314 replies to this topic

[Duffy]

Funny you should ask, Pete, I just sat down to try some building! I managed to shove a Phillips #2 screwgun bit halfway through my bass guitar-thumping finger this afternoon, and I want to see if I can still hold a Moto-Tool. If I can hang all the goodies on the Lotus 11 chassis tonight, you'll see a vanity shot.

If you didn't catch the talk in the "rarest bodies" thread, we're trying to get availability of a Birdcage Maserati. There's a good chance of a good Howmet repop, and failing that I just may carve a plug myself & beg John to pull those. --LOTS of good Masers possible, deliciously lumpy and hapless all. Some of them even over two inches wide!

We DO all know about the Model Cars "Prototype Parade" archives, right? Chock-full of Lost Causes.

Duffy
EDIT: Modified the link. Try it again, it's right now.

[Pete L.]

Duff,

I've got two different clear Birdcage bodies, problem is they're molded without windshields ! I'll post some pics tomorrow. Also, Lancer makes the Lister Jaguar

[dc-65x]

fellas,

Anyone making progress on these cars ?

I finished my first one (Lotus 19 Special posted earlier). I can't wait to do another one and soon! I've got to finish up another project first. I really enjoy these cars. Thanks Duffy for making me "See the light!" .

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Pete, the lister is a "given". It was repopped by Booth and is still available from whoever it is that is currently doing them. THEN, my recently late friend Doug at Resiliant Resins used the body to make a resin copy.

One of my survivors is an old Dubro Maserati 300s on a midwest style plate chassis with a Pittman 706 on it. I was just running it yesterday for fun. It has "moldies" on the rear! soft as they are, they don't seem to wear.

Fate

[Pete L.]

Duff,

I've got two different clear Birdcage bodies, problem is they're molded without windshields ! I'll post some pics tomorrow. Also, Lancer makes the Lister Jaguar

Opps,


Two of the same one:

[Duffy]

A day late and a guideshoe short, here's a vanity pic of first rollout.

I got a major laugh out of this--I'd done all these measurements, see, of the body opening when I cut it out; did the math and built my chassis to max. track minus wheels (MSwiss valu-pak rims & fish rubber, done to size by me) and thought my work was done.

Did it occur to anybody this side of The Great Patriotic War (no, not THAT one, you youngun Republican yahoos!), this is a freekin' SMALL car??
OhhhhSURE, this body oughta fit under the wheels I'm using. just like the many pics I've downloaded from Tam's; sure they will, I'm actually using smaller tires, Sure, rube, no prob, body on no harm no foul.
Do it roll? Haay waitaminnit what's that black smush up against the inside where's the problem didn't I DO THE NUMBERS? HUHH???
Wullll...but wait, what's the ground clearance on the REAL thing? (Read: is it anywhere near 3/4" like WE use on our models? ---No?---
...Ohhh, I see: LITTLE Model. Don't that just damn all. Okay, then. Ended up taking 1/8" off front and rear track, and hiking up the outer rails 1/16" to get free run.
Now that I've got a "Beater" '64 about ready, it's time to start mulling over a faux-vintage version more like the stackup of bits I set at the top of the preceding page; and I just might give that one REAL ground clearance.
Painting & piloting soon.
Duffy

[Joe Mig]

Duffy I'm realy liking this one .

[Howmet TX]

Mr D- you're boldly going where no man has gone before, exploring new worlds, new civilisations, and luckily taking lots of photos while you go.

At least where no man under the age of 50 has gone before, at a guess.

[Tex]

Good job, Duff-dood! I run into the same dilemma sometimes. No matter how well you try to measure and map everything out, SOMEthing just doesn't quite fit. Then all you can do is fix it. Once fixed, it's worthwhile, eh?

[Pete L.]

Duffy,

Any progress on your Lotus ?

[Duffy]

Duffy,Any progress on your Lotus ?

Wow, you guys with A Life, how can I keep up? My daily schedule looks like a scene out of Reservoir Dogs and you're asking me how my dalliances at the building table are proceeding...well, gentlemen, have another mint julep and adjust that sunbonnet, and I will presently have some progress to show. Maybe (here comes the latest in potential broken promises!) after this weekend.

Currently mulling over possible color schemes for this one. There're so many cool subjects--I have a shot of Frank Monise's red one (Riverside, 1962), proudly wearing a For Sale sticker, I'd love to capture that moment; but I gotta tell you, my choices will be strongly influenced by the fact that I currently have a jar of green paint in my box.

Duffy

[Joe Mig]

Currently mulling over possible color schemes for this one. There're so many cool subjects--I have a shot of Frank Monise's red one (Riverside, 1962), proudly wearing a For Sale sticker, I'd love to capture that moment; but I gotta tell you, my choices will be strongly influenced by the fact that I currently have a jar of green paint in my box.

Duffy

I have pleanty of paint and an air brush if you would like me to paint it for you.
Unless you would want that green you have.

[Pete L.]

fellas,

This Green ?

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

This is a color specific to the AM cars. It is an early translucent metallic paint over a silver undercoat. I have matched this on hard bodies with one of the Testors "Model Master" paints. For vac bodies, I started with the Pactra R/C metallic green, cut 40% with their "indy Silver".

Fate

[Duffy]

As I've been chugging along on three cold cylinders in my building lately, I'm taking advantage of a pretty bad cold to sit and paint at last:

Generic Lotus, all in Tamiya acrylic (their Green X-5 does pretty good BRG to my eye), all handbrushed because I'm lazy, all on the inside and now I know why Noose details on the outside. I need to touch up some thin spots, I need smaller brushes, but overall I think I did the gas cap about right.

Try to get a driver in there today.

Duffy

[Howmet TX]

My heart skips with joy!

[Duffy]

Duffy sits too high in the office, and if he's any lower he rubs against the tire. This is TOO SMALL a model for my present skill level!!

Jeez, it looks like a James Garner outtake.

The car just sits too low, anyway. I need REAL ground clearance. REAL scale tires!

Screw it, I'm gonna go run this car and do a REAL Lost Cause Lotus later. Life's too precious to be this geeky; well, sometimes maybe, but not tonight.

G'night.
Duffy

[Joe Mig]

Maybe a little cut and grind on the lower extremities will do the trick.

[dc-65x]

I think it looks great Duffy. Check out this:



This guy is sitting just like little Duffy in his Lotus

[Howmet TX]

Good job you didn't put a Cox man in there! I think mini-Duffi looks great. I'm really excited to see this up and running. There's an awful lot more cars for you to build..... The Penske-mobile's even smaller.

[Tex]

Sweet lookin' little car there. Wasn't there a "repop" made by "Westfield" or somesuch name?

[Duffy]

While I was pouting about my sissified Lotus, I got lulled&pulled by Al Penrose's new build thread "When Pin Guides Ruled The Earth"--best title ever--which has led me to the treasure of Pete Hagenbuch's articles, archived on VSRN; Thanks, Al!

Anyway, I'm looking at exploring a whole lotta stuf I don't know anything about now. I'm doing homework on the origins of rattle pans & sidewinders, reading the thinking In The Day, and picking the brains of my contemporaries (who wisely stayed with their slotty hobby while I went away and chased tail...yup, folks, it's Revenge of the Nerds with wintergreen!).

So, first order of business: Anybody got an Eldon 16D I can play with? Or do I gotta start from scratch?

And, where do I look for knowledgeable counsel on spur gears?

Ignorant Duffy, far short of 3000

[Pete L.]

Duffy,


Nice job on the Lotus ! Can we see the underbelly of the beast ?

[dc-65x]

Duffy,

Don't feel too bad. Your are not the only one "far short of 3000" .

Do you have to have an Eldon 16D ? Is that a vintage Mabuchi FT16D? Will another brand like Revell something work for you?

I have some vintage spur gears, how can I help? What kind of "gearage" do you need?

Rick

[Duffy]

Can we see the underbelly of the[Lotus] beast?

There's a see-thru shot at the top of the page we're on. Scroll up. I'll see if I can shoot from under later.

Do you have to have an Eldon 16D?
I have some vintage spur gears, how can I help? What kind of "gearage" do you need?

I was talking with Fate about this tonight, and he's concerned that a full sidewinder with a standard can (the Revell cans I have here measure 1.335" 'tween uprights) needs at least 3" width. He suggested the already-cut-down Eldon motor, so I'm going with his thoughts. Still gotta wind an arm for that & all the other good garbage, so this is my chance to dive in on that stuf.

I'm still dubious about the width issue; I don't question the experienced, I just want to run the numbers myself. And look at possible Lost Causes that I'd fit. Maybe, maybe not.

Behold, Fate also spake thus: the basic philosophy here is, narrow tyres held down by far-rear weight, and not-real hot motors compared to todays...figuring running on the local King track, he suggests 3.2-3.5/1 gearing. Now, what's that give me to play with? I will be using REAL tyre diameters on this next one, so I might have room for a reel big pinion and reeeel big spur...but, see, I'm ignorant and need guidance and Excel charts. any cool links?

I don't like asking to be spoon-fed information. I'll deal with it. Sorry.

Duffy