Two types of Russkit 4WD chassis?

[stevefzr]

Searching through my parts drawer I found I have two different Russkit 4WD chassis. I always thout the sports cars used the same frame as the open wheelers, with the bolt on body pan. Now I see I've got a chassis with built in body mounts for the sports cars. What body did it come with, or was it sold seperately? I've got a NOS Lola body I was going to paint up, but I don't know which chassis it should go with!

Regards,

Steve C.

[ALLAN FELDMAN]

Perhaps Phillipe will correct me??
Let me get this straight the one piece with built on body mounts was for the Iso Griffo It may be a different length (wheel base)?

The chassis with the bolt on mount fits the other bodies i.e, Lola T70, Lotus 38 as and when the mounts needed.

Its funny how this subject keeps coming up Edo Race in France had a couple of 4WD Black widow Iso Grffo. Don raced one.

And I learnt to my dismay that I have the wrong chassis on my Iso Griffo.
Also I need a pair of Russkit 23s.

By the way the Iso Griffo body was sold seperately thats how I came by mine.

I hope I am right
Regards Allan

[ALLAN FELDMAN]

Phillipes reply:-
The Russkit “Black Widow” series were born out of a need to get rid of too many early motors when Mabuchi up-graded the FT16 design. Russkit team captain Mike Morrissey designed the twin-motor frame from a suggestion by Mimi Russell, the wife of Jim Russell, founder of Russkit.
The “Black Widow” series as it is known, was produced for two years, while the second series had a very short production run, which explains the rarity of the two cars.

RUSSKIT 1/24 RTR (VB) Black Widow Series
( Twin-motors, four wheel-drive, Issued 1965)
Lotus 38 RTR Green, Brown #1601
Lola T70 RTR Blue #1602
Lotus 38 Racing Set (w/controller) Green #1801
Lola T70 Racing Set (w/controller) Blue #1802
All above use the Russkit “22” (Mabuchi FT16 with no heat sinks, can painted in gold)
All above are some of the most common cars available on the market today. Many can still be found new, still tied in their original boxes.

RUSSKIT 1/24 RTR (VB) Black Widow Series
( Twin-motors, four wheel-drive, Issued 1966)
Iso Grifo RTR Red #1614
Iso Grifo Racing Set (w/controller) Red #1814
McLaren MKII Racing Set (w/controller) Red #1810
All above use the Russkit “23” (Mabuchi FT16 with heat sinks, can painted in gold)
The above are scarce, the Mclaren rare. They use a different chassis with body brackets stamped as one with the frame.
Very rare late versions use the Russkit “25” motors, American-made with aluminum end bell.
Yar Hysterian,
Mr. P

[dgersh]

thanks Allan!
Steve, there's some more info specifically on this chassis in a recently revived thread here on the Russkit 23 and Iso Grifo.

The special all-in-one chassis for the Iso Grifo is the same wheelbase as the other, more common one - and both are slightly too long for the Iso Grifo!
Don

[TSRF]

One last thing to add: the McLaren 4wd sold with the controller in the Trak Pak is the rarest of all Russkit cars commercially produced. The standard 2WD version is more common of course, especially in the red color. The light and darker metallic blue colors especially with fogging on the Carrera series 2WD chassis are more scarce and were found in the late production kits.

[returnoftheJedi]

I had one of those track paks as a kid it was so cool, if one only new to keep things like that 4 wheeler.

[stevefzr]

I had a McLaren body sitting in my Russkit spares drawer. I haven't tried putting it together yet, but I suspect that the 4WD cars must have had a different interior to the sidewinder cars. Mine has no interior. What sort of interior should the 4WD car have? The body I have looks just like the one on the cover of PdL's book, so it's probable it never came with this 4WD chassis.

Regards,

Steve C.

[TSRF]

The one with the controller was red and had the standard Russkit "flat" interior.