John Stranahan

iTrader: (27)

Calandra Pantoura 1/10 Pan Touring

I received my car in a small heashrink sealed box today.

Contents: Kit in multiple sealed bags. Screws are phillips head stainless steel. The Associated screw driver kit phillips fits very well, instructions for Bloody Carpet Knife which is a similar chassis, addendum for Pantoura with color photos, no wheels tires or body. The kit came with an 86 tooth 64 pitch differential gear. No motor screws. I cut some about 3/8 inch long from longer metric screws. All of my Motor screws were too short.



I have the rear pod semi assembled. There is a photo below of the front of the rear pod and of the bottom of the chassis. The kit seems to be well made. There are some burrs where the holes which are drilled from the bottom of the chassis break through the chassis. Bevel these with the X-Acto to insure proper mating of the parts that screw on top. Make a fine pass with a tiny file on the sharp edges of the graphite chassis.



Here are some specs on the car with GRP foam tires.

Width Rear 200 mm
Width Front 185 mm
Wheelbase 255 mm

The car takes narrow 1/10 pan car, with non offset pod, replacement axle and hub parts.
Rear axle is 5.205 inch long by .2485 inch diameter (nominal 1/4”) + 8 x 32 threaded stud. Looks like fiberglass.

The left hub is not the clamp on style. It is held with a large set screw

The diff rings are large and not the D type.

Some assembly tips. This is not my first ball diff, so I will use the method which is easiest and which I think will produce results as good as any. I don’t sand the diff rings. As soon as the diff is run, any surface treatment that you or the manufaturer puts on the rings is gone. The balls cut a nice little groove in the diff ring. At the speeds this car will run, any excess grease will just be thrown out of the diff as there are no labrynth type seals to hold anything in. I won’t be concerned about putting on too much grease. After assembly I will run the car in the air for about 30 seconds holding one rear tire. This will produce the nice groove. Then I will check the diff for slip and retighten if neccesary.


I have found on graphite touring cars that after a month or two they start to tweak as the chassis screws get loose and start to work the holes bigger. I will put a little blue LocTite under the heads of the screw that go through the chassis and motor plates. This will pin the chassis. I have never had any trouble removing these later. This will prevent problems from the start. If you do have trouble removing a screw, just heat the screw head for a few seconds with a hot soldering iron tip. Then remove while hot. The Loctite will liquify and the screw will come out easy.


More photos to come as parts arrive. Exciting days.