Cougar 2000 vintage racer project

[RLGfx]

Looking at doing some vintage racing, i managed to get hold of a pretty tidy cougar 2000 on eBay. The 94 spec, so straight arms, but some random driveshafts. Could be the ones after the red ones that always failed!
Anyway, this is what i received... Very happy!

[RLGfx]

So far i've completely stripped the car down, ordered a new screw and bearing set, rebuilt the diff and shocks, and now waiting for screws, bearings, body and gear cover. Once the last few bits arrive i can begin the rebuild properly!

[wildoliver]

I've got one of these to start on soon too, mine has the red drive shafts, I thought they were the weak ones actually!

[RLGfx]

Mine has plastic slider driveshafts... Not sure how they'll hold up to a 7.5 brushless setup... Time will tell!

[dodgydiy]

the plastic shafts are ok, the red ones broke easily. my fab2000 has the plastic shafts, used for a couple of years in the welsh league and then as a mess around car and never broke one, old 11 double brushed in it so probably more like an 8.5 brushless

[mporter2000]

The plastic were the first ones followed by the red shafts.
Breakage wasn't the issue. They were too short and would pop out constantly so longer silver ones were introduced

[RLGfx]

Ah right, looks like ive got me an old one then!

[mporter2000]

Definitely but I would stick with them for now

[chris24jt]

the red driveshafts were the first ones and they were too short as previously mentioned so they bought in the longer silver ones and then the plastic sliders.

re running in brushless - no issue on driveshafts although they will wear all over and get sloppy so suggest start looking for some spares - but depends what level you are running.
main issue is with cougar 2k gearbox isnt strong enough in my experience. i had the alloy idler and alloy layshaft and have shredded both and also the diff gear as well. but if building with new bearings and new gears might be a lot better but worth keeping an eye on after a few runs. i also had a gearbox case melt round a bearing but i dont know if the bearing failed and caused the gearbox to melt or if it just got too hot and the gearbox case was the weakest part.

[dodgydiy]

later idlers were nylon, they were fine, red driveshafts were first as said above, when they popped out they used to catch and tear the end off. rebuilding my fab2000 at the moment, putting a 9.5 in as i dont have a spare 10.5 and the old 11*2 has seen better days, 10.5 is plenty quick enough for an older car, especially if you are using a turbo esc

[RLGfx]

Thanks for all the driveshaft info :) there'll be a pic of mine when i get to that bit, they look cobbled together, but they are all i have so they'll have to do!

Anyway, the screws arrived yesterday, so we can get on with the rebuild!

[MattW]

They do look cobbled together actually, as that's not the right diff for the plastic driveshafts.

[RLGfx]

Yeah i am aware of that one, but ive got a workaround that involves long grub screws... ��Bit of a bodge but it'll work!

[RLGfx]

Little delivery courtesy of mr haskins... Fast as usual :thumbsup:

[RLGfx]

Some pics of the progress...

Got the gearbox rebuilt with a new idler gear and bearings, diff rebuilt with new balls, plates and thrust race and a shiny new 86t spur gear.
Chassis rebuilt and trusty savox SC1251MG installed (tight squeeze, but hoping rx will go behind this).
Wishbones, hubs and bulkheads rebuilt and then everything screwed together with new stainless hex machine screws. Its taking shape slowly!

Looking at hopefully getting the esc in the back of the battery tray, and using a shorty lipo to see if i can get everything down the centre line... Will see about that!

[RLGfx]

Well a bit more progress has been made, turnbuckles and ball joints refreshed, shocks mounted (though may need a rebuild) and wing mount on. Next on thr list is radio install, set up camber/caster etc, set diff and slipper and then get to painting!

[gainsy]

Always good to see another old Schumacher coming back to life :thumbsup:

[Robbiejuk]

My car has the red driveshafts. Never had a problem with them. 8.5 motor with timing installed.

I put fireblade gears in my gearbox, they are a coarser pitch. Gearbox has been bulletproof, even my diff still feels good.

I want to sack off the sacs front end though. Think I have the right arms, any chance of you scanning that manual in so i can check my parts against the manual?

[RLGfx]

Not got a scanner, but i can get some pics when i get home and post them here... Just the front end you need?

[Welshy40]

I never was a fan of this car until I drove for Fabiix, yes a different layout but same parts and was ok, but your version in the hands of Ben Sturnham the car was unbeatable at the British Grand Prix beating Kinwald, and other top ten worlds drivers.

[RLGfx]

Got some pics of the manual 👍

[RLGfx]

Painting finished at just after midnight last night...

[RLGfx]

Radio gear is now in!
Shoddy pics but they show the install... Couldn't get everything down the middle, so went with a standard layout.
Alo discovered that the schumacher front wheels dont like acetone... 😩

[xfactor]

Looking good RLGfx. Love the shape of this cougar, although electrics were always a pain to fit. Nice too see you have kept a vintage paint job.

Just a tip for the vintage wheels. I use Clarins Nail Varnish remover (PINK BOTTLE) in a plastic biscuit tub. Around 5-6 bottles at 59p each. It takes around 2-3 days.It will do the job but not damage the wheel.

Hope you have an undertray :-)

[MattW]

I'm sure Schumacher wheels always used to be fine in acetone - they look like an aftermarket wheel though, so that could explain it.

[RLGfx]

The rears survived fine, just the fronts have gone very soft, and mis-shapen on the flat of the disc. Ive got spme more on order as schumacher still show them in stock ��

Xfactor - Thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can find some :)
Yeah I wanted to keep the body with a retro feel, like it so much it's what my b6 will get! I have an undertray, just need to clean it up :)

MattW - The wheels on now are 5 spoke jobs, think they were originally made by ballistic buggy back in the day! Its the smooth disc wheels that have been affected. Could be down to age too... And maybe leaving them in there for 5 days wasn't too wise...

[RLGfx]

Well we are now 95% ready...
Just need to fix a rear drive shaft which is broken, clean up and mount the undertray, add some velcro and maybe a few stickers and then its time to run it!

[MHeadling]

Looks great, a 2000 is on my vintage to purchase list as it was my first first proper race car, I'm sure itll be good as a modern vintage racer

Let us know how it goes and if possible some running footage

[RLGfx]

Cheers 😊 looking forward to running it. Now i just need to find some suitable springs, the ones i have on feel waaaaay too soft! Losi red rears and kyosho yellow fronts are on there at the moment...

[dodgydiy]

i have the old schumacher springs on mine. my cougar 2000 currently has blue on the front, white on the back and looking at old setups on grass i sometimes used yellow rear. my two fab2000's (93 based and 95 based) have grey front yellow rear, which seems about right

[RLGfx]

Ive got some yellow rears, they feel ok so may go with them. Thanks:)

[mporter2000]

Grey Rears yellow front is my recommendation

[chris24jt]

what oil and piston holes are people running?

[RLGfx]

Well i ran it a while ago, and came to the conclusion that i just cant get my head around the standard schumacher shocks... Either that or they are pants!
In the end i resorted to putting B5M shocks on, and the car was transformed! The shocks were borrowed, so i didn't fiddle too much, but I'll put my own set on ready for the next play, and try a stiffer set up.
Too much power with the hacker 7.5, but so much fun to drive!
Ran it at Dudley indoors, and will be back there next weekend with a few changes and will try again.

[cjmurph]

I don't think the shocks are pants at all. My cougar 2000 still feels as good as it ever did.

It's still the perfect weapon for showing RC10's a thing or two, just like it was in 94.

Here's a really bad photo right before it's first race in over 20 years

95929

[bish]

That's looking amazing! I used to have a Cougar 2000 '95 Team and it was great-laydown front shocks and SACS wishbones. I miss it now...Always wanted a fireblade after seeing one at a Schumacher Festival race-good times for sure.

I think i sold it for 45 quid... :-(

[RLGfx]

Maybe i just cant get my head around the shocks then... I remember when i was running 4wd when these were about originally that the shocks always used to piss out oil... But that could've been dodgy building. I was running kyosho option house golds on my lazer at the time so had no issues 👍

I'm desperate to run it again! Getting itchy thumbs... I think i need to slow it down though, the 7.5 is mental in it, cant keep the front wheels on the ground, but it does make me grin a lot! 😊

[cjmurph]

Maybe i just cant get my head around the shocks then... I remember when i was running 4wd when these were about originally that the shocks always used to piss out oil... But that could've been dodgy building. I was running kyosho option house golds on my lazer at the time so had no issues 👍

I'm desperate to run it again! Getting itchy thumbs... I think i need to slow it down though, the 7.5 is mental in it, cant keep the front wheels on the ground, but it does make me grin a lot! 😊

Yeah, I've recently put new seal packs in mine as one started leaking. they were all pretty knackered as you can imagine! Other than that, they're pretty easy to build consistently.

So long as you have plenty of idlers I'd say go crazy. I used to go through idlers pretty rapidly from memory with a 12 triple. these days we just run silver can in vintage and I have to say it is some of the most enjoyable racing I've done. yes it's slow, but not as slow as you'd think, and it does look after ageing plastics pretty well :)

[Retro RC]

Maybe i just cant get my head around the shocks then... I remember when i was running 4wd when these were about originally that the shocks always used to piss out oil... But that could've been dodgy building. I was running kyosho option house golds on my lazer at the time so had no issues 👍

I'm desperate to run it again! Getting itchy thumbs... I think i need to slow it down though, the 7.5 is mental in it, cant keep the front wheels on the ground, but it does make me grin a lot! 😊
Just remember the old nicad/ Nimh cells weigh a lot more that lipo so you need to add some weight up front to keep it pinned down start about 20- 30 grams and go from there

[RLGfx]

Well its sitting here not being used, so its time to move it on :(

Will give it a clean up (doesnt need much, only had 2 meetings at Dudley indoor and an indoor club meet), gather all the spares and extra bits together and get it listed here later tonight.:cry: