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 There
have always been two branches to our slot car hobby. There are those
that seek speed at all costs and those who strive to model real life
cars in miniature. That they run smoothly is of more importance than
outright speed but rising above all else they must look right. The
experienced slot car modeler soon learns that the eye is more useful
than the micrometer. What looks right might not be exact scale ... it
just looks right. It's a term you'll hear a lot, unfortunately more
often it will be on the lines of "it just doesn't look right".
Compromises are sometimes necessary when using available running gear
such as the standard can motors that are available to 1/32 scale slot
cars. This motor though small will not fit within the confines of a 1500
cc Grand Prix car circa 1956/66. Recently smaller micro motors have
become more readily available. For Al Penrose the creator of BWA wheels
this gave him the opportunity to revisit a one of his cars from the past
...
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 produced by Monogram
first came out, they were by far two of the nicest slot car
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. Luck would have it that there were
several of these bodies, both Ferrari and Lotus in the pile. Having
spotted my favorite pruning saw, I decided to set to work and see if I
couldn't rectify the situation somewhat. 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 that he still had some room to
actually move around, he got out and said "It's too wide, take two
inches out of it".
If
you look closely you'll notice that the chopped body sports a 4-cylinder
and different rear engine cowling. This is the result of a previous
kit-bashing. The larger body is an example of the same model un-chopped.
I dropped the body on the
only Bear Dog chassis I have built, which is set up for a
latter Brabham car. I just slammed it on so I could take
some pics, it is not the Chassis/Wheel/Tire setup I would
use if properly building the car up as a proper car.
This is actually going to be a Lotus 25/33, and the only
reason for the 4-cyl. connection is that the static model I
started with, had already been converted. In the end, I hope
to do the 25/33 F1 cars with the closed and open rear
bodywork, as well as the 4-cyl. car. My own cars will have
scratchbuilt chassis, of different design, with steering and
round suspension bits n pieces. BTW, the Micro motor just
misses Jimmies bum, so full cockpit detail is in order. |
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