Roth's ROTAR FEB/26/2015

[41CHEVY]

I've had the treasure from R&R Vacuum Craft for about 15 years. It's one of those kits you really have to be in the proper mood to touch. I found this while looking for the un finished AZTEC custom 55 Chevy I stopped building about 10 years ago.
The kit is basic. If you have never had an R&R kit, they are a labor of love and a test of patience to complete. I sanded the upper body for almost an hour to get it level and flat. Than took a micro router to cut a lip for the floor pan to lay in. Cut a groove for the upper pod it fit on the fin and than fit the outer pods on the upper fin and pinned them with .020 wire. Rounded the holes for the fans and cut a recess for each of them to fit into. Now I need to grab one bucket seat from the AMT 1949 Ford coupe for the interior, a pair of Slingster front wire wheels and tires for the rear. For the front I am going to use the wheelie bar tire from the Malco Willys Gasser. The interior is unknown aside from the seat and a control stick. Paul

[KRAZY RICK]

I envy you Paul - I love this piece.... I'm really looking forward to seeing this one done

[BRITBOY]

Don't forget, for total accuracy you could display it with a wrecked Triumph engine alongside (one from a Revell Parts Pack would do nicely)!

[41CHEVY]

I actually was kicking around the idea of putting the one I have into the Rotar. Paul

[BRITBOY]

I never understood how someone as mechanically aware as Roth could mount a vertical twin engine on its side and expect the oil supply to somehow defy gravity (it's not like he didn't know his way around bike engines), still it must have sounded epic before it went BANG!

[41CHEVY]

The ROTH AIR CAR I think was a rush to beat Barris' X.P.A.C. 400 on the show circuit. I read in Roth's " Confessions of a Rat Fink " he felt Barris was entering in to his realm of "ultra radical cars". I've heard different things about the incident, one had an engine blow and one had a fan explode and take out an engine. The pair of 650's were built by Bell with a dry sump oil system so they would work on their sides. that tends to give some credence to the "Fan Blade Story" He was generally good at "imagineering" his power packs to actually work. Paul

[41CHEVY]

Got some more done. The pods are blended in and shaped. I reshaped the "intakes to fit the 1959 Caddy parking light lenses in. The lower body now has the hundreds of pin holes filled in and the fin squared up on it's edges. Floor plan is up on wheels finally. Now the interior starts. Paul

[KRAZY RICK]

How cool is that !!! - it does look like a crapload of work, but .... it'll be worth it !!!

[41CHEVY]

After what seems like forever filling pin holes, sanding rough spots and mold marks it's in color. I have close to 45 hours in prep and now that it is in color I see more flaws BUT Roth would have had them also so they stay. After a few weeks curing I'll be able to mask it off and lay on the White stripes to separate the colors and along the bottom of the body. So for now I can start on the minimal interior it had. The seat was covered in Blue and Red Metal Flake Vinyl. The colors are 1966 Ford Bahama's Blue Metallic and 1964 G.M. Fire Thorn Red Metallic. Paul

[KRAZY RICK]

Looking good Paul, keep up the good work

[JOHNNY "VEGA" VERKERK]

Now that's something I have never seen done,,looks like your headed in the right direction!!

[BERT "THE CRUSHER"]

I'm with you John, I have only seen the box art and 1:1 pics. Paul your patience has paid off. I probably would have thrown it against the wall after 40 hours. Looking super so far. After reading Harley's comments about the engine, I am going to do some reading on this thing. Keep up the good work Paul!

[41CHEVY]

Feb 27, 2015 11:49:26 GMT -4 BERT "THE CRUSHER" said:

I'm with you John, I have only seen the box art and 1:1 pics. Paul your patience has paid off. I probably would have thrown it against the wall after 40 hours. Looking super so far. After reading Harley's comments about the engine, I am going to do some reading on this thing. Keep up the good work Paul!

Interesting comparison between Barris' XPAK400 and Roth's ROTAR. Roth's actually did hover off it's wheels, Barris had a skirt around his unit and small hydraulic legs to lift it up so it appeared to hover. Barris stated they "flew it all over the shop and up and down grades to prove to themselves it worked". No actual photos exist of the testing and it never flew after the Roth ROTAR accident.