Jo-Han Trans Am Javelin - slot conversion

[Vintage 1/24]

Wanted to follow up - great job on this rare Jo-Han *one-year-only* 1970 Javelin!

I will be faced with doing a couple 1/25 AMT model kit conversions soon – more for scale model racing rather than real competition, and I think your sidewinder approach is something that makes sense - It will leave lots of room for model car interior goodness.

Again, great job , I really like these Jo-Han rare subjects!

[vtecfour]

Re-geared with 9t pinion and 37t spur gears for a 4.1:1 gear ratio. Much better acceleration as recommended.

Stiffened the side pans reducing flex and got better cornering too.

Lessons learned on every project that yield improvement are a good thing.

Dan

[noddaz]

Nice job on the AMC! It looks ready to race! The Blue/White/Red is so eye catching. That just make me want to stare. (But not in a creepy way.)

Scott

[chrisguyw]

That looks great Dan , one of your best yet ..................If you are planning on keeping that motor installed, I would seriously (very seriously) consider replacing the 10T pinion with a 9T, or better yet, an 8T..................tall tires + 170gms + low torque /higher RPM motor = high numeric ratio........the car will love it

Cheers
Chris Walker

[Brad_T]

Looks fantastic, great job!

[vtecfour]

Chassis's done with added flexi sidepans. Power's from a Scale Auto 30K red S can with a 3.6:1 gear ratio using Avant Slot 10t, 5.5mm steel pinion and Scalextric Sport 36t, 19mm spur gears.







Body tri-post mounted, one front and two sides.



Body stance is good.









Kit's wheels were cut down, sprayed Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf and inserted with glue. Side mirrors and exhaust pipes may come later.

Runs planted in the corners with moderate straight line speed. Came in at a hefty 169 grams, a lot more than my usual small 1/25 scale builds like my Lotus 11 at 98 grams.

Pleased to see it running on the track.

Dan

[vtecfour]

Rims arrived, so soldered on the front axle carrier components, checked wheel base and mounted Paul Gage tires.



All tires touched simultaneously so chassis looks to be flat and square.

Mocked on the body.









Stance will be close to this. Rear tires are tight, so a bit of tire profiling is ahead.

Dan

[Vintage 1/24]

That side-winder set up really gives you a lot of interior room - great for a model conversion - allowing for the full dash and extra cage detail; nicer than the classic 'flat card" approach.

[vtecfour]

Pretty sure the interior tray's going to foul all over the eventual chassis, so cut the floor out and removed a bunch of the rear wheel tub detail. At least the instrument dash/steering wheel and roll bar were saved. Also allows me to install a driver figure more easily later on.



Dan

[mattb]

Great workmanship.

[dge467]

Looking great!

[vtecfour]

Backwards in my usual build process with the cosmetics being done before the chassis completion. Still waiting on those BRM Trans Am rims.

Did more paint detailing and installing of parts. Test fitted the interior tray.











Might have to remove the interior tray's floor area to get the chassis side pans flush with the body sills.

Dan

[Vintage 1/24]

If you search up "1970 Javelin Trans Am" images you will see what I mean. Race cars change a lot; even from race to race.

Sometimes they would put a 1970 nose on an existing 1969 race car – sometimes they crunch a fender – so all that stuff happens, and it becomes hard to lock down definitive decal images and placement.

But generally all of the Javelin Tarns Am cars used the white lettering (like that current '71 Scalextric car).

But being faithful to the history of the original Jo-Han issue is cool in its own way - It has its own scale model history right there - original decals!

Just wanted to offer – I enjoy your builds and posts.

[vtecfour]

@ Vintage 1/24 - Thanks much for the offer but I can live with the original decal. Interesting that you've indicated red as the outline color. Didn't notice on any of the online images that is so. Did Jo-Han get it wrong and transpose the colors way back when?

Thanks.

Dan

[Vintage 1/24]

I can make you up a new set of the SUNOCO Javelin decals if you would like . . .

I think the 1970 Donohue Trans Am race car had the lettering reversed from what you show, that is, I think it would be white with some red outline – very much like the decals on the recent 1971 Donohue coke-bottle fendered Javelin Scalextric offering.

Let me know –