Metrorama 2022 - “Return Of The Turd”

[SlotsNZ]

for the Metro series 2022

The idea is to have as few rules as possible for 2 reasons: (1) to allow for some creative flexibility and (2) because it is highly unlikely some of our local drivers will follow them anyway.
Here are the rules as they stand now:
 

• Entrants must use the old clunker 80's Scalextric Metro - not a modern alternative. It can be raced with or without the removable body kit.
• Body and body kit (if used) must remain stock from the outside.

• Superfluous material on the inside of the body and body kit can be lightened or removed. 
• Must use original chassis. Chassis can be modded / altered / added to as much as you like as long as the original chassis remains the principle part of the chassis and it is not visible if looking down on the car. 
• All windows must be glazed. Lightweight / lexan glazing is ok. 
• Car must have an interior. Lightweight / lexan interior is OK as long as there is a driver, seat and dash. (i.e. no flat interiors.) 
• Wheels, tyres, guide, guide wire, guide braid, axles, pinion, gear, bushes, spacers are open. 
• Motor is open. 
• Wheels inserts must be used if wheel would normally have them
• Wheels must fit under the wheel guards. 
• Guide must be under the body. 
• Ballast allowed. 
• Metal additions to the chassis are limited to tubing the front axle; bracing the rear bushes to the motor.; and forming a collar to hold the guide.
• No magnets.

[slotmadmac]

I will bring some cars to hand out tonight. Let the games begin, you crazy TurdHeads. 

[Pedro51]

Thanks for the car Mac. 

Radical reworking is underway. The Dremel has been running full speed.

 This build will have the full WOW factor.

[manimmal]

TURD, The Underground Race Driver?

[SlotsNZ]

Y’all taking this waaaay too seriously— my chassis is only half built 

Haven’t even started on the body …. 
Who was it that had some NSR King 38k long cans for sale ?  … oh yeah, that was me……. 

[slotmadmac]

For the Metrorama newbies, here are a few tips on getting a competitive Turd on the track.

Epoxy the wheel skirt to the body of the car. If you're going to paint your Turd, this is the time to fill any gaps between the body and the skirt with modelling putty. You'll need to grind out all excess plastic to make the body and skirt a single piece. You want to go from this

to this

To lower the front of the car, you need to fill the front axle channel with epoxy. I use JB Weld.

You also need to remove all the plastic in front of the guide shaft.

Be careful here. You need to end up with a smooth outer surface for the guide shaft so your replacement guide rotates nicely. 

As you see in these pics, you should end up here once you have sanded off the bottom of the front axle channel. The bottom of the chassis should now be flat. I also epoxied a piece of lead on the inside of chassis behind the guide for extra ballast. I did this at the same time that I filled the front axle channel 

Attaching the body to the chassis is another challenge. I have used two methods.

The easiest way to attach the rear end is to sand down the male tongue on your Turd chassis so that it can move inside the stock rear body slot that it clips into.

This will give you that all important body rock.

At the front use I used a rawl plug as a body post. I simply drilled a hole through the chassis, screwed on the plug, and reduced it in length until I got the right ride height. When I has happy, I used JB Weld to secure the new post in place.

 

The other, more complex way is to fit some extra plastic to the rear of the Turd Chassis and use the rawl plug method to attach the new chassis piece to the car body. 

This method has the advantage of letting you lower the chassis into the body a bit further and I like the option of 3 body posts to get more adjustable body rock.

Other than that it's a matter of working out your motor, wheel, tyre and drive chain options. I'm happy to help with advice on that. Mark will be good person to chat with about wheel / tyre options too. 

  

 

 

 

 

[slotmadmac]

At racing this week I mentioned that I had made a dual motor 4WD Metro a while back. I had a few questions about it so here she is: 

I scratched up a chassis using some old sidewinder chassis's that I had lying around. 

It goes great. Handles really well and, with all the weight spread evenly front and rear, it sure doesn't need any extra ballast! 

[Pedro51]

I have wheels, tyres, inserts, motor and drive chain sorted. Bulk JB weld going into the chassis. Getting the guide sorted required a fair bit of fettling. Body mounting is yet to be resolved.

 I have not had a skerrick of inspiration re livery - yet. 

[SlotsNZ]

23 hours ago, Pedro51 said:

I have wheels, tyres, inserts, motor and drive chain sorted. Bulk JB weld going into the chassis. Getting the guide sorted required a fair bit of fettling.

I am suffering from Slot-Intimidation complex, and may require counselling. You are setting the build bar waaay high, the build pace is scary…
 

Thanks for the tips Mac, Manana….

[Pedro51]

I have been raiding my stash of useful bits and pieces. All towards the ultimate goal of decluttering my shed. 
And then when Mr Demel gets carried away there is JB Weld to the rescue.

[munter]

On 4/13/2022 at 6:41 PM, SlotsNZ said:

Body and body kit (if used) must remain stock from the outside.

Does this rule, rule out the sinking of the central body into the outer skirt and guards?

[slotmadmac]

14 hours ago, munter said:

Does this rule, rule out the sinking of the central body into the outer skirt and guards?

It was meant to, but I doubt anyone will do the haka if you want to enter a body sunk car. Frankly, we'd all be stoked if you entered a car. 

Edited April 18, 2022 by slotmadmac

[Pedro51]

I have a running chassis, some tidying up to do, and perhaps a little lead.

How to mount the body is proving more that a little challenging, plenty of time to find a workable solution.

[Pedro51]

I decided to run the wheels inside the skirt, as last time. 
 

I hesitated over the thought of lifting the skirt…………

[munter]

Lorcks  alordy  .... the old dirty metro got some love today.

Is this a revival of interest? Could be.

[slotmadmac]

58 minutes ago, munter said:

Lorcks  alordy  .... the old dirty metro got some love today.

 Good news. You've always been a bit of a Metrosexual, Munter. Admit it.

Anyway, I made some progress on my Turd chassis, so i took some more explanatory pix. 

Here's the truncated chassis with the guide shaft cleared and ready for action, and the lead ballast in place 

Here's the underside before the font axle channel has been ground off. 

and after...

A quick shot of black paint and it almost looks professional. 

Hope all this helps. Has anyone else got their Turd underway, or are you mainly constipated? 

Edited April 19, 2022 by slotmadmac

[munter]

Thanks for the endorsement, Mac.

Have you got any spare bodies/chassis for another more modern build?

[slotmadmac]

14 minutes ago, munter said:

Thanks for the endorsement, Mac.

Have you got any spare bodies/chassis for another more modern build?

I sure do. 

[SlotsNZ]

Munter I have some too , and you’re welcome to pull from the box of Metro skeletons if you want some turd close to home.

Am around home all morning till lunch consumed, then out for a bit

 

 

[munter]

Thanks chaps....do I or dont I?  The tawny coloured metro is going so well after its bench session yesterday.

I will see how the day opens up for me....just finished brekkie at 10.36 after an earlier walk up "Maggies Way" 

[SlotsNZ]

2 hours ago, munter said:

Thanks chaps....do I or dont I?  The tawny coloured metro is going so well after its bench session yesterday.

I will see how the day opens up for me....just finished brekkie at 10.36 after an earlier walk up "Maggies Way" 

These #”$&+@ retired types …..   Anyone would think he didn’t have a massive order list to fill 
(says he who is occasionally squeezing in slot tuning between 3 weekly group rides with 30 other crinklies)

[SlotsNZ]

For anyone actually bothering to paint their turd, — Cool Toys just received a shipment of Tamiya paints - after a 9 month wait 

[charlesx]

Hi Hawkes Bay.

Like the concept but was there ever a 4WD Metro. Reminds me of my Scaly 4WD Aston Martin DBR1 many moons ago.

Regards to all from The Taranaki. l. Charles Le Breton (charlesx)

 

[munter]

14 minutes ago, charlesx said:

but was there ever a 4WD Metro

Yes, the MG metro that the turds are intended to represent were 1/1 scale beasts. 3 litre V6 turbo 4x4 with huge horsepower. I have a feeling the same engine was used in the Jaguar xj220 .

 

[charlesx]

Thanks for putting me straight Munter/John. Trust you are keeping well.

Can you supply Ferguson GP resin body. I have a yen for a 4WD for Tasman Cup 2022 (if it happens).

Regards Chas Le Breton