[Ecurie Martini]

Why am I doing this? I don't know. Must be like the moutain thing: "because it's there" In any event, inspired by the photos that Russell posted and having a Strombecker shell around, I decided to give it a go.

First things first - wheels (I always start with the wheels - probably a hangover from 40+ years ago when suitable wheels were the biggest problem) The parts bin yielded a set of 1/2" SCD wheels for 3/32" axles with set (grub) screw fixing and a little further investigation turned up some suitable Lotus inserts. so here is the start:

A pair of the SCD wheels and Ortmann tires (Goodyear markings to boot!), a piece of 1.75" X 4" X 0.0625" brass, an angled spur gear (39 teeth - provides the requisite 1/16" ground clearance, and a TMM (Taiwan Mystery Motor) , a Moto GP look-alike and the body with the wheel opening work started.

A little layout work and we begin:

Documenting the absence of lasers

No bits were broken in producing the following!

Wheel and wheel/gear clearance cut, slots for the two rear axle carriers and an opening that has nothing to do with motor location (there is a limit to how much mass I'll ask that little motor to haul around!)

Soldering started!

Starting to look like a slot car! I'm still debating the method of motor fixing. The body has moved on a bit - molded in driver, passenger and steering wheel gone, LH side of cockpit reshaped to the passenger-unfriendly contour in the plans (above) and an instrument nacelle added. I am still pondering the best approach to doing the rear air intakes.

To be continued.......

EM

 

[BEEJAY7]

Superb Allan, Really impressive workmanship. Can't wait for part two.

Regards

Alan

PS If you have one, you could always try the MOTOGP mounting bracket to solve your motor problem.

 

[Ecurie Martini]

I meant to put this under the Can-Am thread above but don't know how todo it - moderator - help!

EM

 

[jhardy33]

Looks good EM! I've got a couple of these and Howmet graciously made a few windscreens for me so I plan on doing one myself. Keep us posted. I look forward to the updates.

 

[Guest]

Great looking start EM, I am most interested to see how this turns out.

RR.

 

[E-racing]

Ecurie Martini
looks like a good start ! succes!!
(I'm still wating for the ordered parts for my car

)

ernst

 

[GRAH1]

QUOTE I meant to put this under the Can-Am thread above but don't know how todo it - moderator - help!

Alan I can move this if you want but I think its a great thread and deserves its own spot so we can see it progress with out being swallowed by the can am thread.
By the way your earlie bird cars were great I had the pleasure of tryin one in practice

 

[Ecurie Martini]

QUOTE (GRAH1 @ 31 Jan 2005, 22:37)QUOTE I meant to put this under the Can-Am thread above but don't know how todo it - moderator - help!

Alan I can move this if you want but I think its a great thread and deserves its own spot so we can see it progress with out being swallowed by the can am thread.
By the way your earlie bird cars were great I had the pleasure of tryin one in practice

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>


That's fine with me - where ever you think best - glad you enjoyed the car - hope you drove it hard (no shelf queens in my collection!) Sounds like it was a great event - wish I could have been there. The day I win a big lottery prize, I shall make up a list of slot events around the world and start booking my flights!

EM

 

[taxi]

Looking good so far EM, can't wait to see more.

Rob

 

[bwaminispeed]

Hey EM,don't forget,that shell needs a full 1/8" more added to the sills,as it looks a bit of a Barris Custom Lowrider in it's present configuration.

Just tryin to help ya know.

I believe it also wore 15" wheels as well.

 

[howmet tx]

Dead right there; glad you broke the ice, Al- my particular beef is that none of the shells (apart from that GORGEOUS 1/24 model Russell posted) get the snouty shape of the nose right. All the versions I found had a flat, unshaped front end, whereas the real thing was very sculpted. Not even the Model Cars Plans have it right. Very subtle, but basically not unlike (derived from?) the Cooper Monaco/King Cobra.

 

[howmet tx]

Like this:

Look carefully at the side view of Innes Ireland's car.

And this;

And this;

 

[Ecurie Martini]

Great, guys - thanks very much - I think ( I thought I was through with the Milliput business) - do have a question though - some of the shots show what appears to be a "U" channel at the very lower edge of the tube - in others is not there. What is the story?

Also - anyone have any shots of the interior now that I've carved away all of Mr. Strombecker's nice plastic.

EM

 

[bwaminispeed]

QUOTE lower edge of the tube
Er,what "Tube" are we talking about here.

If you meant Tub,you are probably talking about the tubes that sometimes ran along the outside of the lower sill pannel.These were fluid tubes,my guess would be for transmission oil cooling,as they don't seem large enough to be for engine coolant to rad pipes.

I have seen these pipes on both sides of these cars,but,I don't know whether any cars had them on both sides of the same car.

Also,I have seen cars where the lower sides went straight down for a few inches,and then had a nice large radius curve going under the body,and also cars that have this same panel quite flat,and going down at a slight inward angle all the way from top to bottom.

Also EM,note the shape of the front wheel arch on the side shot of Ireland's car.It is not completely round,but rather flat across the top.

Anybody else besides me looking into Milliput shares.

 

[bwaminispeed]

Ok,just found out more info on the pipes.They carried both oil and water,and were on both sides of the same car,presumably one side was water pipes and the other side oil.

 

[Ecurie Martini]

Well, I'm going into this race under-powered, under tired (tyred?), and undersize. The tire width handicap is probably not quite enough to garner a win standing still so I decided that I better try to be quick in the corners. Rather than leave this to chance, I gathered up all the wisdom that I could find and decided to dump it all in to a chassis that would flex, rattle shake and whatever. Here is the current state - sort of maze-like:

The wide slot in the center is for the pivot. The two spring slots either side are extended forward to accept the front axle carriers. The rattle and shake pans are still attached and will be cut away after the other bits are installed and the wheelbase set. Still to do: guide plate and body mounts - perhaps I'll just solder some pin tubes to the pans (No, Al, don't - I'm just kidding!)

The rules said no laser cut chassis but they didn't say anything about a 3/64" end mill!

EM

 

[McLaren]

I feel dizzy...

Looks great so far... and you're getting through it pretty quick too!

I'm always intrigued by these flexi, wobbly chassis. Am awaiting more pics.

Andy

 

[jhardy33]

EM,

Exactly what do you use to make such precise cuts in the chassis?

 

[Ecurie Martini]

It's a Grizzly Mini-Mill - not a bad tool for the money ($495) - needs a bit of re-work to get everything moving smoothly - I use it constantly both as a mill and as a drill press.

The Lotus chassis was cut with a variety of sizes of end mills - 1/8" for the big cut-outs, 3/32" for the central spine, 1/16" for the spring slots and axle carriers and 3/64" for the pan outline.

Without pushing it (I have only one 3/64" cutter at the moment), 3 passes cuts through the 1/16" brass plate.

EM

 

[Phil Kalbfell]

EM nice to see that someones chassis is coming along well,nice job.
Please keep up the pics for everyone to see.
The rules do not limit the use of a mill,Russell has used a small mill adapter for his Dremmel for years.
I have used a mill before but find that careful use of the Dremmel is quicker and less bits get broken!

If any one is having trouble cutting straight lines simply clamp something to the brass as a guide.

Phil