Italian Job Bus

When I started the vast chase-cars empire all those years ago I was talking through the idea with some of the other Engineers in the office. Naturally they thought it was brilliant and daft at the same time and when I said my first car was going to be the Hazzard Sheriff's car one bloke suggested the Italian Job coach would be a much better idea.

Here we are, many years later and it just might work. You thought that Blues Brothers had lots of quotable lines, I think 1969's The Italian Job beats it for most people.

If you haven't seen the film for years, indulge yourself with a spot of Youtube refresher.


To make this, I want to make it as easy as possible to build and to have as many features as I can cram in. It will have steering front wheels, the same reduction gearbox as my truck and obviously room inside for 3 Mini Coopers. It started with a 3D file





To get it to fit on a Scalextric track and still fit 3 Minis makes it a big vehicle, 340mm long and almost 80mm wide.



The structure will be a 3D printed bodyshell with removable floor, this will accommodate the steering systems, motor pod and of course give somewhere for the Minis to ride.




There's a huge amount still to do even to get a rough prototype ready for the Slot Car Festival at Gaydon. The ramp is started but nowhere near complete, I've only got a vague idea on how to hinge the rear doors and I've got to get the whole thing priced up again. I did some tentative enquiries with basic models but I need to freeze the design soon to get it made in time.

I'll keep you posted