# The Fan Van



## rholmesr

Here's an HO slot car that's powered only by air. Made from an autoworld sand van body and with a SRT motor turning a propeller. The basic chassis is a t-jet.

It runs good and is fun to drive. I made a video of it too on youtube. 




Fun stuff!


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## sethndaddy

cool video, it does sound funny buzzing around the track.


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## tazman052186

Thats awesome. Sounds to me like a nitro rc car but mini size.


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## JordanZ870

Very nice! Makes me want to go build one! :thumbsup:


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## Hornet

LMAO,that's the coolest thing i've ever seen done with a slotcar:thumbsup:

It's faster then i thought it'd be,it scoots around pretty good

What size is the prop,and where did you scrounge it up from.

I have a few broken mag car chassis's laying around and a couple Tomy can motors,and you got me eyeballing them up,lol:wave:

If you had a directional switch,wonder if it'd give much for reverse braking,if you threw the fan motor into reverse.

Way to go,that's outta the box thinking :thumbsup:
Rick


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## Bill Hall

*Best ever!*

Thats a great modern rendition! Very nifty. I also love the body choice. It's made to order. 

Here's a slightly tweaked vintage original from a few years back. I'm a sucker for vintage slotcar-folkart.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=215904&page=31


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## Hornet

LOL,i'd totally missed that Bill,that's the coolest idea i've seen in along time:thumbsup:

I must have a 1/2 doz old broken mag chassis's laying around,now i'm eyeballing them up,lol:thumbsup:

What a conversation piece:wave:
Rick


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## Boosted-Z71

Hornet said:


> wonder if it'd give much for reverse braking,if you threw the fan motor into reverse.Rick


Here we go on the Brake thread again, Ha Ha

Very cool, I am going to build one, its on the got to have list

Boosted


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## Hornet

LOL,mines on hold now,i'll wait till you get it totally scienced out:thumbsup::wave:

That's gotta be the neatest idea i've seen in a long time Bill,:thumbsup:
Rick


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## rholmesr

*Propeller spec*



Hornet said:


> LMAO,that's the coolest thing i've ever seen done with a slotcar:thumbsup:
> 
> It's faster then i thought it'd be,it scoots around pretty good
> 
> What size is the prop,and where did you scrounge it up from.
> 
> I have a few broken mag car chassis's laying around and a couple Tomy can motors,and you got me eyeballing them up,lol:wave:
> 
> If you had a directional switch,wonder if it'd give much for reverse braking,if you threw the fan motor into reverse.
> 
> Way to go,that's outta the box thinking :thumbsup:
> Rick


The prop is made by Horizon Hobby USA. Parkzone pkz3102 propeller. I picked it up at my local hobby shop. It's a prop for a little rubber-powered airplane. Just trim the OD down with a manicure scissors, then drill the hole out with a .056 drill and it fits on the motor shaft great. 

I bought 2 hoping to get another one of these built so they can race. Here's a photo of the package.

I could probably build another one of these in an hour or so. It's really pretty simple. Well maybe 2 hours -- that body took quite a bit of hacking to get it to fit right.


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## Marty

That is WAY KOOL!!

I bought a collection of 1/24 slot cars years ago. In there were 2 prop powered slot cars. They were on a scratch built brass chassis. They original owner said they actually had a series for racing these at his local track. They had finger guards built around the prop. I tried several times to make it work again. The prop ran fine and had plenty of push, but for some reason it just wouldn't roll easy enough.


BTW - AWESOME Tub Track!!

Marty
Marysville, OH


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## Boosted-Z71

all I am going to say is I found a small ducted fan type setup & I have some styrene sheets coming. I have a plan

Boosted


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## bobhch

*Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....fun!!!!!*



rholmesr said:


> The prop is made by Horizon Hobby USA. Parkzone pkz3102 propeller. I picked it up at my local hobby shop. It's a prop for a little rubber-powered airplane. Just trim the OD down with a manicure scissors, then drill the hole out with a .056 drill and it fits on the motor shaft great.
> 
> I bought 2 hoping to get another one of these built so they can race. Here's a photo of the package.
> 
> I could probably build another one of these in an hour or so. It's really pretty simple. Well maybe 2 hours -- that body took quite a bit of hacking to get it to fit right.


rholmesr Dude,

Fan Van...OH yEAH!! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Neat video and Fan Van pics....Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz COOL BEANS!!

I showed this to our Kids Bree and Flethcher...they loved it!! 

Can't thank you enough for sharing this here on Hobby Talk and love your Tub Track also!

Have this week off and plan on looking for one of these Props or several of the Props. 

Bob...has a few Sand Vans on hand...zilla


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## NTxSlotCars

Marty said:


> That is WAY KOOL!!


Yep, that would be a _cool_ class...


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## Boosted-Z71

Might have to have a few band-aids for the turn marshals. 

Not sure how long the prop is on the Sand Van, but I found some on the bay that are 32mm, or 1-1/4" from the tail of micro helicopters, just might be the ticket. http://www.ebay.com/itm/15084816615...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2632wt_932

Boosted


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## rholmesr

Boosted-Z71 said:


> Might have to have a few band-aids for the turn marshals.
> 
> Not sure how long the prop is on the Sand Van, but I found some on the bay that are 32mm, or 1-1/4" from the tail of micro helicopters, just might be the ticket. http://www.ebay.com/itm/15084816615...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2632wt_932
> 
> Boosted


I have cut the props to about 1.6" long but I have not tried cutting down further. Smaller size might work fine. More R+D is needed!!

Thanks for the link. Those props are so cheap I went ahead and bought some to try out. Heck, that's 5 props for the same price as I paid for 1.

I built me another fanvan car this morning (same as first except purple). It took about 3 hrs to put together but I got interrupted a few times. A buddy of mine came over this afternoon to do a fray-car test'n'tune session on the tubby track. Once we were done with that I brought out the fan cars and we were giggling like little kids driving 'em. These things are super fun to drive and even more fun to race! Now I need to get 2 more made so we can race 4 at once.

One thing I found out is if you are just barely behind the other guy in the adjacent lane it is dang near impossible to pass because you are essentially driving into a 15 MPH head wind. You have to pass in the corners while the windage is lower.

The wife came out to check out what all the laughing and hollering was about then went back to get the movie camera and made a video of the race. Not sure if it turned out but maybe youtube ready soon.


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## old blue

Cool car and cool tub track. 

Where are you in St. Louis? I am in south county.

Old Blue


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## rholmesr

old blue said:


> Cool car and cool tub track.
> 
> Where are you in St. Louis? I am in south county.
> 
> Old Blue


I live in Webster Groves. :wave:


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## bobhch

It works!! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz but, not as fast as yours rholmesr. 

I think it is because my prop is only 1 1/8" long. It's off of the rear motor of a mini RC copter that Sucked Beans from the get go.

Ordered some props from the link that Boosted posted and hope that those will give me the POWER!!

Still this is fun but, can't wait to build a faster one now...





































I used green tires on mine so maybe that slowed me down. 

Bob...It rolls easy but, needs more prop...zilla


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## torredcuda

Really cool! How about biulding an HO scale Jet Funny Car-what could you use?


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## JordanZ870

Sweet, Bob! :thumbsup:

Maybe you can heat the prop a bit and twist 
some more pitch into the blades for more thrust?

Open the wind screen for better air flow?
Open the back more? 

Think about it. What happens to a box fan when
the window curtain gets sucked up against its back-side?


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## rholmesr

Bob- Looking good so far! That's a weird looking prop

Joe might be right with his suggestion to open up the back some more. Let a little more air to the fan and see what happens. My van vans are completely open in the back but not sure if that helps or not - it just made it easier to work on.

You could also cut the remains of the "motor" off of the bottom of the body like I did. That's probably getting in the way of the air flow too.

I'm assuming the roof snaps on or off just like mine does. How does it run with the whole 'roof' removed?

Ron


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## Bill Hall

Very cool Bob,

Better hit the hobby store....oh darn!

Joez is right, you'll need some more pitch. Note the progressive twist of Ron's prop. His can motor is mounted up on edge too. Although it appears to be the slightest increment, the armature center sits higher which allows him to run a larger prop.

I'd open up the roof for airflow too.

Oh great! Now I gotta build one too...thanks alot Ron!


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## Hornet

What track voltages are you guys using?

I want to use an old mag car chassis,but after fumbling around with a chassis and trying to attach a can motor to it,i think the pancake chassis might be easier to work with


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## bobhch

Hey everyone I've read all your suggestions and am going to try them out.

Will make a #2 now also for when the New props show up.

Bob...Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...zilla


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## rholmesr

Hornet said:


> What track voltages are you guys using?
> 
> I want to use an old mag car chassis,but after fumbling around with a chassis and trying to attach a can motor to it,i think the pancake chassis might be easier to work with


I'm running 18 volts on mine.

Maybe I should take some photos of my newest fan car taken apart. Or maybe do a teardown video for youtube. But I don't have any of that right now so I'll just try and describe it...

Basically what I have is a t-jet chassis and the chassis tub is a stock t-jet, but I did glue some cheap-o radioshack neo magnets to the bottom to help keep it from tipping over. I soldered a threaded stud to the side of the can motor and then nutted the motor/stud to the t-jet gear plate at the rear cluster gear hole. And the gear plate holds to the motor with a screw going thru the armature hole and into the chassis. My latest modification has this being a thru bolt and a hex nut at the bottom -- An 0-80 x 7/16 screw works good here

At the bottom of the gear plate I have screwed in a couple of tiny brass wood screws. The screw heads stick way down and engage the motor brush springs in the chassis. Wires are soldered to the brass screws and to the motor to deliver power to the motor.

So basically, I can take the gear plate / motor / prop assembly off of the car that it is on by loosening the screw/nut, and stick it onto a totally different t-jet rolling chassis in about a minute and have a running fan car.

I liked doing it this way because I had a really nice t-jet chassis but it had the com springs all mangled. Perfect for this application though!

By the way, this is not my first design fan car. It's actually my 3rd one. I made the first one about 30 years ago as a teenager (I still have it and it still 'sort of' works) and then I made the second one about a year ago after getting back into slots. Both of the older designs do work but nowhere near as good as this latest design does. But that's a subject for another post. 

Ron.


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## Hornet

Thanks Ron 

That's a great way to attach the can.:thumbsup:

After carving up 2 old mag chassis's and getting nowhere,i think it's time to give up on that avenue,lol. 
Rick


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## bobhch

This is working way beter for me know but, still know that my Prop is not the best so, will wait and report on my next fan car.










This is a fun concept and fun to drive also!

Bz


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## slotcarman12078

Put a sail on that mast, and switch the wires around!! :tongue::lol::jest:


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## bobhch

*Enter the SpongeBob boat slot car here...*

Ron,

Hey thanks for the explanation of how you put this thing together. I will be getting my toplate out and start soldering things up for #2. 

My motor is just held in place with Poster Putty right now untill it makes it's final resting place.
With the poster putty I did at first get some into the rear axle area and that binded things up bad :freak: but, it was the first thing EYE thought of when she didn't roll at first. [email protected]@K that's not going to work...doh.

An idea after seeing this Fan Van buggy for the first time was that if you found the right motor and the right prop you could have one heck of a Drag Air Car....What is the Worlds Record for a slot car? It would be great to see a Hobby Talker own that record!!! Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh Baby!
You would have to have some type of set screw in the prop to keep it from flying off as that could be DANGEROUS!!

:tongue: Nah, nah, nah...YOU CAN'T HIT ME nah, nah, nah:tongue:

This is such a fun toy...Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!



slotcarman12078 said:


> Put a sail on that mast, and switch the wires around!! :tongue::lol::jest:


:lol: Aaaaaay Captain slotcarman...sail the Ocean Blue I will...batten down the hatches and scrub the decks mateys
*he's cool because, he has 2 eye patches*  lol

Hey the lookout basket can go on the top of the mast...Sail Powered slot car? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm has it ever been done before?

Slotcarman is waiting for the DAY to put a Bottle Rocket on a slot car with Wylie Coyote on top and light it...Wooooooooooooosh!!
Imagine if you will a long, long oval layout so it will come back and he can do it all over again....Woooooooooooooosh!!

Someplace, somewhere there is someone painting their track "Water Blue" via Krylon right now....hahahahahahaha

I can even see the Skull and Cross bones decals on this...Yeah!

Ed,

Didn't Gear Buster make you a way cool Old School Ship slot car way back when? 

Bob...Captain Crunch look-out and move over...zilla


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## sethndaddy

yeppers Bob, coming right up.

I see that wile e. coyote ice cream truck being chopped to accept the propellor power.


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## bobhch

sethndaddy said:


> yeppers Bob, coming right up.
> 
> I see that wile e. coyote ice cream truck being chopped to accept the propellor power.


Ed,

WOW! That was fast...Woooooooooooosh!!

Great idea on the Ice Cream truck for prop power!! :thumbsup:

Ron,

A 4 gear AFX van could be Fan Van II?

Bill likes his Ford 4 gear coupes. 

Bob...I see a Props R Us delivery vehicle...zilla


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## bobhch

Fun.............Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Stopped in at Hobby Town and picked up an assortment of props. 

Cut down one of these 69 cent orange props and it worked Great! 
Bigger is better. 

It measures 1 7/8" long as you can see in the pictures that my motor is topped out in the cab for prop track clearance.

Sure I need to glide in the corners with guardrail with this but, since I have a 4 lane layout now I can just drive the 2 middle lanes or have a little tap, tap, tap on the guardrail if running on the other 2 lanes. 
Actualy I just need to make the prop a tad shorter on my next Fan Van build up. :thumbsup:

I picked up a couple .054 bits to drill out the prop. These Orange ones didn't need any drilling...Lucky me!

I took the 4 orange fans they had and will be going back later this month to see if they restocked them. They are real good at keeping things stocked.










If you notice my can motor is more to the back. 
This is because, I used a Marchon motor which is basically the Exact same thing as a TOMY motor but, with a much shorter shaft.

The next Fan Vans will get the longer shafted Tomy can motor. Just wanted to try something different this time.

Had to do alot of cutting and fitting to get this thing to work. 
As soon as I get time to get a new sanding belt for my belt sander in the garage the metal can is going to get a little taken off of the top and bottom before I JB Weld it to the top gear plate.





































Ron,

Thanks again for putting your ORIGINAL fan van car up. This is so much fun to run and now I will get off my ARSE and finish up my track layout for even more slot car running fun, fun, fun!!

Bob...ran the heck out of this last night Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...zilla


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## videojimmy

very cool... always wanted to try this!


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## slotcarman12078

Ummmm... Two of these on one track will never be able to pass each other.. Might want to run lanes 2 and 4 or 1 and 3!!  :lol:


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## bobhch

slotcarman12078 said:


> Ummmm... Two of these on one track will never be able to pass each other.. Might want to run lanes 2 and 4 or 1 and 3!!  :lol:


slotcarman,

Ron said you can't pass on the straight away because it's like coming up on a 15mph headwind...lol

He also stated they had to pass on the corners and that means the prop will be in the not turning mode as it glides around the corner.

Oh sure there is going to be some prop banging and smacking from time to time. :freak:

Side by side...NO WAY!! This is more of a Drafting kinda pass...

The guy in front lets off the Juice in the corner and the guy in the back passing may have to push it to get around and then Stomp on the Power to make this work. hahahahhahahahahaha...how fun is that? 

:woohoo:
:roll:

I think my prop length can be shortened a tad also to make this work even better than that. Just went as FAR AS I COULD WITH THE PROP ON THIS ONE!!

You can feel a nice breeze off the prop as this thing flies by.

Bob...How is this for a Fan Van bumper sticker (slotcarman this isn't jabbing you but, just an idea)..."Blow Me" ...zilla


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## rholmesr

Bob - That prop is cool. Way beefier than mine and lots of pitch. Looks bullet-proof. I'm worried about breaking mine 'cos they're pretty lightweight but so far no problems. 

How does speed the of yours compare to mine on the youtube vid? I bet you can cut the prop down some more and still get something that runs good. Not sure those extra holes you drilled in the windscreen and top do anything though.

A longer shaft motor is definitely best way to go, but you have a good fix on this one with the motor shifted back as far as you can stand. Longer shaft means the prop can be a little farther back from motor and from back of the car which means better air flow thru the prop (more speed!). Wonder if you put a speed steer arm or something like it in the can motor (has super long shaft) maybe the fan can be waaaay out the back!

I am sure that your #2 car will be better than #1. Mine was. I want to make more of these. I need to scour local hobby shops to try and find another sand van body or 2. Might have to head over to the 'bay. Man, if I had 4 of these it would make for the funnest IROC race ever. My annual slotoberfest biathalon (slot car racing and beer drinking) is coming up and I need a new gimmick.... Maybe I can make one out of a JL Willys Wagon -- Need to go look at that!

My tubby track is a 4 laner with spacing between the lanes about 1.68" so I can get away with running props about 1.6" diameter and they won't hit each other in adjacent lanes. But if you're running a 4 lane tomy or something similar those 2 middle lanes are probably about 1.5" apart so there's no way you'll be able to pass with a 1.88" prop. Not sure what happens when the props hit each other but not sure I'd want to find out with my cars. (But if you want to do that experiment make sure to get it on video!! - also wear safety glasses :freak

I was thinking about passing on the straights, and that pirate ship photo might have had some influence (aaarrrrrr!) -- If you put a couple of sails on the car you might be able to 'tack' past a guy, using the headwind to your advantage. I'm not a sailor but I have heard that a modern sailboat goes fastest when it's heading almost directly into the wind. That might be something to try out if the fan van cars ever go 'national' like the Fray or something... 

I keep daydreaming about making one of these with dual counter-rotating props - now that would be a major lane-hog!! Finding the props is hard enough - Now I need to find equal props in CW and CCW rotation. :freak:

Good stuff!


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## Boosted-Z71

A push me pull me car, now that is an idea, 

Skunk works fan car on the drawing board, Mission "part search" near completion.

Boosted


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## bobhch

rholmesr said:


> Bob - That prop is cool. Way beefier than mine and lots of pitch. Looks bullet-proof. I'm worried about breaking mine 'cos they're pretty lightweight but so far no problems.
> 
> How does speed the of yours compare to mine on the youtube vid? I bet you can cut the prop down some more and still get something that runs good. Not sure those extra holes you drilled in the windscreen and top do anything though.
> 
> A longer shaft motor is definitely best way to go, but you have a good fix on this one with the motor shifted back as far as you can stand. Longer shaft means the prop can be a little farther back from motor and from back of the car which means better air flow thru the prop (more speed!). Wonder if you put a speed steer arm or something like it in the can motor (has super long shaft) maybe the fan can be waaaay out the back!
> 
> I am sure that your #2 car will be better than #1. Mine was. I want to make more of these. I need to scour local hobby shops to try and find another sand van body or 2. Might have to head over to the 'bay. Man, if I had 4 of these it would make for the funnest IROC race ever. My annual slotoberfest biathalon (slot car racing and beer drinking) is coming up and I need a new gimmick.... Maybe I can make one out of a JL Willys Wagon -- Need to go look at that!
> 
> My tubby track is a 4 laner with spacing between the lanes about 1.68" so I can get away with running props about 1.6" diameter and they won't hit each other in adjacent lanes. But if you're running a 4 lane tomy or something similar those 2 middle lanes are probably about 1.5" apart so there's no way you'll be able to pass with a 1.88" prop. Not sure what happens when the props hit each other but not sure I'd want to find out with my cars. (But if you want to do that experiment make sure to get it on video!! - also wear safety glasses :freak
> 
> I was thinking about passing on the straights, and that pirate ship photo might have had some influence (aaarrrrrr!) -- If you put a couple of sails on the car you might be able to 'tack' past a guy, using the headwind to your advantage. I'm not a sailor but I have heard that a modern sailboat goes fastest when it's heading almost directly into the wind. That might be something to try out if the fan van cars ever go 'national' like the Fray or something...
> 
> I keep daydreaming about making one of these with dual counter-rotating props - now that would be a major lane-hog!! Finding the props is hard enough - Now I need to find equal props in CW and CCW rotation. :freak:
> 
> Good stuff!


Would say that my Orange #2 Fan Van is comparable to your car in the video Ron. Will make the next one with a tad shorter prop and a Tomy long shaft can motor. 

Was hoping that the Marchon motor was a SUPER FAST motor as most of my Marchron slot cars are Super Fast. Nope the motor turned out to be the same as the Tomy. Still thinking of trying other motors possibly? It couldn't hurt.

This goes back to when Chris my friend as a kid and I took batteries, taped them together and the wired a motor with a prop on the top of all that for fans in the summer. Yep we invented that...kinda.  We even had switches wired in for on and off.


The fun part for me now that this #2 car runs Smoother and Faster is to watch it coast when you let off the power. 

This is like building a Pine Wood Derby car with power in ho scale. 

I didn't add any traction magnets to mine which seems to work pretty well as it is now.

The holes in the top and window...hahahaha yeah I was trying to let more airflow in..hahhahaaha 

Maybe drilling holes in a chassis and removing some plastic in places could make for a lighter car? 

Used a piece of Thermostat wire super glued in and put it in the other side of this orange prop. Then added the smaller prop I had before on the end of the thermostat wire. This didn't help mine at all and may have even slowed it down I think. It was reverse thrust so I tried it both ways...naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah  Double props didn't work but, who knows I may just have not gotten the right combination?

I like the idea of a prop in front and in rear...that could be the SPEED Demon? 
Welcome to Ron's Science project..Buahahahahahhahaha :woohoo:

Oooooh and it's fun talking like a Pirate Aaaaaaaaaaaaar 

Going to paint and decal mine up because, that's what I do, do. 

Bob...a BIG fan of Sand Vans...zilla


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## Marty

*Cox gas powered Shriek*

Here is the Cox gas powered prop rod, shriek:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-196...Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a2278dbad

Marty


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## JordanZ870

*Rememberies...*



Marty said:


> Here is the Cox gas powered prop rod, shriek:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1960S-COX-THIMBLE-DROME-PROP-ROD-TETHER-RACE-CAR-049-ENGINE-/180966972333?pt=Radio_Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a2278dbad
> 
> Marty


Wow, that takes me back!

As a boy, I had a BIG red Tonka Jeep.








I cut a chunk of 2x4 and wedged it between the rear fender wells.









On that piece of wood, I had mounted a Cox .049 airplane engine
from one of my brother's wrecks. (ran on white gas) I would clip the starter spring over the prop, wind'er up and let fly! 
It didn't move very fast, 2 or 3 mph, but it went by itself and was very noisy and cool.
That's all a 13 year old needs for BIG fun! :thumbsup:

Funny, I still have a wicked long scar on the inside of my pinky
finger where the spring, Under tension, slipped off of the tired prop and unwound, tearing into my finger.

As I look at the scar, I sure do miss that Jeep!:wave:
Maybe I will find another some day.....

OH! An idea!

I will build a slot version, complete with yellow prop! Woohoo!


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## XracerHO

Some great looking *FAN *rides! ..RL


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## plymouth71

Why use a Prop when a Rocket provides so MUCH MORE POWER! ahem, sorry... My friend and I purchased matching plastic fiero's with those "keystone" mags that were popular back in the day. We hooked 3 testes rocket engines to the roof. When we launched it, it went straight down the street like it was on rails... until it hit that small rock and flipped over. At first we thought it was going to go airborne, but even though it was very aerodynamic, it landed back on the ground and headed straight for the catch basin. I don't know if he ever got his back, but I decided against launching mine. LoL


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## ParkRNDL

Hmmmm... must be time to drag this out from under the bed and dust it off again...

http://www.bored.com/rocketcarstory/



--rick


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## NTxSlotCars

Guys....

This whole thread just blows me away....


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## oddrods

[QUOTE
Maybe I will find another some day.....

OH! An idea!

I will build a slot version, complete with yellow prop! Woohoo![/QUOTE]

I just so happen to have an old pink jeep that used to be the "surry top" version sans top that I would be willing to trade for slot stuff if you are interested.


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## rholmesr

NTxSlotCars said:


> Guys....
> 
> This whole thread just blows me away....


I gotta give ya props for that one! :tongue:


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## rholmesr

Boosted-Z71 said:


> Might have to have a few band-aids for the turn marshals.
> 
> Not sure how long the prop is on the Sand Van, but I found some on the bay that are 32mm, or 1-1/4" from the tail of micro helicopters, just might be the ticket. http://www.ebay.com/itm/15084816615...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2632wt_932
> 
> Boosted


The props arrived and I tried one out. Unfortunately they're pretty dinky and do not move the car much at all, even with the hood removed. They might move the car a little bit if I removed or weakened the traction magnets, but I didn't try that yet. Still, they were a cheap experiment.


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## bobhch

rholmesr said:


> The props arrived and I tried one out. Unfortunately they're pretty dinky and do not move the car much at all, even with the hood removed. They might move the car a little bit if I removed or weakened the traction magnets, but I didn't try that yet. Still, they were a cheap experiment.


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm we may end up having to cast our own props.

It would be fun to cast them up in different colors.

Giving thought to this idea....Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Bob...no time right now...zilla


----------



## JordanZ870

Well, I can show props where they are needed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200762569869?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I have these on the way.


----------



## Boosted-Z71

rholmesr said:


> The props arrived and I tried one out. Unfortunately they're pretty dinky and do not move the car much at all, even with the hood removed. They might move the car a little bit if I removed or weakened the traction magnets, but I didn't try that yet. Still, they were a cheap experiment.


Well that is disappointing, I have not received mine yet but was hoping these would be the ticket, and not have to cut a large prop down.

Boosted


----------



## rholmesr

joez870 said:


> Well, I can show props where they are needed.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/200762569869?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
> 
> I have these on the way.


Woohoo! You are da man, Joe!

Those are REVERSE ROTATION props! I looked at the guy's stuff on ebay and he also lists an equivalent prop in standard rotation (2508A vs 2508B).

Let me know if these work okay. I might buy some of both so I can get my dual-prop counter-rotation "lane hogger" unit started! Not sure if I'll build with 2 motors or with a single motor and gears and/or pulleys... 

Science!! :hat:


----------



## Boosted-Z71

I got the props today, I am going to try to put more twist on the blades, that is a good size as far as matching scale. But I still want it to run well.

Boosted


----------



## Hornet

Rh,what kind of clearance do you have between the mags and the rails.
Also any idea of the pick-up shoe spring tension.

I'm still trying to duplicate the idea onto a mag car chassis,just because i have a pile of them,and pancake chassis's i gotta buy,eek eek,yea i'm cheap,lol:thumbsup:

Thank RH
Rick


----------



## rholmesr

Hornet said:


> Rh,what kind of clearance do you have between the mags and the rails.
> Also any idea of the pick-up shoe spring tension.
> 
> I'm still trying to duplicate the idea onto a mag car chassis,just because i have a pile of them,and pancake chassis's i gotta buy,eek eek,yea i'm cheap,lol:thumbsup:
> 
> Thank RH
> Rick


There's no reason a mag chassis can't be adapted to do this. I used t-jets 'cos I have a ton of them, and the chassis I used were too gnarled-up to use for a standard stock t-jet anyhow. 

Magnet clearance is somewhere around 1/32" or so, but that's not too critical. Just don't get'em too close 'cos if the mags are too strong the car won't go. Best to err on the large clearance/ low-force side. Might be best to start without any traction magnets and see how it runs then add them as needed.

Pickup shoe tension is somewhere around 2 grams on my cars (Pretty light- stock t-jet setup).

Ron


----------



## Hornet

Thanks Ron,took your info to heart:thumbsup:

I'm using an old Wizzard Scorpion/ P3 chassis.

I mounted small Neo bar mags roughly .125" (1/8") up in the motor box,and sanded the bottom of the chassis till i have .055" clearance between it and the rails with a .495 sized tire.

It rolls very easily,and has a very slight amount of drag on a lift test.

I went as tall as i could on front and rear tires,figuring i can always come down if it's too tall.

Used a GM starter shim to make a "U" shaped pod that the motor sits on,and JB Welded it to the back of the chassis.

I'm using an Austin Mini Cooper body,that was pulled from Milk jug plastic,so it's just about indestructable,lol.

The motor sits flat on the pod,and the body holds it tightly to the pod.

The project is stalled for now,till i get more parts,and will need lots of tinkering,so i'm open to any suggestions you guys have:thumbsup:.
Rick


----------



## Hornet

LOL,it actually works.

The prop i used is a cut down 3 blade reverse rotation propeller from an outfit called E-flite,part # EFLUP11803BR.

www.E-fliteRC.com

Got the prop at the local hobby shop,it was fairly big at 110 X 80mm,so i ended up cutting close to an 1.5" off each blade.
If anybody is looking for props,the 3 blades seem to be the way to go.

I tried a 2 blade prop from Parkzone,and i didn't time the car with it,but the 3 blade unit,probably took close to 3 sec's off the cars laptime.

So far mine will run in the 10 sec range,with a best lap of 10.39 for now.
My Brass Thunderstorms run about a 5.5 second lap,so it's roughly about 1/2 as fast as they are,but it scoots down a straight to beat heck,getting it through a corner consistently is challenging to say the least,lol.

I haven't quit grinning yet,it's a blast.
Thanks for your tips Ron,these things are a riot:thumbsup::wave:.
Rick


----------



## JordanZ870

Hornet said:


> *snip*
> 
> The project is stalled for now,till i get more parts,and will need lots of tinkering,so i'm open to any suggestions you guys have:thumbsup:.
> Rick


Ok. How about pics? :thumbsup:


----------



## tossedman

So here it is, Rick's FanVan. Because of global warming it's really hot up here in the Great White North (it's the first day of Autumn and the temperatures are still in the twenties!) so Rick thought he'd cool the room at the same time as enjoying his favourite hobby, slot car racing.









Fancy van body and all.









He wins all the races because nobody can pass!









Port view.









Starboard view.









Bottom side.









Note the fancy motor mounts.









Another view. Notice the custom axle.









Here's the front end. Another custom axle here as well.

This car conforms to all rules. Well, all the rules that Rick can make up anyways.

Cheers eh,

Todd


----------



## rholmesr

Todd & Rick,
That looks really cool. Love the 3-blade prop. 
It's a real lane-hogger eh? Looks like it's at least 40mm wide. 
Ron


----------



## Hornet

LOL,if i build another one,i might have to narrow this one up abit Ron.
I have 1.75" lane spacing,so i can go a little wider then most,but this one does stretch the limit.
I've managed to pull one 8.99 sec lap out of it,not far off a good pancake car.
What a handful to drive,i love em:thumbsup:
I've got about 500 laps on it now,and it gets funner to drive the more laps you run,he he he
Thanks for the tips and ideas Ron.
Boosted and i have being going back and forth over dual motoring one,finding a body to fit,is the thing.
That was the only body i had that came anywhere near fitting,and it needed some stretching:wave:
Thanks Todd for doing pics for me "again",i owe you once more,lol
LOL,you're the best picture narrator in the west
Rick


----------



## Boosted-Z71

Rick Very cool, Filling the chassis with JB for weight is a great idea

going to be working on that body for the push me - pull me real soon.

Great job, Thanks Todd for the pics

Boosted


----------



## 22tall

Awesome builds gentlemen. They will certainly keep turn marshalls on their toes. The Zombiespiderman car is simply fantastic.


----------



## Hornet

I was a bit over zealous with the JB,lol.

Jeff,you got me wondering how heavy it is,i'd never weighed it.
It's alot heavier then i thought .

I weighed a couple cars just for comparision sakes,and it opened my eyes.

Drop-in Neo car 16.6 grams

Brass Thunderstorm 16.9 grams

Fan car a whopping 21.5 grams.

So it could go on a diet,lol:thumbsup:

These weights are off my Tanita scale,so they might be differant then other scales weights,but it's accurate onto itself,and i was surprised at how much heavier it was over a brass weighted car

Update

Fan car is now 20.5 grams
Well after weighing it,i got busy,and ground the center out of the plate,and lightened it up by a whole gram.

What a differance on the track,it's not a big weight differance,but the cars now ran a 8.86 lap,and i can run it pretty consistently in the 9 sec bracket on my track.
Next ones gonna be a little lighter yet i think,lol.
Really giggling now,great idea you passed on Ron,i'm loving it,he he he
Rick


----------



## tossedman

After the shock of discovering his Fan Van was obese, morbidly obese, Rick performed radical surgery to lighten the chassis.









If you look closely at the middle of the chassis you can see where the middle has been surgically removed with no thought at all about chassis rigidity. It's all about looks folks. Looks and speed.










Here's a better view. You may also have noticed that Rick's thrown it into reverse for this snap shot.










Here's a view from the bottom rear, You can easily see the plastic that has been removed. Note how the chassis seems to be unbalanced in this photo. Rick's been able to reach sub 9 second lap times with this modification but has shown no regard to safety.










Here's the three bladed prop before surgery to make it fit. Experimentation has shown that the car is much too top heavy to use the full three inch prop. The segment you see on the top left is what needs to be cut off. Rick seems to be getting serious about this type of chassis. I predict the purchase of the Hudy prop trimmer and balancer soon. This photo has been purposely blurred so that Rick gives away none of his speed tricks.









Here's a two bladed prop. It was a failure. Not enough thrust. Wouldn't balance either. Might have something to do with that sticker.

Cheers eh,

Todd


----------



## tossedman

Coming soon to a track near me... The Fan Van. Here's a teaser... :wave:






Stay tuned for the Fan Van Mk II!


----------



## alpink

LOL, professional and appealing. looking forward to the series!


----------



## Hornet

I just about fell off my chair laughing,Cecil B ain't got nothing on you Todd.
I like the Pocket Films:thumbsup:

Al it's hard to see it in the video,but it's surprisingly fast.
We ran Todd's 4 gear Ultra G with the neo dots against it,and the fan van isn't that far off speed wise on my 14 ft straight.
I'm just about tempted to send it to somebody with a long dragstrip,just to see what it'll run,only "tempted"

I gotta blame Boosted for it,he got me motivated to build one:wave:
I liked Ron's,but i wasn't sure i was gonna build one,then Jeff got busy,can't let the Jones get ahead,lol
Rick


----------



## rholmesr

*Holy toledo!*

Todd - That vid is amazing. I had to watch it twice 'cos I was laughing so hard the first time it was tough to follow along.

There's no way I could match those production values! 
The car looks cool in slow-mo. Can't wait for the sequel :lol:

What sort of software did you use to make the vid?

Ron


----------



## videojimmy

Insanely cool video


----------



## Boosted-Z71

Great Video, And all I can say is I am gunning for you Hornet. 

Great Job

Boosted


----------



## bobhch

Great Video...Far Out!!!!! 

Bz


----------



## tossedman

rholmesr said:


> Todd - That vid is amazing. I had to watch it twice 'cos I was laughing so hard the first time it was tough to follow along.
> 
> There's no way I could match those production values!
> The car looks cool in slow-mo. Can't wait for the sequel :lol:
> 
> What sort of software did you use to make the vid?
> 
> Ron


Ron, I used iMovie 11 on a Mac. It's movie editing software with a template for movie trailers that you can customize to have your own titles, etc. You just select the clips and drag them into the right space and the program makes the movie, slow motion bits and all. Took me less than an hour from start to finish.

As soon as Rick makes something worth filming I'll start work on the sequel.

Thanks everyone else for the kudos and all them other good things.
Todd


----------



## Hornet

Still got cookies in the freezer for the sequel attempt,lol:wave:

It's alot harder to see the car then i thought it would be.

I'm still laughing over it Todd,way to go:thumbsup::thumbsup:

This should get Jeff motivated now,i figure i'm a step ahead of him,lol:wave:
Rick


----------



## tossedman

Thanks Rick. Build it and we will come!

Hard to film something moving at a scale 500 mph or so. Maybe I'll have to bring a real HD video camera rather than using my iPhone.

Todd

ps. what in blazes are you doing up at 3:14 AM? Been hanging out with Ted?


----------



## Hornet

You know me,i like to get an early start on the day,lol:wave:

We'll have to shoot for another Sunday morning session soon.:thumbsup:
Rick


----------



## Hornet

If anybodies into building one of these,i've found the standard rotation 3 blade props seem to be a bit better then the reverse rotation 3 blade props.

The ones i've found to work the best for me come from E-flite part #EFLUP11803B.

The other thing i've discovered is they like an independent rear axle.
On the 3 i have,they've all worked better with one tire set up as a floating tire.

The longer you can get the wheelbase the better too.
Seems like short wheelbased cars are a touch to violent in the corners,and have a tendency to tip at corner entry

Yes i'll work on pic's,just be patient:thumbsup:

Darn you Ron,you got me addicted to these things now,lol:wave:

Been thinking of a tube chassis one now,lol:wave:

Rick


----------



## Bill Hall

Hey Rick....yes, but of course!

I learned everything I needed to know about prop cars from a Cox 049 mounted to some aluminum screen door leavens with independent model airplane skinnies on wide track axles...circa 1969...and then apparently forgot some of it. 

Not a darn thing has changed...'cept my hairline and my midriff. Currently tumbling and idea about using a heli engine.

I need an intervention...I'm still on prop-car crack.


----------



## Hornet

LOL,jeez Bill i think these things are worse then crack .:wave:

I love the sound they make,:thumbsup::thumbsup:

I haven't hardly touched a mag car,since i built the first one.
I put a mag car on the other night,after 5 laps,i was back to the fan car,lol.
These things take some thinking when you drive them,:wave:

Boosted and i have been thinking of a brass version now.
He was thinking floating plate,and i was leaning towards a tube chassis version.
We're still in the idea stage yet,lol:wave:
Rick


----------



## tossedman

Ha! So I was right with my scratch built chassis prediction! I love it. Let me know if you need some acid flux. I've got a litre of it sitting downstairs. Don't buy it in a hobby shop, it's like liquid gold there. Your handy welding supply company can get you some. Or so can I. 

Todd


----------



## rholmesr

*fan car iroc race*

Now I have 4 of them! The ones with the yellow props haven't seen the track yet but they do blow a lot of air on the power pack so I think it'll make for a good race.

I got those yellow props off of ebay. They had almost no pitch but I was able to give 'em a twist after heating them up over the soldering iron.

(Thanks to Bob for the extra bodies!)


----------



## Hornet

LOL,you'res look way better then mine Ron.:thumbsup:

That's one problem with a mag car chassis,limited body selection

Ron,i've pretty well bought the local hobby shop outta props for now,but i'll keep my eye open for when they get more of the 3 blade guys if you want


Todd the bug has bit:wave:

Gonna have to get you out soon for the sequel,lol:wave:

Still haven't broke the 7 sec barrier,but mid 8's are easy now,

Free'ing up the rear end made a world of differance,i can actually run pretty consistent laps with them now:thumbsup:

Ron,it's all your fault,that darn video of you'res was addicting,lol


----------



## tossedman

Rick check out Modelland. They've got a ton of heli stuff. There are some tiny new RC helis that have really small tail rotors now so ask 'em what they've got. 

You gonna use brass or music wire to make that chassis?


----------



## rholmesr

*Fan van racing*

Here's a video a buddy of mine took a few weeks ago.





Can't wait til I have 4 racers going at once with the 4 fan vans.


----------



## bobhch

rholmesr said:


> Now I have 4 of them! The ones with the yellow props haven't seen the track yet but they do blow a lot of air on the power pack so I think it'll make for a good race.
> 
> I got those yellow props off of ebay. They had almost no pitch but I was able to give 'em a twist after heating them up over the soldering iron.
> 
> (Thanks to Bob for the extra bodies!)


Dude those look Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!! PM me if you need more Sand Vans...I got em'

So Many pROPs and So LiTTle time.

I always wanted to take the Squareness out of these AW bodies so, this Mullet Beer Fan Van got a nip and tuck job.





































This is my first completed Fan Van.........Fun!

Bob...A Hooters Fan Van will be next...zilla


----------



## JordanZ870

Bob! This rig is just too sweet by half! :thumbsup:


----------



## Hornet

LOL:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Bob the things are addicting,one won't be enough:wave:

Love the prop decal,that's the finishing touch they need

Great video Ron.:thumbsup:

They're faster then most guys think.

One thing that's nice is they aren't really controller sensitive,i've ran them with 25 ohm Parma's,all the way up to stock 80 ohm Tyco controllers,and 3 differant styles of Difalco controllers with no real differance in drive ability.



Ron have you timed your's,i don't have any pancake cars,to compare to,but i figure mine will run pretty close to a stock pancake time at low 8 sec laps on 64 ft


----------



## rholmesr

Bob -- That mullet car looks real cool. Love the prop paint/decal too. I see the headlights are removed.


Hornet -- I can get a lap time similar to a really fast 'stock' t-jet car (e.g. t-jet with silicone tires on it) with these. I finally got all 4 of them out tonight and tried them on the track one at a time. They each run a little different - some are faster but with speed comes the excess coasting. Each car had best lap time within about 0.3 sec slowest to fastest. Best lap times are in the low/mid 6's on my tubby track (44 feet).

I really need to figure out how to hook up some brakes. I'm considering some short of inertial braking system but the car is so small I don't know if I can get anything useful to fit in there. Either that or just booger-up the axles a bit so they don't coast so dam much.


----------



## Hornet

LOL,they take some thinking to run consistent laps don't they:thumbsup:.

I thought they'd run as fast as a good pancake car,thanks for the comparision info.
They're alot faster then i thought they'd be.

The differances could be the props.
I made up a little jig so that each prop is virtually identical,it seems like it doesn't take much differance in lengths between the props to show up on the track.

They do have some wicked roll-out,lol

I'm tempted to put a 9 volt battery in the handle of a 25 ohm Parma,and dedicate it to the fan cars.
The 9 volt kicks in on the brake circuit,and applies a reverse voltage to the car.

The down side is you'd need a controller for each car

I played with flipping my track direction switch,but the darn things stop and back-up faster then you think.
Trying to be consistent on the switch flip while driving them,is harder to do then it sounds


Rick


----------



## XracerHO

Bob - Sand Van - Zilla with AIR PWR. One great looking Fan Mullet beer van. :thumbsup::thumbsup: 










All you Fan Van, guys are "Just Blowing in The Wind" & creating Great innovative Vans!! ..RL


----------



## DaleFan

gives a whole new meaning to BUZZIN HORNETS


----------



## Hornet

Touche::wave::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## Hornet

Built a dual motor one for curiousity.

Didn't pan out all that good,actually was slower then the single motor ones.

I think to work the props/motors would need to be offset from one another.

I think prop wash from the front fan starves the back fan,as the car was virtually the same speed with either motor working by itself as it was with both motors working.

Man did it sound neat though,:thumbsup:.

You could actually hear the back motor reving higher then the front motor,which leads me to think it was under less load because of prop wash from the front fan.

Peeled the front motor/bracket and wiring off it,and it's now the fastest one i have.

Todd this one might break 7 sec's,it's ran a 8.08:thumbsup:.
Rick


----------



## bobhch

Hornet said:


> Built a dual motor one for curiousity.
> 
> Didn't pan out all that good,actually was slower then the single motor ones.
> 
> I think to work the props/motors would need to be offset from one another.
> 
> I think prop wash from the front fan starves the back fan,as the car was virtually the same speed with either motor working by itself as it was with both motors working.
> 
> Man did it sound neat though,:thumbsup:.
> 
> You could actually hear the back motor reving higher then the front motor,which leads me to think it was under less load because of prop wash from the front fan.
> 
> Peeled the front motor/bracket and wiring off it,and it's now the fastest one i have.
> 
> Todd this one might break 7 sec's,it's ran a 8.08:thumbsup:.
> Rick


Hornet it's neat to here how you tried this Experiment...COOL! 

I have also been tossing around the idea of a 1/32 motor with a prop?
Sure it might weigh more but, the right motor power plant might make up for that??

The crazy thing my brain tried to talk me into was to take one of my 5 Wizzards and make it like a Can motor for a Super Power Plant. Nooooooooooooooooooooo

The Wizzard idea is not worth the sacrafice as the Armature would probably end up melting and if that prop flew off someone could get seriously hurt...OUCH!

Bz


----------



## Hornet

LOL,i was thinking along the same lines of more motor too Bob.

This one has one of the BSRT 145 3 ohm can motors on it,i was curious if more motor would change things,and yup it does,lol.

I'm gonna see if i can step the prop up in size some more,as the 3.0 motor runs dead cool,the most i've seen out of it is 114F,and it's got way more RPM.

The car actually does fishtails out of the corners if you get the timing right.
It spins the prop up so fast,that if the car isn't just about going straight ahead,it'll slide it sideways:thumbsup:.

I've done more walking learning to drive this one,

Rick


----------



## bdsharp

Those things are a scream! I'd like to see/hear four of 'em on a high-bank oval.


----------



## TGM2054

Thought you guys might enjoy seeing this.


----------



## roadrner

bdsharp said:


> Those things are a scream! I'd like to see/hear four of 'em on a high-bank oval.


 
Agreed! There's a whole new class for HO racing. Great use of those Sand Vans . :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


----------



## Marty

*1/24 fan powered slot car*

Looks pretty kool,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Drag-Car-1-24th-Air-Car-/321011670101?pt=Slot_Cars&hash=item4abdc95c55

Marty
Marysville, OH


----------



## Hornet

Holy cow,thats a monster,lol:thumbsup:

Jeez i know how much pain the little fans we're using inflict on an errant finger,that monster,would sure make you learn some new words if it tagged a finger at full throttle:wave:.

Wonder what kind of times they're getting out of something like that.:thumbsup:
Rick


----------



## tossedman

Was at Ricks on the weekend and got some video of his latest creations. They're piloted by a couple of amazons! Once out of the editing studio I'll post all here. Stay tuned to this bat channel folks. 

Todd


----------



## TEAM D.V.S.

I had the opportunity to race in the first Fan Van race at rholmesr house over the weekend and man they were fun ! I am also glad to report that everyone still has all of there fingers intact. Ron has some video from the race and i am sure he will be posting it soon. Once again it was a blast ! 

http://slotters.weebly.com/fan-van.html


----------



## Hornet

LOL,:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Hey a new class,hardbody fan van racing:thumbsup:

Ron these darn things are addicting,you're a bad influence,lol
Rick


----------



## rholmesr

Hornet said:


> LOL,:thumbsup::thumbsup:
> 
> Hey a new class,hardbody fan van racing:thumbsup:
> 
> Ron these darn things are addicting,you're a bad influence,lol
> Rick


Just wait until you see the next generation build. If the new one doesn't cut off a finger you're not trying!! :hat:


----------



## Hornet

LOL,ask Todd about fingers:thumbsup:
If his young guy hadn't been here,i think i'd of learned some new words,:wave:


Now you got me really curious,
Rick


----------



## wickedlemon

I need to build one of these!


----------



## rholmesr

*Fan Van family tree -- First Generation*

I finally got around to getting some pix of my old fan cars...

I built the first one about 32 years ago as a teenager. It uses a classic G-Plus chassis and a big brass contraption attaching an ancient pittman 1/24 scale motor and some tradeship gears. The prop is a sawed-off gas powered airplane prop - heavy duty!!

I think my soldering skills have improved a little bit over the years...:freak:

This thing actually does run, although not all that great. To get it to navigate around the track requires 20-22 volts. It would probably run a lot better with a complete teardown and rebuild but I really haven't had the heart to mess with it.


----------



## rholmesr

*Fan Van second gen*

After I got back into slot cars a couple of years ago, I decided to try my hand at a new fan car, using a t-jet as much as possible including the motor.

This little baby uses a balanced tuffy arm. Gearing is a 14T pinion on the motor driving a tyco crown gear. This is on a 1/16" drill blank, supported by some old g-plus bushings. Prop is something I bought from the local hobby shop - the same type prop I used on the next generation.

I had to cut the prop down to about 1.25" because the arm runs super hot and larger props would just bog it down and it would cook. It was really a tough balancing act between prop size, gear ratio, and pickup shoe tension to get this to go. Far as I can tell, this is the optimal setup with a t-jet motor -- It will do a few laps but no more as the motor gets super hot.

The first "fan van" body was set up to fit on this chassis but with the body in the way, the car will barely move on the track.


----------



## rholmesr

*Fan Van 3rd gen*

You guys know all about this one, so I'll just add another photo of the "team".


----------



## rholmesr

*Fan van - the next generation*

This one is still in the prototype stage.

A single Turbo motor drives counter-rotating props. Driver-side prop spins clockwise and the other prop turns counter-clockwise.

I don't have a drill press so I did all the drilling in the gear-bar by hand with a pin vise. The gear train is kinda squirrely with the shafts not quite parallel to each other. To make matters a little worse still, this was my last turbo motor in the box and it's definitely the worst one (I have since ordered some more new ones). 

With a 24T drive gear on the motor, the peripheral speed of the gears is really high and I'm sure that increases the losses in the gear train by a bunch. Current gear train has 24T/14T/12T/24T on the driver side and 24T/26T/24T on the passenger side.

The next try at this will have smaller gears (e.g. replace the 24T with 14T gears) and a better motor and I'll either use a drill press or set up some kind of drilling jig to make sure the holes/shafts are gonna be parallel to each other

Even with all of that, this does run. Obviously it's a major lane-hog. It's not anywhere near as fast as the single-prop cars though.

It's kind of interesting how it handles in the turns. The counter rotating props cancel-out most of the gyroscopic effect so it actually goes around corners pretty good. Not near as tippy as I thought it would be.


----------



## JordanZ870

WOOT!

Monkey-Motion! I LOVE this! :thumbsup:


----------



## Hornet

LOL,now that's some engineering:thumbsup:.

Check with Lucky Bob,he might have some more of the hot 3.0 ohm can motors back in stock by now Ron.
I bought all he had awhile ago,and man do they make a differance.

I'm wondering if a belt drive set-up might be something to look into.
Alot simpler,and it'll handle run-out better then gears will.
A belt drive also takes less horsepower to turn.
The dual driver pulley will be the tough thing to find or make though.
The first thought that comes to mind for a pulley,is a front tire grinding mandrel,or a pair of aluminium front hubs,(from an after market independent front end), ground down and glued together somehow

Are both props the same ie: pushers or pullers.

Rick


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## Bill Hall

Uhhhh....I just channeled Wilbur and Orville Wright. They said that in order for the Kittyhawk to be period correct the prop drive must be a chain and sproket affair.


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## firchkn

Those are awesome guys, keep posting updates gonna have to try this.


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## rholmesr

Bill Hall said:


> Uhhhh....I just channeled Wilbur and Orville Wright. They said that in order for the Kittyhawk to be period correct the prop drive must be a chain and sproket affair.


And the propellers must be carved out of WOOD!


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## bobhch

I took my Mullet Beer Fan Van to the Indiana slot car show last week.

My travel companion Blackoxxpurple (Rob) had given me a 9 VOLT battery to show people how it ran. Everyone thought it was cool as heck. They even held it up to thier face to feel the cool air blowing...COOL! 

rholmesr I gave you PROPS for the design of the Fan Van!!:thumbsup:
Told them some guy from Hobbytalk.com in St. Louis Missouri made the original & that mine was just a clone.

WOW!! Totally digging all the Fan configurations you are making.

Bob...fans "R" fun...zilla


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## rholmesr

Bob...
PROPS. Ha!! :thumbsup:

Just babysat my 12YO nephew this weekend. We spent 4+ hours racing the fan cars. It's a fun game to try and pass the other guy. He came up with a good move to accelerate past me as I was breaking for the corner at the end of the back straight. What a hoot. 

Hmmmm - you've got me thinking -- Maybe I'll take a couple of these to the FRAY this year. :tongue:


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## rholmesr

At the last minute I decided to take the fan cars to the Fray in Ferndale since there was a little extra room in my race box. Needless to say, they were a big hit. It was fun to see the top Fray racers running them around the yellow track and lots of giggling going on. A couple of guys were snapping pictures and taking videos but I don't know if they're going to get posted somewhere or not.

That might've been the top highlight of the fray for me since the individual competition got canceled and I drove pretty bad on team day.


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## Hittman101

I know I really enjoy the two that I received in the x-mas exchange.. There a blast to drive..


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## bobhch

Cool Beans as there are Fray Fan Van Fans now....Woooooooooooosh!!

Sounds like a lot of fun rholmesr. :hat:  :hat:

Bob...I'm a fan van fan...zilla


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## sidejobjon

rholmesr said:


> Now I have 4 of them! The ones with the yellow props haven't seen the track yet but they do blow a lot of air on the power pack so I think it'll make for a good race.
> 
> I got those yellow props off of ebay. They had almost no pitch but I was able to give 'em a twist after heating them up over the soldering iron.
> 
> (Thanks to Bob for the extra bodies!)


I got some props from rear wing on mini heilacopter, Car beardly moves?
What type twist will they need or do some just don`t work?
Thanks SJJ


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## rholmesr

SJJ: There are so many variables in the equation that it's not possible to tell you one 'fix'.

For one thing, the prop needs to be probably at least 1.3 or 1.4" in diameter. Bigger diameter means more air, but if you want these to run side by side on the track then you have to cut back until diameter is less than lane spacing...

The blades have to have some beef to them. If they're only 1/8" wide then it might not be workable at all. I tried some mini props from helicopters that I got on ebay and those blades were so small and skinny that I gave up right away when I saw that they don't blow much air at all.

Try tweaking on the blades until pitch is more than it was before by a noticeable amount. That might make 'em go.

The other things that you have to do have much to do with the amount of drag that the prop has to overcome. If the prop thrust does not exceed the drag to get the car to move then it won't move.

Make sure the axles turn freely. Make sure the tires are running true and not all wobbly. If you have traction magnets to hold car to track make sure they are not too strong -- Too strong and the car won't go. Make sure the guide pin is not dragging bottom of slot or is bent. Make sure the pickup shoes are running flat on the track and not just on front or back edge (this can make a big difference!)

Good luck!!
Ron


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## rholmesr

*Fan van iroc race*

Bob Beers came to town and we had sixteen racers on a monday night. The second race was iroc fan vans ... All six of them! That was fun.:hat:

Here is a vid of the last heat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6jtnOVJflU

A few pix are in the bob beers usa tour pictures thread.
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=4787879&postcount=40
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=4787882&postcount=41


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## bobhch

Oooooooooooooooooh man I wish I could have raced Fan Vans with you guys.

Way, Way, Way Cool........Far Out too!! :hat:

Bob...a fan van fan...zilla


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