Abbiamo il piacere di pubblicare un contributo di Wyn Edwards, personaggio storico dell’automodellismo speciale, che non ha certo bisogno di presentazioni. Wyn ci parla della sua serie BBW Indycar Models, le cui origini risalgono al 1983. Abbiamo lasciato l’articolo nella sua lingua originale per non perdere niente dello stile e del messaggio originario. Ringraziamo con profonda gratitudine Wyn Edwards per aver dedicato il suo tempo a PLIT (la redazione).
BBW Indycar models – A series of limited edition Indycar models made by Wyn Edwards
WHY? An important question. My interest in Indianapolis and the cars that raced there began back in 1963. I was at High School in Cheshunt which was 1km from the Lotus factory. The race cars were not like F1 cars and the series of designs 29,34,38 were innovative. I saw the Lotus 56 Turbine race in F1, and was excited at the freedom of design that the “500” allowed.
Years later I was enjoying building 1/43 models, but apart from John Day and Ampersand, there were not the Indycar models that I wanted. Then in 1983 I was in hospital, and then off work, so decided to make an Indycar.
My first car was the Interscope – Porsche 001 (it became the Batmobile) in its first iteration – plain white with no paintwork. A voyage of discovery – FDS quality at best but I was so pleased. Encouraged by long time friend Jim Stanton in the USA, I made some to sell, until the mould was worn out. One influence on me was the fact that tradition at Indy is that cars are photographed with the driver in the car, so that is what I featured, something which Starter copied when they released their Porsche Indycar.
Encouraged, I then made the 1980 Phoenix in Sugaripe and North American Van Lines colours. I learnt to draw decals but the mouldings were too fragile and not a success. I used to visit Western Models and made friends with Robin Housego, the craftsman who translated Mike Stephens drawings into accurate models. He encouraged me to change to modelling in while metal, and so my next model was the 1952 Cummins Diesel, which looked beautiful and rapidly sold out.
I then made Chris Kniefels 1984 Spa*erobics Primus, which was another success, principally because I was not choosing “commercial” subjects, which could lead to Copyright problems. Chris bought copies and it sold out. Meanwhile I became a “go to” source for picture and details, one example, Luca Tameo made very good use of my wheel / tyre measurements for his Indycar models.
Unfortunately in 1988 the success of the 2 metal cast models led me to make a model of the 1984 March, but it was a step beyond my skill set – people loved the decals and put them on their Ampersand models. Fact was that I had lost focus. I enjoyed researching and creating the models, and the support of the community of friends around me, who were keen to have more of the unusual cars. On my bookcase I had a copy of “132 of the most unusual cars that ever ran at Indianapolis”. It now became my inspiration.
After the problems with the March I looked to get back on track with the 1955 Belond Special which people liked. Great model with no suspension to replicate. My research found that the 1955 race had 2 streamliners, Belond and Sumar, There was going to be a 3rd, the Quinn Epperley car, which looked like a red Mercedes GP car, but was overambitious and not finished until many years later.
Funny how things happen. In 1993 I was at Daytona for the 24 hour race. On the Thursday evening, before the race, I spotted an old blue car being prepared to run – I knew it – page 106 of my book – the 1955 Sumar streamliner, which ran just 3 laps but I was stunned. I introduced myself to the driver, Chapman S Root Jnr, son of the original owner, multi millionaire and enthusiast, who was bemused that someone from so far away, knew the history of the car. Back in the UK I got a fax offering help if I was making a model of the car. Months of work followed to get the shape of the car, commissioned from Kurtis, just right. In dark blue with chrome grilles the car is beautiful and I’m happy to say that Mr Root was delighted and bought a number of the models. In passing, lawyers later made contact about breach of the Sumar copyright, but Mr Roots name made the problem go away!
In 1997 I produced the 1967 Mallard, driven by legend Jim Hurtubise. It was the last Roadster to qualify in 1968 and marked the end of the front engine cars. The model was small, the decals and mouldings sharp – it just looked right. After I finished the run of 50, an American producer suddenly announced the same subject. Where is the satisfaction in copying someone’s work?
Then my life got complicated. In 2002 the company I worked for, encouraged me to relocate to my beloved Wales, then it got taken over and I was redundant. Tough years followed as we sought work and rebuilt the house we had bought. In 2012 I was 65 and could retire, and perhaps make some more models, but time was running out as I had a tremors in my right hand.
I researched and made the 1982 Eagle Aircraft Flyer – a big Indycar designed by renowned aircraft designer Dean Wilson, for local racer Ken Hamilton. The car did not qualify, principally because the it was underpowered, and the designer and driver fell out over the set up of the car. I found information on the car through my circle of friends but it took time. I made a small number of models. As the last “different” car to run at Indy, it sits in stark contrast to the Marches and Penskes.
In 2021 I was given photos from an auction in the Mid West, of the remains of the 1969 Lear Steam Turbine Vapordyne car. These set me off looking for all I could find on the project, and it is a story of fact, fiction and plain incompetence. Wonderful! After he sold his Lear Jet company, Bill Lear hired Ken Wallis, who had been involved with both the STP Turbine and the later Shelby Turbine fiasco. The design was large and impractical.
The engine only ran on a test bed, never in the car. The project was abandoned and the hastily assembled car was exhibited around the USA . It took me a year to gather enough information. The model I produced had the nose wings, which Lear publicist Karl Ludvigsen illustrated in the promotional material. Someone who saw the model asked “ what did you make that for?” to which I could only answer ”If you have to ask, you will not understand the answer”.
By 2023 I had researched the 1969 Jack Adams Special which was the last turbine to appear at Indy in ’69 and ‘70. Jack Adams had the car designed and built by Professor Glen Bryant, with his post graduate students, in his basement. It looked dramatic but was slow, hampered by a solid suspension.
I had made the key components but it seemed like I could not build it. Then a good friend offered to replicate the parts in his 3D printer. Thanks to his kindness I had my final model, and a few kits made their way to friends in the USA.
I would have liked to do more, but it has been a fascinating journey. I’ve uncovered stories and met many interesting people, and made such very good friends.
PITLANEITALIA 