Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

rsv1cox Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:42 pm

a continuation from my "Top Shelf" post.

Restoration? More like cobbling it back together as best I can.

Remember.....all body attaching points broken, fuel tank vents broken off, fuel line nipple broken off and lodged in the fuel line.

Used a straw from an aerosal spray can cut to shape and with a common pin through the hole to align and keep it open and glued the filler/vents in. Same for the fuel tank nipple using Testors red tube cement. Let cure overnight and heated the original fuel line with a heat gun and slipped the line over the nipple and immediately held the top body on to mold the line to the contour of the enclosure. The fuel tank has a channel molded into it for the needle valves flexable stem.

The front suspension is meant to flex somewhat, similar to the Cox Mercedes, but it depends on three locating points all of which were broken. Jason had made me these posts to repair my Cox Mercedes but they work great here also. Hole and peg style, I just drilled them out and cut them to fit the Lotus.

It's a start. No trailer queen here. Rough as a cob, but when I'm through it will be able to run. I cleaned the motor (parts cleaner) checked the glow plug and compression. Both great.

getback Thu Nov 25, 2021 5:59 am

Looking Good ! So I take it your going to run that bad boy ? Straight runner ? Jeep

rsv1cox Thu Nov 25, 2021 3:31 pm

getback wrote:Looking Good ! So I take it your going to run that bad boy ? Straight runner ?

It has provisions for it Eric, guides snapped into the crosses under the body. Optional with a 90 degree tether, except this one has the side body tether fixtures broken off.

Had to make a descision. Risk breaking whats left of the posts by attempting to unscrew the self-tapper or cement as is. Chose cement as is. Did the bottoms. Once I glue in the top posts, that's it. This thing isn't coming apart.

$20 investment, I ain't sweating it.

Ken Cook Thu Nov 25, 2021 5:34 pm

My buddy Dan buys one and we proceed to try it out in the parking lot at our flying field. First run on the bridle, line gets wrapped around the drive wheel. 2nd run , he tries to nurse the car around and pushes it into the circle where it takes off across the circle and snaps hard on the end of the line spinning around out of control. 3rd attempt the crankshaft breaks and fun time is over. I offer him up a Mccoy engine and he was able to use the shaft and it's game on again. We try again and the car is too light and needs about 2.5 oz's of lead in the bottom to work which we do. We finally get some good laps and a terrific run. Next attempt he's proud and wants to show everyone. He starts the car, launches and forgets to remove the battery box from the circle and the car comes around striking the box and just explodes into pieces. I couldn't stop laughing but he was pretty hot. The car now resides in a box.

roddie Fri Nov 26, 2021 11:49 am

Oh yea Robert!!!!!!!! I'd like to see you run that Lotus.. like I ran my CEF "Cars are the Stars" Rod-E-Liminator.

roddie Fri Nov 26, 2021 11:58 am

Those posts (like the ones that Jason made) could serve as mounts for a bridle. A simple music-wire "Vee".. with tow-in/out adj. provisions.

rsv1cox Fri Nov 26, 2021 12:33 pm

roddie wrote:Those posts (like the ones that Jason made) could serve as mounts for a bridle. A simple music-wire "Vee".. with tow-in/out adj. provisions.

Yes, I use those posts all the time. Jason sent me about 20. The peg on one end really stabilize's and aligns the post. I just drill out the existing hole to 7/64th and cement it in. Tight fit.

I just like pushing the envelope on these disasters seeing how far I can go before everything goes bonkers.

These little Dremel drill bit sets (eight bucks and change at Walmart) cover 90% of my hobby needs.

roddie Fri Nov 26, 2021 12:46 pm

rsv1cox wrote:
I just like pushing the envelope on these disasters seeing how far I can go before everything goes bonkers.

It's what we do.. Smile

rsv1cox Fri Nov 26, 2021 2:14 pm

Ken Cook wrote:My buddy Dan buys one and we proceed to try it out in the parking lot at our flying field. First run on the bridle, line gets wrapped around the drive wheel. 2nd run , he tries to nurse the car around and pushes it into the circle where it takes off across the circle and snaps hard on the end of the line spinning around out of control. 3rd attempt the crankshaft breaks and fun time is over. I offer him up a Mccoy engine and he was able to use the shaft and it's game on again. We try again and the car is too light and needs about 2.5 oz's of lead in the bottom to work which we do. We finally get some good laps and a terrific run. Next attempt he's proud and wants to show everyone. He starts the car, launches and forgets to remove the battery box from the circle and the car comes around striking the box and just explodes into pieces. I couldn't stop laughing but he was pretty hot. The car now resides in a box.

I enjoyed your story Ken.

Breaking the crankshaft and replacing it, line gets wrapped around the drive wheel. good times. Reminds me of running my modified Roy Cox pusher with a Babe Bee grafted on the back and "Old #2" almost completely destroyed and cemented back together. Staging and photographing the "crash" was fun too.

Amazing this thing was dragged around the circle on a tether with the hood blown off and no front suspension and the Babe Bee screaming up a storm.

Bits of plastic glued on with Testors red tube and it's ready to go again.

Sponsored content

Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration

Re: Wen Mac .049 Lotus restoration