[bwaminispeed]

Yes folks, sad to say, Young Jimmy has been getting a bit Thick round the middle lately (Too much Haggis n Tatties Eh!), and needs to go on a diet, or,he won't fit in the car.

When these two beauties, the Lotus and Ferrari F1's first came out,they were by far two of the nicest Slot representations of mid sixties F1 cars in 1/32 scale. They were and still are two of the most gorgeous little gems to come out of the sixties as far as slot cars were concerned and, as such, they are still by far my favorite kits from that era.

But, as my scale perceptions are getting a little more keen in my dotage, they are starting to look a little on the Porky side. As luck would have it, I"Acquired" about 80 vintage cars/bodies,and various bits and pieces from this era and there were several of these bodies, both Ferrari and Lotus in the pile, and,having spotted my favorite pruning saw, decided to set to work and see if I couldn't rectify the situation somewhat.

Results are below. Some of you more eagle eyed out there may spot something a little strange about this particular example. No Three armed Sweaters, but I will give a set of BWA wheels and Wobbly Web inserts to the Smort Oik that spots it.

For those technophobes that always wanted to know the constructional and inner working details of one of Colin Chapmans marvelous Lotuses, all is now revealed.

Come to think of it,isn't this exactly how Mr.Chapman did design the Lotus 25,after having a trial sit in the prototype tub,and finding he still had some room to actually move around,he got out and said"It's too wide,take two inches out of it"Well,here's the pics to show how he did it.It's true,it's true.

 

[Scott B]

Quite disturbing!

Not sure images such as these should go without a health warning to slot car fans. Then again, it will probably win the Turner Prize.

Are you sure you're not taking this scale thing just a little bit too seriously?

 

[bwaminispeed]

QUOTE Are you sure you're not taking this scale thing just a little bit too seriously?

Er,have you been talking to my therapist.

 

[JohnP]

I hope Jimmy remembered to "dress to the left" as they say in polite society!

Don't know what happened to that climax engine - looks like it dropped four cylinders and went in on it's side! Did I win Al? Did I win?

 

[bwaminispeed]

QUOTE Don't know what happened to that climax engine - looks like it dropped four cylinders and went in on it's side! Did I win Al? Did I win?

Can you be a bit more specific(actually,more for my benifit than others.),but,yes,it seems as though you have won.

 

[Larry LS]

That there thing, was never a slot car as it came.

Also Jimmy must have missed a few meals in anticipation to the operation cause he looked pretty empty there. Man, some guys will do anything to shed a pound or two on their cars.

 

[JohnP]

How exciting! Finally I can get my Lotus 15 off it's bricks:

As for being more specific, your Lotus should have a Climax V8 with 8 intakes coming out of the top and not 4 out of the side covered in clear plastic.

 

[bwaminispeed]

QUOTE (Larry LS @ 11 Oct 2004, 19:30)That there thing, was never a slot car as it came.

Right as usual Larry,it is actually the Monogram Static Kit version,which uses the same main body shell with different detail parts,including a full belly pan and plastic wheels.

 

[BEEJAY7]

And I thought Howmet was the only "Mad Axeman" around here.

Regards

Alan

Note to Self :- No more Canadian Jokes!!!

 

[Fergy]

QUOTE Note to Self :- No more Canadian Jokes!!!

Like you can ever live up to that!!

 

[bwaminispeed]

You'll like these JP,they are absolutely the Bees Bollocks as far as Wobbly Wheels are concerned

QUOTE As for being more specific, your Lotus should have a Climax V8 with 8 intakes coming out of the top and not 4 out of the side covered in clear plastic.
Yes,generally speaking,you are right,but this car did actually run in 4 Cylinder guise in Formula??????? something or other,just thought you might know.

 

[bwaminispeed]

OOPs

Pushed the wrong button.

 

[JohnP]

I think the expression is "bees knees" Al. But yes they do look fantastic - much better than those broken biscuits I won in howmet's compo (tasty though they were).

 

[bwaminispeed]

More Chop Cut Rebuild.

 

[ProfFate]

Hi

And I am facinated to see where you decide to slice it for height!

Curiously, I have seen several of the shelf kits and they were all V8s. Whoever you got this from, I expect, was trying to artifact a 21 out of the body.

That being said, if you had more, broke my last 33 body a few years ago(old plastic shattered) so if you end up with a spare.........

Fate

 

[bwaminispeed]

QUOTE That being said, if you had more, broke my last 33 body a few years ago(old plastic shattered) so if you end up with a spare.........
I am planning on doing a repro of the original body as is just for that very reason Prof.

Gonna take the hight out of the middle,it is way too easy just to knock 3/16 or so off the bottom edge,but that would loose most of the roll under that is so classic about these cars.

 

[Phil Kalbfell]

Many of the cars that came out here to run the Tasman Cup for 2.5 litre cars ran the Climax 4 cylinder motor. !

 

[David Lawson]

Lotus produced all sorts of single-seaters in the 1960s - F1, F2, F3, Tasman and Indianapolis. Several of these ran with 4 cylinder Coventry-Climax and Cosworth FVA engines but I tend to agree with Phil that this model had been converted to represent the Tasman Lotus 32B.

I snapped this photograph of Jim's office in the 32B at a recent classic meeting.

David

 

[JohnP]

...and another variation on the theme snapped at the Oulton Park Gold Cup earlier this year:

 

[howmet tx]

At least I took Denny Hulme out of his M8D before I cranked up the chainsaw, Al!

May the blessings of the scale gods be upon you for your fine evangelical efforts.

Oh yes- and what's happening to those other 79 Monogram bodies? Huh? Huh? It's nearly Christmas.....

Next week- adventures with a Ninco XK120 and a sushi knife...