nice work!

I don't think anyone's going to be redundant if they've got manual skills - to get the master model ready for casting took lots of hard work and time, just as if it was carved like a traditional scratchbuilt car.

Some things like the CAD model and 3D printing are high tech, but the bodyshell is resin cast which is traditional as can be, and the windows are even vacuum formed which must be almost as old as Bakelite!

Wish I could justify buying a good 3D printer, I can’t even justify one of those cheap ones with poor resolution!

As you say, there are bureaus that make parts when you send them the 3D data so I use them. A few have some very slick user interfaces where you upload the CAD file and it gives you a price on the spot. Then you can change the material from a drop down menu and it updates the price.

The chassis I make need to be tough but with not much surface detail so the SLS process is ideal. For bodyshells they only need the strength to support themselves but be high detail, an SLA or good 3D print is best for this application.

At the moment I use Shapeways for printing.

Fantastic

I've often thought I'd like an RC american car with 1970's handling and grip.

Thanks for the supplier recommendations - I'll take a look at those.

That is absolutely epic!! Love it!!

I've dicked around with some of my Scalextric cars over the years and even built one with the rear suspension but it was crude and not particularly effective.







The last one never got finished, but the Sierra and the SD1 both benefitted with wider track and better motors.

any advantage to 4x4?

There are a number though that are proper 4 wheel drive with a long crank on the motor and a cog on each end. Never did get round to buying one but I think that they are made by SCX.

Also had the RS200 which was mega, one of the most fun cars to drive. The Audi was good but the COG and track meant that it would roll easily. Fixed that by adding a SRS rear axle

I had an Audi Quattro 4x4 and I don’t think there was any advantage to it, not least because the wheels are barely touching the track and they’d be scrabbling for grip through turns because there’s no diff. It doesn’t matter for the rear wheels which are usually sliding a bit through corners.

The guide on my car stays parallel to the track because it’s linked to the front axle. The front and rear axles should stay flat on the track and the chassis (with body) rolls around it. You can just see on the video that the front inside wheel lifts a bit but that’s because the front and rear roll centres aren’t exactly the same, I’m just working on a correction now on a new chassis. That’s the advantage of rapid prototypes – no tooling to change.