Race Fan Builds F1 Car In His Garden Shed
” Thomas isn’t an engineer; his expertise is merely that of a hard-core fan’s. But with two tubs in hand, he decided he had to put one on the track. He needed only an appropriate drivetrain, suspension, seat, and, well, everything else that makes up a modern Formula 1 car. Resources were—and remain—scarce. He says: “It quickly became clear that it was very difficult, or even impossible, to get the right parts. I have to use what I can get.” He trades among a community of F1 parts collectors, and he checks eBay every day. His shed is filled with F1 components, and he says making them fit has been part of the fun. His sidepods, for example, are from a later Williams-BMW. He learned to work with carbon fiber, chopped up the pods, and modified them to fit with a BAR engine cover. This resourcefulness has served him well: His total outlay has been only about $13,000, and from the look of it, you’d think he had a complete car. “
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