Nissan Cherry X1-R Cannonball Run.

zenrat · November 14, 2020, 02:05:19 AM

As promised, the other model car i sat on a NASCAR chassis.

This was built for the Scale Cannonball Run build off that used to be run through the Scale Auto forum. The aim was to build the car you would use in a race across the US from sea to shining sea. This one was built about 2007 or 2008.
I used a Doyusha "chassis scale*" Nissan X1-R body which I mounted on a shortened Monogram 1/24 Ford NASCAR chassis. The wheels (fashionable at the time) are aftermarket items and required a scratchbuilt body kit to cover them.
The engine got a scrachbuilt twin throttle body fuel injection system.
Inside I built a complete "state of the art" mobile computing set up - processor, keyboard, mouse, screen, and communications module. The idea being that the co-driver would, by connecting to support teams spaced across the country, download up to date information on law enforcement dispositions and the whereabouts of the other Cannonballers. This information would be interfaced with maps stored on the computer to provide route information. Obviously today you could do the same thing on a smart phone with a couple of apps.
The car was built by Javelin Engineering and run by SMEG racing (this was before I come up with zenrat industries). The transfers are home made and feature some sponsors such as Jizolene lubricants, Mothersucker filtration and Monkey Spanker transmissions.

*They produced one chassis (with an electric motor and battery holder) and adjusted the size of the body to fit. The Cherry, being a small car was scaled up to fit and so the body is probably about 1/20 scale.

Nissan Cherry X1R - NASCAR chassis - 2 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Nissan Cherry X1R - NASCAR chassis - 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Nissan Cherry X1R - NASCAR chassis - 6 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Nissan Cherry X1R - NASCAR chassis - 11 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Nissan Cherry X1R - NASCAR chassis - 8 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Nissan Cherry X1R - NASCAR chassis - 12 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

PR19_Kit · November 14, 2020, 04:30:04 AM

Hehehehe, yes, I remember those 'chassis scale' kits. They came up with some very odd sized stuff as a result, but that Cherry works a treat!

How you crammed that NASCAR chassis inside there boggles the mind, but it certainly works.

Rheged · November 14, 2020, 05:46:18 AM

I like it. Great detail, even down to the Carlos Fandango wheels.

zenrat · November 15, 2020, 03:05:21 AM

Thanks folks.

Dizzyfugu · November 15, 2020, 04:29:19 AM

That's looking beefy.

zenrat · November 16, 2020, 02:47:14 AM

Thanks Dizz.

Dizzyfugu · November 17, 2020, 12:30:03 AM

I love those Japanese cars from the Seventies - baroque shapes, with an American touch, but they look so cool from today's point of view. At my car dealer they have a 1st generation Toyota Celica in a sorry state in a dark corner of the yard, waiting for restauration some day. But it looks so great, like a lightweight early Ford Mustang.

zenrat · November 17, 2020, 01:26:54 AM

I love the early Celicas. Like a Ford Capri only better.

Dizzyfugu · November 17, 2020, 01:29:08 AM

Some years ago, I saw a restored one parking in the street - all shiny black, with lots of chrome, and yellow Batman logos on the doors. Looked SO cool...

Hobbes · November 17, 2020, 01:37:11 AM

Wonderful idea. It reminds me a bit of the Subaru (driven by Jackie Chan) in the Cannonball I movie.

McColm · November 17, 2020, 02:54:50 AM

That's a wow from me

zenrat · November 17, 2020, 03:43:04 AM

Thanks guys.

NARSES2 · November 17, 2020, 06:25:40 AM

Quote from: zenrat on November 17, 2020, 01:26:54 AM
I love the early Celicas. Like a Ford Capri only better.

Had a girlfriend who had a 3 litre Capri (well she borrowed it from Daddies car showroom), was never really impressed with Capri's until I got a few rides in that

Rheged · November 17, 2020, 06:41:31 AM

I've never really appreciated Uncle Henry's products. To me, Ford are not car makers as such, they are money makers who use car building to make money. That said, a chap who taught with me had a de-badged Lotus Cortina (dark blue) that looked like a family saloon ; however, if tempted by a boy racer at the traffic light grand prix he could make it pull a fair amount of G when he accelerated.

PR19_Kit · November 17, 2020, 07:09:42 AM

Cortinas were very lightly built, much lighter than their contemporary competitors (try saying THAT after a few beers!) and adding significant horsepower, as Mr. Chapman did, produced a really quick car. The aluminium doors, bonnet (trunk...) and boot (hood...) on the Lotus models helped as well, but these were later changed back to steel by Ford's Bean Counter Dept.

But they did use VERY thin steel, so don't ever tap on the door of a Mk II Lotus Cortina as it may 'oil-can' inwards and cost a fortune to 'un-oil-can'.