Hi from the UK!

[rbell]

Hi there!

I am a mechanical engineer by trade, and I am just starting a new project.

The legendary QSL ponted me in the right direction to this forum after he found me floundering in the mire of another, un-named forum..... Thankyou for helping me see the light QSL!!!!

My project is going to be a 1/4 scale Brisca F1 stockcar. An example of the full scale cars can be found here:- http://www.willyarrowracing.com . The cars run small block chevys (around 480 CI), on carbs and pump fuel. They make around 750 BHP. They race anti-clockwise on 1/4 mile ovals. We have both tarmac (pavement) and shale (dirt) tracks. There are normally 30 cars per race, over 20 laps. The fastest guys always start at the rear. Oh, I almost forgot..... They are FULL contact!!!

I plan to construct the car from scratch, using steel box section and tube, just like full scale examples.

I will probably build two examples, one static 'ish', and a full RC example. The reasoning behind two examples is quite simple; I cannot afford a Conly V8, but I want to keep it visually authentic.... Therefore, the static replica will still roll, have suspension and steering, but will have a dummy small-block V8 engine and a dummy doug nash two-speed type gearbox. The rear axle is a commercial type axle, very similar to an american Ford 9". I thought that an adapted rock crawler axle might work? Either that or adapt an angle-grinder crownwheel and pinion into a home-made tube and diff housing. (The full scale cars run a locked diff, so a crownwheel and pinion minus the planet wheels would be authentic. The drive shafts would attach direct to the crownwheel)
The RC model will probably feature a zenoah engine or similar. I have thought about a pit-bike engine, but is this over-kill? Rear axle will be a very simple gear driven 'live' axle. Visually, they will be identical.

I have built several Tamiya type kits in the past, and numerous full scale race cars, but this is my very first large scale, my very first nitro (?) engine and my very first scratch built! Not sure if I am being over-ambitious, mad, or just very adventurous!!!

I am sure that I will bug a few of you with silly questions, but please bear with me...... I mean well, honestly!!!

I will also keep you all up to date with pictures of the progress..... I am currently awaiting some dimensions of the full scale cars from a friend, then I can order the steel....

In the meantime, hopefully this weekend, I am going to build a workbench. What do you guys think of this one??

http://images.taunton.com/downloads/GSIW_workbench.pdf

I may well play with the dimensions a little, but basically I think it looks like a good bench.

Anyway, this must be the longest EVER introduction, and I apologise if I have bored everyone to death already!!!

Yours in modelling,

Richard.

[mad62]

hi richard,
welcome to the forum,alot of good info here and a good group of freindly guys,alot of guys here to answer your 1/4 scale questions too,
cheers mike

[M.R. Ogle]

Good to see a photo of those type of cars.

We don't have those in the US, I guess an Outlaw sprint car would be the closest to those here. I have seen RC models of that type of car in the UK RC Magazines (like Radio Race Car, Racer UK, etc.) from Mardave, I believe, but have never seen photos of the REAL cars they're patterned after.

Pretty cool. Hope you get a solid start on your project!

[rbell]

hi richard,
welcome to the forum,alot of good info here and a good group of freindly guys,alot of guys here to answer your 1/4 scale questions too,
cheers mike

Hi!
Many thanks for the welcome!

[rbell]

Good to see a photo of those type of cars.

We don't have those in the US, I guess an Outlaw sprint car would be the closest to those here. I have seen RC models of that type of car in the UK RC Magazines (like Radio Race Car, Racer UK, etc.) from Mardave, I believe, but have never seen photos of the REAL cars they're patterned after.

Pretty cool. Hope you get a solid start on your project!

Hi there Mike.

I would say that they are more like a late model dirt car, with a wing and bumpers!!
I have been to the states and seen sprint cars and late model dirt racing, and I would say that if you saw our kind of racing, it would blow you away... The aggression is something you wouldn't be used to!

Well done on remembering Mardave! The are still produced, I think, but if not then there is still quite a large 'scene' for the 1/12th scale electric stockcars. They run indoors, on carpet. There is a large(r) scale class called 'top-stox', which I believe are 1/6th scale. Tbh, I don't really like the look of these cars.... I wouldn't call them replica's, more models, if you understand? Images of these can be seen at http://www.modelraceway.co.uk/cars/

Anyway, thank-you for the welcome!

Yours,

Richard.

[nitro pete]

Hi i like the sound of your project

[rbell]

Cheers Pete, I will keep you updated with the photo's, WHEN I get started......