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

[charlie libby]

gravity is not only a law its a good idea. 

[absmiami]

Whilst cleaning the workbench- a huge undertaking - i found my stash of thin alu sheet - pie sheet - about .008 thick …. Glued to .012 Evergreen sheet - this stuff is in the misc sheet and rod package - this was measured and cut for the base/surface of the driving compartment …. Didnt want to paint this because the frame is battleship gray - or will be …

[absmiami]

Here’s where the two sections go - with a flat finish

[Bainford]

Yeah, that's looking good.

[Straightliner59]

I love that! Bending tin, is fun. Bending time would be more so!

Edited December 14, 2024 by Straightliner59

[absmiami]

Working on it

[Straightliner59]

You're determined. I believe you'll get there!

[Pierre Rivard]

And if you still have a lifeline I suggest tou call Albert

[Gramps46]

On 12/13/2024 at 8:33 PM, Bainford said:

Yeah, that's looking good.

Yeah, what Trevor said. 🙂

[absmiami]

Gramps - im making an appointment …

[absmiami]

So I spoke with Albert - he asked me about a particular Lotus single seater - having cleaned / cleared the workbench - it crawled out of the project pile and on to said w/bench … its rare, of course, and resin, of course - here’s the baseplate - as you can see - its a curbside - that won’t do …

[absmiami]

To surgery

… transaxle-ectomy

[Pierre Rivard]

Ouch... my gears!

[absmiami]

better yours than mine ...

[Bainford]

Man, I wish I had your ability to keep multiple projects on the go. Is this the Type 18?

[absmiami]

Correct - and well played - in 1959 Colin Chapman had a problem - the 16 was unsuccessful - rarely finishing and not winning - so he designed the next season’s car   to carry the engine in the back - with a space frame - like the Cooper - but lighter - at this point - a Lotus had yet to win a grand prix … Classic Team Lotus has the factory drawings - reproduced in Ian Wagstaff’s Great Cars book on Stirling Moss’ Walker team Monaco winner “Lotus 18 The Autobiography of Stirling Moss’s 912” - 

[absmiami]

Chapman - with some help from Len Terry - re-arranged the Series II 16 frame bulkheads - to move the Climax four behind the driver -  and narrowed the frame - i’m using the kit engine bulkhead so that I’ll have a finished part that the resin body will slip over …

[absmiami]

I want to make the engine compartment frame - but i kept some of the base plate in order to permit the finished part to be casted - this requires a thin plastic cover over the sump opening - that will be easy to remove on the casting - 

[absmiami]

The Walker team used the Colotti gearbox - thats the Casting you see behind the Climax eng block - the Team Lotus cars used their “queerbox” trans - similar to the unit in the back of the 16 …

[absmiami]

For the main frame members- i’m using .047 Evergreen and .040 for the secondary members - that’s just a little over-scale - but it wil make assembly just a little easier - the bulkhead sheet is .012 Evergreen …

[absmiami]

The Lotus 18 proj has crawled off the shelf again - the resin body and chassis plate are fr an old rare Joker curbside kit …. Hard to find - curious - do any other forum members have one ?

[absmiami]

The idea is to make better bulkheads - add some detail and install an engine ….

[absmiami]

Making a dash bulkhead to replace the Joker casting …

[absmiami]

[absmiami]