My atempt at a Nellie Faye style clone..

[sporty]

It's been awhile that I have tried to do anything other then a thin tiny flat car.

And when I saw [no advertising for this vendor] and Evo's cars of this style.

I wanted to atempt to build one like it. I rarely try and copy people, But thhose styles of cars. Really got me wanting to atempt one.

Now this is my first atempt and already, I have made some mistakes and have things to improve on. I figured It was going to take me a few builds at this style before I get something i feel where i got it right. So there will be more of these from me in the future.

Now, I made the fenders myself, I have tried for the past few days, with balsa, but I either brake it or it just looks really bad. I was using what I had on hand. So I need to get a different kind of balsa, (contest balsa) and better grade of balsa for the future ones I will build.

So I ended up atempting this one, with using a pinewood derby full block, a scrap block I had laying around. I used a 1 1/4 whole saw to make the circle.

I also used a full block of wood, to do my axle whole drilling and cant first, before cutting the wood down to 1/4 thick.

I don't have a jig saw any more, so my cuts and so forth are done with a dremel and thin die disk on it. So not pretty.


Here our a bunch of pictures.


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This is a clear piece of thin light plastic, the blue color is just a peel off protective covering-




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I used gorilla glue 5 min epoxy. It's what I had on hand. Next time I will get some CA (super glue).

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I removed 1/4 of a inch from the inside fenders, to not rub ot touch the center track rail. Not the best looking cuts, used the dremel and cutting disk. (i'm thinking the 1/4 of a inch was to much.
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Each of the fenders, pine wood, was 12.5 grams, when I put them on the car and glued them.

the car body shell was 10.5 grams.
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I peeled over the blue covering of the clear plastic too soon. As I still needed to do more sanding and shaping yet.

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I just had some of the clear plastic left over from a few years ago. The only reason I used it, was because I didnt have any thin balsa to cover the top.
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Sanding and shape shanges to the fenders a bit hard to see. Sorry not the best photo taken here.
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Some green colored, pre mask to cover things.
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Other mentions--
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The car came in at 40 grams, before I started shaping the fenders. Once I got them shaped. I was down to 31.8 grams.
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Im in primer stage right now and will have some more photos later today. Of it in primer. I am using white flat paint for the primer. Because I am wanting to use flouresant yellow paint. I have had trouble with that type of paint. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. But since it's a light color. I have had the best luck with a flat white for the base. The normal grey primer, seems to not work well. I have to put the flouresant paint on to thick to get it to cover and it runs.

More to follow.


Sporty

[Vitamin K]

Lookin' nice! I see that you're setting it up for rail riding. So this beauty's for speed too, yes? Looking forward to more pics!

[sporty]

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Still needs to dry and wet sand a little bit and clear coat. then I'll weigh it and see just how heavy this is with the pine fenders.

Not sure how much updates I'll have today yet, maybe 1 more. we will see.

Weight will be after I get it painted. and other things. Its getting closer, but its not done yet.
Sporty

[sporty]

K, Im worn out 4 the day, but added some decals and covering, and clear coat is on and drying.

Here is in process pictures.


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White r/c trim coat (monkote but thicker) over the clear plastic.

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Pin striping

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Adding the clear coat. Not the best picture to see it.



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Sporty

Hope to get a few more pictures tommarow, better shots showing the shiny clear coat and weight and wheels and bottom covering.

If not, It will be this weekend.

[whodathunkit]

Man Sporty,
The car is looking sharp !

Whoda.

[Scrollsawer]

Great work Sporty. The fact that you didn't have access to a high quality saw makes the build even more noteworthy. Hard to believe you got that level of curvature and symmetry using nothing more than a Dremel tool and some sanding. It's obvious that you really put in some dedicated hours, and patience with this one. Nice craftsmanship.

I will be curious to see how much tungsten you can get into the car. Are you targeting 20 cubes? Obviously the pine fenders are adding a lot of weight. Have you considered using basswood for the fenders? It's really light, and workable if using a light touch. Not as light or delicate as balsa. around 25% lighter than pine, based on my experience using it. Just a thought.

Are you planning on entering it in any races, or is it just a 'proof of concept' build?

Regards,

Scrollsawer

[sporty]

Well I been building cars for awhile and have built allot of cars. So that helps. Theres flaws there.

I can only add 83.4 grams of tungsten, a tad more. that gets me close. 18 cubes, versus what I typically do is 24 cubes.

But i think the next one I build or more. will be with the balsa or something much lighter. I think that will get me into the 20 cube range.

My target, well, Id like to use 4oz, 24 cubes, but thats not a real goal, so I guess 20 to 21 cubes would be my next goal with the next few I will build.

I might send it to a friend to run on his track, to see what the car times are. but my interest at this time, is just building it and trying to build it well and right. Dale ([no advertising for this vendor]) is a true master builder, many years of r/c air plane building.

I dont think I could ever do a exact replica of his work on this car, but id like to get close.

I'm just enjoying building again. No plans of racing them at this time.

I know there is several that have interest to build this style of car. and I hope the info on my build and questions and the photos will help others, do one, if thats on there mind to do.

I think most of the time, was spent, trying to make sure the fender was on right and the wholes were cut right and test fit with wheels and axles in the wholes. That took some time for me.

6 to 8 hours is about all I have into the car.

I wish already looking back, that I had thought to take pictures or video clip, those areas, I just mentioned that were the hardest for me. as I think they would have helped others out.

And people can buy the fenders pre cut, which I think is for a newer scout family or entry level builder, the better way to go. Money being tight for me. I could not afford to but 3 to 5 sets of fenders. I'm just trying to use what I got around here for now. But sooner or later, Im gonna have to get the right or better balsa wood or the pre cut ones.

Sporty

Great work Sporty. The fact that you didn't have access to a high quality saw makes the build even more noteworthy. Hard to believe you got that level of curvature and symmetry using nothing more than a Dremel tool and some sanding. It's obvious that you really put in some dedicated hours, and patience with this one. Nice craftsmanship.

I will be curious to see how much tungsten you can get into the car. Are you targeting 20 cubes? Obviously the pine fenders are adding a lot of weight. Have you considered using basswood for the fenders? It's really light, and workable if using a light touch. Not as light or delicate as balsa. around 25% lighter than pine, based on my experience using it. Just a thought.

Are you planning on entering it in any races, or is it just a 'proof of concept' build?

Regards,

Scrollsawer

[Speedster]

The fenders look really nice. Very smooth lines. Great color. How do you install the wheels without scratching or breaking anything?

[sporty]

K, here it is done.

I'll be building a few more of these over the summer.


Ya, I do many pictures. because im not a great photo taker.


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Final comments:

I think from a scout, entry level car builder. This might be a bit much to take on as a tiger or bear. But I think this would be awesome for a family to do.

While I added many photos.

I should have took pictures or video of making the fenders and mounting them, getting them on there right, can be tricky and I really think you have to glue and mount them before you can sand and shape. To get them looking equal and even.

Certainly buying the fenders from evo or ect. Would be a easier starting point, then trying to make them from scratch.

Once I get some balsa in a week or two. Ill start the next one of these.

Yes the pien fenders are heavier and are a weight issue, but the car looks good and if it was a runner, it might run a little slower, but the design is well worth it to enjoy the cool looking car.

Sporty

[Scrollsawer]

Looks great! Really nice craftsmanship there.

Scrollsawer

[birddog]

Very nice.

Any trouble knowing what the exact center of those fender holes were so that you could drill the wheel base properly so everything was centered? That part seems like it could get tricky.

birddog

[Noskills]

Sporty,

Did you raise the non DFW? Seems to me that would would have to angle that fender up or cut it thinner at the top. I didn't see either.

Seth

[sporty]

You dont have to raise the non dom wheel up, when you cant the right front wheel, this raises the front right wheel up and so, there is no issue with the non dom wheel touching at all.

If you think about it, you are canting the wheel down on the rail rider, raising the front end up some.

I drill a cant and plus use a bent axle on the front dom wheel. my typical cant is overall like 3 to 4 degrees total.

Sporty

[Vitamin K]

So, sorry for posting in an old thread, but how well did this design perform? Have people had success using this body/fender style?

[sporty]

I never raced them. But yes, there is a few who have did this style and won.
Yes there is difficulty here. Took me some time to do them. And they are my display cars.
I would have raced them. But I no longer race. Maybe someday I will again.
Sporty