howardcano

iTrader: (37)

Hi Joe,

The Corvette is only 1mm narrower on each side than the PF Mulsanne, so it's definitely a good candidate, at least for some WGT chassis having a narrow front width. Alternatively, it's easy to take a few mm off the outside of the front tires on a tire truer.

I like the decals! Do you sell them?

howardcano

iTrader: (37)

Then let's get started with some bodies that are available now. We can always update the list later to add more accurate bodies and remove the iffy ones.

I've added the RJ Speed Porsche back on the body list in my suggested rules. On bodies such as this one with big rear kick-ups, we can require that the kickup be cut off and mounted higher on the tail fins as a wing. That will help a little with the scale appearance.

I've also added the Speed Passion LM1, in anticipation that it will work. I'll try to order when when it is available.

terry.sc

That has nothing to do with whether bodies are more scale or not, or any bias towards particular companies. It is entirely down to bodies needing to meet the rules and to be sent in for approval to ROAR before they can be added to the list, and it is only the race body manufacturers who can be bothered.

I also can't see Tamiya moulding the part number into the windscreen of their bodies and sending in several bodies, documentation and fees just to get ROAR approval for something that isn't going to make much difference to their sales numbers. In case you question the idea of having the part number moulded into the windscreen, it's there so it's easy to check it is an approved body, to make it easy for ROAR to check if a body has been changed, and to stop manufacturers bending the rules.

Here in the UK we don't do approval for the bodies and are more relaxed over our WGT body rules, so our list has 25 HPI bodies, including the GT40 and Lamborghinis, the Kyosho DBR9 and F430 and the usual Protoform bodies. The Parma DB9 is banned. Everyone still uses just the Sophia and Gianna. Personally I can sort of see how the Sophia could get in, but with the Gianna Protoform haven't even attempted to make it look similar to any full size car.

The front engined only rule in WGT is a case of a sledgehammer to crack a nut. It was put in there to make it impossible to use aero wedge bodies such as the Lolas used on 200mm nitro racing, without thinking about all the mid engined bodies that would be banned. Every rule has its consequences, removing the front engined part to allow the Ferrari 430 means it also opens up the rules for someone to make the Maserati MC12.


It doesn't matter how scale you want the bodies, the end result is that people will be racing against each other and the whole point of racing is to do as well as you can, whether that is winning a big meeting or just beating your friends.
There are not many of us who want to race just for the fun of it and just don't care about results.

terry.sc

I'd agree with you there, it was created to use the narrow pan car chassis that were readily available when the rules were created, the BMI DB10R, Speedmerchant Speedspec, Corally CCT and CRC X10. The class didn't have to wait for chassis to be made for it as there were already plenty available, and it didn't have to wait for lipo specific WGT chassis as it was being run on 4 cell before we had 1S lipos.


The class would still be pretty scale if Protoform hadn't decided to make a body for it, after all when it started most people were using the Protoform Corvette, although if Protoform hadn't made the Sophia no doubt everyone would have ended up running the Parma DB9

Ed Delgado

iTrader: (3)

Smaller companies that make bodies for racing are going to exploit the rules set forth by the rule makers-in the case of the USA it's ROAR. I don't blame them for that, I was stating what I thought the order of things were. There in the UK you don't have ROAR, and therefore you see more bodies from larger manufacturers whose bodies are produced more for modeling enthusiasts than just racers specifically. The body number in the window was a rule made for smaller manufacturers that produce bodies strictly for racing since a company like Tamiya or HPI is unlikely going to be modifying body molds to extract better aerodynamic performance. The consequence, intended or uninteded is that now only the racing car body makers a eligible for entry in their races. The rule about front engined cars in WGT I think was put in place to get away from scale realism by shortening the approved body list. To prevent someone using a Lola or GTP body you just put in the rules "no GTP or Wedge style bodies". To prevent someone from using a Maserati MC 12 body you do so by sticking to a body list or by adding that no GT1 bodies are allowed, only GT2 or GT3.

It all comes down to ROAR I guess not caring about scale realism. Maybe that's why VTA and USGT are not part of it.

howardcano

iTrader: (37)

I got a chance between races on Sunday to try the 17.5/1s combo. Here's what I ran:

Thunder Power 17.5
1s LiPo
Rollout 92 mm
Tires front gray 2.35", rear pink 2.43"
RJ Speed 962 body
SpeedMerchant WGT chassis
33 oz

The lap times were nearly identical (10.3 seconds) to my 17.5/2s touring car. To be fair, my touring car is not a front runner, and I'm better at driving pan cars. On the other hand, I just threw some tires on the WGTP, made no adjustments from the WGT setup, and only guessed at the gear ratio (I simply used the tallest gears I had available), so there's still improvements to be had.

The WGTP car was below my minimum suggested weight (38 oz.) by a large amount. I'll try adding weight next to see how much it slows the car down. I'm estimating that the final lap times will be between 17.5 TC and 25.5 VTA, or about the same as USGT.

Headshot

iTrader: (1)

Personally I don't like the looks of the RJSpeed 962...looks too much like a 1/12 scale car. Until more bodies are compatible and realistic, why not pick a handful of bodies to start, and every 6 months revisit what to add and what to delete. Of course, having run Porsche Cup a few years ago, I happen to love the HPI Porsche bodies, but that's just me. I would think the Corvette and Viper bodies from HPI would also be ok since these cars actually run in ALMS races...

Ed Delgado

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for your input, but this is class for prototypes of the last twenty years or so, like GTP, WSC, LMP and DP, not for GT cars like the Porsche 911 or Corvette C6R.

NutDriver

iTrader: (30)

@Headshot, you might want to look at the Spec175GT page on Facebook. Their specs are very similar to what you mention.

scott

RoyU

iTrader: (2)

Its been quiet here lately.

howardcano

iTrader: (37)

More test results!:

I got a chance during lunch break at last Sunday's race to try the 17.5/1s at Dee & Mee in Topeka, a medium-sized parking lot track. The track is very smooth, but abrasive. Traction was low to medium, with traction decreasing during the day due to wind-blown dust covering up the sugar-water prep.

The generator and computer are shut down during break, so I didn't get exact lap times, but I ran along with one of the fastest VTA cars and had no problem reeling him in, so I estimate that the WGTP lap times were about the same as my USGT car. The power seems just about right for the track and conditions, and the car was easy and fun to drive. I could break the rear tires loose out of the slowest corners, but I had to really try. Also, the speed on the straight was quite good.

NutDriver

iTrader: (30)

I am at the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta this week. Stopped by to wish Tommy Kendall happy birthday and this has reignited my love for the Viper. I may have to get a Viper body and test it with the 1s/17.5 combo on my CRC WGT car.

dds6695

iTrader: (9)

Throw an 84T spur and 47T pinion on your car and you are Spec 175 GT ready !

NutDriver

iTrader: (30)

I want a set of those Spec 17.5 number panels to go with!

NutDriver

iTrader: (30)

While not on the approved body list (at present), here are some bodies that are newly available in the US that may be of interest.

Viper
http://http://deltaplastikusa.com/in...product_id=139

Lotus Elise
http://http://deltaplastikusa.com/in...product_id=140

Maserati MC12
http://http://deltaplastikusa.com/in...product_id=155