# Scrathbuilding Tutorials



## K.L. VanAtta (Mar 23, 2009)

HO Slot Car Enthusiasts,

Here is my proposal for a series of tutorials on the construction of a “Brass Wars” era HO slot car to be published here on HobbyTalk. The series will consist of tutorials on:

1) Tools and Uses
2) Measurement and Layout 
3) Building/Assembling the Motor
4) Chassis Construction
5) Assembling the Car

The goal of the tutorials will be to guide the hobbyist/collector/racer in acquiring or improving some of the skills needed to do their own scratchbuilding. The end result, if one follows the tutorials, will be a chassis/car that will be very similar to ones raced in the Midwest in 1971/1972.

The chassis that I’ve chosen to build is a flat nose Riggen, called a “Rider” Riggen by Ron at RiggenHO, it is a Riggen chassis with a lowered motor and a flat extension to the front of the chassis that carries the axle, guide pin, and wiper system. For a period of time this type of chassis and derivations of it were the car to have in Michigan HOPRA and club racing. Once the chassis is completed it should be legal and fairly competitive in “Brass Wars” races with only minor tweaks. My intent in choosing this chassis was to give to the community a “how to” on a chassis with readily available parts that is period correct and fairly competitive if a Parma/Car Model Anniversary race happens.

What I need from the HobbyTalk readers is your input as to where I should locate the tutorials? General Discussion, Modeling/Customizing, or Tuning Tips? And, is there anything I’m missing that you what to know about? I expect and encourage questions, comments, and critiques. Will start in about a week, the next time I have more than 12 hours between shifts off. 

Until then, be good,

Keith


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

awaiting with bated breath ............


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## joeslotcar (Mar 12, 2003)

I think right here would be OK. 

Things I would like to see:

1. Parts/materials list for those of us who will build along with you.
2. Layout drawing if possible
3. step by step photos
4. body painting tips

Looking forward to this!

Thanks,
Joe


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Yea man, have at it.

I participated in my first brass wars race a few weeks ago at Nastalgia Hobby and had a blast. 

I would love to see how it's done and build me a few. :freak:


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

I'd like to see the tutorial and I think it belongs best in Tuning Tips.


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## slotcar58 (Jun 21, 2007)

Sounds great! Looking forward to the series of tutorials.


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## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

This is just my personal opinion, please bear that in mind when reading this. I think that this thread should be in the Modeling/Customizing thread. I agree with all of these points as mentioned above; 
1) Tools and Uses
2) Measurement and Layout 
3) Building/Assembling the Motor
4) Chassis Construction
5) Assembling the Car
with the exception of the following; why? a tutorial on a Riggen? I do not mean to be procrastinating here but, I got the general impression that scratchbuilt meant buying some tubing or sheet and having at it. I mean the car pictured below is one that I would consider building, as it is scratchbuilt, or a modified AFX chassis, built for the Brass wars era.

And yes, I have Riggens too, that I have modified for racing, see below. Please note the modifications. You can see them if you look closely. This Riggen chassis is also an early one, commonly called a small hole chassis. SO called, because the later versions had larger holes for the motor to sit flush with the bottom of the chassis. Dang! Just dated myself! Crap!!! :freak:









Still want to see the thread start and see what happens, but I was hoping for more than using already stamped chassis for the tutorial. But then again, some guys on here have proby never seen a Riggen, let alone had the chance to drive one. SO, to finish my procrastination post,  , have at it, it should be a very interesting piece of information!! Have a good day all!! pig


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

i dont care where the tutoral is listed. if ya wanna follow along you,ll find it. i have many of the materials in stock and waiting to get going on a scratcher ! i have made 1 that did go around the trak and it was quite crude but a start non the less. i have seen some of mr. vanatta,s builds on the scratch building site and i have to say we,re furtuate to has him offer up a tut for us slotheads to follow along. also i did round up a chunk of corrian for a jig and that is a must as far as i can tell.


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## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

Some do though Joe! Just gave my opinion. Anyways if you want a really nice jig you can get one from Rick, see this thread, info is on the last post!

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=300478


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

*Hey Keith ,
now that you have given me the itch ...please scratch away ! Since the thread is announced here why not just stay here ? Either way we WILL find you i'm sure ! 
On the tutorial i'm sure with enough verbage and pics even i can figure out what's going on so that's all i ask.

Brother Bear :wave: 
*


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

I'm really dating myself,but when i first started racing slotcars the "Boss Riggen" was just dying out.
Anybody got any info on what it actually was.
I didn't have anything to do with them,but i remember the name.
What constituted a so called "Boss Riggen" back about 73 or 74,just a curiousity question.
Thanks guys
Rick


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

Hornet said:


> I'm really dating myself,but when i first started racing slotcars the "Boss Riggen" was just dying out.
> Anybody got any info on what it actually was.
> I didn't have anything to do with them,but i remember the name.
> What constituted a so called "Boss Riggen" back about 73 or 74,just a curiousity question.
> ...


*Hey Rick ,
the name sounds familiar to me too but don't recall where or when i heard it and i go back even further . I would guess shaker plate ? So if somebody has info i like Rick would be another curious kid !

Bear :wave:
*


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## gonegonzo (Jan 18, 2006)

I've been hoping for this for a long time .

It would be good to learn the little details that result in a quality build .

I say do it here on HT

Gonzo


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## kiwidave (Jul 20, 2009)

What Gonzo said!


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## K.L. VanAtta (Mar 23, 2009)

Fellow Racers,

To answer several of the questions: 

*What is a “Boss” Riggen?* Until someone with better and more accurate knowledge comes foreword I’ll give you my interpretation. “Boss” was a descriptive adjective added to identify the HO line of Riggen products having the added affect of causing young males of the human species to think they are getting something really fast. Basically, the Riggen was a stamped brass chassis with a “shaker plate” body mounting system powered by a red wire Mabuchi HT-50 motor, Having O-ring fronts, sponge rears, a guide flag, and in-line configuration it was more like a 1/24th scale car of the late 60’s than a Tyco Pro.

*
Why start with a Riggen?* In a very real sense the Riggen was the first serious attempt at a 1/24th like slot car in HO scale. The Riggen ( and Tyco Pro ) introduced a range of new parts in large quantities to the average racer to creatively use in scratchbuilding. The chassis that will be the final result will have some similarities to PartsPig’s Riggen Race Car, but, not much. There will be some major surgery done to a Riggen chassis, so, if you don’t like to see brass dust…..:freak:

*What about a body painting tutorial?* In due time. I returned to slot car racing because I missed scratchbuilding and concours painting. I believe that I am better at painting than I am a scratchbuilder having won only one HO race while winning a Michigan HOPRA Concours Series Championship and several Winternational’s Concours Championships. However, I consider myself only the third best painter of my era behind Dave Pratt and Mike “Raisin” Garrett, Back the the motto was, “Decals?! We don’t need no stinking decals!”

Be good,

Keith


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

All good!

Like so many things, it's probably best to go with your first thought/plan and get something started. There's no reason the production cant be tailored and changed along the way. Personally I'm hopeful that we'll move along from the initial stamped chassis tutes and systematicaly progress to more advanced designs.


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

This ia a great idea. Let it roll right here.


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

A quick follow up on the "Boss" question. It was a marketing tag to make the Riggen chassis sound cool. This was around the same time Aurora Factory/Experimentals (AF/X) and TycoPro was hitting full stride in their first series of releases with their catchy cool new names. So Riggen added "Boss" to catch your attention. Plus Ford already established "Boss" with a cool factor on their Mustangs so it was a ready to add adjective for anything cool and fast.
I do believe there may have been a motor upgrade around that time, to match what tyco was dropping in the TycoPro. Mura units I believe. All the later Riggens I have, have the Mura II motors with purple/burgundy endbells and epoxied wires. But they may not be originals.

-Paul


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

I have my piece of .032 thick Brass stock & am poised & waiting. 

Bring it on

Boosted


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

Thanks guys for the history lesson on the "Boss" Riggen.
I just remember hearing the name,and how it had been the car to get a year or 2 before i got into slotting.

Always wondered if it was anything special or just a marketing ploy.
Rick


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## K.L. VanAtta (Mar 23, 2009)

Racers and Builders,

Things are moving forward. 

However, I have a question to ask regarding the posting of previously published material here on HobbyTalk. There is an article from the January 1972 Car Model magazine that may be useful to some of the “younger” among us, and I wanted to know if or what are the limitations that HobbyTalk imposes? 

The request: Is there anyone among the readers who has a complete, stock Riggen chassis, without the body, that can weigh it and report the weight to all of us here? I think it would be interesting to compare the weight of the two chassis’ once the project chassis is completed.

I am moving the tutorial(s) to the “Tuning Tips” section beginning with a parts list for the project chassis and the first discussion of tools and uses. These first posts will give me a chance to get my photo server set-up, camera dialed in, and give everyone some time to get some parts if they choose to. Talk to you in “Tuning Tips”

Be good,

Keith


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## gonegonzo (Jan 18, 2006)

Thx Kieth ,

Gotta run . I don't want to be late for class .

Gonzo


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

would love to add it also to the brass section on the ho-tips BB if that is ok?


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

I can get you pics and the weight of an original stock riggen plus the new 4000 model as well. I also have a cobra-mite I can weigh for comparison?


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