Because I don’t have enough Lotus kits. ...

[Straightliner59]

Sorry to hear about Michael. I loved Motor Racing Replica News.

Your work, sir, as always, is fantastic! I hope that I have as much success with my engine! Keep up the great work.

[absmiami]

Thanks. Met Michael once years ago on a trip to Cali - he will be missed - plan to do a tribute build of one of his kits ….  Left cyl head plugs are in. Which is good. Because I’m sick of staring at these things …

[absmiami]

Electric wires. There are a bunch in the engine bay  -  the electronic ignition system was a new Ford development - and the components were attached to the roll bar and the braces - I think that the Clark car had some of the components in different locations - the wires that I’m adding are not spec - there are drawings for this system but I couldn’t figure out half of the wiring …

[charlie libby]

looking good andrew. the distributor boots look great. i think we all worry to much about the small stuff. in are world its all small stuff. in your case 1/24  very small

[Big John]

Looking incredible Andrew, dido the plug boots!  for what it's worth attached are a couple of wiring references from the 1965 Indy Ford manual.

[absmiami]

So that’s where the voltage regulator goes  !!    Glad I took a short break on this project -  now I can torment myself to my hearts content …. I’ve got a reprint of the manual for the engines - a Ford publication - but I didn’t have this Ford publication - which makes me wonder what else I’m missing …THANKS

i think …

[absmiami]

This is the electric diagram for

the 34 and the 38 - but I think that the 29 set up

is nearly the same - as the Ford 255 - that’s the 29 engine - was developed at the same

time as the DOHC …

[Venom]

Very impressive wiring work!

[absmiami]

Thanks V.  Studying the drawings. It occurs to me that I mite be able to wrap the electric  wire in thin strips of Parafilm - then paint the wrap black with a sharpie - anybody tried that ?   

[Straightliner59]

On 11/9/2021 at 11:37 AM, absmiami said:

Thanks V.  Studying the drawings. It occurs to me that I mite be able to wrap the electric  wire in thin strips of Parafilm - then paint the wrap black with a sharpie - anybody tried that ?   

For the connectors? I think that has possibility. What did you use for the 90 degree plug boots? They look great!

[absmiami]

A brief interlude

ill call this Requiem For A Lotus:    

[absmiami]

The Lotus 49 debuted in ‘67

Tamiya jumped at the opportunity to make a 12th scale 49.  The first kit was produced the following spring - just as the 49 sprouted wings and cigarette sponsorship - and sadly - Clark had perished in an FII race …

[absmiami]

Of course none of this would deter a 14 yr old fr convincing his parents to buy the kit - first available in the US through Auto World - mail order - thats right - mail order - and i think the decal sheet was produced seperately for the 68 Hill car …

[absmiami]

Of course Tamiya would soon produce a kit of the B spec 49 - but 14 yr olds arent very patient - so i set about creating the 49 B - and as you can tell - this was my first attempt at making a large scale race car - it didnt help that Tamiya supplied plug wires that scaled out to about 1.5 inches !  And yes i wired it to run on a battery set in a casing where poor Mr. Hill’s feet were supposed to go - the  electric motor fit into the engine - which is partly why the engine was so inaccuate - I actually got mine to run - really !

[absmiami]

Anyway - time has not been kind to the Hill 49.   So ive decided to dispose of this treasure - with or without a proper burial - not sure …. By the way - that goop in the picture with the kit wheels is what’s left of those magnificent kit tires - so heres a tip - DO NOT -store old Tamiya kit tires in a plastic bag in an unheated garage - this is what you get if you do - maybe ill try some with my ice cream tonite …

[absmiami]

If you want to see what

this kit looked like when built correctly - see F Reynolds’ build on the Modelingmadness.com site … actually he built the B spec kit released in 69 - but

you’ll get The idea …

[absmiami]

And by the way -

AutoWorld still lives and breathes as a .com. …   Ive sent them an inquiry - asked them what the 1968 catalog price was …

[Gramps46]

I am not feeling all that great after seeing the requiem.  My first purchase from Auto World was a Strombecker Scarab.

[absmiami]

And you’ve still got it - right ?

here’s the motor - looks better than the rest of this thing …

[Bainford]

I think this is all pretty standard for any vintage Lotus left to its own defences. Over the course of time, without constant attention, they gently disassemble themselves, both the 1:1, and, it would seem, in scale. 

Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious 

While we’re reminiscing, I didn’t learn about Auto World until ‘77, when I got a catalog through an add in the Revell Get It Together magazine. My first order was a Johan Chrysler Turbine, among other goodies. I even ticked the box to receive my free Exacto hobby knife ($1.00 value!), which is still the one I use daily. 

Edited March 11, 2022 by Bainford

[absmiami]

This. Is. GREAT ….  …  !!  !!!

do you still have the hinges ?  I think i got the same set ?

how’d that auto cutter work ? !
(Just kidding) 

Nova Scotia - one of my fav provinces …. The Cape Breton drive is the best in North America …

[absmiami]

“Picked by Mary”

shout out to “Scranton Mary”.   And to Oscar !

[Straightliner59]

5 hours ago, Bainford said:

I think this is all pretty standard for any vintage Lotus left to its own defences. Over the course of time, without constant attention, they gently disassemble themselves, both the 1:1, and, it would seem, in scale. 

Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious 

While we’re reminiscing, I didn’t learn about Auto World until ‘77, when I got a catalog through an add in the Revell Get It Together magazine. My first order was a Johan Chrysler Turbine, among other goodies. I even ticked the box to receive my free Exacto hobby knife ($1.00 value!), which is still the one I use daily. 

That's very cool! I still have three or four of their old catalogs. I think they're '74, '74-1/2, '75, and one from '80, too. I still have the engine detailing booklet I ordered from them!

[Bainford]

I loved the Auto World catalogues. I had two of them in the late 70s. and literally wore them out. As a kid building in rural Nova Scotia, I was building model cars like it was a religion, but doing it in isolation. These catalogs were my first touch with the outside world of model car building, and I devoured them. 

Andrew, yes, I still have a few of the hinges around somewhere, and the auto cutter worked as well as one might imagine. I still have it too, with decades old crust of petrified, melted plastic still on it. I used the lighting kit to illuminate the dial on my clock radio. 
And yes, the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton is a great drive, and in fact, a bloody awesome Lotus road. Cape Smoky on a light-traffic day... woohoo!

Danial, cool you still have the engine detailing book. It was high on my want list, but didn't make the cut. As it was, I was quite fortunate to have my mother splurge on such an order.

[absmiami]

Driving the Cape Breton trail in a Lotus - I drove it in A Mazda MPV -  dripping - moist - w jealousy …

where was I ….  One more coda …. I actually think that Auto World posted an ad in a Road &Track issue - maybe Junish 1968 - for the Tamiya kit ! Think thats where I first saw it - dont remember what i had for supper last nite - but I’m pretty sure of this little detail …