Scalextric Italian Job

Scalextric Italian Job

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garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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This was a much bigger task than I first imagined. Here's the idea: build the Harrington Legionnaire coach from the 1969 Italian Job film, sounds straightforward?

What this actually translated into was:
1. Design the coach with its opening rear doors, floor to let the Minis drive inside, steering and everything else to make such a huge vehicle work on a regular Scalextric track.
2. Agonise over how to manufacture a few copies. Slush cast? Pressure cast? 3D print? A mixture of a 3D printed front, slush cast roof and fabricated floor? Revisit this several times over the course of its development.
3. Source some Mini Coopers and almost fall over in horror as I realise they are far too rare and expensive to mess about with.
4. Make a resin Mini bodyshell.
5. Come up with a completely new chassis to fit under the Mini with its tiny overhang, the main problem being a rear axle contrate gear that's smaller diameter than the tiny wheels and tyres.

Yeah, yeah, stop the moaning and get on with the pictures, will you? As usual, the coach started with a 3D model


Make sure the Minis will fit inside, design a steering system which is a modification of my normal system being wider and linked together.


The torque to move all of this comes from the same 2 stage gear reduction system used on a truck I built last year. Not especially speedy but plenty of go to deal with all the weight.

Hinged doors and ramp came next.


And they were printed, it's 340mm long, 13½ inches.


Paint, graphics and we're done!






For the Minis I made a resin bodyshell based on a mixture of Scalextric and Airfix parts


The chassis uses motor and rear axle from the Carrera Go cars. It doesn't need suspension like my other slot cars as Minis don't lean in corners, but it does need steering so I used the front end from my PCS32 steering.




Get the graphics done and build it up.


And this is how they look together.






When I've got a little more time I'll do a video for these, but the Minis seem to work well on the track.
Youtube

And so does the coach. Don't be a wimp with the power, kick the tail out and get it sliding so the inside rear wheel doesn't drop off the inside curve.
Youtube

HOGEPH

5,249 posts

185 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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You're only supposed to glue the bloody doors on!

Pixelpeep7r

8,600 posts

141 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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Wow. Just wow!

Spice_Weasel

2,286 posts

252 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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This kind of creativity is why I browse this section of PH.

Great job, OP.

miniman

24,826 posts

261 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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Will the Minis actually drive up into the coach?

garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
quotequote all
miniman said:
Will the Minis actually drive up into the coach?
Yes, there's braid up the ramp and on the coach floor, plus a slot so the cars will go all the way in. I've taken power from the coach's motor to feed the braid so it all works properly.

miniman

24,826 posts

261 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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clap

Mr E

21,583 posts

258 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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The purchase of a scalextric set for my 4 year old has just been accelerated.

(Utterly splendid work)

djdest

6,542 posts

177 months

Sunday 11th September 2016
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Very impressed!
I can't wait to see a video of them driving into the back biggrin

garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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It's quite difficult to film them driving into the back. My camera skills need improving, but here's 15 seconds of 1:32 fun

Youtube

The Nur

9,168 posts

184 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
quotequote all
Or perhaps I should have said it's difficult to film and be close to the action.

That set uses digital which unfortunately I don't have

Halmyre

11,148 posts

138 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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Your coach is a better shape; other one's too square.

Lubi325

59 posts

91 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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That is cool mate.
I watched your Smokey and the Bandit video too, I loved it!

philv

3,912 posts

213 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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The Nur said:
Absolutely superb.

mickybob

2 posts

71 months

Thursday 5th April 2018
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These models and videos are really excellent. Now I have a really strange request and I am hoping someone can please advise me. I am looking for a really good high resolution image or images of the coach used in The Italian Job. It is for an academic paper and I am not able to use a still from the film. But a photo of the offside of a model of the coach with his rear half hanging over the edge of the precipice would work, as would a really good drawing/ painting of same. A diorama of the scene might be ideal but I could get around this simply by having the coach in sharp focus and any background really blurred (bokeh). I would not be able to offer payment as I am not being paid for the paper. I am a teacher and I am writing the paper for 'fun'. The journal would need permission to use the image(s) but the image owner would be credited. If anyone has any ideas then please let me know or I will have to resort to coming up with my own drawing. If not too far, I would be happy to travel to take photos or perhaps there is an inexpensive model I can buy on eBay or similar.

tr7v8

7,185 posts

227 months

Thursday 5th April 2018
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I assume you've seen this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NU2B5DOv8s

Jon Brown

677 posts

183 months

Friday 6th April 2018
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that is mental......love it

AppleJuice

2,154 posts

84 months

Friday 6th April 2018
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clap Wow!

rufusruffcutt

1,539 posts

204 months

Friday 6th April 2018
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mickybob said:
These models and videos are really excellent. Now I have a really strange request and I am hoping someone can please advise me. I am looking for a really good high resolution image or images of the coach used in The Italian Job. It is for an academic paper and I am not able to use a still from the film. But a photo of the offside of a model of the coach with his rear half hanging over the edge of the precipice would work, as would a really good drawing/ painting of same. A diorama of the scene might be ideal but I could get around this simply by having the coach in sharp focus and any background really blurred (bokeh). I would not be able to offer payment as I am not being paid for the paper. I am a teacher and I am writing the paper for 'fun'. The journal would need permission to use the image(s) but the image owner would be credited. If anyone has any ideas then please let me know or I will have to resort to coming up with my own drawing. If not too far, I would be happy to travel to take photos or perhaps there is an inexpensive model I can buy on eBay or similar.
Not sure if this will help, there was an art installation of the coach (mock-up) hanging off the edge of the Pavilion in Bexhill. There are loads of images of that in Google, maybe one would be available to you for free??