at such an historic and wonderful trip down memory lane certainly could be interpreted as similarly effective in the pic above.....
The long straight is a back road - and I wonder how many people who know of its history go for a spin on it..... they reached some incredible speeds down to pit corner before making the very sharp angled backwards turn towards the water tower straight....
Anyone in the area who has not seen what remains of the old Longford "International" circuit would be well advised to spend a bit of time .... it was a big circuit, but sadly - even though the Pub has some of the history up on its walls....... no one has seized on the opportunity to signpost the old circuit, and unless you have an intimate knowledge of it - it's darned hard to find all the sections... one of them now being through a farm.... and another part of it now being part of a roundabout, the entrance to which is a new main road....
I put a post together in Auslot a number of years back with some pix.... I have all the GPS co-ordinates which will greatly assist anyone who wants to spend an hour in the area finding the old track....... Symons Plains isn't too far south from Longford.... and sadly, the local town progress association has failed miserably in not seizing upon the opportunity to claim this marvelous piece of Australian motor racing history and do something with it...... if not for the Pub, there is nothing in the town that we saw which would ever indicate this used to be an international location and platform for international racing...
frats,
Rosco
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Probably would have been run over, Malomay.......... the section of the former Longford circuit I chose is pretty much now unused... it was safe to lay down on the road and get my pic.... chose the crack in the bitumen to place the guide and have all four wheels on the circuit....
frats,
Rosco
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Thanks Chas,
My first T/C proxy entry a few years back was of Bill Patterson's T-53.. I believe he purchased it from Bib Stillwell and I'm not sure that Bib was original owner.
I modeled my entry on a pic of Bill sitting in the car in 1964 at Longford, Tas..... including matching silver stripe over white of the car on his helmet... and the little air scoop on top of the bonnet.
In fact, when I took our caravan down to Tasmania - I found the Longford circuit and placed my little T-53 on the very track its prototype would have raced on.... the now non-used section of Tannery Road leading down to the river... and our traveling companions took a pic of me getting "my shot"...... see if I can find some pix...
My entry this year is not modelled on anything.... and is in fantasy livery.. I have not added the large amount of detail to this year's entry... but, it does have suspension arms and springs and four intake flutes under the cowl... I believe this is probably the bare minimum that the series for this year requires.
I simply ran out of time.. and to include more detail in the torsion bar linkages in the rear would have probably put me out of reaching the deadline.
At present, the body is sitting in Titanium Gold. It was my intention to overspray this with either a clear blue or clear green, and leave the gold as a stripe down the centre.
I like the look of the titanium gold, and will now leave it.. but will spray a white stripe down the centre and round it off following the nose....
I did this with a Slot-It GT40 white kit, to mimic the Mother's car wax GT40 on their products... and was happy with the result.... so, this little T-53 will follow that livery...
Wheel inserts will either be gold, white or I am throwing around "painting" them in Molotow chrome... I am yet to mess with that stuff yet - but today, now also have a 30 ml refill of it to be used in my very fine SOTAR Badger air-brush... with only a 0.21 needle set... I am hopeful that this brush will spray the very fine chrome ink with some satisfaction... we'll see...
Thanks for the info on T-53's.... and yes, I have both Phil's resin kit (this model) and also Munter's (previous entry). I do like the look of these cars... they are a bit longer and wider than many of the competitors.. but I just happen to like them... and love the history of the car - including the fire-pump engine which was used .... and the revolutionary concept of the chassis....
My third Cooper T-53 will more than likely be a more scale-like attempt... with a lot of detail. And I will have to concede to making up yet another British Racing Green with white striped version to add it to my collection...
I have two more sets of Ranch Design crowns, pinions and wheels yet.. so - there will be a "fourth" '60's GP/Tasman car.... more than likely, it won't be a Cooper T-53... and maybe a Brabham - not sure which one... but I may break away and choose one where there is engine detail behind the driver... any suggestions.... a V8 would be my choice.. something I can add engine detail to...
frats,
Rosco
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1 hour ago, Kevan said:
Doesn't seem to work in our Slot cars though, the old timers would say keep adding weight until the laptimes start slowing...and tyres come before speed and weight.
As I age Kevan.... I'm getting more frail.... my hand is forced with making models lighter.. so that I can carry more......
frats,
Rosco
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Contradiction in terms, Shaynus...."add" lightness....
I now flinch every time I am forced to lay another pass of very thin paint on this model..... I really have tried to keep this one light.
Might all end up in a pile of bits the first time it hits a barrier..... but, OH&S will be happy to note that anyone needed to collect the remnants won't struggle with the effort to lift them......
frats,
Rosco
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Thanks OS-62..... I'm hoping it will come up nicely with some Cooper grey chassis paint on it.... and maybe pick out some of the suspension detail in chrome ink..... maybe.... yet to be tried..
frats,
Rosco
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PM back to you, Alan
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Sent just now....
frats,
Rosco
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Thanks Kevan, I'm in the "ball park" then..... let's see where it comes out with paint and all fittings....
I have tried to go light with this build... stand alone chassis without any fitting is 14.4 g and bare body 6.1 g...
Chassis balance = front 8.1 g - rear 6.3 g....... changes dramatically with motor and screws fitted.
Body balance = front 4.0 g- rear 2.1 g
frats,
Rosco
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Yes, Kevan.... from Ranch Design - so too the wheels.
Ember put me onto the small crowns when she was making her first T/C proxy entry.... she found them when looking for a very small crown to fit inside some tiny models.. which she took a passion into adding to her collection.
From memory, RD made them for 1/64 scale F1's..... you might be able to contact Steve and find out if he still has the tools for cutting these - but I doubt he'd do a small run... so, perhaps anyone in this forum should make contact and pool up an order.. that might tempt him into a production run.
Steve at Ranch Design made four sets of the crown/pinion and wheels for me... I had intentions of making four Coopers, but it now looks as if there will only be three...
The wheels are excellent.. and the recess is a perfect fit for the trimmed down Cooper inserts that Munter adds to his kit... as I will use in this build.
I don't know that there is any advantage using the small crown in a model which can be fitted with a larger one - but they mesh lovely, once you bed them in... key to it is setting them up with shims so that there is virtually no backlash in the mesh, nor side play in the axle between bushes.... I like to run them with only the graphite from a 2B pencil (softest).... it prevents muck getting into them from the track - grease and oil certainly attract it and the mesh suffers. Using this very soft graphite, they seem to stay very clean and the mesh does not "grow" tolerance.
This second build is a lot lighter than build #1... I have deliberately tried to put this one on a strict diet... gouging out more from the body - especially anything up high, and trimming back a lot of excess brass in the brackets....
Can anyone tell me a ratio that is general rule of thumb for a weight balance between axles.... I have around 60% rear and 40% front (see, my Maths teacher didn't waste all of her time on me) at present.. but can add a little more if there is a more established formula.....
I can't add weight out on the edges of the wire... it "just" clears the body now with enough for a floating fit..... and the body is so thin, I can't take it out any more.
The wire rails just have clearance around the motor as well... I'm hoping this little model will be easy for the proxy teams to drive.... I don't have a layout, and have to rely on just a small plastic Scalextric track to ensure it will run smoothly..... so, as #1 was entered - it's pretty much a crude level of tune...... hopefully, it won't disgrace my work and be a slug.... that no-one really wants to run around a track....
Back working on the body today... a week should have the model almost completed... then back to the LJ.
frats,
Rosco
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Hi folk,
taken a week, but finally finished the chassis build... ready for the paint shop for some etch primer - then the classic light grey gloss that Cooper used in their T-53's....
I have not gone to the same length with chassis detail in this build... I would not have time to get it ready for the upcoming Tasman Cup series...
But, I did fit upper and lower wishbones.. the upper arms from 0.5 mm brass rod, the lower ones from 1.0 mm rod. The brake backing plates were carefully marked out, cut and drilled using a set of pointers and a ruler to mark them up...
The front plates are soldered to the axle tube, the rear ones have clearance around the axle.
The dampers and springs were made from 1.0 mm brass rod and the springs made by stripping some electrical lead and using the suitable sized strand which was wound around a darning needle... all soldered into place.
I am not going to polish the brass - it is fairly rough after cleaning up with a diamond bit....... which will be an excellent surface for the 1K etch to get a mechanical purchase on.
We are now back to the body.... it is currently in guide coat and awaits the second blocking down.
My thinking for colour is transparent green over the top of gold.. leaving the gold as a centre strip which flares out around the nose..... and also the three roundels for the competitor number....
I do appreciate this model is not proto-typical of anything which did race.... but I am making use of the "fantasy" clause in the entrant conditions...
Ok.. pix all explanatory...
So, tomorrow we are back in the paint shop...
frats,
Rosco
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On 8/9/2007 at 8:51 PM, gazza said:
Thanks so much, Gary... I had not seen this before...
Ross
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Yes Phil,
completely forgot about that one.... I have the MRRC (which I believe is also Airfix) Alan Jones Williams..... it has a steering front end with independent front wheels.... I bought a "spare" front end for that model - I was always doubtful that it would "last".... but, it has.... and it runs very well. I put a larger motor into it than as supplied and it was "the" rocket of the '80's when I was in the hobby for a spell at that time in my life....
frats,
Rosco
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I have a free-wheeler bike, Kevan..... no brakes..... back pedaling doe nothing but make noise....
I'll explain the method if it works.... certainly adds more work to a front axle... but may pay off in handling....
You'll need a 10 BA tap and some 10 BA counter-sunk screws...... if I say any more, I'll give the entire invention away...
Hint... take a close look at the outside surface of an aluminium wheel..... when we make these, we use a centering drill - and it puts a bevel into the end of the hub... that should give it all away....
I went this way, because I didn't want to destroy my wheel inserts every time I needed to fit new front tyres.
Ordinarily, one would simply loosen off the grub screw and pop the wheel off.... but my front wheels are not grubbed - they are fitted with the Slot-It eyelets into a hollow axle......
This involves destroying the wheel insert to get the eyelet out... I wanted better than that and came up with this screw arrangement.... so far, it works - but, be warned - you'll gouge out the end of the wheel unless you dress the chamfer on the BA screw..... the slot in it, if damaged with a screwdriver will make a very sharp tool for gouging out the end of the wheel hub....
I've come up with a way around that too.....
Until I give this a 1,000 laps - I won't know if it works... or will not fail in running...... and, as is my usual practice/luck..... if it can go wrong - it will, and at the worst possible time.
Adjusting the screw does away with shimming altogether... a tiny bit of c/a on the thread will lock the screw into the axle - but not enough so that it can't be removed...
And - to access the screw once fitted to a wheel - simply drill the centre of the insert out.... do all your re-tyring/adjusting etc. etc..... and plug the little hole with a dollop of putty and paint over......
Do i need to patent this idea?.... or has someone preceded me....?
There you go - back pedaled and changed up a gear in the process.... remember where you heard this first...
frats,
Rosco
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1 hour ago, Kevan said:
Hmm...interesting
Not sure that it will work, Kevan... and whether it is worthwhile for the amount of effort involved. Involves tapping the end of each side of the axle... as mentioned, a lot of work - probably to no avail.... and one more thing a car can be sent home as a "dnf"....
frats,
Rosco
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Thanks Phil... I have never cast my own tyres... (yet)... I know nothing of the process nor ingredients... or the shore outcomes.
Again, thanks for clearing this up.
frats,
Rosco
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On 2/1/2021 at 8:34 AM, Kevan said:
The body is fantastic, the chassis should work brilliant...I only hope you're going to fix that track width
I notice in this pic, if you look very closely at the air intake - as will the Bill Patterson Cooper T-53 I modeled previously - there are two vertical fins inside the opening.... this is the second Cooper I have seen these..... anyone care to elaborate?
My guess, is that the fins directed air flow to the left and right... and there was an opening at the rear of the front cowl directly pointed to the brake discs....?
frats,
Rosco
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Thanks for clarifying, Phil..... my little #2 Cooper is set at 48 mm... same as #1 in the previous proxies.
Tyres... hmmm.... my models may go years without being taken down from the "vault".... it seems wasteful to fit urethanes to them if this is normal service life.
I have not suffered any loses with MJK's as yet.. and some of those are now over 8 years old.. don't know if they are urethane, but they grip fairly well.... and are easily trued.
The PG ones certainly had some grip, but unless you are running these models frequently - it's a price that is probably not justifyable... not to mention the work in replacing and truing them.
frats,
Rosco
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5 hours ago, gazza said:
Got it
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Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
I virtually copied this second build from the first.... the little car went very well in the series.
I agree with both you and Kevan on the very wide track.. there is a Cooper T-53 revision three in the wings... that one might be my scale model... that never goes on a Proxy adventure..
I prefer to think of #1 as a "winner" car that is a bit like a racehorse that has been sent into retirement... still gets a run around the track,, but never under threat of injury.#2 will probably be the annual Proxy car..... and I'll more than likely just change tyres and braid (and any calateral damage suffered) each season...
#3 will be "scale".... and as much detail as I can thrust upon it.... I do love these little Coopers...
Thanks for your reply, Chris... about to use the scratch builder board for the first time on the LJ Torana XU-1 Peter Brock build....
I have a "new" way of running the front wheel/axle... think you'll approve... details pending...
frats,
Rosco
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Ok... another big day.... blocked back both Cooper #1 and #2 then sprayed Tamiya fine grey primer over both.
I used the Badger 360 airbrush again and am getting more confidence with each session... but, I must remember to press down on the trigger before pulling it back for paint.... a couple of times I didn't.. and "drips" came out and onto the model... fortunately this was early in the session and the following passes gobbled them up.. plus, it's only primer.. not top coats - has to be sanded back anyway....
So, here they are.... in grey primer...... guide coat tomorrow then block down and we'll see how much work there is to be filled or blocked down...
Pic....
frats,
Rosco
Scalex Ute
in Scratch Built/Re-Paints
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I don't know that Munter would have a ute, Mac...... be a challenge for him. He does a great job of everything I've purchased from him....
frats,
Rosco