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Original LesRo Sprite
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More Like a Swamp Buggy?
I bought this model in fairly rough condition on eBay as it was the first LesRo Sprite that I had seen for sale since I became interested in them after I started to build the 30" Sprite Plus model from the excellent scaled-up drawings from Chris.
Looking more like a swamp buggy with its pusher glow plug engine fitted, the plan is to remove the glow motor and its mount (whilst causing a little damage as possible) and convert what is left into a model that looks a little more like it LesRo intended it to be.
Bob.
I bought this model in fairly rough condition on eBay as it was the first LesRo Sprite that I had seen for sale since I became interested in them after I started to build the 30" Sprite Plus model from the excellent scaled-up drawings from Chris.
Looking more like a swamp buggy with its pusher glow plug engine fitted, the plan is to remove the glow motor and its mount (whilst causing a little damage as possible) and convert what is left into a model that looks a little more like it LesRo intended it to be.
Bob.
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Bob.
Will
The underside of the hull looks to be in good condition and the prop shaft supporting skeg is still present…..although it has no propshaft.
The inside of the hull clearly shows where the prop shaft would enter the hull - if one had ever been fitted.
With this internal slot and the external skeg to work with the position of the new prop shaft is pre-determined.
The front of the bow has a “ding” in the balsa wood nose - something that I suspect this design will be quite prone to acquiring…..and my new Plus has already suffered the same when I hit it against my mini bench-top mill/drill!
At one stage I had considered carving the bows from a piece of hardwood that I had cut to size for this purpose, but I ended up making it from balsa wood - just like the kit built Sprite.
Bob.
The sudden “stop” where the deck edge stringers end does not look good, so they will be “blended-in” better when the boat is restored to look nicer.
Also, the pointed roof section can be clearly seen in this picture - along with the flat fronted cabin.
I am considering making a complete new “plug-in” cabin with a two part cabin front (like the Plus) with a rounded cabin roof (like the Mk2 Sprite) as a “styling option” after I have restored the hull.
Another consideration is to make this alternative (better looking) cabin as an integrated part of the hull to improve the weather-proofing when the boat is running in choppy weather.
A lift-off cabin can never be as water-tight as an integrated one because any ‘deck-wash” will find its way into the hull. Calm sailing days should not reveal this problem (unless the cabin fit to the deck is very poor) but sailing in choppy or rough water will - sooner or later.
Our club lake is close to the sea front and benefits from the “on-shore” wind sometimes by producing some nice choppy water to drive over.
My smaller 16” Aerokits Patrol Launch has an integrated cabin construction, so it should work OK on this model that is slightly bigger and has a larger sized cabin.
This would necessitate a “lift-off” roof, so I will need to check and see if this would leave enough access for me to be able to remove and replace the motor if needed.
The battery would probably be placed under the rear deck (and be easier to access) but until I get a bit further on and work out the best ‘balance point” for the boat, I will not know if this will work.
Lots of ideas and thoughts are in my mind about this little model as I sit here away from home thinking about it………
Bob.
When placed alongside the 30” long Sprite Plus, is is quite surpassing to see just how much bigger the larger model is than the Sprite.
The Sprite Plus is also a better looking model IMHO.
The flat front cabin window is very utilitarian and does go with the square shaped bow, but the revised cabin front on the Sprite Plus looks much nicer and more refined.
I also introduced some camber across the front decking before I skinned it, and I think that also looks nicer too.
The original Sprite is a Mk1 and has a pointed cabin roof. The Mk2 has a rounded roof section, which I think looks better than my original Sprite does.
When I design a cabin roof for the Plus, I will probably make it with a rounded section roof and maybe with some “aero-section” from front to back (like I did on the Kopy Kommander) rather than leaving it with a flat side profile.
I do like the covered rear area of this Sprite. The Sprite Plus is designed to have an “open” rear deck area, so that is another option to consider as I get a bit further on with the new build.
The deck edging stringer ends with a “step” at the bows on the Sprite, whereas I have chosen to taper them where they end on the Plus.
When I rebuild the Sprite, I think I will taper these deck edge stringers at the front where they end rather than leaving them with such an abrupt ending as I think they will look better when they are “faired-in”.
Bob.
Each model is programmed-in with it’s own name, and every model has its own adjustments such as servo or motor revers and end-points etc.
I just “call-up” the name of whatever boatI am going to drive before switching the model on.
Much better than carrying a transmitter for each model…….although I do have a spare transmitter “hidden away” that is also fully programmed with every model power boat in it, so I have some “cover” if my transmitter should ever fail.
Bob.
It has zero value when it is in this condition - even if it worked.
I was on a mission to used the limited time that I had at home last night to get this Sprite “cleaned-out” and prepared ready for the next stage while I had the chance.
Anything of use or value such as the lovely little vintage rudder was saved……can’t think of anything else in the hull that was worth salvaging..
Bob.
The other side of the equation is that with so few people using the old gear now, the reception at most ponds is going to be a lot better! And, the gear is practically free (though the new stuff is amazingly inexpensive for what you get).
With the aero-platform removed, the cabin and rear deck cover were put back on the hull and it now looks more like a LesRo Spite again!
Bob.
After a couple of hours work, the hull had been cleaned-out ready be tidied-up and restored.
The small vintage rudder was freed and eventually removed to be salvaged and used again. If it had been fitted "upright". I would have left it in place, but it was not, so it was carefully removed and will be re-fitted.
Bob.
The two glow plug motors were also stripped of any accessories and put aside for cleaning at some time in the future. They were with coated with dried-on fuel (caster oil) with the small ENYA being particularly well coated!
The motor accessories (tubes/propellers etc) were also very sticky and grubby and were thrown away.
Bob.
I have a load of old 27Mhz Acoms gear still from my rc cars days, and I used to use it in my Perkasa too. Like many others, I moved over to 2.4Ghz when I got back into aircraft flying again.
No one seems to want the old 27Mhz stuff, so It's hard to know what to do with it.
Looking forward to seeing what you uncover with this one, and following it's progress to getting it's bottom wet again.
Will
That is quite a restoration project, Zooma!
It looks like you've got your work cut out for you, but I really enjoy seeing an old model being brought back rather than simply discarded.
That Enya engine certainly brings back some memories. And that original 27 MHz ACOMS radio is quite a piece of modeling history in itself. I can imagine there is going to be a lot of careful stripping and rebuilding before you get to the point where you can start putting things back together.
I'm especially interested in seeing what you discover as you get further into the restoration.
Old models like this can tell you a lot about how these kits were originally built and how they were modified over the years.
I've actually been involved in a discussion recently about one of the old Midwest/Dumas-era boats and the history surrounding these kits. It would be interesting to compare notes as you uncover more of the original construction on yours.
Keep the pictures coming,
Bob. I'm definitely following this one!
Stripping any old model (especially one that has been modified like this one) to make it ready for restoration is a complex blend of applied brute force whilst trying to preserve as much of the original model as possible.
The first job with this model started just a few minutes after it arrived in the post this evening.
The old radio system and its mounts etc was removed and thrown away, and the metal support for the platform that carried the motor was cut away.
Bob.