The look and feel of a Lotus 49

[Mark Addleson]

Background

A couple of years ago, inspired by the pictures I saw of others’ efforts, including some on this site, I decided to try my hand at modeling again.  The last time I tried was so long ago that cyanoacrylate glues probably hadn’t been invented and acrylic paints weren’t widely used.  Tamiya was just beginning to market some 1/12 scale kits, and, fortunate to have parents who indulged me, I built a Lotus 49 and Honda.  It was certainly long before the arrival of the internet. 

 

The Lotus 49 in Gold Leaf livery always appealed to me.  Chapman’s chassis/engine combination influenced the design of F1 cars for years to come and the early 49s before they sprouted wings, were some of the loveliest F1 cars ever.  The cigarette sponsorship, too, changed F1 racing (not necessarily for the better) and Lotus were almost the first to swap national colors for commercial sponsorship (John Love in South Africa, driving under Team Gunston sponsorship preceded them by a few months).   When looking for a prototype to model, Hill’s car at Jarama in ’68 became the ‘obvious’ choice.  His winning the Spanish Grand Prix shortly after Jim Clark’s tragic death probably saved Team Lotus.

 

The model

I enjoy making the small parts that are visible at 1/12 scale and hoped to build a model that captured the look and feel of the 49, with many of the details of the prototype including wiring and plumbing, while not being too obsessive about rivet counting.  When I started this project I didn’t know much about variations over the life of the car (e.g. what distinguished a 49 from a 49B).  In the course of researching and building the model, I’ve learned a lot: both about these cars and, unfortunately, about modeling. This has been as much an exercise in rebuilding and repainting as it has been in ‘building a model’.   I’d not used a proper airbrush before and, when I started, believed the way to glue polystyrene was with polystyrene glue!  The obvious lesson has been, ‘it’s not a good thing to learn - i.e. to experiment - while you’re building ‘the' model”.

 

Now that I've finished it, I thought I'd show the building process in reverse.  Starting with the finished model, in due course I'll add some pictures of details and parts in the earlier stages.  Having no access to a prototype on this side of the Atlantic, I relied on photos off the web - with enough searching there are many.   I later bought Michael Oliver’s wonderful book and was given Ian Wagstaff’s 49 ‘owners manual’ as a Christmas present.  Both proved invaluable. Michael Oliver was kind enough to send me some photos including the only one I have of Hill's car in the Tasman series with it's nose off (important because these races preceded Jarama).  Peter Morley sent me a stack of photos of chassis R3 at Beaulieu, from which I was able to see details not visible in other photos, and Doug Nye sent some beautiful photos of the car during the race at Jarama.  My grateful thanks to them.

 

Very little of the model consists of Tamiya parts out-of-the box.  The basic body shell was widened by 6 mm because the block is a bit too wide.  This part was easy, but I didn't realize it would mean vacuum forming a pair of windscreens, nor did I reckon on how much work would go into trying to get the nose 'right'.  The block of the DFV and transaxle, known to be inaccurate in this model, were heavily modified as later pictures will show and the entire front end is scratch-built, as are the rear ‘fir tree’ subassemblies for the rear suspension (lots of stainless tubing here!) and all the peripherals on the engine.  Needing to remake the uprights, rocker arms, brake calipers and hangers, I asked Brian Fawcett if he'd be willing to cast parts for me (he has his own line of excellent castings including correct transaxles and gearboxes for the 49).  Brian did so out of the kindness of his heart and I can't thank him enough.  While I tried to keep the purchase of 'third-party' parts to a minimum in order to limit the overall cost, I finally gave in to purchase the CNC machined wheels from Scale Details after having failed to produce a passable shiny aluminium painted finish.  The wheel nuts unscrew to remove the wheels. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2017 by Mark Addleson
still sorting out photobucket albums!

[Hewy]

Very nice mark ,like the engine detailing,

Glynn

 

[DWC1968]

Lovely build and loads of very nice detail.

Dave.

[Mark Addleson]

Some more pics of the completed car

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2017 by Mark Addleson

[keefr22]

That is stunning, really beautiful build!

 

Keith

[Hugh Jampton]

Mark

A fantastic model of probably the most beautiful f1 car in history.

I still haven't attempted a 49 because I'm worried I won't do it justice and you certainly have.

 

Regards

John

[stevehnz]

Nice +++, Lotus 49, very much my favourite ever F1 car. I still remember the Lotus team going commercial during the Tasman series, summer of 1966/67 from memory.

Steve.

[Mark Addleson]

Thanks to all who have commented.  This (web) technology has it's downsides but it's really nice to be able to connect with others who appreciate the car and the work.   Steve, your memory serves you well.  Some of the pictures taken by visitors to the paddocks during the Down Under races tell how easy it was get close to both cars and drivers in those days (I remember this from the South African Grands Prix in East London in the early '60s) and how relatively small the teams and their budgets were - 'professionalization'!)

 

I've added some pictures, here of the tub during construction.  The sheets 'stitched' to the front of the tubs, when these were strengthened three or four races into the lives of chassis R1 and R2, are thin styrene.  The new rocker arm fairings are mainly of Milliput, which I used extensively - e.g. peripherals on the DFV block.  The incredible variety of 'glues' has made it possible for modelers to do things that I couldn't have imagined when I built my early models.  I also made extensive use of Tamiya grey filler and tried Squadron white filler, but found it both grainy and crumbly (so difficult to drill).  Most of the decals are from Indycals.  Michael responded immediately when I asked if he could make some changes that included reducing the size of the 'sailor' decal on the sides.  This is oversized on the Tamiya sheet and some others and is probably still about 10% too large (my doing).  The rivets are two sizes of Archer Fine Transfers resin decals.  So much trial and error went into painting - even the undercoats - that I had to 'remake' some rivets (which are easy to spot as I oversized them) using white glue and, occasionally, JB Weld epoxy (fantastic stuff for weld lines, about which more later).  It takes a bit of patience and Microsol transfer solvent to apply the Archer transfers but they are excellent, though quite pricey.

 

 

Now includes a cut out in the seat back for the seat tank cover, which I decided to add (the seat is removable).  I thought I'd carefully counted four screws around the top half of the cockpit insets for the driver's arms.  Checking later showed five, which is why they aren't spaced correctly!  These, are 'button head screws' from RB Motion's fine range of small machined aluminium parts.  Later I discovered that it's relatively easy to make round heads - using more JB Weld (e.g. on seat tank cover)

 

 

I borrowed another Mark's great idea of making the front end sub chassis and tanks slide into position.  Thank you Mark.

 

 

The rocker arm fairings should be about 3mm wider I think (I was working within the specs of original Tamiya arms).  This would have made the front wheels track perfect!

 

 

Some rivets later removed as I believe they're on the sides of the tub bottom not underneath.

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Mark Addleson

[Mark Addleson]

This is the part that probably caused the most heartache and hair loss: making the nose look right.  Apart from making it wider and deeper, to fit the wider, deeper body, and filling holes for the vents and front wings added to later prototypes, at this time fairings were added to the sides to help dissipate the  heat from the radiator.  Modeling the slight bump over the rocker arms, however, was the real b***** .  It's function isn't obvious - clearance for the rocker arms? - but it's there in photos.

 

 

Those side fairings should be deeper and squarer

 

 

More Milliput and Tamiya filler.

 

 

The unkindest cuts

Edited February 24, 2017 by Mark Addleson

[Pete in Lincs]

Fabulous.

A proper model of a proper racing car.

 

[spruecutter]

Wow, that is a real work of art! Very impressive.

 

Regards

 

Richard C

[Borez]

Lovely build

[bzn20]

Welcome. What a start on BM .

That's a belter , its great. The whole thing is great.

Well done and thanks for showing it off !

 

[Mark Addleson]

Many thanks for your comments both earlier and more recent ones.  Regarding John's statement about 'not doing it justice', I have a feeling that these cars are easier to model than those later generations because they were just a lot simpler.  The suspensions and electronics, to name two, have become much more complicated and specialized.not forgetting the exotic materials.   Parts of the 49, including, I believe, brakes, steering rack, and the steering stabilizer on earlier chassis (part of a Norton bike fork?) were off-the-shelf components made for cars.  To bzn20, I'm hoping this isn't the only model I make!

 

Here are some pictures of details inside the tub.

 

 

Steering column support bearing. Throttle cable and return spring visible through the scuttle access hatch.

 

 

 

In this picture down the tub, the boot over the steering joint - made from the rubber end of a touch screen stylus and some black tubing - and the arms of the brake and clutch pedals are just visible.  As the pedals are hung like the prototype and have rods going to the master cylinders, I'd hoped to make these moveable, but, fortunately, had more sense.  The instrument dials, made from photos of Smiths instruments, were reworked with Photoshop in very high res. (thanks to son) then scaled down and printed at a local pharmacy's (chemist) Kodak print 'cafe'.  The manufacturer's plate was made up in PowerPoint following the original as closely as possible, then printed in the same way.  I never did find a clear picture of Hill's instrument panel and I'm not sure that it had an ammeter fitted but it is wired correctly to the solenoid.  Many of the pictures of 49s on the web are cars that have been rebuilt.  From pictures in Michael Oliver's book and a few on the web (e.g. Clark in his Tasman series car which had just been repainted in Gold Leaf colours) it appears that the original grey had a distinctly blue tint.  I've used Vallejo's USA Blue Grey.  The aluminium on the body is Vallejo's Metal Colour 'Dark Aluminium'.  I've been very impressed with the three colours I used in the Metal Colour range: the metal particles are so fine that there is no evidence of grain and with the correct preparation it coats easily and is durable.

 

 

Apart from wiring, which at the time was cloth-covered, the back of the panel includes a rev counter cable and hoses to the fuel and oil pressure gauges.  Much of the wiring is from Micron Meters who sell real miniature insulated wire down to 36 AWG.  I tried to size the bodies of the instruments to scale.

 

 

Battery and gear lever visible.  I couldn't find a picture of a Varley battery in a 49 but one photo of a period Ferrari, shows the battery strapped on next to the gear box and I believe the Varleys were widely used.  Someone whose father worked on racing cars at the time in Australia said he remembered the body of the battery being white and a period 49 cutaway drawing seems to suggest the same.  A few pictures of a later chassis show a battery holder like the one modeled but I can't be certain that it was standard as very little was.  The gear lever is articulated and moves both backwards and forwards and side to side.  Clark was said to have been a master of gear changes, which, without a gate, must have been something of an art.  I hope someone will do an etched steering wheel in the correct shape.  The spokes are closer to a 'T' than a 'Y' (A bit of dusting before taking this picture would have helped)

 

 

This one shows the battery cover in place.  The seat goes over this and both are removable.

 

 

Before taking this photo I must have bumped the right rearview mirror.  It's now glued at the correct angle.  The lenses are the only Tamiya pieces with their original chrome finish, making a passable mirror.

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Mark Addleson

[Stu_davros]

This is fantastic work, a real attention to detail. I especially love the detail on the front radiator.

 

Cheers,

Stuart

[Mark Addleson]

Some pictures of the front sub-assembly including oil tanks

 

Difficult to see in front of the steering rack is a steering stabilizer, visible on pictures of chassis R3 in Beaulieu National Motor Museum (I was told that this part was from the front fork of a Norton bike.)  Below the master cylinders is the anti-roll bar (below)

All rod ends (known in the UK as rose joints - does anyone know why?) and the nuts on them are from RB Motion's excellent line of aluminium parts.  Among the bits and pieces I hoarded over the years, for no apparent reason, were fine pins that come with shirts.  Cut to size and with the head filed very thin (using a Dremel tool cutoff wheel), I've used these wherever there is an articulated joint, usually with a nut cut from drilled 1 mm hex rod and often with pieces of rod as the heads of allen head ('socket') bolts.

 

 

Underside of tanks.  Oil tank in front, overflow tank behind.

 

Oil tank held in place - like the prototype, using Colin Chapman's highly sophisticated bit of engineering - by a bungee cord.  Oil and water temp sensor wires still to be fitted.

 

Tamiya front dampers modified with aluminium tubing below and stainless above.

 

Radiator that still needed a few mods to fit.  The fittings are from Milliput and brass tubing.  All hose clamps are from a KA Models etched fret.  Though somewhat over-scale and to the US pattern (with cut-outs, not grooves) they add a bit of needed detail - holes later filled with bits of pin for screws.  The silver metal, used in various places, is probably thin aluminium that, like shirt pins and for reasons unknown, I'd stored for years.  A disk sealed tins of Nescafe instant coffee and I've never found anything quite like it.  Easy to cut and work.

 

Edited March 2, 2017 by Mark Addleson

[Mark Addleson]

Some pictures of the engine and peripherals - complete and during construction

 

Block with cover off showing wire from crankshaft timing sensor that runs to the ignition box. Rubber plug covers (perhaps only on later DFVs?), plug leads and fuel lines from Mac's Modeling.  As a plate fits over the triangular front cover, I didn't bother trying to modify the rather toy-like belt and pulleys that drive the peripherals.

Like the prototype, the engine is fastened to the body by the two lower 'bolts' (pins) and two 'bolts' (pins) through the shear plates, so, in theory can be removed.  Tachometer cable connection  is seen on left side front of block (in the pic) next to timing sensor wire

Rear bulkhead before installing engine, suspension

 

Underside showing modified exhaust ports and sump with cooling fins.

Block from the top

 

Ignition box and header tank.  Water return pipes from block are made from solder.  All weld lines, once again, are JB Weld epoxy.  Inlet trumpets and injectors are from the kit, filling the gap between the two with white glue. Injector "heads" were replaced with smaller styrene pieces, drilled to accept thin guitar wire (useful stuff) onto which fuel lines are glued

Modifications to transaxle include side plates, ribbing (mostly half round styrene rod) and some added detail.  Pipes, like the rocker arms are covered with Bare Metal foil.

Arrangement of electric and mechanical fuel pumps with hoses

Gear change linkage and clutch slave cylinder with spring from below.

 

Top of 'V' - throttle linkage, injector pump (fuel metering), alternator, distributor.

 

Dimensions for the top of 'V' unit were based on this photo.  The result, unfortunately, is a unit that is too short!

 

Block modified for water pipes

Block, transaxle and peripherals.  Right side label should read 'right side water pump' (on right) and oil scavenge pump' (left)!  Scavenge pump is a later version and I replaced it.  Can't spell 'shear'!

Modified exhaust ports and scavenge gallery cover added from Thunder Valley's very useful etched frets of 'extras' for the DFV. These frets provided the throttle slides, shear plates, and many other small parts used on the model, some used or modified for purposes for which they weren't intended, such as the DZUS fasteners on the nose.

Peripherals on left of block.  Mechanical fuel pump, left side water pump, oil pump and filter.

Edited March 20, 2017 by Mark Addleson
added 'block from the top', 'rear bulkhead'

[Mark Addleson]

A final set of photos for anyone interested and was willing to scroll down this far.  My thanks to those who have and who have commented too.   These pictures have to do with the suspension, brakes and wheels.

 

 

'Fir tree' subassembly on the right hand side of the block.  A surprising thing to me has been how well the joints between pieces of stainless tubing hold up when glued with a combination of cyano (initial join) and slow setting epoxy (JB Weld).

The "fir-trees" on left and right, seen from rear of the block.  The bottom brackets that hold the lower wishbones are probably too big, but it was difficult to find a clear picture of these and they varied from original prototypes to restored ones.  Because the Tamiya transaxle is too fat and too low - to accommodate a 'toy gearbox' in the early issue of the 49 - the left-side subassembly's lower anchor point on the side of the block had to be moved forward to clear the starter motor gear housing added to the side of the flywheel bell.

 

Lower rear wishbones, dampers and remade uprights.  The wishbones follow a scaled-down engineering drawing in Ian Wagstaff's book.  From a modeler's standpoint, I wish there were more of these drawings - provided by Classic Team Lotus and I wish I'd had the book when I started the project!

Complete rear suspension left side from front.  Note the bracket forming the mount for lower end of the damper, held in place by the pin on the lower clevis.

Left side rear suspension from rear.

Left side rear suspension from the top.  Lengthening the "pins" on the hub was necessary in order to fit into the cast spokes.  I'm not sure why.  Possibly because the Tamiya 'hat' hubs are not well modeled or because the brake calipers are too thick.

Half-shafts are Tamiya universal joints with aluminium tubing for the shafts and (JB Weld - again!) for the welds.  Interestingly the half-shafts are reversed on the model.  On the prototype, the squared-off part has a splined shaft that mates with the differential (?) gear.  The model has these up against the uprights.

 

Remade front uprights, which like the rear ones and brake parts, Brian Fawcett very generously cast for me.

 

Brake parts before casting.

Front brake calipers complete

Rear brake calipers

 

Front hub with brake caliper.  The idea of having threaded wheel nuts was a last minute insight.  Originally I'd made wheel nuts, moulded from the Tamiya originals, that push fit into the hollow stub axles.  Without a lathe the only option for a threaded axle was a nut and bolt. Purely by luck, a 3mm bolt was just right.  The picture shows the nylon hardware from which the threaded axles and wheel nuts were made.

CRC machined wheels from Scale Details, Germany.

Rear wheels.  Valve stems are stainless tubing in two sizes.

The deeply dished wheels meant a special wheel removal tool was required.  The B&W image is a scan of part of picture in Michael Oliver's book.

 

Edited March 14, 2017 by Mark Addleson

[Plastheniker]

Super clean, excellent detailing!

[Mark Addleson]

Thanks Jurgen.  It's been fun - but challenging!