Have had building this car in mind (and the required parts in boxes around) for years; at last, I managed to build it up last week. As maybe everybody knows Strombecker made an horrible version of their Lotus 30 for their '69 cheaper 6V sets, this one:
It sits so high that it seems more suitable for TT racing than for road racing. Main diference with the other Strombecker versions of the same car is that it has no chassis, but supports for axles, motor and guide projecting downwards from the body:
A fortunate fact is that a 1/32 Cox Cucaracha chassis/droparm fits perfectly both in lenght and between the rear axle support. Thus, after removing the guide and motor supports, as well as a piece holding the contrate in position, it is easy to open 1/4" holes on the rear axle supports and push fit nylon bearings (Dynamic?) holding the Cox chassis. That's the final result:
I was initially planning to use Cox rims, but there is no room enough for them at the rear, so I have used standard Revell's with inserts giving to he car the look of a late RTR Strombecker, which was the idea. Have added a yellow stripe and refited the original number roundel to the same end.
The car is light (some 65 gr.) and performs quite well on the track (for a "RTR"), better than my more or less standard
old Revell and Monogram.
A final note for if somebody wants to make another: the front and rear axle bearings doesn't clip on the supports but slide in before installing axles, axle nuts and wheels. I tried to have them clipping, only to break a support: the remaining of the support after opening the hole at the rear seems to be too weak to resist clipping. Fortunately I had two of these bodies!
Nice car Eddie, I like the way you attached the body to the chassis. I assume you are using a 13D motor. In both your car and mine this allows the body to sit a bit lower on the chassis greatly improving the appareance (and also a bit the performance I suppose). To me, some otherwise excellently modeled 1/32 factory standard open cars are forced to be a bit too high due to the use of the 16D, Monogram's Chaparral may be an example.
Thanks Eduardo, appreciated your conversion as well
a lot better presented than mine but the Stromogram has done a few Vintage races at Bordo', Roncole & Rockingham!
Yes its a 13UO with Twinn-K armature driving through Taylormade gears and with resilient body mountings is whisper quiet on track.
I concur with your comments regarding 16D size motors, the Lotus 30 sat far too high with the standard Strombecker Hemi powered chassis but I do use that one under the McKee and GT40 bodies.
Love the concept you have used in the cheap and nasty Strombecker Lotus 40.
I am doing a similar thing, but have put 3 body posts in a McLaren MK 1b body that I have that had broken motor and axle mounts in it. I will use a standard delrin Strombecker chassis in it.
I wouldn't of bothered otherwise, but the McLaren is extremely hard to find in Australia, and they don't often come up on US Ebay, but when they do they are expensive and the postage is a killer.
By the way, apart from Pattos Decals, are ther any good Can Am decals around for cars that ran in the 1966 series. Pattos range to suit this car are limited, apart from the John Cannon or Bud Morley driven cars.
I also have a Lotus 40 to do as well, but that is a project for latter.
Not hollow at all Eddie: John (hi there John) tried to "tickle the tiger", as the first atomic scientists said, and lost his bet - but man, that thing was fast! You stayed within the design parameters and earned the victory (over me and Joel if I remember right...).
Your car worked very well, and had decent speed for a 13D; the motor is why I got them confused.
In any case, the Lotus 30 has got to be the most commonly used body in slot racing, especially if you include the 40...
I think there was a string here a long time ago about the prolific Lotus 30/40. And VSRN had an article and chart of all the vintage mfg. of them at least 25 years ago. It's popularity was funny, given that the real things were not very successful. Maybe that's why none of the modern manufacturers have tackled it?
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