1973 Lee Gilbert "Sundance"
---built by Jairus Watson 2007

Slotblog.net thread (2nd build)

Specs for 2nd build:

Mura "C" can motor with a 27 double wind Certus arm
Blue dot magnets
Shunted brushes
Associated wheels front and rear.
3/32" axles in a Gilbert designed plumber pan chassis
Ball bearings at rear axle.
Jet Flag
Body .010 Lexan Kirby Ferrari 312P painted in Sundance style ala 1973
Side fences .010 Lexan popular Jan 1973



Here we go again! Time to build another Gilbert/Sundance car and this time I have the chance to correct a couple of errors I made last time. The most glaring of course was the use of a different Ferrari body. The original Sundance paint was applied to a Kirby Ferrari 312P (not available), and my first replica applied to a MAC Ferrari 512. I found this Ferrari 312P in my junk box left over from childhood.

I believe it came to me mounted on a Dynamic floppy pan chassis so it's being called a Dynamic body here. What I plan to do is convert it to look like a Kirby body, which I will call my Kirby Klone! Hopefully I will be able to make a decent enough master with which to pull a few bodies.

In the meantime, I put together a collection of hardware for this build including the closest thing to Associated wheels I have which are actually Riggen.

From the magazine...

!st paint jobs (3? cars being built simultaneously)

the "KIT"

Motor Work:

I am building this as close as possible to the magazine car as I can. Thus the twist pins (really hard on the rational mind to put them back in you know?) instead of screws.
Also, the incongruity of having a light colored can in the motor buildup (part IV) while a black color can motor was installed in part V, always bothered me. The first car I built had a black can with a black end bell. This car and subsequent cars will have a Magenta can with a purple end bell and a matching purple Jet Flag.

Wheels:

The Car Model article specifies the use of “Associated” wheels front and rear, 5/8” front and 13/16” rear. Unfortunately I only have one set of Associated wheels so it becomes necessary to modify what IS available. This set of Riggen Tiger rear wheels are very close to the “Telescoping” rears. A quick look at the wheels shows that although the wheels are very similar, the Associated wheel has a beveled face while the Riggen face is flat with a chamfered edge on the inside. The axle hole/tube is longer on the Riggen wheel but only slightly so and therefore not worth the risk to modify.After modification the Riggen wheel now has a beveled face and only a direct comparison with an actual Associated wheel would reveal the difference. Pretty neat huh?
How did I do it you ask? Well, not owning a lathe I chucked up the rim in my dremmel and while spinning at slow speed applied a small modeling file to grind down the face. Then re-surfaced with 220grit, 320grit, 600grit and polished with steel wool.

Body Cut

PAINT.....

Attention to detail and process is unbelievable.....

WINGS!

Glue Shield and Finishing Build....

Old Weird Harold thread (1st build, pictures only...car sold to VS)