Mini-Z Autoscale Database

[kyoshosan]

Hello everyone,

I've been thinking about creating an open repository where we, as a mini-z community, could create a DataBase w/ information on all Autoscale bodies ever produced. I know there are some sites and lists here and there (mostly PDF not easily editable) on the Internet, not to mention that these lists are hardly up to date. I thought of creating a Spreadsheet on Google Drive Where we could keep all this information available and updatable by anyone. The spreadsheet would have columns like for example:

- Maker: Kyosho
- Part #: MZP16SR
- Model Description: Lancia Stratos 1978 Sanremo №4
- Auto Maker: Lancia
- Category: WRC
- Released Date: 2001
- Chassis Type: MR-01
- Wheelbase: 86mm
- Motor Mount: RM
- Front Off-Set: 0
- Rear Off-Set: 0
- Special/Limited Ed.?: No
- White Body #: MZN52, MZN137
- Ready Set #: ?
- Images Link: Link to a Directory of Images of that Body.

Again, this document would be open and public so anyone could go and add more information to it.

What do you guys think ? any ideas ? Suggestions ? Rotten tomatoes ? :-)

Looking forward to hear from you,

[Cherub1m]

Wow! Alex, I think you got you got all the categories covered

[herman]

i think this was thought of before but can't remember if it was open source…
another bit of info that might be helpful is offsets for bodies if used with mr015 vs mr02 chassis

pretty cool project, hope it works out

[arch2b]

you might as well make a full offset columns for all chassis at that point. once you get past the original release wheelbase for the released chassis, you either do it all or nothing in my opinion. or simply restate the general rule that mr-015 = +/- Xmm, etc.

[WorldClassZ]

I'd started a database of my own Autoscale collection in Bento on my iPad but I wasn't happy with the categories I'd set.
Yours is substantially more complete.

[optimaforever]

I have begun a work like that, plus the wheels set.
yet, the biggest problem is the release date, for the oldest models (mzc, mzg, mzx). atomicmods has a list close to what you want but it lacks several bodies. on my blog there are a lot of links for BODY LIST, but perhaps you have them already covered...

[kyoshosan]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I will be posting the link soon to the file so that everyone can have access. Since this is an Open Project, everyone can contribute, if there is some particular feature that you don't see, you can add it :-)

Thanks again,

[imxlr8ed]

AutoScale-pedia?... is that what you're shooting for?

Well, at least Optimaforever is collecting some awesome photos for this project!

Race-ability rankings? (how good is it as a race body?)

Appearance rankings? (how pretty is it?)

Rarity rankings? (obvious)

Should be a very cool project!

[optimaforever]

The ideal solution would be a database type file format, as I now have two listings:
1. Maker order (Alfa Romeo -> Volkswagen plus Iwaver, Skynet and Firelap)
2. REF order (MZC - MZG - MZX - MZP - MZN)

And it's a bit of a hassle to maintain everything up to date.

[kyoshosan]

Here is the Link to the Document :
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...Hc&usp=sharing

The DOC is open for everyone to edit it. Your edit will show up as anonymous. If you would like your name (google id) to show on the doc, please send me your google email as PM (private message) and I will forward you an invite. This is only required if you'd like to have your ID associated w/ your changes/updates.

I've started from Atomic Mods Spreadsheet and added more bodies to it. This is very time consuming, specially looking for the Body, readyset, white body and chassis set numbers.

If everybody helps, we can get this list up to date in no time.

Looking forward to everyone's participation :-)

Thanks!

[optimaforever]

Alex, I'll made some modifs to your list (may I?) with all the infos I collated so far.
I think it would be more logical to begin by the first numbers MZC1, MZC2 etc. and not have MZX309 before MZC4 for example.
I'd keep the Kyosho / R246 etc. off categories because it's simpler to keep the bodies by maker and not have them mixed.

[arch2b]

if your going to include the various part numbers over time, why not take it all the way and move that column to the end and create separate columns for the various part numbers ie; ready set (many have several versions due to chassis changes), chassis set, white body (at least 2 part codes for white bodies), autoscale (original part code), Gloss Coat (new part code), hand polished (new part code). if not separate columns, a footnote denoting the corresponding purpose for the new part code if known. the average user is not going to know the order in which the part codes were used. hell, i doubt kyosho usa knows. Every attempt to garner such information was rebuffed by response indicating they do not track or keep record of that information.

you can really get lost in the product codes trying to keep them all organized and straight forward.

is the wheelbase column for chassis designation relevant? why would the wheelbase change from chassis to chassis? 94mm is 94mm no matter what your using. why also include mm and rm in that column? the only reason deviation from factory motor mount position is possible is aftermarket motor pods. you can likewise now take that to the various 96mm and the ranges inbetween there are now motor pods that allow for setting the wheelbase in greater increments than before. it seems like a slippery slope to track with no real hard line to draw to define the qualification.

little nitpicky but the image link will quickly be irrelevant as users modify image libraries. this is why i always as that members upload images to posts in conjunction with providing embed links as target locations are not permanent and before long your left with lots of red X marks. can you also create an open source google album?

[kyoshosan]

Originally Posted by optimaforever

Alex, I'll made some modifs to your list (may I?) with all the infos I collated so far.
I think it would be more logical to begin by the first numbers MZC1, MZC2 etc. and not have MZX309 before MZC4 for example.
I'd keep the Kyosho / R246 etc. off categories because it's simpler to keep the bodies by maker and not have them mixed.

That's the idea optimaforever The reason why the list was not organized yet is that I imported the Atomic Mods spreadsheet and then started adding bodies at the end. Having to look at the code and insert a line in the right place in the spreadsheet would be more time consuming.

Thanks for contributing on this project!

[kyoshosan]

Originally Posted by arch2b

if your going to include the various part numbers over time, why not take it all the way and move that column to the end and create separate columns for the various part numbers ie; ready set (many have several versions due to chassis changes), chassis set, white body (at least 2 part codes for white bodies), autoscale (original part code), Gloss Coat (new part code), hand polished (new part code).

I like the idea, but I'm afraid of making the table too long that might scare people from updating it because they would have to lookup too much information to add a new body. is there a general rule of thumb for these variations ?

Originally Posted by arch2b

is the wheelbase column for chassis designation relevant? why would the wheelbase change from chassis to chassis? 94mm is 94mm no matter what your using. why also include mm and rm in that column? the only reason deviation from factory motor mount position is possible is aftermarket motor pods. you can likewise now take that to the various 96mm and the ranges inbetween there are now motor pods that allow for setting the wheelbase in greater increments than before. it seems like a slippery slope to track with no real hard line to draw to define the qualification.

I agree. The only reason it is like that now, is because I've imported the Atomic Mods Spreadsheet. I also found it redundant and at some point I would get rid of it. Let's do it.

Originally Posted by arch2b

little nitpicky but the image link will quickly be irrelevant as users modify image libraries. this is why i always as that members upload images to posts in conjunction with providing embed links as target locations are not permanent and before long your left with lots of red X marks. can you also create an open source google album?

Sure, the image link is supposed to be a link to a folder directory on whatever service one picks, google picase works for me as any other. The idea here is not to link to an image, but a folder where several images will be.

Thanks for contributing!

[optimaforever]

I'm busy updating the list for several hours now but I do'nt know what happens if anybody else gets in and modifies the spreadsheet during my edit...
I kept a XLS backup just in case...
btw I'm editing it as "anonymous". How can I edit with my login?