What I learned from the HRW BOSS!

[dreinecke]

When I visited Harry and The General in June at the swank HRW HQ, I was actually there on a mission - to learn how to tune better! Ok, and to see what this BBQ talk was all about - THAT I got schooled on!

Harry had worked his magic on a beautiful Monogram '67 Charger - SCC Wheels, Slot.it axle, gears, and the works. It FLIES! We ran so many laps on his oval with that thing it was just too fun.

I've had pretty good luck getting the rest of my Mono Stocker fleet to run decently on my track. But...I keep going back to that Charger...it runs circles around my cars. I timed it: 10:12 on my track. That is smoking fast.

So, all 12 cars hit my bench to compare to the Master's Charger:

- Radius the chassis - CHECK! I do that to all of my cars that have these types of chassis to get them enough clearance to float.
- True the wheels & tires - CHECK! I usually do that too.
- Shim the guide down into the slot - Semi-CHECK. I sometimes do that.
- Open the screw holes up to achieve float and back the screws out 1+ turns - Semi-CHECK. I sometimes do that.
- Glue the bushings - CHECK! I use craft glue so I can remove them later by running under warm water. I like to use Modge-Podge since I have a barrel of it.
- Change to Paul G's Urethane tires - ahem. No Check. While I'd gotten Paul's tires, they were the skinny ones and I didn't like the way they look. More on that in a moment.

So, I baselined each car. I ensured each chassis was properly radiused. I then ensured each screw hole had been opened up. I then discovered that Paul's Scalextric T/A tires are a PERFECT fit on the Mono Stocker wheel! The part number is PGT-21104. I used clear nail polish to glue the tires on and let them sit overnight. I then chucked the axles into my Area3 Tire machine and went to town. I matched the exact profile that Harry had done on the Charger. I also trued all the front axles and wheels and I then glued the bushings in, added 1/4oz of weight over the axle on the axle mount and another 1/4oz behind the axle under the chassis. I ground down the top of the guide holder and put a shim on each guide to sit it further down and create a light tri-pod effect. I also put each motor into an alcohol bath for 20 minutes, removed the electronics and resoldered the lead wires to the motors, blew them out with my compressor and lubed everything.

The only tire issue I had was fitting the 21104's under the GTX cars - it almost worked with a little dremel work under Petty's car, but it was very thin and I went to the PGT-21083 skinny tires. These didn't slow the cars down a bit. They are just as fast as the wider tired ones. At $8-ish for 2 pairs, that is a VERY cheap upgrade!

The results? Good googly-moogly! These things are freaking unreal!!! Smooth, slide the tail when goosed, but stick like glue all the time. I actually thought they drove like they had magnets.

I timed them all when done - 10:05-10:15 was the range now. Simply unreal. I think my time with the HRW gang was probably the most of any subject I've learned since Kindergarten!

The biggest difference now is the noise - with the gearing changes to the original Charger it is a little more quiet than any of the others, but I'm so over the moon about the results I can't stop driving them.

Now, how long did this take? Longer than someone with two good arms could do it in. I spent about 4 solid evenings just doing these cars. Probably about an hour per car.

The last thing I learned from Harry? Taking a toothpick, dipping it in white paint, and putting 8 dots on the outside of a tire. Looks just like a white-lettered tire at speed!

Thanks Harry, Jeremy, Jon, The Professor, my brothers Tubby and Lee - that was a great learning experience!

[waaytoomuchintothis]

And make sure the big dot is in the middle, as in GOOD [big dot] YEAR.

[RazorJon]

That was a good weekend, glad we got to meet face to face, just when you think you know how to tune a car Harry or Tom pulls out a new lesson.

[DixonJohn]

I know what you mean.I think I've got one of my cars right,go over to Harry's to race,he will notice something about my car.Next thing I know he has it on the work bench.A little bit later after hearing some crazy chanting and a few voovdoo candles burnt my car is going better. Guess that's why he is the MASTER!!!

[HomeRacingWorld]

LOL, you guys are too much :) You are welcome, it is a lot of fun working on these cars.

Thanks for the nice words, but you are tuning more than I am Doc. I cheated...I just replaced parts :)

I like the craft glue idea. You are a genius!

And the real fun is having you guys here. Poor John has to out up with me every day, I have enough cars to work on, but I keep stealing his :)

These are great cars. I was so upset with these cars I ignored them for a couple years. Now they are at the top.

Now get back out here for a visit :)

[dreinecke]

Purple Charger! Best door-to-door I've ever been in! Awesome time.

As for spending your days at the bench...remember how long I spent doing that at HRW? It is addicting. My goal is to not have a single stock slot car when done!