wtcc5's Novafox: !Banned from Racing!

[ThunderDragonCy 8127]

@wtcc5 What brand are the overlapping ball connectors you use to make your triangle of upper arms?

[wtcc5 5574]

@ThunderDragonCy: These are Awesomatix P02. You can also use Awesomatix SPR08 or BDL.

[ThunderDragonCy 8127]

1 hour ago, wtcc5 said:

@ThunderDragonCy: These are Awesomatix P02. You can also use Awesomatix SPR08 or BDL.

Thanks

[wtcc5 5574]

The prints were successful:

 

I started with the steering setup. The easy part:

 

I had to remove a bit of the front sidewalls of the chassis to get the wanted steering angle. It worked, but I forgot to make pictures of that step. I added the front suspension. That worked well:

I had to remove material to make space for the servo arm. This area will be hidden underneath the top plate later:

 

Next on was the build of the DJCs. This build is a repetition of the cardans I build for my DF-01T:

It is plug and play except for two holes in the connection tubes that have to be widened to 1.6mm.

 

The print of the plate mock-ups was successful, too. I removed the lower mounts of the gearbox halves. The next pictures shows the new position of the gearbox:

 

These are plates that sandwich the gearbox:

 

All installed and keyed with the arm mounts:

 

Installation of the rear arm extensions:

 

The DN-01 front wheels arrived and I like how with their offset the car stays "narrow" in front (252mm):

In that picture the front arm extension is installed together with the damper. The latter sports AE TC6 upper damper mounts (blue):

 

For the rear I just use a standard ball nut, but will maybe change this later:

 

An overview:

 

With body parts provisionally put on the car:

 

I am satisfied with the result so far. I will have to do several corrections in CAD though. Top deck, front extensions and the diff plates receive little changes. I also found a way to mount the front arms 4mm closer to the center line. In a last step, I want to add a fan mount to one of the rear custom parts.

 

 

 

 

[wtcc5 5574]

I worked more on the design. The diff plates changed more than thought, I made the bumper plate stronger and longer for more front support and made other small changes. This lead to all these parts plus the new top plate to prove the geometry.

 

The new diff plates are simpler. All the rear upper section could be saved with the wing mount moving forward. Overall their design got stronger:

 

In front the new inner arm mounts are more compact and allow a 4mm longer arm. I also made the new anti-roll-bar:

 

A look on the new bumper plate design. Longer, now also using the servo screws and also with a softer curvature should make it stronger to support the front chassis:

You can also see how it is slimmer around the inner arm mounts.

 

Just for the protocol: I didn't want that. If the locals at Kinzigtal would've been satisfied to be on the podium behind me, all this wouldn't have happened. But they needed to show me how slow I was, forcing me to upgrade my car (the driver is already "peak male performance").  Please don't take me serious. It is the dopamine talking here  

I am very happy how the second version of this chassis turned out. Especially the low c.o.g. should make a noticeable difference in handling for the upcoming tracks. I am also satisfied with the low rear wing position.

So next on the list is the file export for manufacturing and work on the shocks. I hope to have this car running in the first two weeks of July. I made a few shots with the body and wing on to get a preview of the things to come:

 

 

 

[Sgt.Speirs 1373]

What an awesome design…

With these wheels/tires and the low silhouette the buggy looks like it’s more related with a TRF201 than with a Novafox…great job!👏🏻

[GermanTA03Guy 1372]

Oof.... it looks serious.... ace ! Btw, what do you think about the 0 degree of the rear xtra speed df01 hubs ? It put me off for my tf evo project. Have you tried already before if its driveable ? 

[wtcc5 5574]

Thanks guys!

@GermanTA03Guy: The DF-01 hubs by Xtra Speed get mixed ratings from my side. I like the design, the bearings sit well and they seem to be strong enough for the job. The bore holes for the arm pin are too big in diameter, causing a little more slop than necessary/wanted. The zero degree toe-in is a problem for the DF-01 buggies. I have integrated toe-in on the inner arm-mounts, so it doesn’t affect my Fox (the Novafox came with zero toe-in).

I don’t understand why chinese part manufacturers like Xtra Speed don’t see those details when copying the OEM part geometry. Same thing with the aluminum front hubs of the TA-02: Tamiyas Hop-Up came with added caster…

[wtcc5 5574]

I tried the body of my Novafox on the conversion chassis and liked it too.

So I want to try a bit more body. Ordered a new body set and then couldn’t decide on a color… Then looked in my decal archive and then found the 1987 Lotus 99t decal set. The Camel yellow rattle can is nearly empty, so I used the rest of the Gold that was left from my Egress build. And in hindsight I find it suits the decals better than the special Camel yellow.

The masking took its time, but wasn’t very difficult. I just wanted the driver cabin bars to be black and the roof gold.

Not very easy to decide which style is more suited. The previous chassis-body-blend has an aggressive racy look. The Camel-style is elegant and classy…

You decide for yourself:

 

Did you notice the Hi-Caps  ?

I analyzed both damper types and now will give the Hi-Caps another chance. I build them different, though. No bladder in the cap. The cap is glued and sealed to the body. I filled the oil in from the bottom opening. This way the service is harder, but the damper stroke is super long and smooth. If a manufacturer could do a Hi-Cap damper cap with seal O-ring and bleeder screw, I would be soo happy.

[BloodClod 366]

The creativity of the previous "body" was great but I really like the elegant and clean lines of this full body version. 

This project is really inspiring. 

Do you have any videos of it running - would be awesome to see it in action!

[wtcc5 5574]

@BloodClod: Thanks for nice words!

Regarding videos of this car, I can offer the content of the Tamico A-finals at Kinzigtal. For example this one. The camera starts following my car at 0:40:

I will make new content of the updated design for my Yt channel as soon as I have received and installed the carbon plates 

[Andreas W 2281]

I thought the body for the old version landed with the right side up when you stickered it. Then it unmistakenly became a Fix, even though half of it was cut away. The new version looks more complete and maybe more according to the original. I like them both, but maybe the new version a little tick more. It's clear to me that the Fox looks better in a lighter color, like this gold or silver. Anyways, this is "Jammern auf hohem Niveu". The car with the technic under the body is a beauty. Period.

[Turbofrog 2]

Coming back to my question a while ago. Are you now able to measure total weight and weight distribution of your car?

Thanks!

Andy

[wtcc5 5574]

On 7/9/2024 at 8:23 AM, Turbofrog said:

Coming back to my question a while ago. Are you now able to measure total weight and weight distribution of your car?

Thanks!

Andy

Sorry! My parts arrived yesterday and I need to rebuild the car with them and then will let you know.

[wtcc5 5574]

Finally this car evolution stage can be finished with the parts arriving:

Top quality as always!

 

I spend half a day to rebuild the car with the carbon plates. Most of the parts fit perfect. The gearbox plates need a bit sanding at the slots. Overall with the cable management and the additional front chassis plate screw, the installation of the top plate is difficult. A fast electronic replacement is impossible. Overall the chassis is super strong now. If chassis flex is a thing in 1/10 Offroad... this car has none 

 

As requested by @Turbofrog I put the car on the scales:

It weights in at approximately 553g in front and 923g in the rear (37,5% / 62,5%).

[Turbofrog 2]

Thanks!!! Helps me a lot!

[GermanTA03Guy 1372]

you need a nice wing Slogan sticker: NO FLEX !   ... or "not flexing...."

[GermanTA03Guy 1372]

I like the double meaning with the bragging 

..as its all carbon and so on... 

By the way, the stance with the low wing is really great. And the senna Connecticut with the livery and the yellow wheels doesnt hurt at all either... great great stuff, congrats. How about a little senna sticker somewhere or his nice number 12 in that font ? 

[wtcc5 5574]

@GermanTA03Guy: I see, yes, the bright yellow rims leave a Senna-impression. In fact, I decided against Senna and pro Nakajima, who never gets any praise. You can see the Nakajima theme on the body:

Red band on the tip of the nose and Name sticker above the front window.

Also the number 11 on the front side of the body.

[GermanTA03Guy 1372]

Oops thanks for pointing out. totally overlooked that (and nakajima)... as long as you dont put ukyo katayama in your builds... you would spin out a lot ... 

[ruebiracer 1173]

What an outcome of the new evolution steps.

Makes me speechless. Altough it looks so agressive and mean as a new modern buggy, it still carries so much oldschool Tamiya charme and everyone can instantly say: It must be a Fox...

Stunning work Kevin, that´s one to be remembered forever now.

[ruebiracer 1173]

On 6/22/2024 at 6:07 PM, wtcc5 said:

I tried the body of my Novafox on the conversion chassis and liked it too.

So I want to try a bit more body. Ordered a new body set and then couldn’t decide on a color… Then looked in my decal archive and then found the 1987 Lotus 99t decal set. The Camel yellow rattle can is nearly empty, so I used the rest of the Gold that was left from my Egress build. And in hindsight I find it suits the decals better than the special Camel yellow.

The masking took its time, but wasn’t very difficult. I just wanted the driver cabin bars to be black and the roof gold.

Not very easy to decide which style is more suited. The previous chassis-body-blend has an aggressive racy look. The Camel-style is elegant and classy…

You decide for yourself:

 

Did you notice the Hi-Caps  ?

I analyzed both damper types and now will give the Hi-Caps another chance. I build them different, though. No bladder in the cap. The cap is glued and sealed to the body. I filled the oil in from the bottom opening. This way the service is harder, but the damper stroke is super long and smooth. If a manufacturer could do a Hi-Cap damper cap with seal O-ring and bleeder screw, I would be soo happy.

I noticed the Hicaps! The upper spring guide is printed by you? And what is used on the lower end? Big Bore spring seat? but no plastic ball, but steel? I´d be keen on the details, my Big bore springs do wobble around on my Hicaps on the upper end...

 

[wtcc5 5574]

A lot of time passed again... I could drive the Fox once in between. Actually twice, but in the first time the fan mount touched the slipper screw after a bad landing and broke it. So after 20 seconds it was "Game over". In a second practice a week later, it became obvious that the Awesomatix cups I use for the front suspension, were not strong enough for the forces occurring off-road. Also the front touched the ground much too early after a jump. My second problem were the rear camber links that kept popping off the inner ball stud.

With that tasks still to solve I went back to the drawing board and changed the front design completely. The front arms were turned around and new extensions were created to use TRF201 C-hubs. The front bulkhead is one-piece now:

 

Together with other countless small changes this resulted in this front:

 

In the rear the camber links were attached to the chassis directly, so not much to see:

 

I also worked a lot with different oil thicknesses to make the buggy less edgy on the jumps. Just couldn't make it work satisfactory and fled to Tamiyas Big Bore dampers for the race.

The weekend finally came and it was raining  Low grip and slippery, with a surprise of a track run layout change, which meant I took the wrong turn several times. The practice runs on Saturday were meant to decide for a seeding for the one and only qualifying run. In the end it wasn't, but I could still find a slot to have four undisturbed laps (of five consecutive fastest laps that count). In the end I was 4.8s in front of Bernd Focht.

The finals on Sunday started with a slippery, but drying track. I concentrated on not putting the car on the roof. The high grip conditions slowly came back and my car became more superior with every final. My fastest final was a 15L 7:19.882 with a fastest lap of 27,710s with the next competitor 2L away and 2.2s off my fastest lap in that run.

Even though I played it save, I could win every final. Most ground could be made up by me in the fast corners. Jumping still was difficult...

 

Just before the last finals Jörg U. Bach a very unsympathetic and "knows-it-all" guy who had the idea for this series, came to my tent, very angry. He lectured me about my car with some confused arguments, like my car is 30cm wide, outside the rules, should be disqualified, some guys don't want to come to races anymore, because of it, I destroyed the RCKleinserie with my TT-02 conversions... and then took off again. That was a kind of surprise, because up to that time nobody came to me to tell me he dislikes the car. It was even the opposite. After several of the finals four or five guys assembled around my stationary buggy, smiling and discussing, then congratulating me. I even had fan club of children cheering my car every time it blasted through the fast corner next to them. A very positive attitude in contrast to the ugly monologue Jörg had in mind. Also none of the drivers with me on the drivers gantry talked to me about that.

I won the last final in record time and and enjoyed the award ceremony:

 

My friends and I had a good run and could win seven medals that day:

 

Edit: In his wrath Jörg now changed the rules. So consider this car:

 

Stay alert for the upcoming Tamico-Offroad-Cup-MadCap build 

[GToddC5 1656]

Wow - but you know you're doing it right when you disturb the norm and get banned! Just look at the wing cars from Nascar back in the day, or so many other examples of improved racing greatness. Then people suddenly get caught up to speed and change the rules again. You're a leader and an inspiration! :cheers:

[bsy2010 298]

I said it before and will say it again! Your car(s) are a work of art and illustrate everything this hobby could be. Building a kit, driving it, developing new parts to improve it, utilising technology like 3D print and CNC milling, all based on a simple Tamiya car! Not everyone is able to that off like you, but still, your models are an inspiration for me and many others!

And yes, your Fox might have pushed the boundaries of the regulations, but at the track no driver (even if he was involved in the definition of the race series) should be allowed to make that judgement. This is the job of race control.

And from what I heard, the drivers who were complaining about the car being superior to others (thus making it impossible to win themselves) are the ones that always praise the fun factor of the series, the uncompetitive spirit of the TOC. Unfortunately, having fun building a car like yours, is beyond their horizon.

Anyway, I'm glad to read that your TOC career isn't over, and can't wait to see your interpretation of a Mad Cap