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The core of the engine is a resin 'Y'
casting to which have then been added a multitude of white metal, resin, wire
and plastic pieces. The inlet trumpets, each a separate metal casting,
have tiny pieces of brass gauze mesh affixed to the top. Spark plug leads are
fine fuse wire (painted) and the high-tension lead from the coil (over the
transaxle)is also fuse wire of a higher capacity.
The gearbox and transaxle are resin pieces; rear suspension is all white metal
with stainless-steel and brass rod; springs, shocks, hub carriers, etc. are all
metal. Exhausts are cast white metal, the collectors are resin.
There is an interesting tid-bit of trivia about the Type 49 as it appeared at Zandvoort: See that curved "nerf" bar projecting from the rear of the gearbox? That was only added after it was quietly pointed out, in a sporting gesture to the Lotus camp by one of their rivals, that the car contravened a design rule that said the end of the exhaust must not project more than ten inches from the rearmost part of the "car". Before the next GP Chapman had these bent pieces of tubing affixed to the end of the gearbox!
The body/chassis comprises three cast resin
pieces; inner tub, outer skin and nose. Tyres are rubber on cast white metal
rims which were polished in a mini-lathe.
The bodywork was spray painted the appropriate Lotus green and comprises several
coats of primer then seven coats of finish colour. The yellow striping is a
decal material sourced in Britain which I then sprayed the correct Lotus yellow
before cutting to shape.
Once the entire model had been completely assembled and painted two weeks were
allowed to elapse before the finishing touches were added; the clear plastic
screen and the decals. The screen is affixed with minute drops of super-glue.
Last but not least was the base; made from a modelling clay it was created to give the appearance that the car is sitting near pit row, adjacent one of the walls of the pit complex. Indeed, it was in a similar location that Jim Clark first sat in the Type 49 back in 1967.
