KIT LOTUS. Editorial. Volume 4 Issue 3 June 2011

Transcription

1 KIT LOTUS Volume 4 Issue 3 June 2011 In this issue Editorial PMA 1:12 97T Lotus 1 MFH & Studio 27 update 2011 Indy 500 Formula One 2011 More scratch build Lotus 40 scratch build progress Bits and pieces Lotus models to collect, it would be good to see an end to the stand off with Lotus firmly on the formula one map but with its roots based in its natural home. If you are interested, there will be the original court claim papers in the Affiliates Zone of the website. Not light reading, but it shows why the judgement took so long and maybe predictably, was inconclusive. Editorial Welcome to issue 3 of Volume four our twenty first issue, time for a celebration perhaps? And what better way for a magazine to celebrate by having a real scoop in its pages. This month I am very pleased to introduce a 1:18 replica of the original Austin Seven trials special that started it all off in The originator is none other than Mike Serrurier from Durban, South Africa. Mike has very kindly allowed me to show you his prototype whilst future plans are decided. His final model will be proudly displayed on the Kit Lotus stand at the Donington Lotus Festival in August alongside Peter Pedroza s new 1:8 Lotus 40 and Simon Parsons stunning collection of 1:43. I am really looking forward to Donington by investing in new display equipment to make the Kit Lotus stand worthy of the exhibits which will be on display. Please feel free to contact me if you fancy having your model on show. The special interest I have with The Indianapolis 500 took an upward turn this year as a Brit won the event for the second successive year. More interesting for us would be the fourth place netted by Tony Kanaan in the Lotus sponsored Dallara wearing Jim Clark s iconic number 82. See article. The law says that we still have two Lotus teams in Formula One, see article, which has rather taken the shine off the current Formula One season. Even if we do have six more Amongst all this intrigue, the model world continues to thrive with new Lotus coming out of various sources. Minichamps have this rather nice diecast 1:43 Lotus 81 with Andretti as the pilot on this weeks news letter. Whilst for the 1:43 kit builder, Tameo have the super kit version of Graham Hill s 1968 Lotus 49B on the boil including the rare rear engine cowl, can t wait sit to see this one. Strange though, it seems for every new release, the annual wish list put out by model companies seems to stall. Take for instance Exoto, it was Volume 1 Issue 4 when I reported on their forthcoming Lotus 78. Well, according to their website it still sits on their coming soon pile. Tamiya on the other hand continue to re-release older models and they take advantage of the trend to upgrade by including photo etch as well. Spark are now listing no fewer than 79 Lotus models in their catalogue with European GP variants of the T127 being the latest. So, the Lotus model world is alive and kicking, please continue to enjoy it and think about letting me have your experiences for Kit Lotus magazine.

2 PMA 1:12 Lotus 97T For some people, myself included, collecting goes in phases, three years ago at the birth of Kit Lotus, diecast was secondary in my mind to everything that was not a kit. Now three years later my Lotus diecast collection appears to have expanded quicker than my kit collection. The most likely cause is that craving for immediate gratification coupled with the advances in detail, which escalate everytime a new model is released. On the market for some time and definitely not on my radar was the 1:12 Scale Lotus 97T from Paul s Model Art, one of the Senna collection. This stunning piece of Paul s art is now frimly in my collection despite me not being Senna s number one fan and my regular confession to not having enough passion to finish the 1:20 97T Whilst a little delicate, the decal sheet contained a full set of decals including John Player for Senna helmet yet to be applied). No dramas and an excellent complimentary to the fabulous detail displayed in the rest of the model. The engine cover is removeable and reveals a very detailed Renault engine behind a finely detaled monocoque all with substantial amounts of electrical cabling and plumbing on view. Such is the detail that the weld on the side of the rollover hoop is visible, a very nice touch. Likewise the antennae and the fire extinguisher pull handle are neatly detailed and firmly fixed. The F artifice decals detail the carbon fibre weave of the front canard wings and the full rear wing including the underside. The two auxillary wings on the body carry on the theme. Fine finish is a standard running right through the model with an unblemished deep black shine to the body panels making the application of the decals easy careful with the lettering, it does come apart if you don t concentrate. by MFH which I bought and started 8 years ago. Why then did I make the purchase? It was there at the right time and it is an iconic car in its own right being the car driven by Senna to his first win at a rain sodden Estoril in Also the car has to thank the aftermarket for prompting my purchase knowing that a full set of sponsor decals could be obtained to make a proper job. So, the model arrived a few days before the F artifice set of decals from Best Balsa Kits and the scene was set to join the two together and produce a great replica of what is in true Lotus tradition, a fine looking racer. The car sits on a fine set of Goodyear rain tyres, faithfully replicated from the Estoril race. The only area for criticism is for me the driver figure, on the whole nicely done, not as detailed as the Tamiya Collection 1:20 Lotus diecasts in terms of paintwork but with an accurate a replica race suit as possible and very passable set of red Sabelt harnesses. The let down is the outstretched arms and drivers gloves, Paul seems to have run out of art for this bit and detail appears to peter out with a much lower standard of detail on the driver gloves in particular. The rest of the car more than makes up for this minor grumble. My dislike of Senna doesn t run to not having any respect fro his achievements so having one of his models in my collection is essential. For less than 200 my cabinet has a more than passable Lotus 97T in large 1:12 scale and I am looking forward to having it on display at the Lotus Show in August at Donington Park on the Kit Lotus stand where I hope you will all come along and view it. Paul s models are definitely art.

3 Scoop from South Africa - Mikes Miniatures reveal the 1:18 Lotus 1 Since starting Kit Lotus it has been a priveledge to meet lots of interesting people who share the same passion and although we have never met in the flesh, the benefits of Skype have allowed me to chat for hours with Mike Serrurier who lives in Durban in the Republic of South Africa. Most of you know Mike from his cottage industry Mikes Miniatures making 1:43 early Lotus models. He ll forgive me for saying that his models to date have not received critical acclaim but if you want Lotus 1, 2 and 3, Mike is the only producer. Donington Park, August 13th/14th 2011 but I am very pleased to announce it here in Kit Lotus. Subject to licencing and approvals, the Mark 1 may go on goon sale as a curbside model and the standard will be a step change in what Mike has produced to date. Now, don t expect a production line model in slick boxes, Mike will produce mainly to order and at a rate of two or three a week. The model sticks to the theme of Colin Chapmans 1948 creation built of wooden panels with aluminium covering. Each one is virtually scratch built and features photo etched wire wheels and a Mike is steeped in a passion for English classics and has a large Dinky and Corgi collection, he is also a big Jaguar fan, he drives a Morris Minor but his real passion is Lotus, hence the hours of Skype talking to me. Readers may recall the Kit Lotus trip to CTL last September and the picture of the LDS single seater in the CTL workshops. LDS stands for Louis Doug Serrurier, Mike s late uncle no less who built these single seaters in the sixties because of the price of Lotus and Cooper spare parts in South Africa were almost out of reach,so there is a link. One reason for the Skype discussions is Mike s latest project, a 1:18 scale Austin Seven Special, latterly to become the Mark 1 Lotus. Mike has been using me as a critical friend to get the Mark 1 into a marketable commodity and it will debut in the UK at the Lotus Show, cast resin radiator grill. The hinges of the rear cover are hand made along with the aluminium windscreen surrounds. Mike confesses to liking nothing better than a pint of John Smiths and it is a good job really because he uses the beer cans as raw material for the mudguards, nothing wrong with recycling and who would know if I hadn t spilled the beans ( or beer)? I asked Mike where he produces his models bearing in mind he lives in a Flat, an Apartment to our continental friends. I was amazed when he told me his worksop is on the veranda where he has his bench and vice, lathe with milling attachment and storage cupboards. His downstairs garage houses another bench with bandsaw and an arc welder. Mike has kindly allowed me to publish a preview of his first prototype and I have to say it is coming along nicely. The overall shape looks good especially when only photographs are available for research unless you fancy buying an air fare to the Barber in Alabama. He still has some things to do such as re-working the bonnet line and making the radiator more crisper with sharper more angular lines. But is a fine model and even more amazing given the limitations of his production line. It isn t wearing the correct wheels yet and there is dashboard detail to complete along with a general tidy and a polish but, It will be completed very soon and Mike will be looking for support. Now, correct me by all means but hands up if anyone has this significant model car in their collection? Thought not but get in the queue because I m first or somewhere near first.

4 Update from Japan Those Japanese artists are nothing if not resourceful and if the news on the Studio 27 and Model Factory Hiro websites is correct, they are working hard to keep us in new models despite their recent set backs. What is lacking are good quality media photographs of the finished article but these shots of The Model Factory Hiro Lotus 76 are the best I ve seen so far showing once again the magnificent detail that goes into these special models. Although in prototype form they are still well proportioned Model Factory Hiro has another interesting nuggett tucked away in their jobs to do list. They have mentioned in the forthcoming model list a 1:12 scale Lotus 79. This will surely rival the MG Models version, not only in detail because you can bet the family silver it will be out of this world, but hopefully they will win on price. These super detailed kits are fine. They are fabulous to look at. but they are pushing increasingly away from the pocket of the average model builder/collector. Before long only a large disposable income will allow serious model building let alone collecting. Studio 27 replicas. For now at least we will just have to imagine the finished article. Of the various guises the 76 found itself in, my preference is for this first version as displayed to the expectant press. In the meantime you will have to make do with this picture if the real thing. Another Joe Honda MFH publication is out now, volume 5 of a massive collection of highly detailed shots of formula one cars taken during his trips to European Grands Prix. The latest issue has the Lotus 78 and 79 as subject matter, just in time to coincide with the 79 mania which is gripping kit land of late and the re release of the 1:20 Tamiya Lotus 78 with ubiquitous photo etch of course. Around 3300 Yen or whatever that is in new money will get you a copy. Limited to a 3000 print run, the publication should soon be on the sold out list. Try Hiro- has refreshed its website lately but it is still quite difficult to use. Some of the downloads just don t download. However, that s not the important bit, the important bit is the latest Lotus offerings. A very nice transkit for the 99T from 1987 is the latest product but there is three versions of the Lotus 91 including the 1982 Austria GP version, Colin Chapman s last ever Formula One victory, delivered by Elio De Angelis in one of the closest finishes in any Grand Prix. The new release list shows further sets of upgrade parts for the Tamiya 107 and 107B and the product list still has our favourite upgrade decal sets and photoetch. Also in 1:20 both of the Monopost Lotus are offered, the 2010 Lotus T127 and the Lotus Renault GP.

5 82 Back at Indianapolis Photographs copyright K.V. Racing Technologies and LAT Photography With increased exposure this year and the prospect of the new Lotus engine and aero package for the 2012 Indycar season, the Indycar series looks promising for the green and yellow cars. A fresh driver line up with Takuma Sato being joined by Venezualan driver E J Viso and Brazillian veteran Tony Kanaan saw the KV Technologies Lotus team increased from one to three. Fortunes this year have certainly been better so far than last with all three drivers getting in amongst the points and putting some quick performances together. Sato led his first Indycar race at Sao Paulo but a late fuel stop saw hi drop to 8th at the flag. This years Indianapolis 500 saw all three Lotus cars qualify with Sato in tenth place, the highest grid slot for the team. Veteran Kanaan has had top five placings before at the Indy 500 but never had a win so his 22nd place on the 2011 grid probably all but put paid to that idea this year. Kanaan s late addition to the Lotus team gave us another slice of nostalgia, something everyone involved at this level or at F1 have taken advantage of. You can t beat the publicity it generates. This nostalgia was to take race number 82, the same number Jim Clark took to Victory Lane in Would Sato capitalise on his recent improvement if form? And how would Viso fair from his 18th grid slot? As the cars formed up for the noon parade laps, no one could have predicted the outcome but 33 hopefuls put all apprehension behind them as the starter dropped the flag on the 12.12pm rolling start. Disaster, the first exit from the race was Takuma Sato, he ahd dropped back a few places but was gathering his momentum when after only 21 laps, he put the Lotus into the wall posting last place as a result and bringing out the first yellow flag. The clear up took six laps giving the entire field the opportunity to pit, during which Viso and Hamilton made contact exiting their pit boxes. The race restarted on lap 27 only for Viso and Hinchcliffe to make contact with Viso hitting the wall hard and bring out the second yellow flag. So in the space of six laps two of the three Lotus entries were out posting dead last and next to dead last place. Kanaan however was one of the race sensations making and taking every opportunity to overtake which saw him move to P7 after lap 40. By lap 59 he was up to P4 and flying. At his scheduled stop on Lap 63, Kanaan was blocked by Pippa Mann making entry to his pit box impossible. Going around again cost him dearly dropping right back to P24 losing 20 places. In an amazing comeback, Kanaan rose to P4 at the checquered flag after driving one of the races of his life and putting a Lotus at the front end of the Indy finishing line up since the 1960s. The biggest twist in the 2011 Indy 500 story was the changing lead toward the end of the race with fuel stops giving disappointment to several drivers. Hildebrand managed to get into the lead on Lap 196 of the 200 laps but the gods were not to shine for him as he hit the wall on the last corner of the last lap allowing Englishman Dan Wheldon to snatch victory. Hildebrands stricken car still crossed the line in second place.

6 Lotus 72 build This was supposed to be a stop gap project whilst I collected the bits to build the Tasman 49 but as usual it became a bigger pull on time that I don t seem to have. Donington is just a few short weeks away so I will have to get a waft on if both the 72 and the 49 are to line up together. The beauty of the 72 as a kit is the modular set up allowing sub-assemblies to be constructed more so than other kits so the build is probably more advance than it appears. Painting the black bits took a can and a half of Tamiya gloss black spray on a grey primer base. The black anvil air box had some milliput treatment to fill the seams prior to paint leaving all of the body parts ready for the final surface clean and polish. As usual, I will be using 3Ms finesse product for this but will leave this to point when less handling of the bodywork is needed. Inside of the tub I used bare metal foil rather than paint, I think it gives a more used effect but this is just personal opinion. As an experiment, I had a try with gold metal foil to cover the wheels of the 72, my thinking being that the gold paint we use doesn t stay gold very long and gets very dull, very quickly. The result looked bright and garish, nothing like the real thing so off it came and the wheels got the standard gold acrylic paint but with a clear lacquer cover coat to seal a bit of a shine. The monocoque is almost finished, just the seat belt mountings to fix. I used a very nice set of AcuStion seat belt fixings which includes several sets and has both photo etched buckles as well as some excellent cast versions. Fairly expensive as you would expect from AcuStion and in one respect a little disappoiniting. This was a blue belt version but the ribbon supplied is far too dark fot the Willans type blets it depicts. Back to Mrs T s sewing box looking for 4mm Royal Blue ribbon, but with no lck this time. Fortunatley we still have a local haberdashery shop who came to the rescue. The buckles can be threaded onto the ribbon so that they are adjustable, not that this is likely once they are in position. Another raid on the sewing box for flat headed shirt pins provided the main anchor bolts to drill into the monocoque as non standard fittings. The finished model won t feature Mr Fittipaldi, I don t normally like driver figures in the car preferring to catch the detail inside the cockpit instead. I ve chosen to add some wiring to the rear of the dash and to include the cables to the battery. Modeler s braided hose add a dimension to the back of the car piped in to the fittings of the oil tank which in turn have had the anodised look using clear blue acrylic over a silver base. As for decals, My intention is to use the standard sheet of decals. They are quite old but they have had an extra spray coat of clear to protect them so I m hoping they will be ok. If they aren t, another trip into the aftermarket will have to be done. Hopefully by the next issue, there will be pictures of the finished car and all will be well in the final preparations for Donington. Building this stuff takes time and I have to confess that having more time would be a luxury for me just now so I make no promises about the finishing line. We will just have to wait and see.

7 More scratch building John Shinton s 1:8 scale Lotus 62 has been briefly featured before but Jim Marsden put me on to a link to which has the storyline behind John s 62 in pictures. So, my apologies to Banks Europa and John for pinching some of the images. I m sure readers will be intruiged to see the progress of the model from scratch. Techniques of the scratch builder have similarities, they must have accurate dimensions along with the skills to take on differnt processes. You can t just be the pattern maker, you have to be the machinist, the moulder, the draughtsman, the fitter and the body finisher as well. Now that we have read Peter Pedroza s articles on his Lotus 40, the idea of wooden wheels no longer holds any trepidation for us. Using a wood turning lathe to shape the basis of the wheel and laying on the tread in a relief machined in some way seems to be the established method. No matter how invisible, Joh has faithfully replicated many small parts like this gear shift linkage. His chassis is a mixture of fabrication and casting. Getting a mould from an original pattern takes a lot of skill and the modeller has to plan how his component not only will look but how it will fix and how it relates to corresponding parts. Having the capacity to think in 3D is essential and how the mould will allow material to flow but not to cause to too much flash or excess resin to claen off. All moulds are in tow halves so gaugibg where the split line needs to be is an art from on its own. John s end result is this, magnificent. Even the smallest part needs the same attention to detail as the bif ones if they are to be successful and represent an accurate replica in miniature of the original.

8 Lotus Formula Photographs copyright of Group Lotus and Team Lotus May 27th was a day most Lotus officianados were looking out for, the judgement in the Lotus v Lotus court case about who is the real Team Lotus and how that will affect Formula One. Not unsurprising both camps are claiming victory so four cars with Lotus in the title will continue to form up on the 2011 Formula One grid. It has been interesting reading all of the forums and the words of wisdom by all of the amateur experts, none of it either relevant or factual. Reporting on the case was restricted but I managed to get hold of copies of the claim forms and counter claims forms all of which are publicly available. After reading the 37 pages of legalease until my brain didn t know what day it was, it confirmed how complicated the legal arguments were and how simple minds like mine would be better off just taking no notice of the pundits and waiting for the outcome. The press release from Group Lotus, follows: Group Lotus Wins On Key Issues In Formula 1 Naming Dispute Mr Justice Peter Smith today gave his judgement in the dispute between Group Lotus plc and Team Lotus, Tony Fernandes and others in respect of the right to use the name Lotus in Formula 1. The Judge also found that Team Lotus has the right to continue to race in Formula 1 under the name Team Lotus but the effect of the Judgment is that only Group Lotus can use the name Lotus on its own in F1. Group Lotus is concerned that this aspect of the Judgment will cause confusion in the eyes of spectators and the wider public. Accordingly, Group Lotus is seeking leave to appeal so that the right to use the Lotus brand in Formula 1 is clarified once and for all in the interests of the sport and the fans. Group Lotus and its shareholder Proton Holding Bhd are confident of success on appeal. Speaking after the judgement, Sarah Price, Head of Legal, Group Lotus plc said: "Group Lotus is pleased that its right to race under the Lotus name in F1 has been upheld and that the Defendants attempts to stop that have failed. The on-going dispute with Team Lotus and associated companies has been a cause for concern for all at Group Lotus. Despite the detailed judgment there are issues which still require clarification and we remain committed to obtaining this much needed clarity Judgement Summary The Judge found that: Group Lotus has goodwill associated with the name Lotus in Formula 1 and is free to compete in the sport under that name using the Lotus roundel; Group Lotus is entitled to race in F1 using the historic black and gold livery; 1MRT is in breach of the Licence granted to them by Group Lotus to race in F1 under the name Lotus Racing and has awarded Group Lotus damages in respect of that breach; Team Lotus Ventures Limited s trade mark registrations in the name of Team Lotus are cancelled as a result of nonuse; Group Lotus trade mark registrations are unaffected; and Group Lotus has the right to use the Lotus marque on cars for road use. for the many fans of the Lotus marque - we are extremely grateful for their continued support. The decision to appeal has not been taken lightly. Team Lotus are also claiming vindication but confirmed that the case is having a negative effect on raising sponsorship. The planned appeal by Group Lotus will leave both teams on the grid for at least twelve months and therefore a longer period where we are likely to see more scale models. The Spark T127s are readily available now and we can expect more. Minichamps have the three Renaults listed but still no sign of any pictures of completed 1:20 scale either T127 or the Lotus Renault. In race terms, Team Lotus are still the best of the third tier and Lotus Renault are racking up a steady haul of world championship points. Heidfeld doing particularly well in Barcelona from a back of h grid start, and finishing in the points at Monaco. Petrov caused the red flag to be deployed after ending in the barrier with only a handful of laps left. The restart was an anti climax and the end result produced no surprises. Here s hoping Petrov makes a quick recovery from his minor injuries.

9 Lotus 40 Scratch build project part 4 - Medium Density Fibreboard By Peter Pedroza WHEELS/TYRES Now that we have some tyres we need something to put them on. Don t worry, wheels are a lot easier and quicker to make than the tyres. I said at the start of this project that some people think you need a lot of expensive machinery to produce things from scratch but actually you don t. When it came to making the wheels and tyres for this model I decided to prove that that is the case. I do have a lathe and as such I did turn the 4 wheels and tyres for this model. However there is a spare wheel/tyre carried on this particular car and I therefore decided that I would make this by hand to prove that it could be done. To make a wheel rim is actually a lot easier to do than it is to describe but with a cross section sketch and a photo to help here goes. Whilst I have to admit that to turn the tyres was easier than shaping by hand, the opposite was the case for the wheels. Whilst being a straightforward operation on the lathe it was just as easy and in fact a lot quicker to make the rims by hand. The model is now getting near to completion and as such a lot of the other parts are made ready for fitting. As you can see these include the side skins curved with the help a rubber mat and a rolling pin and the seats covered using the soft leather from an old pair of my wife s gloves. At least I hope they were an old pair! With the tyre to its basic shape cut some lengths of 0.5mm plastic card to the correct rim width and a bit longer than the inside diameter of the tyre. Fit in place and cut squarely so that it is a tight fit inside the tyre. It s best to keep cutting off slivers of plastic until the length just clicks into place. Repeat with further strips putting a dab of cement around the preceding strip until you get up to the correct thickness. You can see that a wheel rim has a few different widths and thickness in its build up. For our construction we can simplify this by making three separate rims, each one requiring a different number of strips to get to the correct thickness. The strips can be cemented together for the 3 individual rims but don t cement the 3 together at this stage. This way when finished you can slide out the three tubes and rub the edges on a flat piece of wet and dry to get a smooth finish. In fact when you re-insert them you will find that they don t need cement anyway as if you ve done it right they will be a nice tight fit. The only bit I actually cemented in place on final assembly was the centre disc. You can see Peter s finished model at the Lotus Show, Donington Park August 13th/14th. The whole show will be well worth a visit for this display alone, no doubt alongside Peter s equally magnificent 1:8Scle Lotus 49, his 1:5 Scale Lotus Twin Cam engine and his fabulous 1:20 dioramas.

10 Bits and pieces The influence of Colin Chapman gets everywhere? Just recently to the Model Engineering Exhibition at Harrogate North Yorkshire and in the form of a railway engine!! Masters of the universe Spark have followed up their release of This one looks big enough for a small person to sit in but will it have the same Lotus performance and handling? Thanks to Peter Pedroza for this photograph. the famous Le Mans Dunlop Bridge with two pit box dioramas. One is the framework of the pit itself and the other is an extension Postage Bargain but be quick!! Grand Prix Models are closed until 6th June for staff holidays. As a consolation to buyers, if you order anything from stock whilst Andre, Mark & co are all on the beach until the 6th, postage will be free. A few percent discount is always welcome. Team Lotus Enterprise has purchased Caterham Cars in a move designed to protect the philosophy of Colin Chaman s Lotus 7 design by taking it to new markets. From a modelling viewpoint, there will undoubtedly be replicas in Team Lotus colours with several manufacturers in he perfect position to take advantage of another potential outlet. It should look good and be very popular. Watch this space. to the front including the usual gantries essential these days. Only modern stuff applies for Lotus fans, maybe the Spark Lotus GT versions or perhaps an F1 diorama including the T127s? Legal stuff - Kit Lotus is copyright and published by J Thornhill, Nottingham, NG16 3DQ. Contact us at mail@kitlotus.com or visit Kit Lotus is copyright and may not copied by any means either mechanical or electronic, without the expressed permission of the author. Kit Lotus may contain images that are copyright to third parties other than Kit Lotus. There is no deliberate intention by Kit Lotus to infringe any copyright and any such infringements will be removed immediately on request. We welcome links to appropriate websites but we will not be liable for damages of any kind arising out of such access to third party websites or to our website, or any inability to access third party websites or our website or your reliance on the information contained within our website or third party websites Clicking on links from will take you to other websites of which we take no responsibility. We will use every reasonable effort to include accurate and up to date information, in all of our publications but neither make nor imply any warranties or representations as to the accuracy or completeness. Kit Lotus has no affiliation, implied or otherwise, with Group Lotus and its companies or any other official or unofficial group or entity.