absmiami

And here’s a restored 25 - using a casting in its place - not really inaccuate - because i’m sure Team Lotus utilized the casting later in the 25’s competion career - but - this is why the bl and wh images on sites like Motorsports Images are so valuable to us …

And a quick thought about research for a particular car at a particular moment of its competition life - this is the steering wheel on Clark’s 25 on its debut in ‘62 - Dutch Grand Prix - with a simple machined collar to attach the steering rod -

And then chucked into a Foredom drill peice to go for a spin - sanding sticks and the tips of files give the part a machined - rather than a cast appearance - just need to make a collar to place behind the spokes … and yes- I’ll need to an emblem to the center cap …

The Auto Kits wh metal steering wheel turns out to have the exact diameter - 12 scale inches - but it needs a few mods - reducing the texture appearance on the wheel grip - which was a relatively smooth leather - and and a small correction to the shape of the spokes -

In this Oct 1968 Car Model issue - we were all introduced to Mr Keeler’s work in the mag’s iconic funny car contest - but quite a few of the placing entrants were kids - the fourth place finisher caught my eye - a precocious 14 yr old by the name of Timothy Boyd - wonder whatever became of young Timmy …. ??

Check this out …

Brake line junction - when I solder up a small part - i start with lengths of tubing - this is .026 brass - and reduce each length with files until i’ve made the part -

I got a set - just one set - you see, $2.50 was ALOT of $$ in 1971 …

Some white metal susp parts from a years past Gurney Eagle project - to be used on the trailing arms and parallel links …

The fasteners for the trailing arms will be glued during final assembly - with a fake nut - and the length of the trailing arms can be shortened once all the parts are assembled …

Thing 1 - consider a set of early Mercedes GP wire wheels fr FPP - the resin castor in Portugal - thing II - the rims are large enough to consider hand made wire wheels - and you’re a good enough builder to tackle this …

The trailing arms will be nickel silver .040 tube - 1 inch scale - silver soldered to posts - the early 25s did not have the Len Terry designed brackets that were riveted to the sides of the monocoque on the 63 cars and many following open wheelers … the angle needed for the post follows the shape filed on to the popsicle stick - the angle was sort of hit-or-miss - but once i found the right angle i’ve got the stick as a template to solder up trailing arm brothers and sisters …

Left and right either / or

Now that i know how to use lo temp solder I’ve soldered a nickel silver post to the ends of the rockers - that’s where i can pin the top of the shocks - the shocks are in-board - housed in the footbox - this was another innovation on the 25 -

Thanks lascar ! So here’s the fuel cap …

Rex says he used old stock Testors Blue enamel - you might even have some …

This blue reminds me of the Rob Walker team dark blue - i bet you tamiya makes something that is close -

Once the rod has a slot filed to make a stem - i placed the rod on a hard surface and rolled a file over the cap end to leave the markings on the cap … here’s the results of the first experiment …

While metal is soft - so i can’t machine it - but i can turn these scraps into reasonably useful rods - and i can file and sand these with hand tools -

Since i’m replacing and making my own susp parts for both the Lotus 25 and the Lotus 38 - ive got some spare parts to canabilize -

And here’s the fuel filler cap … now the question is how to mark or impress the pattern on to the sides of the cap in small scale ? Sherline offers some tools that can be used to emboss a cross-hatched pattern on to metal rod - but i think the pattern is a bit over scale for 24th ….

The oil tank and the fuel filler pipes that feed both left and right fuel tanks both have a hand cap that is cast with hand grip markings - here’s the oil tank …

Not enough solder in the joint - even though i’m using silver solder …. But i managed a repair and then soldered up the left side arm … checked the width - i’ll get real close to spec tread width …

Gracias BK - but you jinxed me …