My original CAT XL - freshly uncovered

[dinglem]

I used to run this car mainly on carpet too BITD, and the guy I sold it to had some major, high-level success indoors with it afterwards as well. It has been fairly well modified so I might just tidy it, return it to my colour scheme and leave it as a carpet/Tarmac racer. I don't think the carpet clubs of today run foams however.

I think the cf chassis could be Trinity, yes, or at least that is what I have been told. Got pics of yours?

[XLR8]

I've never actually ran a buggy on a carpet track. I used to run carpet oval mostly with a NASCAR or TOJ bodied RC10L up until about '94 when I left RC. I designed a four-link pan-car and had a fair bit of success with it as well. I recall traveling to St. Louis with a group of other racers to a large indoor track that had a carpet oval on one side and a carpet off-road on the other. I think it was in an old department store. There was a guy on that day running off-road with an XLS on foams. He was incredibly fast and would totally clear the table top. I can still hear the clap from the car bottoming out on that hard concrete floor. Impressive for certain but the sound made me cringe. Anyway, I've attached a few images of my old XLS. I took these a year or two ago just after I pulled it from storage, cleaned it up, added a new wing and some NOS Losi X pattern tires. In addition to the CF plate parts, the belt covers are scratch made as well. I really like making my own parts when I can. Among the few XLS spares, I discovered that I still have a SWB body, under tray, chassis plates, belt cover, and gray bumper (which I'm reading is kinda rare). It would be cool to be able to scrap together enough parts to build the SWB - just so I can experience again how difficult that car is to drive. haha

[dinglem]

So i have done a little more digging with the XL recently. I am intending stripping it down for a clean/service and to hopefully try to put it back a little towards the original-ish spec. I am starting to feel somewhat torn now however. The cars was very successful in the hands of the guy i sold it to, and it remains in the format he raced it in. I was planning on switching the chassis back over to a fibreglass item, but that itself is a hop-up Brimod saddle pack version and not original either. I am considering sticking with this Trinity carbon fibre version instead. It really needs the rusty bars, screws and nuts taking off and soaking (in Coke) before refitting so they look a little more presentable.

I have also taken a good look a tthe front diff and the belt pulley is definitely white, hinting towards an MMS upgrade. With the bundle of parts and paperwork the car came with i have also found an original MMS layshaft instruction sheet so looking behind the spur gear i can also see white nylon. My inquisitiveness finally got the better of the a few nights ago and so i had a peek into the gear gerbox to see more white loveliness, so it looks as though the car has been upgraded with a complete Model Motor Sport drive train. Happy days

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[dinglem]

Chassis looks mint.

[XLR8]

Hey it's great to finally see the car without the body and undertray. Well, It definitely has some nice racer upgrades; your lucky to have the car back and in one piece. I believe if it were mine and knowing its racing history, I would probably lean toward keeping it intact. Maybe just give it a good cleaning then reassemble the car as it had been raced bitd.
So, understand that I'm not a Schumacher expert by any means (I have experience with early CATs) but I don't recognize those lower arms. Are they 2nd generation factory parts or perhaps another aftermarket upgrade?? It's also interesting to see the front one-ways mounted outboard near the wheels. I recall mine being mounted inboard next to the trans case per the manual (I reckon this was done to reduce unsprung weight?). Do you know why yours were relocated?

EDIT: Oh, sorry I just read in an earlier post that the suspension parts are from Bosscat.

[dinglem]

Yeah, I have just looked through a pdf of the XLS manual and i see that in the one-ways were indeed mounted inbound, so i have no idea why they are on the outside on mine, although Google images does show other examples of cars where they are on the outside. No idea why, is the answer. Anybody else got any info on this?

As you say i am thinking more and more about retaining the present set up. It was obviously very capable and competitive back in the day. Plus the more i look at it the more i like it. I have a full set of Brimod shocks for it, which i think i am going to fit during the rebuild.

I have already taken a few of the rusty metal fittings off and have them soaking overnight, and i will continue to do so with all of the rest over the coming days and weeks (I am away from home working but have the car here with me so can do so at my leisure).

[uzzi]

Hey guys....FYI the one ways were mounted outboard as it allowed a quick conversion back to full time 4wd if required.

[dinglem]

Thanks for that info uzzi - that does make some sense. I asked the previous owner and he couldn't recall why he made that swap.

Are adapters available with the unusual Schumacher wheel fittings to convert to alternative wheels? I know the lovely gold Gisom wheels were available for the CAT back in the day, so i presume there was some sort of means to switching to Tamiya-esq triple nipple fittings? Are such items available or being remade today?

[uzzi]

Hi there dinglem, the only wheel adapters that were available for the CATs bitd from memory were by yokomo to fit their 2.2 wheels. Probably best thing is to get a set of JC racing wheels if you want to run modern rubber.

[dinglem]

Ok, so finally getting around to this... and have decided to go back to the earlier, more original spec a bit like i had it in the days before i sold it on.

I am going to retain the full front and rear MMS set up, and add a few period accessories which i have managed to muster. My car had the earlier original rounded-off bumper (identifying it as a very early XL) and fortunately I have one of those for it, and i am also going to use a new set of Brimod shockers front and rear (as per the prototype SWB CAT from the early magazine reviews), and to match this, the rare Brimod saddle pack chassis conversion which i am also fortunate enough to have. it is the only one of these particular items I have ever seen. Brimod were a tuning company from about 20minutes from where i grew up!

I also have a set of SJP 'unbreakable' front shock uprights in red (which need a good clean but are RARE!), and an orange WASP belt.

Wheels will be of the polished silver Gisom alloy variety (the first one got skimmed on the lathe today as a test).

It will be going back to original suspension (wishbone) set-up, and I also have a Reedy-built Schumacher livery Silver Dot 21Double motor which i actually ran from new in this very car bid. These Schumacher-Reedy motors were only sold for a period of around 6months, from very late '86 to mid '87.

I ran Futaba electronics in this when new, 112B ESC, micro 27mhz receiver and a 131SH servo, and so i will try to replicate my exact set up. Might have to try to dig out an Attack R tanny also.

Should be a nice combination of unusual parts when all cleaned up and together

[dinglem]

Come up ok

[winner_evo]

Going to be an awesome build, I'll be following

Regarding those schumacher reedy's, is your label shiny silver?

I had one when they first came out that I bought from a big model shop in Camden town. It didn't have the later heatsink brush hoods like yours, it had the older yokomo style end bell and a dull silver/blue label. Mine was a lower turn but I can't remember exactly.

I happened to find one recently which was the same as the one I had but this one is a 21T silver dot like yours, I fitted it to my short CAT

[dinglem]

Yes it is a fairly dull silver and blue label. Just reflecting a lot in that photo. They were only around for about 8months or so, and yes i have seen examples with the earlier Yokomo endbell without the Ultra gold fins. I bought mine in very late '87 (in fact for Christmas along with the XL, so they were technically phased out by then). I ordered a Reedy Silver Dot and i must admit i was disappointed when this arrived as i wanted the classic Reedy label. It was ballistic though and could be geared like a standard! They came in all of the usual Reedy Ultra winds so yours might have been a 15double perhaps?

This is now one of my most treasured original motors

It should have a few nice parts on it, topped off by that rare Brimod chassis.

If i can get it set up like i originally ran it i will be well chuffed.

The rear Gisom alloys have a nice deep dish to them, which should work with the narrow original XL rear end geometry.

[dinglem]

Quick Google Images search brought up an early one like you mention.

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s-l300.jpg (8.71 KiB) Viewed 2774 times

[XLR8]

The subject fascinates me so I'll be watching this one closely.
Please feel free to ignore this request if the matter has been discussed elsewhere but it would be great for us yanks if you provide a few more details on the Brimod CAT parts as I don't recall seeing them here in the states. How do they differ from the kit parts?
Thanks, looking forward to the next update.