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Post by swede70 on Nov 6, 2015 12:45:34 GMT -8
Great build - it really looks beautiful Thanks for sharing your efforts...
Mike K.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 19:46:09 GMT -8
The 2nd Autocoast Ti22 was bought and raced in SCCA national and regional races by Nick Dioguardi. He stepped up from racing the Dan Gurney Lotus 19-Ford, which he sold when he bought the Ti22. It caught fire on the front straight at Riverside and Nick stopped it on the left side of the track just where it rose up to go over the tunnel under Turn 1. It burned to the ground there. I was a Cal Club Tech and Rules Enforcement Inspector and was responsible for Crash Impounds. Crashed race cars which were damaged bad enough to require a tow in (not just broken down) were brought to me for inspection and a write-up in the car's log book before release to the paddock. I very often rode the tow truck to crash scenes as well. At the time the car caught fire and stopped, I was up the pit road at another racer's pit making sure they fixed the problem they had been black flagged for. That was right across from where Nick stopped and bailed out. Putting out the fire took quite an effort, as the titanium itself burned. It burns kinda like magnesium, but apparently not nearly as bad. Still it was a very bright fire and took a long time for the crew to extinguish. The race was red-flagged. There really wasn't a whole lot left of the car after the fire (including the logbook which was required to be kept inside the car) and it was very difficult to clean up the mess for racing to resume. I had thought a great deal of this car partly because it looked pretty and worked VERY well. But also, some of its design features coincided with my thoughts on race car design at the time, such as the aero fence between the front and rear fenders to trap downforce-inducing airflow on top of the car. So it particularly bothered me to watch it go up in flames. I suppose not near as much as it bothered Nick though. I don't recall ever seeing him after that day. I just found this thread about the Ti 22 MKII. I am recreating the Ti 22 MKII. I purchased the drawing package for the Ti 22 MKII from Peter Bryant's widow and the rights to the car from Nick Dioguardi. In my research I have tracked down ex crew members and others involved in both cars. Nick broke both ankles and was severely burned in the crash and then spent 6 months in the hospital recovering. He never raced again but had a strong spirit and went on to have good life including a small part in one of the Godfather movies. Unfortunately Nick passed away this last summer. Nick gave two original doors and molds to a friend of mine in the late seventies and I have them now. Based on the crew chief's recollection a Ti radius rod broke causing the accident. I have collected all the photos I can find and contacted most of the original photographers but still could use more photos. We are finishing up the body buck and could use some additional photos of looking down on the nose area. My friend, Craig Pence, is recreating the MKI and has five years into the project. We both are doing accurate restorations using Ti everywhere it was used on the original cars.
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Nov 27, 2015 21:01:33 GMT -8
Welcome Bob, This is great to hear you are building an actual Ti-22. I would have thought the radius rod would be made of Titanium and be almost in-destructible..but I know a lot of pieces on these cars were off the shelf parts, so it is not surprising. Ant thoughts of posting the drawings here so someone, like me could scale them to 1/25 and scratchbuild a replica? I have some pics of a Ti-22 that was scratchbuilt as a 1/24 slot car and it wouldnt be much harder to do a detailed display model.. Chris Hale
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 21:42:01 GMT -8
Chris the radius rod flexed over its life and the bushing that was welded in one end was not chamfered. The sharp edge on the bushing caused the rod to break. We are making the new part differently. The only off the shelf parts on the original car were the Eagle wheels, uprights and Axles, Hurst Airheart brakes, Schroeder steering rack and Hewland LG600. Both the MKI and MKII also used the same Eagle steering wheel. The chassis, suspension and body were all made by the team. Are you taking about a detailed model with suspension and chassis details or just body and wheels and cockpit? There are hundreds of drawings. The chassis on the MKII is very complex.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 21:48:28 GMT -8
Welcome Bob, This is great to hear you are building an actual Ti-22. I would have thought the radius rod would be made of Titanium and be almost in-destructible..but I know a lot of pieces on these cars were off the shelf parts, so it is not surprising. Ant thoughts of posting the drawings here so someone, like me could scale them to 1/25 and scratchbuild a replica? I have some pics of a Ti-22 that was scratchbuilt as a 1/24 slot car and it wouldnt be much harder to do a detailed display model.. Chris Hale Here is a photo of the Ti 22 MKI recreation by Craig Pence.
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Post by afx on Nov 28, 2015 12:25:39 GMT -8
Sounds like a great Bob. Please keep us posted on your progress.
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Post by neckcheese on Jun 30, 2018 15:28:24 GMT -8
Hi, I make an 1:24 Grp Slot Car Body kit for the Ti22 MkI Here is a Slot Car I build from the kit some years ago l This is how the kit looks - send me a PM if you are interested in one Niels, DK
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Post by Joel_W on Oct 9, 2018 13:39:15 GMT -8
Sandy, that's one excellent build. I really like the gold pin striping as it looks absolutely perfect. Are the enclosed Gold striping sections inclosing clear decal film, or just pieces very carefully applied one at a time?
And Dusty, thanks so much for the background story, it was truly fascinating. I remember watching the Ti22 race at Mosport on TV (the only Can Am race that was broadcast back then), and when Jackie Oliver split the two McLaren's I couldn't believe it. Finally, a real challenge to the McLaren lock on the Can Am, or so I thought.
Joel
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