18 replies to this topic

[vale61]

Hi everibody,

 

I'm looking for infos and images of Lotus 79x, I've only found this image on web :  http://blogs.yahoo.c...?1301661485&i=1

 

I  have also an image on the Jhon Tipler Lotus 78-79 book but it's related to the car used during the first test to the Ricard circuit.

 

I'm interesting in the car raced in the friday practice of the 1980 Btrazilian Gp.

 

I know it's not easy to find images of this car, but the only place where it's possible is this forum.

 

Many thanks and merry xmas.

 

Ciao Vale.

 

 

[TennisUK]

It was a very similar car to the Lotus 79 with quite different rear bodywork. They 81 was essentially a slightly evolved 79, hence their visible similarity - much more evident when they share a colour scheme like in that photo. I guess they took it to Interlagos in case the 81s failed to work. Ironically Interlagos was by far the most convincing performance the 81 ever put in - perhaps they should have always brought a long the 79x as a good luck charm!

[vale61]

Thanks TennisUK,

I'm trying to list the main differences between the 79 and 79x.

I see the panels on the side pots, the exausts on the upper side, the rear wing in 78 style and  the new colours scheme and the wheels as the Lotus 80, now  my aim is to know if there's anymore.

Ciao Vale.

[TennisUK]

I think it would be more accurate to say the wing was Lotus 81 rather than 78 style It was basically a cross between the two cars with more 81 at the back of the car. The 81 wing would have entailed having the 81 style brackets around the transmission instead of the trailing edges of the side pods. It's a bit of a mystery to me why the exhaust manifolds were so visible as the ones on the 81 were actually more like the 79 (being fairly in-swept). The Lotus 81 was basically a better 79 (i.e what they should have had in 1979 rather than the terrible 80), and it's pretty similar mechanically and aerodynamically and many of the components were interchangeable from memory. The general layout of the car is nearly identical to the 79. I doubt much time was spent on the 79x or 81 as by that point Chapman had already moved on to the next big thing, the 86/88.

[vale61]

The brackets seem the same as Lotus 78 http://www.modelgs.i...Y058106 Big.jpg, the seems to have a different shape.

[TennisUK]

This may be useful - someone converting a model 79 to 79x via some scratch built components:

 

http://mokei5910.web....com/lotus.html

 

I'm unsure about the rear wing spar on the 77 also on this page - looks more like a Wolf WR1 than a Lotus 77. The changes between the 79 and 79x and 81 are relatively small, though.

[polarboy]

Think you will find the 79x was a one off as it was used as a test mule for a new gearbox (wiessman ?) that's why the exhausts come out over the gearbox
Crashed in its 1st test an never seen again
Was repaired/repainted in classic jps colours an was in the lotus museam for several years
Was returned to proper 79 spec about 1986/87
All new rear suspension was done by Glen Waters an Toms GB an they did the gearbox ?
Bodywork was standard 79 that had been "nodded" so easily changed back
Ground affect floor venturis were a different shallower profile on the x but that had been achieved by grafting skins onto the 79 profile
Few rivets drilled put an the 79 profile an even the recesses for the vortex generators were revealed

[TennisUK]

New gearbox would explain the different wing mounting solution too. It was definitely used in Interlagos practice too. I've seen photos of both Mario and Elio in it running there. I think Stephen South may have run in it at Paul Ricard in BRG colours too as I recall a grainy colour photo with the weird high mounted manifold.

[TennisUK]

Here you go:

http://blogs.yahoo.c...ck/6835399.html

Apparently it made it to Argentina too, according to that article.

[vale61]

I still have a doubt about the  window for the old exhausts on the bodywork.

 

I don't understand what happeend to that window on the 79x, did they close it with a small panel or it's still open?  

[polarboy]

Just laid up over the hole an filled it in on the x
The "window" on the 79 is surrounded by a ti heat shield, Once we had converted the x back to proper 79 spec by cutting the "hole" out a couple of us spent several hrs in factory 6 which is now home to classic team lotus looking for a heat shield to Finnish the job off
Total failure as the place was stacked floor to ceiling with car parts but fortunately Roy Franks the teams fabricator knew exactly where they were an walked in there an picked one up in 2 minutes

[vale61]

Did the ouline of  the window/panel still visible on the x or the panel was mounted flush on bodywork?

Do you think are there any photos of the 79x on any web site (I havent found yet) ?

Many thanks for your answers.

[polarboy]

Don't know of any other pictures an to be honest I never took any the 79 was too "common"
Took some when I restored the 80 an that's about it
No sign of the cut out on the x, centre is cut out and heat shield fitted in an fitted via the flange on either side sitting on the bodywork

[vale61]

What do you think about this panel that covers the  exhausts window?  Was it really so prominent after the car was painted?

 

 

I swear it's my last request.

 

Thanks.

 

Vale.

Edited by vale61, 26 December 2015 - 00:19.

[polarboy]

the bodywork was seamless, no visable "patch"

[vale61]

Wonderful!

Many thanks.

Vale.

[LeMansStory]

LOTUS EUROPA - historic race Le Mans/

[RogerFrench]

Surely you can find somewhere else for a Europa photo?

[vale61]

I'm here again,

still in trouble with the rear of the Lotus 79x.

Ok the brackets of the wing are in Lotus 81 style, my problem now is the gearbox.

I mean is the gearbox the same as the Lotus 81 one or is it a dedicated one for "one shot" on the 79x?

Attached two photos : the first one of a scale model related to a possible 79x rear and the second one of a lotus 81 rear.

Thanks again.

Vale.