36 replies to this topic

[Sterzo]

Have been rummaging in my loft, and there just might be someone out there who is entertained by the results. Some brilliant model making has been shown on the forum, but this isn’t part of it. Hand tools only, on the kitchen table, by someone who distinguished himself at school by being bottom in woodworking class.

 

But hey, I love historic racing cars and the only way I was ever going to own any was to make my own. They're all 1/32nd scale.

 

Here’s  Mike Hawthorn in a 1958 Ferrari Dino, made in the nineties. Car body and driver are hand carved and sanded from balsa wood (to my own drawing). Frequent stops to blow dust from inside of glasses. (Mine, not Hawthorn’s). Model engineering this is not; no precision involved. Scale is 1/32nd. Bought the wheels, and added hand-knitted spokes from 5 amp fuse wire.

 

 

Is there anything dafter than spending ages making such a fragile beast? Yes, I fitted it with motor and chassis and raced it on a home slot track, along with all the others, plus models made by a like-minded group of friends. We raced regularly from the early seventies to mid nineties. Not a good way to keep models in good condition, hence being slightly battered. (The Dino, not me).

[Sterzo]

Here are more from the box. They’ve been standing for twenty years and some of the rubber tyres have perished and distorted. All have hand-made balsa bodies, except where otherwise stated.

 

 

 

From top left:

1924 Alfa Romeo P2 (with functional wire wheels, spokes taking the stress).

1914 GP Peugeot

1935 ERA B-Type, with crude louvres made out of an old metal toothpaste tube.

1957 Maserati 250F. Began as inaccurate Airfix body. Sawed off the tail and replaced it with an improved one in balsa. That showed up the front, so sawed it off at the scuttle and only the original cockpit remains.

Centre position: 1908 Clement Bayard. The artillery wheels are from an Airfix kit, fitted with rubber tyres which have perished and twisted horribly.

Top right: 1927 Bugatti T35B, Airfix kit with radiator reshaped, brass front axle etc.

1953 Ferrari 500, another attempt at a hunched Hawthorn. Paper louvres.

1952 Gordini, with paper louvres and (like most) exhaust shaped from plastic sheet.

1955 swb (Monaco) Mercedes Benz W196, embarrassingly lacking detail.

Edited by Sterzo, 14 January 2019 - 15:41.

[Sterzo]

Bored yet? We pull out the bottom drawer of the box to reveal, from top left:

 

Aformentioned Ferrari Dino.

1956 Lancia Ferrari with bought fibre glass body. (Always meant to saw both ends off but never did).

1954 Jaguar D-Type, short nosed, copper wire louvres. This was the first model I made, built up from layers of ¼ inch balsa sheet. I wish I could remember why I did that.

1953 Jaguar C-Type. Fuse wire radiator grille. Headlamp covers (like the D-Type’s) were heat moulded from low budget PVC shirt packaging.

Centre: 1955 Lotus Mk IX, made by a friend, though I hand-painted Colin Chapman’s check shirt, hardly mad at all.

Top right: 1948 Maserati 4CLT/48, hand carved by same friend and reshaped and detailed by me. Wheel spokes are black cotton. (Damn the expense).

The 1960 F2 Porsche, 1962 Ferrari GTO and 1959 BRM are all plastic bodies, by Super Shells, Revell and Scalextric respectively.

 

[Gary C]

These more than deserve to be on display somewhere, man cave perhaps? They have a certain 'patina' being entirely hand crafted, something I would choose all day long over a mass produced thing.

[Sterzo]

Thank you, Gary C, "patina" is a pleasing alternative to botched. The Dino 246 and the Alfa Romeo P2 alternate on display duties in my living room, housed in a protective cabinet which was originally an old Ferrero Rocher box. Had to eat the contents to make space for a model.

 

Edited by Sterzo, 10 February 2019 - 18:20.

[raceannouncer2003]

For some reason, your photos aren't coming up on my computer.

 

Vince H.

[D-Type]

For some reason, your photos aren't coming up on my computer.

 

Vince H.

Try emptying the wastebin or "deleted files" folder to free up space on your computer then reboot.  That usually works for me.

[Michael Ferner]

For some reason, your photos aren't coming up on my computer.
 
Vince H.

Neither on mine. I've begun to resign myself to not being able to see all pictures posted on this board. Haven't looked in the Track Maps thread for ages, such a waste - it used to be one of the best threads around here!

Edited by Michael Ferner, 23 January 2019 - 14:49.

[Sterzo]

I suspect most problems are related to the crude and incomprehensible systems of the picture-hosting sites. My pics are hosted on Dropbox but I think most services are built on similarly obscure logic. Here's a link to Dropbox Files rather than Dropbox Home. Perhaps, Vince and Michael, you could say whether you can see it? If so, I'll change the other links.

 

[raceannouncer2003]

No, can't see it.  I see everyone else's photos fine.

 

Vince H.

[Michael Ferner]

Can't see it, either. Other photos mainly fine, except for ozpata's.

[Ralf Pickel]

Can´t see them either, sorry.

[woodencarguy]

Methinks you are much too modest by far!!   These are wonderful little models.    Very brave of you to do them in such a fragile medium as balsa too.    Back in the day (70's) I used to make some balsa slot cars myself so I have an appreciation for the amount of work that goes into them.    Well done.

 

Frank 

 

PS all your pictures are showing OK .

[Obster]

Just found this thread today. Pics are awesome. 

Well done, Sterzo!

[Sterzo]

Time to tickle this old thread back into life. I discovered that rubber O-rings (as used in drainpipes) are just right as tyres for my Clément Bayard. The old ones had rotted away. I have the same sizes front and rear, which is incorrect, but sometimes you have to compromise.

 

 

The body was carved and sanded from balsa wood, with aluminium for the visible chassis parts, all following my own drawing. The wheels are from an Airfix Rolls Royce plastic kit, fitted with rims of brass tube. The radiator core uses gauze from the filter of a scrapped tumble dryer. Good job it packed up.

 

The 14 litre Clement was one of the fastest cars in the 1908 Grand Prix, but only managed fourth. Victor Rigal and his mechanic changed 19 tyres during the 7 ½ hours of the race. Don’t tell them it took me five years to get round to changing four tyres on the model.

 

[David Lawson]

Very nice work indeed.

 

I also love carving slot car bodyshells in both balsa and jelutong, there is nothing more satisfying than racing a car you have made yourself.

 

I like your driver figures, what material are they and what chassis/motors did you use.

 

David

[Sterzo]

Thank you David. The drivers' bodies are made from balsa wood. In some (e.g. 250F and Gordini) the head is Scalextric, but Hawthorn, Campari and Marinoni, plus Rigal & mechanic, have wooden heads too.

 

The fifties 2.5 litre F1 cars have MRRC three pole motors and plastic MRRC chassis that bolt to the front of them. All the others have MRRC slimline motors in home-made (simple) brass chassis. None has raced since the nineties and I've removed the guides so they can stand about on display.

 

PS do feel free to add posts and pictures of your own models to the thread!

Edited by Sterzo, 16 January 2025 - 22:23.

[David Lawson]

Thank you for the information on the driver figures and the chassis, I scratchbuild some of my chassis as well as bought items.

 

I would post a photograph of my work if only this forum didn't make it so difficult...

 

David

[David Lawson]

I have been uploading some of my pictures and fiddling with PostImages and eventually I think I have worked out posting on the forum, fingers crossed this will work and it is my balsa carved BABS in Brooklands trim rather than Land Speed Record.

 

 

 

The body is balsa with the exhausts and chain drive details in plastic and even in 1/32nd scale it is over seven and a half inches long.

 

David

[David Lawson]

I do feel a little guilty posting in Sterzo's thread but he has said it is ok so here are a few more of my balsa carved slot cars.

 

 

 

The 1963 Rover-BRM raced by Hill and Ginther at Le Mans. I love this ugly but workmanlike car, I carved it in balsa wood and used a MRRC chassis. It was built for a proxy race series where you send your car to the organiser of the event and your car is driven by slot car racers who you have never met. Surprisingly perhaps it came back to me with minimal damage.

 

 

 

Jim Clark's Lotus 23 from Oulton Park in 1963. Balsa wood with a piano wire and brass scratchbuilt chassis. I made the windscreen by carving a buck and vacforming it on my homemade vacformer after warming the clear plastic sheet on the gas hob - I did the same with the screen for the Rover-BRM.

 

 

 

Cliff Allison's Lotus 12 from Spa 1958. Balsa carved, this is a tiny slot car and the bodysides are wafer thin to fit around the motor and keep to scale width. The driver figure's shoulders and arms are carved balsa but not as well executed as Sterzo's driver figures. The scratchbuilt chassis is piano wire and brass. The poor paint finish I think is as a result of the sanding sealer reacting with the paint but it hasn't happened before.

 

David

[Sterzo]

Those are terrific, more please! Did you use an MRRC Slimline for the Lotus 12? And what's the origin of the wheels on Babs?

 

There are many ways to classify humanity, but I divide them between those who have spent time painting Graham Hill's helmet in 1/32nd scale, and those who haven't. I don't look down on those who haven't - they're just different from us.

[TMC44]

Wonderful stuff gentlemen. Unless I have missed it. Could one of you tell me how the wheels/ axles are fabricated. Thank you in advance.

[RedRabbit]

These are awesome. Really great work on these and it's amazing they were used as slot cars.

[Sterzo]

Wonderful stuff gentlemen. Unless I have missed it. Could one of you tell me how the wheels/ axles are fabricated. Thank you in advance.

On my models of fifties cars, the wheels were bought from Super Shells or MRRC way back in the sixties and seventies. Often they have a plastic insert with a wire wheel pattern moulded in low relief. The rear axles are also MRRC - they're actually 3/32nd inch drill blanks which are tough to saw; I used a file to cut them. Here's a car with them fitted. The chassis on this one is an MRRC kit with brass push-in stub axles.

 

[Sterzo]

These pictures come out way bigger than the model...

 

In post 1 on this thread, the Dino 246 has identical Super Shells wheels to the Jag's, except I used a Stanley knife to trim off the rim, popped the wheel on a home-made jig, wound 5 amp fuse wire round, and glued (Araldited) the wire to the wheel. Then cut off several miles of surplus wire and glued the rims back in place. Crude but it sort of works. The Gordini (in one of the pictures of the box full of cars) has similar wheels to the Dino.

 

Each of my pre-war cars has its own story...

Edited by Sterzo, 19 January 2025 - 22:47.

[David Lawson]

Those are terrific, more please! Did you use an MRRC Slimline for the Lotus 12? And what's the origin of the wheels on Babs?

 

There are many ways to classify humanity, but I divide them between those who have spent time painting Graham Hill's helmet in 1/32nd scale, and those who haven't. I don't look down on those who haven't - they're just different from us.

 

I did use a slimline motor I think it is a Scalextric item but can't remember for certain as I built the car quite a while ago. The wheels on Babs are aluminium fixed with grub screws made by "Penelope Pitlane", the spoked inserts were given to me by a friend from his spares box so I don't know the origin.

 

You mentioned cutting steel axles to length in another post, I cut mine using a Dremel and a cutting disc which makes very light work of the job.

 

 

The narrow chassis and slimline motor in the Lotus 12

 

David

[David Lawson]

I have just thought that maybe you meant the old open frame MRRC slimline motor rather than the current slimline can motors.

 

 

 

My balsa bodied 1966 McLaren M2B where I have used a 1960s Airfix/MRRC "Clubman" motor, chassis and running gear. A very simple carving and build but it is one of my favourite slot cars in no small part because of my admiration for the great Bruce McLaren.

 

David

[Sterzo]

Yes, the Clubman motor is the one I knew as the Slimline. Love the McLaren; one of the charms of "making your own" is choosing a car no-one else models. Once confused the scrutineers at an open meeting with my Gilby-Climax.

[David Lawson]

There are many ways to classify humanity, but I divide them between those who have spent time painting Graham Hill's helmet in 1/32nd scale, and those who haven't. I don't look down on those who haven't - they're just different from us.

 

And spent time painting Jackie Stewart's crash helmet.

 

 

This close up photo shows up all my tiny paint marks with my shaky hand painting of the tartan stripe but the helmet is less than half an inch diameter and it looks quite convincing when viewed from a distance while racing on a slot track.

 

The car is the second placed 1967 Belgian Grand Prix BRM H16 P83

 

David

[LittleChris]

And spent time painting Jackie Stewart's crash helmet.



The car is the second placed 1967 Belgian Grand Prix BRM H16 P83

David

Great work. Does it leave an oil trail behind it like the real thing ?😁

[Sterzo]

And spent time painting Jackie Stewart's crash helmet.

Fantastic! That's the kind of job where you have to stop from time to time, to check your wife hasn't left you.

[David Lawson]

Sadly my wife is no longer with us but I was very lucky she was extremely supportive of my model-making and slot car obsession.

 

David

[David Lawson]

The 1976 Ligier JS5 was always a favourite car of mine and I started this car by carving the body in balsa and then making a silcone rubber mould and casting the bodyshell in resin.

 

 

 

It was quite a tricky colour scheme to mask and spray and the transfers came from  two cottage industry makers, one in France and one in the UK.

 

There is quite a bit of interest in F1 slot car racing at the moment particularly with 1960s and 70s cars both at club level as well as a few open events around the UK and there are some excellent scratchbuilt cars raced at these.

 

 

 

John Cobb's 1933 Napier-Railton

 

This car was carved in jelutong, a nice very fine grain wood that I took a mould from and resin cast the bodyshell. All the added details were made using plastic stock which took quite some time. The scratchbuilt chassis is piano wire and brass

 

One of my references when I was building this slot car was the Profile Publications booklet written by Bill Boddy and he was kind enough to reply to my emails when I checked a couple of details about the car with him.

 

 

 

Prince Bira's 1951 Osca-Maserati

 

Another jelutong carving then resin cast, all the various scoops and louvres took ages (and don't look too closely at them) I wanted a full cockpit and driver figure so scratchbuilt a front motored piano wire and brass chassis. I made the driver figure using Airfix multi-pose soldier figures and a lot of surgery to get Bira sitting comfortably at the wheel.

 

The inspiration for this build came from seeing the car at Donington, I think it was the GP Live meeting and I had a good look at the car in the paddock as the owner fired it up.

 

As I feel that I have now completely hijacked Sterzo's thread I won't post any more of my slot car builds.

 

David

[LittleChris]

Please both continue to post.

[Sterzo]

Prince Bira's 1951 Osca-Maserati

 

Another jelutong carving then resin cast, all the various scoops and louvres took ages (and don't look too closely at them)

As I feel that I have now completely hijacked Sterzo's thread I won't post any more of my slot car builds.

 

David

 

Your scoops and louvres are breathtakingly precise, being impressive in photographs larger than the models. And please post as much as you like - it's all entirely on topic! Anyone else is also welcome to post.

 

[marksixman]

On my models of fifties cars, the wheels were bought from Super Shells or MRRC way back in the sixties and seventies. Often they have a plastic insert with a wire wheel pattern moulded in low relief. The rear axles are also MRRC - they're actually 3/32nd inch drill blanks which are tough to saw; I used a file to cut them. Here's a car with them fitted. The chassis on this one is an MRRC kit with brass push-in stub axles.

 

A beautiful rendition Sterzo, as are all your others.

 

But is the aero screen broken ? If not it must in practise or very early in the race !!!

[Sterzo]

But is the aero screen broken ?

Sadly not, and the driver doesn't have a hangover either.