# snap on bodies only ?



## HO2GO (Feb 21, 2015)

Is it time to retire the screw-on post bodies of the past ? Are the snap on bodies not superior in quality ? I see no advantage in 2015 with split posts.  Tetsuo.


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

out of the 2000 or more HO slot cars I have 90% have screw on bodys.
there aren't that many clip on bodys that interest me.:tongue:
I have lots of custom resin cars too.
every custom made slot car I make uses screw posts :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

If you race T-Jet type cars snap on bodies are not a good option. There are more robust body posts available to replace those that have split. I like the ones from JW's HO Speed Parts, they use machine screws and are made of a stronger plastic, they have a foot on the body end so the glued joint will be stronger.
Granted getting the body to sit straight when you glue on new posts takes some planning. In order to use snap-on bodies on a T-Jet you need to attach tabs to the chassis and use bodies that fit the tabs.


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## Paul R (Nov 3, 2009)

Definitely not time to retire them. Need them for T-Jets.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Why cant we have both?


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## HO2GO (Feb 21, 2015)

Of course the t-jet chassis is terrific; just wondered if the t-jet chassis couldn't be molded with tabs on. That way snap-on bodies could be used rather than the screw type bodies. When it comes to attaching bodies; I was thinking that maybe magnets or even Velcro might be good options. Velcro might prove a good solution when it comes to resin bodies that many times have no posts molded on.  Tetsuo


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

its not hard to put screw posts in resin bodys or any bodys even metal bodys .
I use 4.8mm round plastruct #90863 = five pieces 10 inches long
I drill and tap it before I cut it. then I mount them to the chassis first .
then adjust the length untill I'm happy with the body being low enough to suit me .
I clean up the body mounting area with my dremmel .
I use gel super glue and zip kick accelerator with a eye dropper. 
then I add a couple coats of the water thin super glue around the base of the post after the zip kick has evaporated . 
for bodys with side clips I just grind them off with my dremmel. so I can put screw posts in to get the body to sit the way I want them to sit on a screw on chassis . 
even when I put custom bodys on a 4gear chassis I use a front screw post to mount them.
I don't have as many clip on chassis as I do the screw on ones..

I would like to see a really fast inline magnet chassis that has tjet type screw post mounts and an adjustable wheelbase.

everybody likes different stuff so both kinds of bodys are good to have ..


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I can't see anyone coming out with a T-Jet chassis with tabs for snap on bodies. The tooling for a new chassis would cost a fortune, so someone would have to be convinced that they would sell enough cars to get their money back. The other hitch is that the snap on bodies that are already available may not look right on a chassis that is designed for smaller diameter wheels.


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

How about a gear plate clamp with some type of adapter for the snap on body? AJ's had something similar for clear body mounting back in the day. 

-Paul


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Its a lot easier to glue posts to a snap on body then to try and modify a tjet chassis to a snap on body. 

Just put posts on the tjet chassis and adjust them till the ride height is to your liking. Then add glue 

Most of my Johnny Lightning Gran National bodies have tjet chassis under them!!!!


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

Rich Dumas said:


> I can't see anyone coming out with a T-Jet chassis with tabs for snap on bodies. The tooling for a new chassis would cost a fortune, so someone would have to be convinced that they would sell enough cars to get their money back. The other hitch is that the snap on bodies that are already available may not look right on a chassis that is designed for smaller diameter wheels.



I wouldnt want to see a tjet chassis with side clips, that would not be cool.

that's why you put larger cool custom wheels on a tjet chassis when building custom cars


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## HO2GO (Feb 21, 2015)

60chevyjim said:


> its not hard to put screw posts in resin bodys or any bodys even metal bodys .
> I use 4.8mm round plastruct #90863 = five pieces 10 inches long
> I drill and tap it before I cut it. then I mount them to the chassis first .
> then adjust the length untill I'm happy with the body being low enough to suit me .
> ...


I guess it's all just a matter of taste as you say. The only real complaint I have against the t-jets are the wheels; and to a lesser extent the tires. Compared to a 4 gear chassis with it's very cool cragar style wheels and large tires; which are sometimes even lettered. The t-jet wheels look completely unrealistic to me; and the tires too small. Much better than those original skinny tires; but not by a huge margin. Swapping them for custom wheels and tires is an option. But if you have a large collection this can get rather expensive. This is why I much prefer 4 gear over t-jets any day.  Tetsuo.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

The original T-Jet wheels, tires and bodies were scaled to look right together. If you mix T-Jet parts with newer types that are closer to 1/64th scale things are bound to look out of proportion. You would not put dump truck tires and wheels on a Honda Civic or vice versa. If you are looking for good looking T-Jet sized wheels try Vincent wheels.


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

whenever I build my customs using a tjet chassis 
I use AFX , R.R.R. , or Vincent rims .
I very rarely ever use tjet rims on anything that I build. 
unless the body is too narrow to lower it as much as I do
and have the tires tucked up inside of the body. 
then in that case then I paint the rims red or other colors.


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## brownie374 (Nov 21, 2007)

60chevyjim said:


> its not hard to put screw posts in resin bodys or any bodys even metal bodys .
> I use 4.8mm round plastruct #90863 = five pieces 10 inches long
> I drill and tap it before I cut it. then I mount them to the chassis first .
> then adjust the length untill I'm happy with the body being low enough to suit me .
> ...


I do the same make my own posts with plastic rod but I use jb weld for connecting the posts


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## HO2GO (Feb 21, 2015)

What really bugs me is the lackluster effort put forth by so many resin casters that sell these bodies. Many have no posts molded into the bodies; or they expect you to drill the screw holes yourself. Then they mold the bodies in some putrid and disgusting non color so your stuck painting the bloody thing yourself. Would it kill them to add in some color ? Or at least mold them in white so you don't have to paint them if you don't want to. It's all rather frustrating. This is why I prefer to buy completed slot cars and save myself endless frustration and hassle with these resin bodies that are way more trouble than they're worth.  Tetsuo.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

The only colored resin bodies that I have seen that I would run without paint are from Road Race Replicas, but those are no longer being made. Even for an experienced modeler putting on screw posts (or just drilling them), painting and detailing a body is a time consuming process. It usually takes me three days to do a body. Drilling holes in body posts is a lot easier if you buy a kit from JW's HO Speed Parts.
Of course there are people out there that will do a custom body, but that is expensive. If you build fast cars you might be able to swap a rolling chassis for a couple of really nice bodies.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

A lot of people enjoy customizing these bodies themselves. 

There comes a point when your just tired of the same old same old. 

You will get there. 

Go to the Customizing forum and go into this thread and you may understand a little more

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=212249 

Most of them are custom resin bodies. In which when we are lucky enough to get some thru purchase, they all come with posts installed.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

It is a lot more difficult to make a ready to run resin body that most people realize, doing so would tend to jack up the cost of each body. I do not think that you can get white resin, it is normally a tan color and some makers add various colors to that.
Be thankful if you can buy a decent looking body for a reasonable price. I have paid $25 for a distorted blob that was made of resin that was so soft that it would not take a body screw without stripping out and I have gotten a body that would not take paint.


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## HO2GO (Feb 21, 2015)

Rich Dumas said:


> It is a lot more difficult to make a ready to run resin body that most people realize, doing so would tend to jack up the cost of each body. I do not think that you can get white resin, it is normally a tan color and some makers add various colors to that.
> Be thankful if you can buy a decent looking body for a reasonable price. I have paid $25 for a distorted blob that was made of resin that was so soft that it would not take a body screw without stripping out and I have gotten a body that would not take paint.


Good points, Thanks. Does anyone know why RRR doesn't make those great Gasser resin bodies they used to have. The Anglia, Willys Pickup, etc ? These things sell like crazy the rare times they're available on ebay. If you're going to produce resin bodies why not make unique and popular custom cars ? Why are so many resin cars run of the mill, ordinary street cars that have been done to death as injected molded bodies ? What a waste of time and effort.  Tetsuo.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*35-34-38 .... When viewed from above.*



HO2GO said:


> Of course the t-jet chassis is terrific; just wondered if the t-jet chassis couldn't be molded with tabs on. That way snap-on bodies could be used rather than the screw type bodies. When it comes to attaching bodies; I was thinking that maybe magnets or even Velcro might be good options. Velcro might prove a good solution when it comes to resin bodies that many times have no posts molded on.  Tetsuo



Maybe I can 'splain this. That particular mount system is considered to be the invention of the devil by others. So much so that in the custom world they are the first thing that gets adjusted.

Lets "blasphemize" for just a second and consider that Aurora may have gotten it back wards and then produced a jillion of them. Instead of the negative portion of the AFX mount being part of the body; the receiver/slot should have been molded into the chassis. That way, that giant pot handled, wang doodle would be dorkulating along as part of some wide ass Can Am door stop body or slab sided muscle car; instead of severely limiting the styling potential for "one" of the greatest H0 chassis ever made. 

Not one AFX body design has any "significant" differential between the door and the fender lip as you look down the side at pot handle level. Everything looks the same....uh....because along one particular horizontal line, it is. 

What we really need is the ability to go 36-24-36.

Let the stoning begin!


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## smalltime (Jun 3, 2006)

Bill Hall said:


> Maybe I can 'splain this. That particular mount system is considered to be the invention of the devil by others. So much so that in the custom world they are the first thing that gets adjusted.
> 
> Lets "blasphemize" for just a second and consider that Aurora may have gotten it back wards and then produced a jillion of them. Instead of the negative portion of the AFX mount being part of the body; the receiver/slot should have been molded into the chassis. That way, that giant pot handled, wang doodle would be dorkulating along as part of some wide ass Can Am door stop body or slab sided muscle car; instead of severely limiting the styling potential for "one" of the greatest H0 chassis ever made.
> 
> ...


Couldn't have said it better myself.
That one engineering change limited the M/T chassis to nasblobs for good.

How cool would it have been to screw on a 1970s Lola indycar?


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

With the new AFX Mega G+ cars the chassis is the same for both the F1 and NASCAR style bodies. The NASCARs have tabs on the inside that make up with the chassis, which is better than the wide body adapter that you had to use with the Tomy SG+ chassis. I guess somebody was thinkin'.


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