[Ian H]

Hello All

It's Tyrrell time again.

Specifically recreating the bluff nosed Tyrrell 003 used in 1971 from the French GP onwards by Jackie Stewart.

Most of you will be aware of the SCX limited Edition 001 (here's mine below).

Well for a long time I've neen looking for a 001 chassis to build a Johnson powered 003 like the one below being driven by JYS at the 71 German GP.

Now I know that these are rare and when they are in good condition cost a fair bit to buy, but I was able to get a donor chassis from ebay.

Believe it or not this was a limited edition SCX re-release car which fetch nigh on £60 in mint condition. But it looks as though the previous owner either didn't know or didn't car about that and decided to paint it green with what looks like a wallpaper pasting brush.

What a crime!

There little point in trying to restore it to original condition so its the perfect thing to use to build 003.

It will draw upon all my powers - I KNOW - but I can't let this poor little Tyrrell fester in a corner of a workshop!

Wish me luck! I'm going to need it!

 

[Philip P]

I look forward to seeing this one develop Ian.

Keep us posted with plenty of pictures!

Cheers,

Philip

 

[Ian H]

Well I've managed to strip off the paint using this fab tip found on Slotforum.

Unfortunately it has revealed a shell that was sanded down with a cheese grater!

No wonder they ladled the paint on with a trowel.

Never fear, I've managed to fix up ones worse that this.

More soon.

 

[Deslotted]

Looking forward to this Ian.
As for the prior owner of the 001, well I'm a bit speechless.
But I'm sure you'll get a silk purse out of it, you always seem to.

P.S. Great pic of JYS at the top. I love shots from the old Ring, no one ever seems to have any tyres actually on the ground.

 

[Ian H]

I find that there comes a time in every car build where I get a crisis of confidence and I'm convinced that I'm going to make a complete mess of it.

There hasn't been a lot of progress on 003 because I haven't got a clue how I'm going to build the front end on this thing.

All I've done is give the shell a rub down with some wet and dry to get the damage out of the panels left by the previous owner. (See above).

I've been pondering how to move on for days and days until tonight - fed up of thinking about it - I went into the workshop and set to the chassis with my Dremel.

As you can see I've cut away the Hammerhead Shark front wing and Araldited the front of the chassis to the shell - holding it in place with the front screw.

Then I've cut some plasticard and formed it by hand into the rough shape of the front wing (oversize for the time being).

I'll Araldite it on tomorrow after the front "subframe" has hardened and it will then look something like this.

I've still got the collywobbles about where this is going but at least it's on the way a bit.

 

[BEEJAY7]

This old thread might be of some assistance.

BRM

Regards

Alan

 

[superhornets]

hI iAN
It looks like you are going to be doing all right,but if your fabricated nose all goes belly up ,then charlie fitzpatrick at Betts classic does a fibreglass one which you could use as a donor

Cheers tony

 

[Ian H]

Well some decent progress tonight.

I've started to shape the front airdam and I've also lowered the airbox and rear wing too.

003 is coming along much better than I ever expected!

More soon.

 

[Ian H]

A few more baby steps (although its nice not to rush a project isn't it?)

I glued some end plates on the front airdam last night and Araldited them in as you can see from this picture.

Most of the excess resin will be machined away later to tidy it up and take weight out of the chassis.

Then using an ordinary DIY sander I've sculpted the upper surface with 600 grit wet & dry paper and used a needle file to cut the front radiator air intake.

The perspective of the camera makes the nose look huge but checking against my plan drawings the length and width are smack on.

I'm quite pleased with the progress and there will be more to come in the next few days.

 

[Deslotted]

Well done Ian.
when you first showed us that car, I thought it was such a dog, you should just rat it out for parts.
But that's really looking good mate. Outstanding.

 

[Ian H]

Well 003 is now a rolling chassis ready for testing at Bearwood on Friday night.

As you can see 003 is looking fairly rough at the moment but I've got some more bodywork fettling to do before it gets any paint.

I've been concentrating on chassis set up, building the guide housing.truing all the tyres and installing a rebuilt engine.

I've gone for a simple Scaley short stem guide and NSR racing thin braid.

Like the real Tyrrell 003 I want it simple, robust, easy to repair and hopefully fast!

I can't wait for the first track test!

 

[Graymalkin33]

Looks fantastic.

 

[SL0TCAR]

Superb stuff Ian.

 

[Ian H]

I've tested 003 at the Bearwood Circuit tonight and I'm chuffed to bits with the results.

The car is well planted and offers an invitation to drive it quickly.

There was the occaisional "snap oversteer" but I think that is due to the odd bump in our plexi track, but the car rarely deslotted and thats all I'm looking for in a chassis.

Initially I was lapping in the mid 10 secs region then my daughter (whos becoming a fair slot racer herself) shouted out "9"!

I thought she meant 9 laps.

She didn't, she meant 9 seconds! After checking the laptimer she was right I'd done a 9.0sec lap.

9 seconds around the Bearwood circuit with a "Johnson Formula" Grand Prix car is very quick and competitive.

In fact I think the quickest lap I've heard of is an 8.6 sec lap driven by Jimmy Noake with a French Tyrrell 005.

So, I'm really delighted with that early promise at the moment.

I'll definitely be using 003 at the final rounds of the Heart of England 70s F1 championship at Great Barr on Sunday 30th September 2012 (look out for the entries thread soon) . . . . . provided I can get some paint on her soon!

 

[Ian H]

Well the weather was good today and I usually get a high gloss finish when painting in good sunlight so the chassis components went on my "spraying tree" and got a coat of Vauxhall Regatta Blue (Perfect Tyrrell Blue match).

I've already done the engine bay so assembled up this is how 003 is shaping up.

More tomorrow.

 

[Deslotted]

Thats dead set awesome Ian, Love the engine detailing too, so much better than the chrome.
The nose looks great, in fact the whole thing does. Your cars just keep getting better and better.
Was it a big deal getting the Johnson motor in there?

 

[Ian H]

Many thanks for the compliments . . . . very kind of you to say so.

Fitting the Johnson was easy.

A simple set of adaptors and its in.

I had to cut a minor non structural part of the underpan away to allow the motor wire pick up to clear the chassis but thats it.

I'll post some stripped down chassis pics to show you how I did it after I've done the decalling later on today.

 

[Ian H]

Ok so here's how the Johnson fits.

Here's a pic of the underpan with the body removed.

I removed a small square of plastic with my Dremel which interfered with the fit of the motor.

Here are the Scaley motor adapters.

Motor installed.

View from underneath.

 

[Ian H]

So 003 is finished.

Decals by INDYCALS. 1971 British GP Livery.

Feel free comment.

 

[SL0TCAR]

Ha! What a beautiful car.