Techno Duck

Trevor, i think the best method is to find a body with a similar height and shape to the 944, like a 180SX or a older model RX-7 and use those as a base to get those measurements. Im not sure if HPI makes anything like this, but i know a company called Yokomo makes them for there drift series of cars. You can then use the wheelbase, height, shape, width dimensions to come up with a basic 944 design. Another snag this may run into is finding or making decals to work (IE tail lights).

And to jump on the bandwagon, here is my Associated TC3 factory team. Powered by the Novak SS brushless system. I can usually keep up with most nitro powered cars but they always have a minute or so longer run times. Ive since given up on regular racing and just started drifting it with my friends. I ripped the hell out of the last set of tires, still havent bought new ones. Damn thing is too much of a money pit!

DanG

RC bodies have to be off a bit. Think of a McLaren F1 or Lambo... super low and wide, very short length. But the bodies have the same (or close) exterior dimensions as a viper or accord or WRX or whatever. I have about 5 or 6 lexan RC bodies at home, I'll line them up and take some measurments and pictures to see how they compare.

I'm thinking the car will either have to be "smooshed" to be less wide (or you can think of it to be "stretched" longer) or it will have to just hang out farther than the typical body. If we compare aspect ratios between the full scale 944 and a similar ratioed full scale car commonly used for RC bodies, it should point to the answer.

shmucklebuckle

I love that Skyline body, looks awesome.

clangjr

well lookie here....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...952185313&rd=1

Variance

Trevor,
That isn't a Skyline, it's a S15 Silvia, heh. It is very nice, though.

-=Kenneth=-

shmucklebuckle

I'm a dumbass. Still.

I even second guessed it. "Wait, that's not a skyline..." then I post it anyways. Ya win some, ya lose some.

shmucklebuckle

I guess the GIANT SILVER LETTERING on the windshield should have given it away, huh!

DanG

Brad - thanks for the advice. I hit up the LHS today and was totally turned off by them. I brought the truck with me and the "old guy" pushed it around a little and went off on a tyrant about how the rolling resistance was way too high. No crap! The truck was last run through mud/sand/dirt/waterpits unprotected and I haven't cleaned it more than a blast from an air hose.

Once that guy went in the back, the younger guy that was listening confirmed your suggestions. He recommended about a 15-18T single wind motor. Turns out I was running a 27T triple wind! The label was worn where it listed the specs, but the guy knew the specs of the motor by its name/label.

So I'll go with a about a 16T single wind, a nice ESC like a super rooster, and some fresh batteries (NiMH or brand new NiCads should work fine). Couple that with a good clean/lube and the car/truck (cruck? truar?) will be plenty torquey.

kennycoulter

so did you measure some of yours yet? maybe the width? should i go by the wheel base , and th ecar will be slightly larger than scale, so the proportions dont look "off"?

shmucklebuckle

Yah, go for the best look. These bodies won't be allowed in most if not all races, so the only consideration should be appearance and whether it clears the guts of the car. These are definately not accurate but are a good start, because I've bent my chassis before (but straightened it out)...here are the measurements for the mounting posts that the body sits on:

Length: 33.2cm one side, and 34.5cm the other side.
Width: 6.8cm in the back, and 6.7cm in the front.

Those are center to center measurements. I don't know if they are useful for you, but they're not listed on HPI's website, so I thought I would provide them just in case. They are heighth adjustable. The only concern we'll have is to make sure that we can go low enough, so don't worry about how high they can be set. Very tall mounting posts are availible, and can be cut to length easily. It looks like the lowest point for mounting in the hatch area should be no lower than 7cm, and in the front (actually limited by the wheel size) no lower than 6cm. The heatsink on the motor might get in the way, but openings for cooling should be cut in that area anyways. There is a plastic handle for carrying the car in the middle, and I suspect that the roof line will be high enough anyways, but just in case, it is about 9.5cm off the ground or so.

Anyways, maybe just a bunch of useless rambling about numbers, but I'm just trying to make sure you have what you need.

DanG

Ok, I just took the measurements and some pictures...



(I didn't buy/paint the orange stratus, it came with the RS4 rally)

These are the measurements I took from the car chassis and the two car bodies (all in mm units):

HPI RS4 Rally (car)
1. Width
main chassis - 150
wheel hubs - 200
2. Height
max f/r (centered over wheels/shock towers) - 70
3. Overhang
front - approx 50 past wheel centerline
rear - 20 behind wheel centerline
4. Wheelbase - 255


Proline Dodge Stratus (car body)
1. Width
front - 190
rear - 200
2. Height
f/r (centered over wheels/shock towers) - 70
max at mid-roof - 110
3. Overhang
front - 90 past wheel centerline
rear - 80 behind wheel centerline
4. Wheelbase - 255

HPI Pugeot 206 (car body)
1. Width
front - 197
rear - 200
center - 175
2. Height
front - 80
rear - 120
max @ center - 125
3. Overhang
front - 80 past wheel centerline
rear - 65 behind wheel centerline
4. Wheelbase - 255

If you think you can get the body somewhat close to the right length/width ratio using 200 as your width at the outer edges of the fender flares and about 400-425 (give or take some), then I think we'd be in good shape. Definitely don't worry about not being STRICTLY 1/10th scale. Most important is just "scale". If the wheels look a little off in diameter (most likely scale 20"ers or something), thats no problem either.

Basically, I'd picture the perfect 944 RC body would look completely recognizeable, but have some "artists license" or cartoonish portions to meet with the specific critical dimensions.

One final note is that RC bodies don't have any inward curves on the bottom. Everything must have a small amount of draft built in so it can release from the mold. So best case is the bottom edge is "almost" vertical. So the spoilers will look different, which is probably why RC cars always look a little "ricey".

kennycoulter

well danG, thats exactly what i was saying i would have to do to make it easy to take the formed poiece off. how about some averages for wheel sizes so i can put them in the drawings before starting on the plastic work......and so i can make it look good. sorry to disappoint everyone, but i AM moving slow on this, i went and tried to find the glue i used to use at school for acrylic, and cant find it. and ive been looking for a job and working on 2 cars too, but my girlfriend has been pressuring me to work on art stuff lately, so i should have lots of drawings done and most of the plastic cut by next week.

kennycoulter

also, did we decide on a body? i am not too sure i have enough materials to make 2 bodies, becasue these things are huge! this is dipping into my stereo supplies, so i only have extras to make one body. how about the carrera gt, since its a 924, itll make the 924ers happy, and since it has the flares, it will make the 944ers happy, and it has a turbo, so itll make the 951/931ers happy. any input? i love the 944 gtp, but it looks like its been done with that radio shack unit. and also , since schmucklebuckle implied that the car will look kinda longer than wider according to the wheel base and not going with exact scale, im thinking the superwide gtp would look silly "skinnied". im looking for a dead on shot of the front and rear now, so i can start some drawings tonight.

shmucklebuckle

Sure, the carrera gt sounds cool. Hey, like I said, if you've got your plate full of other stuff, I have no problem with you taking care of what's more important to you. This is just a neat idea and would be fun for a handful of the 'listers to toy with. If you still have time and want to do it, that's awesome. If not, hey, don't sweat it! I'm not trying to convince you to *not* do it, just making sure that you know it's your call - I hate being forced into stuff It sounds like your set on it though, so I can't wait to see what comes of this!!

chapstic951

There was a NOS 944 200mm one on ebay a couple of years ago. It closed for about $60. They do exist, but very hard to find.