1:12 1932 Cadillac V-16 frame and engine

[happyfreddy]

@Roger
as usually great work !!!
chapeau

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Freddy!

[Roger Zimmermann]

For two days, I intended to cast the last tire. After 8 hours, it was time to open the molds; the result was another perfect tire. I sanded the parting line, and, after cleaning, I noticed that the tread was damaged at three places. Like two or three other tires, the missing bit of rubber was at the rear half. Strange...Why nothing is missing at the front half? By looking at the workplace, I saw two tiny black things with teeth! Effectively, those small rubber elements could be placed into two holes. Why? The answer is at the hard mold: when I began to cast the positive flexible molds, some rubber went under the brass bands. This "characteristic" went 1 to 1 to the hard mold, and, at those places, the tread is not attached to the root of the tire. With rough movements like with sanding , the rubber got thorn.
As I could rescue two elements, the sole way to put them in place is to prepare some more rubber. No chance to have the right proportions for a tiny quantity, so I decided to eliminate as well as I could the flaws from the mold and do another tire which was done today. I will now be very careful by sanding the parting line...
Anyway, I could not resist to take a picture with the product under vacuum. The volume for the product is about 4.5 cm3. The available volume from both containers is about 60 cm3. As you can see, the level rose almost to the top of both containers...Incredible!
Now, I have 8 tires; each has some small failures...The really bad ones will be used as spare tires as they are covered with a nice cover, so the tire itself cannot be seen, + 2 tires, just in case.

I began the tie rod ends; for the moment I have 4 pivots. They are made with mild steel and a ball is silver soldered on one end.

[Roger Zimmermann]

With the tire saga behind me, I continued with the tie rod ends. They are not done like modern ones: there is a cap; inside the cap there is a strong spring pushing at the lower pivot seat. I did the same, with the exception of the internal spring. By adjusting the cover with some precision, I'm getting a pivot without play and I can add some grease after the final paint.
The tie rod was one of the easiest parts to do: just a straight rod with threaded ends...As I don't have LH taps, I did RH threads at both ends, like my other models. The adjusting for the toe-in is just a bit different than in real life.
I noticed that the tie rod is lower than the front axle. Not very good...According to the drawing in the shop manual, the front axle should be a tad lower than the tie rod. I will bend the knuckle arms to reduce this inconvenient.

[MODEL A MODEL]

Sometimes, I feel guilty of leering at the pictures that you post. -it's like peeking in on lady undressed!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Don, at least you are looking at them!

With the shock absorber bodies done, it was time to link them to the suspension. This was done the last few days. The long screw at the arms is temporary. It must be that way till I'm ready to install the O-ring at the shaft. Once the arms are permanently attached to the arms, the O-ring cannot be installed or replaced.

[happyfreddy]

@ Roger
It´s poor incredible what You are doing there !
Such precision even in very small parts ........ wow

[Roger Zimmermann]

Hi Freddy
Thanks for your comments...Small parts must be precise, otherwise they don't fit!

[Roger Zimmermann]

When a sub-system is finished, the question is always the same: and now, with what I do continue? This time, the answer was: gas tank. I have no dimensions from it, but enough picture to have a good estimation.
I did first a dummy tank with cardboard to see if it would find its place. After that, I did the profile with heavy stock. This allowed me to shape the ends as well as the baffles to be soldered inside the tank. Their purpose is not to avoid heavy movements from the fuel, but to avoid crushing the tank by lifting the model by the gas tank.
The real fuel tank has two creases at each end; I was not sure how I would replicate them. Then was the choice of the material: 0.1 or 0.2mm thick brass? By trying with waste material, I came to the conclusion that the 0.2mm was better suited for all the operations to be performed on the main parts from the tank.
I did first the creases with a 0.8 mm wire pushed on the brass, then rolling the plate to get the correct shape. The last picture is better explaining the task.

[Tage]

Beautiful work!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Daniel!

[Roger Zimmermann]

The gas tank is now almost ready; the side plates were not flat but to simplify the stamping, I just soldered a convex smaller element. Missing are the tiny details: the three brackets to attach it to the frame, the draining plug and the filler tube which will not be easy to shape.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Ah! Summertime...Not the best season to build scale models! Anyway, I added some details to the tank, like the draining plug and the fuel outlet. Then I began doing 3 attaching points to be soldered on the tank. I evaluated their dimensions according to the pictures I have from Johan; I'm sure they are similar to the real thing but inexact dimension wise. I added also fake rivets to the straps.
Two minor pieces must be added to the tank: the fuel sender and next to it, another round cover I have no idea about his function.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Even if I'm not ready yet with the fuel tank, I'm thinking at the next element. The steering box would be a good candidate. The last worm and gear I had went on the Mark II, so I was on the search for a new pair. I found something in Germany and was ready to order. As you know, the worms are usually RH. I had the good idea to check if this is also the case on that model; it is not! I cannot cut gears on my lathe, therefore who as an idea how to get a LH worm, module 0.5 at the tallest?

[markus68]

Really beautiful work. Markus