Pocher 1/8 Alfa Monza revisited

[Jo NZ]

As I wanted to build the model with the cutaway rear chassis cover plates, the rest of the fuel tank needs to be fabricated from scratch - the Pocher part is incorrect as it carries the chassis line right across the back of the car and makes only a small concession to the relief for the differential.
Finding pictures of the underside of the fuel tank was difficult, and I'd just about given up when I found a post on Pinterest with pictures of the fuel tank fabrication (Note - you need to join Pinterest to see them all, and then you facebook friends will connect to your Pinterest page expecting pictures of quilting or food...)

It's a difficult shape to make, and I started off filling in the sides of the tank and making everything removable in case it went horribly wrong...

[Jo NZ]

Full size fabrication pictures of the fuel tank:


I made the tank base using two styrene formers cut to shape, and .060" square styrene strip running across them. Very much a case of trial and error to get the height correct to miss the diff. At the centreline, the tank base is dead straight between the rear of the tank and the front - I used the Pocher bulkhead as a guide.

[Auto-Racing]

Great work and it looks like an exciting build . I have the authentic shade of dark red paint given to me from a friend who owns a genuine Alfa Monza if you need it when you come to paint your model send me a message and i can post a colour sample for you to have mixed up .

[Jo NZ]

Here's the bottom of the tank mated to the top. Excuse the rippled end at the front of the tank - it should be straight... but it won't show too much in a mirror!
I used 60 thou strip as I thought that, even though it was stepped, it would be thick enough to sand down smooth. It was - nearly. You can see the laminations on the inside on the pics in the post above where it got a little thin.

[Dougritt]

The tank looks great! Thanks for the prototype images...I will be rebuilding the tank on my brass Alfa!

[Jo NZ]

It was your search for the tank that got me looking for it, Doug. So frustrating to find high-shot side views of the rear but nothing of the underneath.

Here's the oil and water pump, scratchbuilt from aluminium. It took ages, and when installed in the car it's almost invisible! Water pipes made from brass rod, nickel plated .

[Dougritt]

Well done! Now there will be no excuse to make an unmodified Pocher tank! Thanks for your research!

Doug

[Jo NZ]

Here is the brake pivot with a fabricated chassis support

[Dougritt]

Very nice work...your machining skills are impressive!

[Jo NZ]

Carrying on with the gearbox: I've made new throttle and brake pedal levers, and made the throttle linkage that goes through the access hole in the block support arm. Fun to do, especially when it lines up with block mods that I did two years ago!

[da_ashman]

Amazing build so far! Great to see another Kiwi here too!!!
Was Grand Prix models in NZ? Cant say i've ever heard of them, not many left now tho, only 5 left in Auckland

[Jo NZ]

Thanks for the comment! Of course, I don't think it's amazing because it's only after you build that you find out where it's wrong....

GPM is in the UK. It still is still in existence and thriving, but doesn't sell Pocher kits now. see www.grandprixmodels.com.

It's the sort of place where a Christmas opening attracts 5 Ferraris - including a GTO. I was serving and a Sth African guy was questioning the shape of a Ferrari GTO kit. I said - well there's one outside - take a look. He didn't quite understand what I meant, but walked to the front of the shop, wiped a hole in the condensation on the window - and stood there like a stunned mullet for at least 5 minutes. A great place, GPM.

[Jo NZ]

Brake and clutch pedals
As I don't have any decent pictures of how the pedal arms attach to the pedals, I followed the kit design but made them out of aluminium. I used a slice of ally bar, annealed it and used vice jaws for the pattern. Then turned it back to the right thickness and cut the pedal out of it to get the offset fixing.


Next question - does anyone have a picture of the bell housing attachment for the breather tube that goes up the firewall?

[koehlerkment]

Have a look at the pictures. The standard clutch breather was a trumpet facing forward. You can see the location on the bell housing clearly. It's not provided in the Pocher kit, but easy to fabricate. Excuse the quality of the first picture.