Goodwood Saloon

[RACER92]

I had this three car kit setting around for quite some time the Escort body is already done in a Rally theme on a PCS chassis for our clubs Vintage Rally class. So I decided to build the Triumph Herald in a Goodwood Saloon racer on a brass chassis. My first attempt at a flex board or hinged chassis.
This was just a fun build we don't have a class for this car, so it will just tour around my track. I viewed images of Goodwood to select a period correct colour, I have ordered a set of plain steel wheel inserts to replace the Mini Lites from RS Slots, which I'll paint dark red to match the dash and seat. The car weighs in at 74g and goes around not to bad, I guess the Vauxhall Viva is next to join the Revival.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Do they actually cram the body that low for saloon racing?

[noddaz]

Good looking car!

[chrisguyw]

Nice Job.......................What size wire did you use for your torsion bars, and, for your front pan mounts ??.........it looks to me as you might benefit from using a thinner gauge on both. I am assuming your rear pan mounts are hinged not solid ??

Cheers
Chris Walker

[RACER92]

Chris
Thanks it was my first try with the flex chassis and I'm not even sure if it is the correct application I usually see it used on Vintage F1 builds.
The t/bars are .025" and the front pan mount is probability a little heavy it is .055". I started with a longer t/bar but it had chatter coming out of the corners so I shortened it till that went away, and yes the rear of the pan is hinged not mounted solid to the rear section with .025" wire.
I have to do some reworking to raise the body a bit as per the other post it is a little to slammed, so maybe go .025" at the front of the pan as well.
For the Vauxhall I think I'll do a rattle pan style chassis with .047" main rails any suggestion for pan thickness maybe .032"?
Joe

[chrisguyw]

Hi Joe, a Flexi board design works well, no matter whether it is on a Vintage F1, a Sports/GT or, for that matter a Nascar...............as the power/tire grip goes up, you just need to adjust the flex accordingly.......skinny tires/low power, a soft flex,......more power. grippier tires, a stiffer flex. As you have done on yours, you just need to adjust the flex (stiffer) until the chatter is eliminated.
For your front pan mounts you could easily go to either .047 or .032 wire.

For your Vauxhall chassis, .032 pans are more than enough,.....you can always add some lead to them if you need.

I am not a fan of rattle pan type chassis , as when it "rattles" the effective weight of the chassis on the track does change, as the rattle plate moves up/down which is not ideal in building a chassis with consistent/predictable handling.

While Rattle pans were certainly in fashion for a time (I built many), most of the better chassis built over the last 20 years have used "controlled" flex rather than any free movement, as this provides (as stated earlier) more consistency, and predictability.
A really rough analogy would be a 1:1 car with a bad shock.......you have seen them going down the road with the wheel just bouncing all over the place......not the hot tip for good handling !!.............similarly with uncontrolled "rattle" pans........you just don't know if/when the pans are exerting upward, downward, or no pressure on the main chassis plate as they bounce around.

Build another Flexi board

Cheers
Chris Walker

[vtecfour]

I'm a small car enthusiast so really appreciate this build. Nice low stance and choice of body colors too.

Well done.

Dan

[RACER92]

Here is the finished car I raised the ride height and put in 4 bolt steel wheel inserts from RS Slot, most steel wheel inserts are 5 bolt pattern which wouldn't be right on this car. I also changed the front axle tube mount and switched the wire from .055" to .047" at the front of the side pans as per Chris's recommendations.

Everybody have a good summer.
Joe