slotmadmac Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 The Escort XR3i was not exactly Scalextric's finest moment. I had a bunch of these years ago and sold them all off as a lost cause. One of those buyers is now in our club and last week he gave me back the 4 I sold him as he had no idea what to do with them. It's not surprising. Look at the state of this... Tiny wheels that are about 3mm off centre in the wheel arches and miles away from the body. What were they thinking! It's very reminiscent of the old Metro that's often called 'the worst car Scalextric ever produced'. Having worked on one of those (see post here) I thought I'd have a crack at the XR3i. Munter calls this practice 'Turd Polishing'. I knew the front axle housing had to go and the guide mount had to be shortened. I filled the axle channel with JB Weld. When it was dry I dremmelled off the original material and removed the front of the chassis so I could fit a Slot It guide. I removed the back of the chassis too - so I could move the chassis back and centre the wheels in the arches. Next job was to make some styrene body posts. It dawned on me I could use the spikes on the underside of the interior to secure the posts. I cut the styrene to size and reamed the posts out so they could fit over the spikes. Once they were ready to be glued in place I shortened the spikes so that there was space for the body screws to screw in. Then I glued some heat shrink tube into the screw holes in the styrene posts to give the body screws something soft to screw into. To work out where to drill the holes in the chassis for the body screws I used some blutack. This worked a treat. I had some SCX alloys that looked the right size so I fitted the guide and wheels and hot glued a front axle tube to set the ride height. Here is a stock chassis next to the one I have modified. (I added some lead ballast but forgot to take a photo.). It's running Slot It N22s on the rear. And here is the car on the track now. I reckon that's a huge improvement. On the track it's a surprisingly good runner. I used the stock 18k motor and it handled it OK. It's not going to set any laps records but it doesn't need to. It's an enjoyable drive now and I'm happy with that. Turd polished. Another good day in the shed. Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Carter Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 That is a big improvement Would love to have a drive the next time I am around Quote Holdens rule the rest just drool slot cars are my drug, ATCC/Bathurst proxy host NZ Grp5 proxy host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munter Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 Sorbent works well Quote John Warren Slotcars are my preferred reality Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobble Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) https://www.google.c...=Turd+Polishing - couldn't resist. Joking aside, looks a big improvement. I've got an old Mondeo that needs this sort of treatment and a XK/J 220 Edited October 31, 2015 by Wobble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capri-corn7 Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Nice work Mac - and awesome write up - I have couple of these too... hmmmm Quote They are only toys .... until you pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Carter Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Nice work Mac - and awesome write up - I have couple of these too... hmmmm I wont go into details about what Mac has done with this car I will leave that to Mac But he has kindly given me one of the others he had to have a crack at tuning it up This will be a nice little challenge for me Thanks mac Quote Holdens rule the rest just drool slot cars are my drug, ATCC/Bathurst proxy host NZ Grp5 proxy host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted November 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 I wont go into details about what Mac has done with this car I will leave that to Mac Well.. I thought there was a lot more potential in this car so I stripped it down again and put in new gears / pinion and what I thought was a SRP 16k. Turned out to be a 25k or thereabouts. At the end of the big sweeper on the first lap i gave it full jandal and it took off. With all the ballast inside it turned into a missile and flew into the wall across the shed - breaking 2 of the body mounts and snapping the modified guide holder clean off. I can't be shagged doing anything with it now so it's all back in the parts bin. Ha! Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capri-corn7 Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 oh no ... it must have liked that parts bin... Quote They are only toys .... until you pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Carter Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 maybe the driver had to much red bull before getting behind the wheel Quote Holdens rule the rest just drool slot cars are my drug, ATCC/Bathurst proxy host NZ Grp5 proxy host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capri-corn7 Posted November 4, 2015 Report Share Posted November 4, 2015 my pile of unpolished... Quote They are only toys .... until you pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted June 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 (edited) Having recently developed a nasty putty habit I thought I would attempt another XR3i and give it the wide boy look. If I end up looking half as good as Crockett's effort - shown here - I'll be well happy, but I'm going more for a radical street racer look. God knows why. It's funny where the mind takes you. I started with a parts bin body, slightly widened the arches and cut down a Koford tyre tube to get a base for the flared fenders underway. I had an old Metro with the body kit on it so grabbed that and ten minutes later this was on the bench. Everything has been tacked in with superglue. I'll epoxy it before I get the putty action underway. This whole process is simply a exercise to improve my modelling skills. Beats watching TV huh! Edited June 12, 2016 by slotmadmac Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munter Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 sure does...did I say sorbent works well? Quote John Warren Slotcars are my preferred reality Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miveson Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Oh dear - loving the humour John. Must say I really enjoy these posts mac, turning the turds in to gems, interested to see where this goes as that STP looks horrendous. Quote Slot Car Photos V8 Tipping Competition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted February 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 This project has been in a drawer for a while filed under 'What was I thinking!" but she's back. God knows there isn't much action on Auslot these days so in desperation I dug her out and, after adding and sanding some more putty. I have ended up here. I still have no idea where this is going but everything (even this) looks better in primer and I am happier now that when I opened the drawer this morning. I am thinking a Hill Climb theme could be the go - complete with a bloody big wing on the back. That gives me a licence to stay with the ugly duckling theme which might be handy as things progress. Time will tell. Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted February 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 More putty- unsanded - and we have a wing. Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Am The Walrus Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Wing makes all the difference. Quote A wise man once said... "Its not the mistakes you make , its how you respond to them that matters." (It wasn't me) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capri-corn7 Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 everything (...) looks better in primer So true... Go Mac! Quote They are only toys .... until you pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Carter Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 awesome one Mac Quote Holdens rule the rest just drool slot cars are my drug, ATCC/Bathurst proxy host NZ Grp5 proxy host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadow_rusty Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Pike's Peak here you come... ps. Looking very cool. Very interesting build. Quote Stolen from SlotsNZ Team ABC Team Leader (Ambitious, But Crap) Home Track Threads - Shadow's Semi-Permanent Layout & Another Rug Racer & Proud of It & Gymkhana Test Track Car Collection Thread - My Car Collection Charts / Diagrams - MJK Tyre Selector / Slot.it 4wd Gearing / PoliCar Rollout / Rollout Chart Generator / SCX 4wd Rollout / Track Wiring with Brake on Track Call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kash15394 Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 Looking good so far..keep the pictures coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted February 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 Found this chassis from a 60's Scalextric Cooper Junior in the parts bin. Cut down it might have bonnet scoop potential for the Escort. Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Carter Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 I like your thinking that is just the thing I would do Quote Holdens rule the rest just drool slot cars are my drug, ATCC/Bathurst proxy host NZ Grp5 proxy host. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted February 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 The chassis scoop worked out ok. A first decent sand and another shot of primer gets me here: It's come a long way since the steroid course started. Still needs more fine sanding but I've enjoyed making this up as i go along - and I'm feeling more confident that it's not going to turn out a complete disaster. Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro51 Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Really you guys need to get a hobby, no wait this is a hobby, I'm enjoying picking up the odd tip here and there, and seeing what is possible is entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotmadmac Posted February 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Trial fit before any detailing. Quote Podiums are for short people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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