Scalextric Italian Job

[garethj]

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

[garethj]

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.

[garethj]

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

[garethj]

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