I'm an avid F1 fan of the 1970's. I've purchased a few of the Fly March cars, and the Ferrari and McLaren offerings from Scalextric. After re-motoring them to be easier and more enjoyable for me to drive on my track without the magnets, I chased down several of the 6-wheeled Tyrrell cars and have a nice grid that surprisingly, are close performers.
After looking at the older Scalextric F1 cars such as the Tyrrell 007, Brabham BT44, etc. I realized that while not greatly detailed, they could serve a purpose in filling out a nice grid.
So, I picked up the 007 off the auction site, and went to work!
I began by disassembling and cleaning the poor car. It was filthy! Then, I threw away the wheels, tires, and axles. I sprayed the massive and poorly done engine in gunmetal gray, followed by a light spray of black. I also painted the front suspension and the intakes, the buckles on the driver and his helmet.
I thought the car would benefit if there were ANY suspension detail in the rear to compensate for the massive engine cover. So, I simply cut off the end of two paper clips, looped them around the axle, and drilled holes in the body to stick them into. I then bent the wire where it went into the holes to hold it in place.
I purchased several sets of wheels and tire kits for the Scalextric McLaren as they are a perfect match in size, width, and style. I installed those, sanded the tires, and added some lead weight to the bottom of the car.
I put it all together and was very surprised with the performance of the car. It runs fabulous, and is a close match for my current cars, making it well worth it in my book. Will it win an award? Certainly not, but for very little work, it turned into a decent running and looking car.
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I have the BT44, JPS Lotus, 2 UOP Shadows - white and black, and the March Ford 6 Wheeler coming in. I'll do the same with the exception of changing the wheels on the 6 wheeler. Should be a nice grid when done. I may even do decals to make them look more "true", or as true as these toys can be made to look without completely re-working the bodies.
After looking at the older Scalextric F1 cars such as the Tyrrell 007, Brabham BT44, etc. I realized that while not greatly detailed, they could serve a purpose in filling out a nice grid.
So, I picked up the 007 off the auction site, and went to work!
I began by disassembling and cleaning the poor car. It was filthy! Then, I threw away the wheels, tires, and axles. I sprayed the massive and poorly done engine in gunmetal gray, followed by a light spray of black. I also painted the front suspension and the intakes, the buckles on the driver and his helmet.
I thought the car would benefit if there were ANY suspension detail in the rear to compensate for the massive engine cover. So, I simply cut off the end of two paper clips, looped them around the axle, and drilled holes in the body to stick them into. I then bent the wire where it went into the holes to hold it in place.
I purchased several sets of wheels and tire kits for the Scalextric McLaren as they are a perfect match in size, width, and style. I installed those, sanded the tires, and added some lead weight to the bottom of the car.
I put it all together and was very surprised with the performance of the car. It runs fabulous, and is a close match for my current cars, making it well worth it in my book. Will it win an award? Certainly not, but for very little work, it turned into a decent running and looking car.
I have the BT44, JPS Lotus, 2 UOP Shadows - white and black, and the March Ford 6 Wheeler coming in. I'll do the same with the exception of changing the wheels on the 6 wheeler. Should be a nice grid when done. I may even do decals to make them look more "true", or as true as these toys can be made to look without completely re-working the bodies.
