• This topic has 8 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 months ago by Avatar photoGI.
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    • #13536
      Avatar photoKen

        I got very lucky in finding this kit. They simply aren’t available anymore. The real cars were gas-turbine powered test-beds. Very strange car.

        The first step to planning out the chassis: What is the wheelbase? Using tires that are too large just for the purpose of measuring the wheelbase can reduce room for error. I happen to have a pair of old 17″ inch Slot.It wheels/tires that were the wrong choice for another car. Perfect!

        Slide the body into the wheels/tires until the wheel-wells of the body centers the tires. (this one’s easy because the wheel wells are round)

        Carefully slide the body away making sure not to move the wheels.

        I measure the left side of the axle holes on both wheels to get the wheelbase. In this case it’s 73.30mm. It doesn’t matter what the actual finished tire diameter is. The wheels will be perfectly centered in the wheel well. The old 17″ inch wheels go back on the shelf to measure the next car.

      • #13539
        Avatar photoKen

          The next step: Decide what class this car fits into. Slow class “Sportscar” for S32 works for me. That leaves the BWNC1 or BWMS050 motors in an inline configuration. I measured the body and the BWNC1 fits. I use the 050 when the S-can doesn’t fit. Other slow class motors are allowed but these are too readily available. Why take the hard way?

          I then decide on wheels/tires. Glue and true them. Then fill in the blanks on the build sheet. I would be happy to provide a blank build sheet for anyone that wants one?

          Now I can start building the chassis.

        • #13541
          Avatar photoMiA

            What a beauty!! Looks like I’m not going to get a copy of this car though?? 😥

            Rumour has it that in order to be as authentic as possible Ken has changed his mid about using a slow motor and will fit it with a motor running at an equivalent RPM to the original car!! Bravo!! :good: As the turbine was a free-running, constant-speed unit running at 35-40,000rpm an NSR Shark at 46k RPM & 290 g-cm Torque would seem a perfect choice!!  That will make for some weapon and a true test for his chassis!! :wacko:


            In open top 1963 configuration at LeMans.

            It was originally intended to run at LeMans in ’64 but was withdrawn.


            As run at LeMans in 1965 by Jackie Stewart. It was second in class and 10th out of the 14 cars still running at the end.
            As the highest placed all-British entry it was also the recipient of that year’s Motor Trophy.


            It can now be found at the Heritage motor Centre in Gaydon.

            It looks like this model is somewhere around 1964 configuration before the addition of twin ram-type air intakes in the tail, and side flasher units in the fronts wings.

            Thanks for posting this Ken. Can’t wait to see it on the track!! B-)

          • #13546
            Avatar photoKen

              Thank you for your inspiration MIA.

              Good news is that the body is still available at Pendle. You can still get one if you wish.

              https://www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/rover-brm-resin-kit.html

              First step to making an aluminum chassis is to cut the material.

              I use the end of the part to measure from so it’s best if all the ends are square to each other. I touch the end of the tubing to the sanding disc 4-times, rotating the tubing a quarter turn each time. It’s usually square after 4-rotations. Make sure your sanding disc is 90-degrees true before you start.

              A permanent marker is used to mark the general area where the cross-hairs are going to end up. It easily comes off with lacquer thinner when the work is done. You can see at a glance that the drawing lines up with the marks on the aluminum.

              To locate the center-line for the body posts and guide. I switch the calipers to inches. It’s been reading metric up until now. Measure the overall width of the tubing. Easy to divide 0.752″.

              Then scribe a line with the calipers using another larger peice of aluminum along side the work to have less wandering. Flip the chassis the other way and scribe it again. There will always be a slight deviation. The space between the lines is the exact center. I can easily drill between the lines with a pilot drill.

              I also use the larger aluminum tubing at the ends of the chassis for scribing lines with the calipers. Makes for very accurate cross-hairs.

              Once the cross-hairs are scribed. To the drill press it goes. Please refer to the following workshop for drilling and reaming for bearings.

              Monday, October 29, 2018 (7:00-9:30pm) Basic Aluminum Chassis Design/Build

              The tubing visits the bandsaw to cut away the top excess material. Then the sharp edges are sanded smooth. Final wash. Then install the parts. Body posts are install on the chassis waiting to be epoxied into the body.

              Looks about 3mm too high yet.

              After removing and test fitting the posts a few times to shave a little more material. We finally have contact with the fenders. Then epoxy the posts. Final step is to install the body washers. We have body-float.

              It runs. It needs a driver, interior, windows, paint, head/tail lights, and livery. Hopefully before Monday.

            • #13548
              Avatar photoKen

                I like the colour of this car. But it has huge injection molding lines through the roof and rear deck.

                Before paint.

                After being painted. I take back what I said about Testors being the same as Tamiya. The metallic pools like crazy on this Testors colour (Mystic Emerald). I’m not happy with the paint. It would lose the epoxy bond on the body posts if I threw it in Super Clean. So I live with the paint as is.

              • #13549
                Avatar photoKen

                  MIA, you are not far from the truth about the 40k motor. I was hoping to have a second unlimited car. With only one body to build now. I prefer it to live a long life.

                  I found some pics of the rarer 1964 version without the big air-scoops. It was entered in the 1964 race and supposed to run as number 26. But never made it. You can tell straight away it’s the same car as the Aurora model by the smaller air scoops and unique headlights. The headlights on the car that Jackie Stewart actually raced in 1965 are rounded at the bottom.

                  Interesting that it has an all silver tail-light panel.

                • #13560
                  Avatar photoKen

                    The windows were a pain to install. The one piece idea didn’t fly. It had to be separated into 3-parts to sit in the window frames correctly. The rest of the car was fairly easy.

                    1964 Rover BRM #26. Driver is Sir Jackie Stewart. (SP)

                    Thanks for looking!

                  • #39893
                    Avatar photoKen

                      It only took 3 and a half years for the black Slot.It turbine inserts to finally wear me down. Art was kind enough to offer an insert painting seminar, and painted these cool looking, and proper inserts.

                    • #39895
                      Avatar photoGI

                        The new wheel inserts has completely changed the look of the car.  Looks great!

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