1:24 Die Cast "Conversions": Post Your Favorites!

[Silberpfeil]

Following the lead of the H.O. folks on their “conversions"...

[Vintage 1/24]

I think it is great - I do know it is sort of frowned upon, and I think it is because "slot racing" has in a large part been about "racing" and making/building models.

But from a "model motoring" perspective, it is an absolutely great way to get a ( in some cases very) realistic vehicle to drive around the track - at scale speeds of course.

So yes I like the tow truck, it fits right in on a race track of any type.

Do you change out the tires - how did you fit the running gear etc.?

[Silberpfeil]

Fully agree, my goal is to take the realism and different model / vehicle offerings in traditional die cast and make them suitable for the track. Not trying to race them (too heavy), but a real hoot to run them. Very different kind of driving.

[GT40 Racer (DM)]

Great work. Now you have me thinking.
please share more details about the chassis setup and wheels/tyres.

I am going to be looking for a 1/24 tow truck now.

cheers
David

[Silberpfeil]

Thanks for the kind words, Guys...

I did this conversion about 18 months ago.

Here's some detailed pics of the Chassis.
Goals was to keep it as original as possible...as close as "factory" to the average eye.

Used an over-the-counter Motor Pod / Axle / Guide Flag Kit, Slot.It Crown gear and a 40K long-Can Motor. (Needed the Torque)

Carefully cut-out an opening for the Pod. Lots of filing and sanding.
Same for the Guide Flag mount.
The original Axle was the same O.D. as the I.D. of the Crown Gear, so I lucked out.
Kept the original tires...they actually don't run too bad. Not as hard as they look.
Rest was fitment, routing the wires and general tweaking for functionality, ride height and overall appearance.

Hope the pics help in your "conversion.
LMK if you've any questions / want more pics.

BTW...I've others I've done. Will post pics as well.

[Silberpfeil]

Here's my "National Geographic' VW pickup.
Same build method as the Tow Truck.
Added Roof rack, fabricated the "cargo" on Top and in the Bed and added the door decals.
Different rear tires.

The 1:24 die cast vehicles themselves are ubiquitous on eBay.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Hey! That's my truck!

By the way, I have that roof rack, and this representation of it is dead-on. I sold the truck when in dire straights, but the roof rack is still stored away.

[Vintage 1/24]

Wow, you don't see those everyday!

[GT40 Racer (DM)]

That is cool an adaptation of the slot classic chassis - I like that idea and I am going to borrow it now thanks
What chassis is the long can one

I have lots of 1/24 kits waiting to be turned into slot cars. One of the hold ups has been finding a suitable inexpensive chassis. The idea of splicing a 1/32 chassis into the kit chassis is brilliant.

thanks
David

[Silberpfeil]

The Tow Truck has the Long Can Motor.
High-Torque Motors are needed for these heavy things!

[Silberpfeil]

Dave...to be clear, they all have their original plastic "chassis's". I just incorporated a 1/32 Motor / Axle Pod (...Drivetrain).

[GT40 Racer (DM)]

"Dave...to be clear, they all have their original chassis. I just incorporated a 1/32 drivetrain.'

I see you used a slot classic chassis on the combi - didn't recognise what the 1/32 drivetrain with the long can motor is on the tow truck - or is it the original chassis with the motor worked into it?

cheers
David

[Silberpfeil]

I've used the singular Avant Slot Pod ("Cuna Linea" #20555) on other builds, but yes, the Tow Truck has the Slot Classics Motor Pod "Kit" (?). Was something Cloverleaf Racing offered a while back as a Kit / Bag of various sizes...worked well.

I’ve done a couple of the Motormax diecast 1964 Chevy Fleetside pickups as well. Will send you a PM on those.... Don't want to go too nuts here with posts.

[4424ever]

WHAT postm

[sweet]

Nicely done!

[Vintage 1/24]

Don't want to go too nuts here with posts.

How nuts is nuts?

I would like to see what you have done.

I think collecting the conversions in a thread it is useful - sometimes it is hard to chase posts around the board and items get lost to the noise.

I know die-cast conversions can be frowned on - but there is always value in seeing new ways to build and make. I am thinking they do have a place.

HO DIE-CAST CONVERSION KIT:



Other than the HO stuff I haven't built up any any but I am thinking about doing a larger scale slot car.

[32lbking]

I agree. Post 'em. I have been planning to do my first die cast conversion on a Greenlight Supernatural '67 impala for awhile now. Bought it before the recent model kit became available. Was debating for quite some time between moving forward on the die cast or getting the model kit. Decided last week to do the die cast, and ordered the sawblade wheels from the kit off ebay because the ones on the diecast just don't look right and in this case the wheels make the car. The rest of the car looks great.
Not going to be a race car, so it doesn't have to be competitive with anything.
Randy

[Silberpfeil]

...and one more. (One of my favorites.)

1949 Oldsmobile 88 Grand National race car driven by Red Byron.
1/24 die cast (...feels like cast iron) issued by NAPA Auto Parts a while ago.


Red's original car:



...and the conversion.
Added a bunch of little things to mirror the actual car.
Tamiya "Flat Clear" paint to dull it up...looks great in a B/W photo.

[32lbking]

That Olds IS cool. The matte paint fits the era. I think my favorite is the gray delivery truck with the skinny wheels, just because it's so unusual How does the dual opposing motor GMC cabover run?
Oh, and what have you found to be the best gearing [if any] on the die cast pickups and mid to large size cars as far as drivability, not speed.

[Vintage 1/24]

You could go with more mechanical advantage and that theoretically would help with braking and with getting it moving from a stand still - More gear - but I get it they are bricks and have some momentum so brakes will always be a challenge . . .

Since the tires are so tall you could put a pizza-pie-sized crown in place, like a 39 tooth (or more), and drive it with something like an 8 or even a 7 tooth pinion.

A 5.00+ ratio would be much better than a 3.00 ratio.

For this application I think it would make sense - I don't think you would miss the top-end.

I mean how many many many grams does that truck weigh?

[Silberpfeil]

Agreed.

[Vintage 1/24]

Lots of these builds are cool - but for some reason those type 3 VWs jumped out at me - very neat.

And yes the Franklin mint and Danbury mint cars were pretty high end models and can amazingly be found in junk stores, antique consignment shops, and even thrift stores, selling for less than the price of a standard model kit these days. They often covered almost impossible to find subjects.

Vintage trucks, and pre-war vehicles probably lend themselves especially well to these die-cast conversions.

Anyway I am liking the camper pickups and all the other stuff you would rarely see running in a slot.

[dge467]

Really cool builds!