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Post by David Lawson on Aug 5, 2015 5:32:15 GMT -5
An excellent build Brian, the mirrors would have been in natural aluminium.
One question from me are you going to add the rear springs/dampers to the shell?
David
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Post by Brian on Aug 5, 2015 5:39:04 GMT -5
Yes David, making them as we speak. May add fronts too, I have an idea?
Thanks.
Brian
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Post by Brian on Aug 5, 2015 6:31:39 GMT -5
Feeling a little sick. Whilst fitting the rear shocks I drop the shell and chipped the paint in front of bonnet bulge. Would I be able to locally touch up paint and then polish it out when the paint is dry. It will probably leave an indentation. The annoying thing is it landed on carpet, but the shell hit a small section of pipe I've been using to fabricate the shocks. Gutted!
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Post by David Lawson on Aug 5, 2015 8:56:14 GMT -5
That's horrible when that happens.
I often touch up my race damaged cars, I spray some of the paint into the cap of the can and touch it in several very light coats. If I get it right I can barely see the chip.
David
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Post by stuck on Aug 5, 2015 9:02:18 GMT -5
Brian
Your Lotus 16 is faultless, beautiful and takes me back to a splendid age of motor racing when training shoes hadn't been invented, gentlemen dressed appropriately for sporting events (and didn't wear ear-rings), and drivers didn't blame colleagues when mistakes were made. Just for the record, it was also an era in which champagne wasn't wasted, lavatory facilities at Silverstone were ghastly, and a bacon sandwich could still be bought for less than the cost of your daughter's wedding dress.
A propos of nothing in particular the Lotus 16s that regularly ran in VSCC events during the 1960s and 1970s were all in attractive, but very different, shades of green. Billy Wilkes' car also usually sported white, rather than yellow, wobbly webs. Bill always wore a matching white crash helmet.
I really ought to make a slot version of Bill's wonderful, old car - and probably will - but I've got six other projects on the go at present - the best excuse for not gardening.
Yours ever
Laurence
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Post by Chris Wright on Aug 5, 2015 9:25:33 GMT -5
Brian, Unfortunately dropping cars and paint chips happens to everone. David's advice is great, that's what I do too, then I polish the chip with a Tamiya polishing stick, you can make the chip disapear that way. The polishing stick is the black and white Tri-Grit in the photo. It's great for getting rid of dust bumps too. Chris
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Post by Brian on Aug 5, 2015 14:26:11 GMT -5
Hi All,
I've completed the rear shocks, but have to repair the damaged paint work on the shell. I've also manufactured mirrors and fitted a mesh screen in the nose.
What do you guys use to glue your wind shields on with. I've been using super glue but this always leaves traces on the screen and body work. I've tried 560 canopy glue but this never holds the screen in place.
Thanks.
Brian
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Post by Chris Wright on Aug 5, 2015 14:54:56 GMT -5
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Post by David Mitcham on Aug 5, 2015 15:18:38 GMT -5
Hi Brian
I use rivets too now. You can get 0.5mm and 0.4 mm ones in brass too. You need a very fine drill bit to go through the screen (which needs to be very precisely shaped to fit the cockpit opening) and into the body work at the base of the windscreen. Its quite fiddly but worthwhile in the end! I think there is a picture in my BRM P57 posts which will give you the idea of how to do it.
I really like your Lotus 16 - a great piece of work.
Best Regards
David
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Post by Chris Wright on Aug 6, 2015 14:45:08 GMT -5
Hi Brian, Just coincidence, I mounted the windscreen on my Lotus Eleven just a few days ago. Here's a photo of it showing it mounted on the Lotus (windscreen is in real life mounted on the inside of the body). The trick is to do this when the car is still in Primer. 1. Cut the windscreen to the correct shape where it meets the car body only. Leave the top untrimmed. 2. Trim cockpit opening on the car to correct shape, make sure windscreen fits as it does on the real car. 3. Using a very fine drill bit (same dia as chosen rivets) in a pin vice (google micro drills) drill holes where rivets will be located. 4. Tape windshield onto body in correct location with thin strips of masking tape. 5. Drill holes in windshield in the appropriate corresponding places, installing a rivet (no glue) in each hole as drilled. 6. Remove all rivets, and trim top edge of windshield, then trim the bottom edge so that all the rivet holes are the same distance from the windshield edge. 7. Test fit again to make sure everything looks right. 8. Put windshield in a safe place. 9. Paint car, add decals and top coat. 10. Install windshield and all the rivets, place a small amount of epoxy on the inside of the body where the rivet appears. Let dry (use 5 min epoxy) trim off long stem of rivet with nail clipper dykes. Hope this helps. Chris
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Post by Brian on Aug 8, 2015 10:55:41 GMT -5
Thanks Chris and David for your sage advice and thank you Laurence for the very kind words. I will look at using rivets on my next build, they look great, very neat. I will also be using the mirrors to hold the screens in place. Chris your Lotus looks perfect, what a stunning piece of work. Well I purchased a Tri-Grit stick and it's a cracking tool. The mark on the front of my Lotus is gone and I went and clear coated the shell today. There was a small reaction to the front decal, but what can I do. Well I'm back to work next week so my man cave is looking bleak. All my cars are now boxed away and my track covered. I intend to finish Grahams Lotus before I go so tomorrow I will be adding the screen and mirrors. Thanks. Brian
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Post by Brian on Aug 9, 2015 11:13:31 GMT -5
Well here is my interpretation of Graham Hills Lotus Climax 16 from 1959. Whilst I was researching where to put the panel straps, I noticed that the rear end is all green. I will have to revisit this when I return back from work (leaving again on Thursday for the high sea's!) I will also be changing the wheels on my return. When I first started this build I thought it was going to be quite a plain car, how wrong I was. This is my wife favorite build of mine and I have to admit I'm pleased with how it has turned out. Even with the issues I still need to address. Thanks to everyone who gave me sound advice and kind words. All the best. Brian
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Post by Aurora on Aug 9, 2015 13:26:15 GMT -5
Great Brian, the details look very nice, especially your shocks and exhaust.
I understand what you're saying about thinking that this car might be plain. I've never looked closely at the Lotus 16, but I'll bet there is a lot of complexity - there always is. Always another little part or infuriating detail that must be added. So good job for persevering before you leave for work. It can be easy to get bogged down in the details and not finish the car.
What method did you decide on to attach the windscreen?
Matt
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Post by Brian on Aug 10, 2015 2:35:40 GMT -5
Thanks Matt. I ended up just gluing the screen as I had already trimmed it prior to finding out how other attached theirs. One thing I noticed last night, is prior to me clear coating the shell the lotus badge had disappeared . I added one last night! Brian
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Post by stuck on Sept 8, 2015 6:49:07 GMT -5
Ah, the finished article. Absolutely splendid. A beautiful Grand Prix car authentically depicted and a driver looking exactly like dear old Graham. If Chapman had made his Lotus 16s to this standard, they might have done a little better in the late 1950s, but ne'er mind. It's still one of my favourite racing cars and will remain so.
Sad to see the plight of cars bearing the Lotus name today. Last weekend's Italian GP was, well... As Jenks used to write and say often enough, it made him laugh that some people with whom he was acquainted had the words: 'Racing driver' written in their passports.
Again, a brilliant slot Lotus 16, and many thanks for posting the photographs.
Laurence
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