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11/6/2020
The car as it arrived.
s488 2020-06-11 A
s488 2020-06-11 B
s488 2020-06-11 C
s488 2020-06-11 D
s488 2020-06-11 E
s488 2020-06-11 F
s488 2020-06-11 G
s488 2020-06-11 H
s488 2020-06-11 I
30/4/2021
While building up a Super Shells pop-in chassis to use in Super Shells Lotus Elite body shell I found that the can motor and adaptor set I was going to use was to long for the bodies short wheelbase so I thought I would do a simple motor swop, well motor and gear swop as the 'K's motor is fitted with bevel gears, as you can see in the photos above.
Now to rebuild the Porsche and the motor went in nice and easy and then after about eight hours and lots of xxxxx and a few walk away's it was all done.
First problem was the braids, the slot in the guide is very narrow to put in mildly, the instructions say it's best to hammer the braid flat so it will fit. Anyway I finally got them in and then had to find a small short, very short, screw, well two really, and the shortest I have are still a bit to long.(photo C below)
Next the rear wheels, I unscrewed one wheel and lock nut, this is all Super Shells so a threaded axle, removed the bevelled crown and fitted the new nylon one and refitted the lock nut and then the wheel. Quick battery test and after a little bit of adjustment all running fine.
Quick hover and clean of the track and test time. First noticeable problem was that the front was sitting very high. Turned out that the motor and steering unit just overlap and as the can motor is deeper than the chassis this was pushing the steering unit down. A quick shave down of the back of the steering unit mounting bracket and all was well. (Pictures C & D)
Ok so I took a little bit too much off, but better safe then sorry.
Another track test and after a few feet the car stopped, quick check and the rear axle was solid. Adjust the wheels again, and again, and again. Now I know I haven't played with threaded wheels for a long time, a very long time, I've got a few Revell chassis but haven't had to do any wheel adjustments but could I get the wheels to stay locked. I had the wheel and lock nut both coming undone together, or the wheel coming away from the lock nut and even the lock nut tightening against the axle spacers. In the end I just gave up and fitted a plain axle and alloy wheels. The Super Shells wheel inserts fit a 14" wheel which I have and all worked fine, but the look very small, Super Shells use a big tyre on a 14" wheel. The only big tyres I could find were to big.
I do have some wheels that look about the correct size and take a 14" wheel insert, but they are plastic and you need the correct axles for them with knurled ends. Luckily I had an axle of the correct length, it fitted the chassis ok but it was real hard work getting it through the gear, in the end it all fitted. Quick test on the battery and I'd fitted the gear on the wrong side. After a bit of xxxxx and another fight with the gears all swopped around. No it wasn't I'd put it back the same way. Third time lucky and off for a track test. Something was slipping badly, turned out to be the wheels, to much on and off the axle. Ok time for a bit of super glue, too much super glue it would appear as everything was very stiff.
Another axle and another pair of wheels, check, check and check again before putting it all together this time.
Success
The rear wheels look ok from the side (photo G,A & B). Just don't look from behind or underneath as they are just a tad wide (photo D & F). Will have to sort at some point, but not for quite a while I think.
s488 2021-04-30 F
s488 2021-04-30 C
s488 2021-04-30 D
s488 2021-04-30 G
s488 2021-04-30 B
s488 2021-04-30 A
