early RC12E Custom

[V12]

Got a RC12E tody with some unknown parts. Someone has seen stuff like this before?
For the front wheels these look like chrom but are aluminium. The pictures are just some quick shoots in reality these look too good quality for being homemade. Narrower than stock RC12E front wheels.

The rear axle/diff could be maybe early schumacher diff or looks similar but with very large metal nut not nylon nut as Schumacher. The left rear wheel is using three small screws for mounting to the hub not the usual two 4-40 screws as original.
Rear wheels look similar to old Thorp 1/8th wheels, I never have seen such 1/12th wheels before.

Steering linkage maybe is homemade or maybe any option parts?

[RC10resto]

1/12 Thorp Hammer rear wheels

info gathered from http://www.goldenyearsrc.com/

[GoMachV]

So your the one....

I was bidding in it too. I mainly wanted the motor and ESC as I am already drowning in 12e stuff but I didn't notice the aftermarket goodies. Nice!

[AndrewSi]

The rear wheels can also be from a Leisure electronics car. My Leisure 100 has the same rear wheels and they are stock. Maybe thorp supplied the wheels for leisure because the front wheel in the scan look the same aswell.

[WC1982]

Electrocraft was one of the first esc's available. They were popular in 1979/80 at the Norcal racing series. I never ran one as they were kind of mysterious and untested at the time and didn't seem to offer any big advantage over a wiper arm. People had some problems with them blowing up and the internal resistance couldn't have been very good compared to modern escs. Joel Johnson would probably know more details.

I've seen thost aluminum front wheels before but I can't remember who made them. The tires appear to be molded rubber rather than standard foam. The molded front where extremely durable but a bit heavy and not as much grip as foam. I used them on slippery tracks and for enduros.

Post up some pics of the diff.

The rear wheels are Thorp. Leisure and a few other companies probably sourced them from John Thorp.

[jwscab]

that steering setup looks like it would bind at some point, no? Was that a common practice?

[GJW]

can we see more pic's of the esc, very funky indeed

[V12]

Kent
Thanks for your informations. Yes the front tires are very hard so could be that molded type.
The Thorp wheels are looking very nice.
I will disassemble the diff maybe next week for having a closer look. The rear axle looks a lot like the early generation of Schumacher diff. But currently I´m off for our 1/10th pan car nationals, talk about electric racing at 1/8th speed. Very funny.

I have some informations on electro craft ESC but looking for others for double checking. I have two of them, looking the same at pictures but in reality different. It seems the manufacturer was interested in keeping people away for having a closer look at the internals of these ESC. It is very difficult inspecting them without destroying anything. But looks quite professional made for that early units. Was Joel Johnson involved in any way with Electro Craft?

GJW
closer pictures could be found later at Classic RC http://classicrc.wordpress.com

[WC1982]

As I recall the Electrocraft ESCs were "potted" which meant the entire inside was filled with silicone to help keep out dirt and moisture. It made them impossible to repair, heavy, and prone to overheating.

Joel Johnson's dad owned a hobby shop that sold a bunch of those ESCs so he probably has some info.

[V12]

I was opening the second Electro Craft ESC I have and at least this one isn´t filled with silicon. But the powertransistors are mounted to the aluminium cover plate of the case using rivets so it´s not easy inspecting the ESC. I won´t go any further as I don´t want destroying anything but I have seen enough for making an opinion on this one.
Maybe I will have a closer look again later but I think this ESC is looking very good inside, not a quick amateur job but very professional made. But I can see also why early ESC were not used very much at races. Electronic components and technology were just not up to the requirements of racing that time especially on tracks where you needed all power available.

[V12]

update for the RC12E
I had a closer look to the rear diff and it isn´t an early Schumacher diff as I thought before. It is an early Thorp diff
Front wheels are early Bolink aluminium wheels, introduced for the Jerobee car in the beginning.

I started to clean the car but other than that will keep it mostly in current state, as the overall build is different to most other RC12E I own or have seen before. S7 servo and R2F receiver will stay even when looking a little on the large side.

Two things I think of changing probably, not sure yet. Which way would you go?
First is front wheels, one choice would be keeping the Bolink aluminium wheels. Another choice would be Thorp wheels, matching the rear wheels.
My second thought of change would be the steering setup. Yes this looks like binding, so removing the front trackrod would be a solution. But then the current setup looks somewhat "different" even when it doesn´t make sense. And ads an old style touch somehow.
What do you think, what would be your choice? Maybe you decide.

[RC10resto]

I would leave the steering as is, no binding on the shelf
And yes I would probably put matching Thorp wheels on the front.

[V12]

Thanks. That´s exactly what I think. I have a set of Thorp front wheels.
Maybe I should change topic to RC12E Thorp then, when using lots of Thorp hop-up parts.

[V12]

Finished restoring process now. Actually this was just careful cleaning, no replacing of old parts. I think this is a historic car as anything is 1980 or older, even screws, nuts or tie-wraps. So I didn´t want to take away the soul of history.

Some details,
Body is a factory painted Parma Lola T-333 of 1978.
Electronics are early Futaba FP-S7 servo and FP-R2F receiver. ESC is a very early Electro Craft introduced in 1977, motor an Associated Igarashi 05 modified blue endbell. Front and rear wheels were made by Thorp as the special diff, spur and complete rear axle assembly. The solid rear axle is hardened and grinded, different from kit axle.
Chassis is a lightweight version but not the keyhole. The radio tray had been cutted for a new position of the receiver.

Also there are some unique solutions, maybe a little strange at first view. The steering setup with direct steering is different from usual RC12E cars, the additional forward tierod actually makes no sense but came with that car. The conversion for two body posts was made maybe because that body had been used at a Jerobee car before. At least the Lola body could be used at my Jerobee also.

Some additional pictures.
Thorp diff hub, setscrew to solid axle. Note the size of the 3/8-24 diff nut, larger than pinion.

[V12]

Rear axle and diff parts.