Formula Toy in New Zealand??

[kiwi_steve]

Hi guys, down under in NZ we have this many rock crawlers: 0

I'm keen to kick something into life down here, and having a Toy background this seems like a good place to start for me.

The main problems I see for here are: the freight from Hendrix Motorsports would cause a divorce, and R-series petrols are rare like hens teeth here... most of ours had 2.4 diesel engines (2L) or 2.4 turbos (2L-T) or a 2, or 2.2 Petrol 4-cyl (3Y or 4Y).

Other than that, I think it would fly... there are 2 or 3 of us here that would probably build one each up just because we can... and we have gorges and rocky riverbeds to play/practice in.

So... can we develop something of an international ruleset (or broaden the current ones slightly) that would mean we're not building something we couldn't use in a pre-existing class for entry level competition.

On the bright side, our Toys had solid axles right through to mid-1996, so we have lots of parts here to work with.

Anyway, I hope the intent of this is clear, I'm not rule-bashing I'd just like to know how we could modify them to suit the locale we are in so that if we did want to ship rigs over there we could compete (I'm thinking looong term...) - or hey, you guys could ship yours over here :)

Cheers

Steve

[Brian Ellinger]

2L came in 2wd's here, and 2lt came in 4wds. Maybe the BOD will broaden to allow those motors? They are heavy, and very rare out here. And the cost of parts is outrageous. But it would work for the different countries parts availability better.

[Nissan Recovery Team]

I say get your chassis, build them the same following the rules (current published) the best you can. If you have to use a motor that's not approved then all of you use the same one and write a letter to the BOD asking for the clarity.

Since your overseas..that is! Very cool guys. Very friggin' cool.

Hope to see your build up threads soon.

[desertoy]

kiwi_steve, contact Mike at hendrix Motorsports. If you could come up with a fab shop that is capable of "assembling" a pre-bent and notched chasis to spec's, Mike could ship you 5 chasis in pieces and your shop could assemble and sell them.

Also, contact Hobie (on this board) and ask him to consider allowing 2l and 2lt diesels when theyreview the rules at the end of the season.

A diesel powered F-Toy would be BAD ASS!

[CronusTRD]

If the shop has CNC capabilities, I don't see why they couldn't bend and assemble the chassis themselves. I thought the reason Whaley Enterprises assembles prebent chassis is he does not have CNC capabilities.

[desertoy]

If the shop has CNC capabilities, I don't see why they couldn't bend and assemble the chassis themselves. I thought the reason Whaley Enterprises assembles prebent chassis is he does not have CNC capabilities.

That is correct. All they have to do is apply to be an approved vendor.

[kiwi_steve]

I'll do some homework... was looking at setting up my shop to do pipe bending... but the step from nothing to CNC capable might just cause a little too much martial stress at this point :P

I'll organise a few beers with the boys here interested in doing it and see what I can come up with re: getting something made. Don't hold your breath on the build threads... I have to finish my Amigo, finish my Trooper, do something with my doublecab lux, sort my old trooper, build my new workshop, move everything there... well... you get the picture... its going to happen, but it might be a few months before I get started :)

Will talk to Hendrix about importing some pre-bent pipework... whats the deal for welding it together? Surely that just needs someone who can weld? Or is there a certification requirement? I have a certified welder I can use, but hes expensive :)

Thanks for the input, watch this space...

Steve

[Nissan Recovery Team]

I'll do some homework... was looking at setting up my shop to do pipe bending... but the step from nothing to CNC capable might just cause a little too much martial stress at this point :P

I'll organise a few beers with the boys here interested in doing it and see what I can come up with re: getting something made. Don't hold your breath on the build threads... I have to finish my Amigo, finish my Trooper, do something with my doublecab lux, sort my old trooper, build my new workshop, move everything there... well... you get the picture... its going to happen, but it might be a few months before I get started :)

Will talk to Hendrix about importing some pre-bent pipework... whats the deal for welding it together? Surely that just needs someone who can weld? Or is there a certification requirement? I have a certified welder I can use, but hes expensive :)

Thanks for the input, watch this space...

Steve


Steve,

Think welder with solid pipe or tube backgroud would be suggested but ultimately it will be up to you guys. With all the fabrication that's needed to build these anyways, you'll have to be a good welder anyways.

I can see the "prebent route" for tubework being a solution to shipping and for the guys that want to build part of their own chassis.