slick-7 vampire

[loosenuts77]

Monty,

I was wondering if you have any set up tips for this chassis. im running it on tulsa's track next in the great plains usra. Im running ribbed vipers, alpha medium tires big hub, kelly and koford motors. what other factors are there in set up process. Thank you in advance.

[Monty @ B.O.W.]

Nick,

Your setup sounds very similar to how we run the Vamp II out here with one major exception, the tires.

I'm not sure what glue conditions you expect to encounter. For spray glue, I would run a slightly more stuck body (Zap Z2 is a favorite of mine) but also use the Koford wonder rubber in the X grade, If you're running bottled glue, the XX rubber can be used, a bit inside the hub at that, along with the Viper body. This assumes 5 x 5 air control with substantially stiffened leading edge to the wings.

Remember, even a wing car on glue MUST slide a bit to be driveable.

For lower traction conditions, the combo/wire version of this chassis also works well. For reasons not entirely clear to me, Slick 7 calls that one the Express III, even though the central portion of the chassis is plainly identical to the Vampire.

One of the less widely quoted statistics from the Div.I Nats this year is that fully HALF the pro main was using the Vamp II.

[Mr Tim]

I agree with Monty about the Express III being more suitable for lower trtaction conditions. I have tested the Vampire and Express back-toback over a wide range of track conditions, and Monty's advice has confirmed my observations.

Note that the Express III is supplied with .062" rails. However, Rudy Garriga informs me that it is also USRA legal with .055" rails. These thinner rails give you an option for very low traction or flatter tracks, where they seem to work better.

So you have three chassis options, depending on the track and conditions.

[wjtaylor]

Monty

Rudy uses the Express label for the steel wire boxstock/G-12 cars.

The Express (no number) was the original spring steel car/
The Express 2 was the stainless steel car either with or without the plating.

Bill