18 replies to this topic

[2F-001]

Yesterday, I was roaming Hamley's (major toy store in Central London, Christmas shopping) and spotted this Scalextric Lotus.

https://www.scalextr...ete-lovely.html

The driver looks a little uncomfortable, but I find it 'lovely' that the manufacturer would choose an unusual (if not obscure) variant for the mass market. I saw the real thing run a couple of times in 1970.

Edited by 2F-001, 19 December 2019 - 08:07.

[Barry Boor]

The newly announced Jim Clark Lotus is, similarly, a very nice model but is, to many people, ruined by a totally out of proportion driver.

It's such a shame that they don't seem to be able to get this simple aspect correct.

[Tim Murray]

The driver looks a little uncomfortable ...

My recollection is that Pete Lovely did have a neck, and never drove with two apparently dislocated shoulders. As Barry says, why on earth can they not try a bit harder to get these details correct? As it is, the thing looks completely ridiculous, yet they expect people to pay more than £40 for it.

[Alan Cox]

Yes, it's a real shame that they can produce well-detailed models but ruin them with a lack of attention to detail such as this. The arms and shoulders are a problem wih all their Lotus 49 variations and the helmets are also the wrong shape and lacking detail which is easy to achieve in this day and age. Viz their Graham Hill version:

 

 

Edited by Alan Cox, 19 December 2019 - 12:19.

[Rob Miller]

Throughout the history of model cars the representation of drivers and passengers has been very poor to a great extent. My first set was one of the very early Airfix ones and the Cooper and Ferrari drivers were not a strong selling point.

Rob

[E1pix]

Dear Humans:

Who are you to diss my body?

Signed,
Plasticman

[opplock]

I'm sure the issue is tooling costs. For example Scalextric have produced a number of Lotus and Caterham 7 variants over the last 20 years, all of them using the same mould. Cars that raced with aeroscreens have a windscreen in the Scalextric version. I have the Lotus 25 which is a "limited edition" of 2,500. If you can see past the "broken armed" driver it is as Barry said a nice model. If it came with an accurate representation of Jim Clark it would presumably cost more.     

[werks prototype]

Yes, it's a real shame that they can produce well-detailed models but ruin them with a lack of attention to detail such as this. The arms and shoulders are a problem wih all their Lotus 49 variations and the helmets are also the wrong shape and lacking detail which is easy to achieve in this day and age. Viz their Graham Hill version:

 

 

 

Forgive my ignorance, but do people actually run these models, are they robust enough, or are they just sort of display pieces these days?

 

Imagine if a model of that 'relative quality' were to be flung off the track whilst cornering or something (I'd be too scared to run the thing).

Edited by werks prototype, 19 December 2019 - 19:31.

[R.W. Mackenzie]

Yes, they do run them. You can be quite aggressive with them  They really motor. But if you crash them too often you will eventually have to fix something. My 1960 Brabham Cooper needed new front suspension (fortunately a replacement was available) and I have a Gurney Eagle with serious exhaust issues. Slot cars are meant to be raced. Otherwise die-cast models are probably a better idea.

[Sterzo]

Forgive my ignorance, but do people actually run these models, are they robust enough, or are they just sort of display pieces these days?

 

Imagine if a model of that 'relative quality' were to be flung off the track whilst cornering or something (I'd be too scared to run the thing).

You underestimate the courage of slot car drivers. We're prepared to risk everything to win. Some of us look down on namby-pamby plastic drivers - not nearly fragile enough. Campari and Marinoni below are made of balsa wood.

 

[E1pix]

Some of us look down on namby-pamby plastic drivers.

Ruthless, insensitive bastards.

[10kDA]

Scrolling down, Francois Cevert, Jo Bonnier, and Ian Scheckter seem to fit into their respective cars without problems. Maybe Scalectrix have modelled Graham's and Pete's shoulders at 1:24.

[raceannouncer2003]

A group of us race slot cars weekly here in Victoria, BC, Canada.  If anyone would like to join us, they'd be welcomed.  I was privileged to meet Pete Lovely on a number of occasions, along with Butch Dennison and Gary Gove, who worked with him.  So when they came out with the Lovely 49, I had to get one.  I know the driver looks funny, but I like it.  The cars are amazingly durable.  You can flip right off the track onto the floor, put it back, and away you go.  I race all my slot cars.  My Lovely 49 is still in pretty good shape, although my Siffert/Walker 49 is missing a few suspension bits.  My 1966 Le Mans winning Ford is missing some bits too, but I just race it like that.  Most of them are amazingly good representations of the real cars.  I also know that Gary Gove has the slot car of his Camaro Trans Am car, and John Hall has one of his Boss 302 Mustang.  Gove's Camaro shows "Driver: Gary Gove Mechanic: Bud Weiser".  (Ha, ha...)  I was at a book launch for Martin Rudow's book on Pete Lovely a few years ago.  Gary Gove introduced me to his mechanic...Bud Weiser.

 

Vince H.

[moffspeed]

Yes, Scalextric have a habit of picking some of the more obscure car/driver combinations from motor racing history. Maybe it's a licensing issue or just the product of some fertile minds. I buy and sell motoring memorabilia as a hobby and a lot of Scalextric has passed through my hands. My favourite is the Essex Wire GT40 from LM66 which was not exactly the focus of everyone's attention - but Jacky Ickx was busy learning his trade in this car. Incidentally an ex-driver friend of mine had a couple of his cars modelled by Scalextric. When he contacted them to express surprise that they had not notified him or asked his permission the response was apparently quite dismissive.

 

More broadly, on a Hornby theme, their early  model trains ran off a 110 Volt supply so parental guidance was advisable. It would be a decade later before Mamod would give you the opportunity to scald rather than electrocute your offspring. What is this Health & Safety that you talk of sir ?

Edited by moffspeed, 20 December 2019 - 16:13.

[E1pix]

I know the driver looks funny, but I like it.

You can flip right off the track onto the floor, put it back, and away you go.

No, *you* look funny. My mom says I am handsome.

Do you know how sick I am of being flipped off the track? Do you even care? Do you know how raw my slotholder is, expected to hold lap after lap while you humans callously throttle down, then more, then even more? Do you know how hard it is to take aspirin when you're plastic?

I earned my rides, Dammit, all the way up to F1/24. Then Scalectrix comes along and says "We can give you a ride, but you'll have to fit into a F1/32 car." And you have the audacity to criticize my arms?

Please respect your drivers before they enlist in the Army or something.

[BRG]

Leaving aside the issue of the plastic Mr Lovely's curious arms, model manufacturers have learnt that once you have made the investment in producing a particular example of car or whatever, it makes sense to offer it in as many different liveries as possible.  Collectors or enthusiasts like the less usual subject and will of course potentially purchase several in differing liveries.  If you want a Lotus 49, why have it in the common or garden GLTL colours when you could have Rob Walker Brooke-Bond Oxo colours?  The same happens in model trains.  For instance Dapol offer a Class 66 diesel locomotive, but it comes in a range of EWS, DB Schenker, Freightliner, DRS and GBRF liveries including some variations for some of these operators.  It is cheap to ring the changes on liveries compared to tooling up to make a completely new model.

[john winfield]

Leaving aside the issue of the plastic Mr Lovely's curious arms, model manufacturers have learnt that once you have made the investment in producing a particular example of car or whatever, it makes sense to offer it in as many different liveries as possible.  Collectors or enthusiasts like the less usual subject and will of course potentially purchase several in differing liveries.  If you want a Lotus 49, why have it in the common or garden GLTL colours when you could have Rob Walker Brooke-Bond Oxo colours?  The same happens in model trains.  For instance Dapol offer a Class 66 diesel locomotive, but it comes in a range of EWS, DB Schenker, Freightliner, DRS and GBRF liveries including some variations for some of these operators.  It is cheap to ring the changes on liveries compared to tooling up to make a completely new model.

 

Good point. I suppose this has been the case for years. From what I remember, the fastest Scalextric car we ever had was a sharknose Ferrari 156,  but in yellow rather than red. ENB I suppose.

[Collombin]

The fastest Scalextric sharknose I had was in blue, but not Rob Walker shade.

Edited by Collombin, 26 December 2019 - 18:01.

[DogEarred]

Leaving aside the issue of the plastic Mr Lovely's curious arms, model manufacturers have learnt that once you have made the investment in producing a particular example of car or whatever, it makes sense to offer it in as many different liveries as possible.  Collectors or enthusiasts like the less usual subject and will of course potentially purchase several in differing liveries.  If you want a Lotus 49, why have it in the common or garden GLTL colours when you could have Rob Walker Brooke-Bond Oxo colours?  The same happens in model trains.  For instance Dapol offer a Class 66 diesel locomotive, but it comes in a range of EWS, DB Schenker, Freightliner, DRS and GBRF liveries including some variations for some of these operators.  It is cheap to ring the changes on liveries compared to tooling up to make a completely new model.

I have a Hornby model of the Type 66 in EWS colours. The reason?

...I worked on the design in Chicago back in the mid 90s.

My fault then....