PCS32 Chassis Variations
The PCS32 chassis is a great boon to scratchbuilders.
It is ideal to "motorise" plastic kits, resin and fibreglass shells and to upgrade chassis on old slotcars. I have used many of them and have modified several to take different motors and motor layouts.
The chassis is available from a number of sources :-
UK
Pendle Slot Racing
Get Slotted
Slotbug
World Classics
USA
Professor Motor
TSRF
This is a photograph of the standard chassis kit as supplied:-
(Photograph's from Pendle Slot Racing)
The chassis comes in two parts, a front guide or tongue section and a rear motor carrier section. The wheelbase is adjustible and due to the very short distance between the front axle and the guide ring it allows the chassis to be used with a wide range of kits and shells.
Lead weight can be easily be added to the chassis, and a magnet option is available for those that favour this form of racing.
The latest variation of this chassis is the "Step 2" option which features a longer guide tongue, add on front axle spacers and additional, wider side pans.
It is ideal to "motorise" plastic kits, resin and fibreglass shells and to upgrade chassis on old slotcars. I have used many of them and have modified several to take different motors and motor layouts.
The chassis is available from a number of sources :-
UK
Pendle Slot Racing
Get Slotted
Slotbug
World Classics
USA
Professor Motor
TSRF
This is a photograph of the standard chassis kit as supplied:-
(Photograph's from Pendle Slot Racing)
The chassis comes in two parts, a front guide or tongue section and a rear motor carrier section. The wheelbase is adjustible and due to the very short distance between the front axle and the guide ring it allows the chassis to be used with a wide range of kits and shells.
Lead weight can be easily be added to the chassis, and a magnet option is available for those that favour this form of racing.
The latest variation of this chassis is the "Step 2" option which features a longer guide tongue, add on front axle spacers and additional, wider side pans.
Improving the Standard Chassis
Although the standard chassis performs well, there is one area of weakness which needs attention and that is the front axle location.
It is designed to accept a standard 3/32nd axle which clips in place. Unfortunately this is not the best fit and allows a lot of both vertical and horizontal movement.
This is the method I use to correct this problem:-
First enlarge the axle shoulders to accomodate bronze or plastic axle bearings. This is the profile I use:-
Next fit the bearings to the axle and place in the axle shoulders. Make sure the bearings can move freely so that you can set the correct axle height.
Finally set the car up on a Tech Inspection plate and make sure all four wheels sit on the track. Glue the bearings into position with either Superglue and/or a two part epoxy such as JB Weld or Araldite and allow to dry.
It is designed to accept a standard 3/32nd axle which clips in place. Unfortunately this is not the best fit and allows a lot of both vertical and horizontal movement.
This is the method I use to correct this problem:-
First enlarge the axle shoulders to accomodate bronze or plastic axle bearings. This is the profile I use:-
Next fit the bearings to the axle and place in the axle shoulders. Make sure the bearings can move freely so that you can set the correct axle height.
Finally set the car up on a Tech Inspection plate and make sure all four wheels sit on the track. Glue the bearings into position with either Superglue and/or a two part epoxy such as JB Weld or Araldite and allow to dry.
Variations on a Theme
The PCS32 chassis is very versatile and can be adapted to suit almost any motor or motor layout.
Here are a few I've built:-
This one uses one of the Beardog Mini-Motors. As it is so small it can be used either as a full sidewinder or (as shown here) a low angle anglewinder. The gears are 64 pitch which means they are very smooth. The crown wheel used is from TSRF.
The chassis is cut with a dremel and the motor simply glued into place with a two part epoxy. Some additional weight is required at the front of the chassis to compensate for the extra rear end weight.
This modification will allow the chassis to fit into a 60's narrow bodied Formula One car. The rear motor mounting bracket has been modified to accept the FF motor, which is simply glued into place. All excess material has been removed from the sides of the chassis to allow fitment to the very narrow shell.
This option uses the standard Fly Sidewinder pod fitted to the chassis. The rear of the PCS32 is removed just behind the rear motor bracket and the Fly Pod glued with two part epoxy.
The sidepans have also been removed and re-attached at a lower level to reduce the overall centre of gravity. Brass L section was used to reinforce the joint and add a little weight.
Here are a few I've built:-
This one uses one of the Beardog Mini-Motors. As it is so small it can be used either as a full sidewinder or (as shown here) a low angle anglewinder. The gears are 64 pitch which means they are very smooth. The crown wheel used is from TSRF.
The chassis is cut with a dremel and the motor simply glued into place with a two part epoxy. Some additional weight is required at the front of the chassis to compensate for the extra rear end weight.
This modification will allow the chassis to fit into a 60's narrow bodied Formula One car. The rear motor mounting bracket has been modified to accept the FF motor, which is simply glued into place. All excess material has been removed from the sides of the chassis to allow fitment to the very narrow shell.
This option uses the standard Fly Sidewinder pod fitted to the chassis. The rear of the PCS32 is removed just behind the rear motor bracket and the Fly Pod glued with two part epoxy.
The sidepans have also been removed and re-attached at a lower level to reduce the overall centre of gravity. Brass L section was used to reinforce the joint and add a little weight.
