Mini-z Cadillac CTS

[Fovea3d]

For MR02/03 Wide
Wheelbase: 98mm
Offset: 0F/0R
Weight: 17.6 grams

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120221CTS/cts01.jpg
http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120221CTS/cts02.jpg
http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120221CTS/cts03.jpg
http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120221CTS/cts04.jpg
http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120221CTS/cts09.jpg

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120717cadcts/cad01.jpg
http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120717cadcts/cad02.jpg

Status: WIP (http://www.shapeways.com/model/621317/mini-z-cts.html)

[arch2b]

looking good!

my only comments would be the following:
-does printing the front splitter present a durability issue for the material?
-can the rear tail light seems be ever so slightly exaggerated similar to the front headlight lenses?
-would ever so slightly widening the car body/cabin itself distort proportions in a less pleasing way vs. the exaggerated wheel arches in order to achieve 0 offset narrow and wide wheels? the front looks narrow in comparison to how it looks on the race car, particularly where the front bumper turns back to the wheel arch.
-is it possible to have the wing printed as an accessory to be attached like any other aftermarket wing? while i like the factory race car look, i'm sure other may cut it off to replace with atomic/reflex or pn wings. wonder even if reflex/pn/atomic wing hole spacing is the same? could be awsome to have standard mounting holes but again, people have preferences on how wings are mounted as well.
is your diff off center or is the car? looks like +.5 could fit on one side and -1 on the other.

[DanDan]

Looks awesome! If you need anyone to track test a prototype, let me know ;)

[Fovea3d]

Hi Arch,

Thank you for your comments.

Front splitter: I decided not to include front splitters on my designs because people often complain about splitters beeing catched under track rails. It would hold well with some flexibility at normal thickness (0.8mm) but would be even more rigid at 1 or 1.5mm. On the Daytona Prototype I experimented with an "inner splitter" (to make the nose boxy).

The tail lights were modeled just like the real ones but are flush with the body. Maybe a joint should be added? But with a correct masking the painted result would be close to original (without a joint).

Well it is the wheel arches that are exagerated to achieve the given offset (0F/0R being the narrower for MR02/03)
The cabin itself is true to the original, this is why it gives this effect. With true wings proportions it would have been a MR015/03 narrow.
And you know that I prefer correct overal proportions over x or y or z distortions :)

Sure, I started making a separate wing with the DP, mostly because I realized thet the body section under the wing and around the pillars is horrible to sand and finish. I need to edit all my cars that have wings, to come up with a standard pillar spacing and mounting holes similar to aftermarket wings. But thats even more work to add to the list ;)

Yes the body is off center. I tried a new side clip design with a reinforcment rib to make it stronger and less prone to unlock, but this rib now touches the battery case and prevents the clip from locking completely.

For my part I noticed a few things:

The rear needs to be lowered 1 or 2 mm.
The front needs to be raised 1mm to clear the wheel arches (normal tires touch slightly with compressed suspensions and with MR02). EDIT: I will raise the wheel arch instead, the stance is just too nice currently.




looking good!

my only comments would be the following:
-does printing the front splitter present a durability issue for the material?
-can the rear tail light seems be ever so slightly exaggerated similar to the front headlight lenses?
-would ever so slightly widening the car body/cabin itself distort proportions in a less pleasing way vs. the exaggerated wheel arches in order to achieve 0 offset narrow and wide wheels? the front looks narrow in comparison to how it looks on the race car, particularly where the front bumper turns back to the wheel arch.
-is it possible to have the wing printed as an accessory to be attached like any other aftermarket wing? while i like the factory race car look, i'm sure other may cut it off to replace with atomic/reflex or pn wings. wonder even if reflex/pn/atomic wing hole spacing is the same? could be awsome to have standard mounting holes but again, people have preferences on how wings are mounted as well.
is your diff off center or is the car? looks like +.5 could fit on one side and -1 on the other.

[chad508]

once you lower the rear it mau raise the front enough that youu will not have to enlarge the wheel arch

[arch2b]

Thanks for the responses. It has my thumbs up :)

The inner splitter sounds like a good idea as it ads rigidty to the nose without protruding from the body. The font corners take the biggest beating and are most often where autoscales crack. I'm sure adding a little beefiness to this area will benefit the driver but will add to the volume/cost.

Thanks,
Raymond

[Fovea3d]

They can not crack ;)
Seriously I tried to crack one, I had to step on it (dNano Dallara prototype) and finaly the side skirt cracked along the moulding line.

I don't think these can crack during a race. I suppose it is the cellular structure that prevents a crack line to progress as it does with moulded ABS, once a small crack appears.

But because they are half the thickness of an autoscales (to keep the price and weight low), they can deform, and you are right, the front corner particulary if round in shape will deform in a crash and expose the tire to the obstacle making it come off the rim. This is why I added rigidity ribs there, sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical, but the "inner splitter" solved it completely.
BTW, on the 'Cuda it is the grill recess that plays this role and makes the whole front rigid.

True, every small amount of added material will raise the cost.
Minimum wall thickness prevents this, but being able to print as thin as lexan would cut the price probably in half.

Thanks for the responses. It has my thumbs up :)

The inner splitter sounds like a good idea as it ads rigidty to the nose without protruding from the body. The font corners take the biggest beating and are most often where autoscales crack. I'm sure adding a little beefiness to this area will benefit the driver but will add to the volume/cost.

Thanks,
Raymond

[Fovea3d]

I tried for the first time filler primer to smooth out the print lines and fill the small pores inevitable with printed objects. I did not do the Future (floor wax) treatment on the CTS before.

Here is the filler (http://www.motipdupli.de/?L=2&id=1680) that I used.

The bare surface (no treatment, no washing)

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120802fillerprimer/filler01.jpg

Test spray on the roof to see the filler tension where the print lines are the more obvious.

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120802fillerprimer/filler02.jpg

First coat and coarse + light sanding (400-600)

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120802fillerprimer/filler03.jpg

Second coat

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120802fillerprimer/filler04.jpg

Second coat and light/coarse sanding. The filler is easy to sand, comparable to plaster or putty.

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120802fillerprimer/filler05.jpg

The surface smoothness is now comparable to a resin kit.

Next, fine sanding, Tamiya white primer, than paint (TS cans to see if there is still a solvent/plastic reaction), than clear coat.

[arch2b]

looks promising! what color are you thinking for the prototype?

[marc]

I see my baby in the works in the background! :D

[Fovea3d]

looks promising! what color are you thinking for the prototype?

I am thinking metallic blue just like the Corvette DP.

[arch2b]

I'm going to look for the caddy pearl white till these are production ready.

[Fovea3d]

I'm going to look for the caddy pearl white till these are production ready.

Too late ;)

http://www.nanospeeders.com/photos/shapeways/120221CTS/ctsblue.jpg

BTW, I am VERY pleased with the filler. It will smooth out the small pores and keep the details like door joints.
It has the perfect density and tension for printed objects. It also blocks any Tamiya paint solvent reaction with the nylon material. No bubbles anymore.

[akura2]

Sweet... I can't wait to see it finished!