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Jo NZ

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  1. Believe it or not, it's true.  I've built a few classic Pochers  (two Alfas, a Rolls and a Bugatti) and I spent a lot of time, after breaking the screws in the plastic, looking for a tap - which is when I found the thread size, Taps at the time were very rare and about $1000 each! The screws break because the are brass which has been chrome plated. The plating process embrittles the brass.

     

    Regarding the other screws, they are indeed M2, as is the threaded rod. You may want to replace the rod with stainless steel (not too hard to get) as the mild steel rod will rust eventually.

     

    (Edit) I can't find the English reference for the 1/16" Whitworth screws, but here's an extract from the official Pocher Factory Supplemental Instructions for the Alfa kit

     

    Screenshot 2024-02-12 141457

     

    It's in Italian, but you should get the gist....

    • Like 1
  2. On 09/02/2024 at 23:30, Graham Boak said:

     Before a Manchester?  Of course, they can't scan a Manchester.

    Actually they can. I've seen one. Can't say where it is, though, I'd have to kill you! The NDA I signed was worse than the Official Secrets Act.

    • Haha 1
  3. The dashboards arrived from Nick, and I have to say that the engraving is brilliant!

     

    Unfortunately they have suffered in the post...

     

    IMG_0804

     

    I'm not sure what did it, but they are curved in two directions - pretty difficult to do

     

    luckily, with some gentle flattening in a vice, and then a rubber hammer and surface plate, they can be recovered. I flattened the worst one first

     

    IMG_0805

     

     

    I drew the plate intentionally 5mm larger all round, so I'd got some fiddle room to get it in the right place on the dash hoop

     

    IMG_0808

     

     

    Looking good! I was looking through my photos for more detail when I came across this

     

    IMG_0330

     

     

    Notice how the dash hoop goes down the side of the chassis? I'd never noticed it before, and made the hoop to sit on top of the chassis.      Bugger.

     

    So next is to build a new dash hoop out of laminated strips of wood. I still have the jig that I used to make the first one, so a slight modification will correct it. I'm off to my LMS tomorrow to get thin strip hardwood.  Luckily he supplies boat modellers so always has a good selection...

     - and then I can use the second dash plate....

    • Like 2
  4. 6 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

     

    What I said was "single-seater", not F1. I made the CART Porsche 2708 and Teo Fabi's Mid-Ohio winning March 88C as well as one of the Danny Sullivan 'Miller' cars. All were by Starter, all were resin and there were a number of others (Chaparral and Lolas IIRC?). I also recall making CART and F3 cars by Provence Moulage, again in resin. PM also did the Arrows 'doodlebug' in resin (one of the few F1 cars I ever built for myself), though I never managed to bag one; mine's by Tenariv (and in metal!) PE suspension worked very well with resin.

    Starter also made the Benetton B188. Still got mine!

    • Like 1
  5. Awesome, Nick! In the meantime I had better finish the bits for the dash...

     

    The only part to do is the fuel gauge

    (Incidentally I love the fixings. Two hex head, one countersunk slotted and a hole...)

     

    IMG_0408

     

     

    I drew up the gauge face in fusion 360 and cut it to show the lettering

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-19 151955

     

    And looked at lots of fancy programs to recolour and add detail. Most of them are so complex they would take weeks to learn (e.g. GIMP) (I'm still looking for a simple photo editor to replace Picasa 3....)

     

    Guess where I ended up? Microsoft Paint....

    So the finished dial looks like

     

    Fuel gauge face v12(1)

     

     The outlining that has appeared isn't present when it's printed. Also this is 6mm across in 1/8 scale so only readable with a magnifying glass.

     

     

    I've also drawn the gauge holder

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-20 140115

     

    Which fits behind the panel

     

    I've printed the gauge onto photo paper through Word (you can size the image in mm so it prints correctly).  Now for the gauge itself...

    • Like 2
  6. Thanks guys

    While I am girding my loins to assemble the second engine, I modelled a few more bits  from the dashboard.

     

    IMG_0410

     

    This is a pump handle. As it's connected to the fuel system I'm guessing that it's for fuel pressurisation - there's no mechanical or electrical pump anywhere.

    I've only modelled the handle as I can use brass rod for the shaft.

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-11 151306

     

     

    There are assorted bits on the dash...

     

    IMG_0307

     

    Fuel gauge (and I've just realised that it tells you when you've pumped enough), two switches (magnetos?) - they look like 1920s light switches, two pump things that fit into the oil tank, and a tap which connects to the fuel system - a bleed valve?

     

    I've already modelled the back of the fuel gauge - the gauge itself and the face remain to be worked out...

     

    Replica vintage light switches are 50mm diameter by 40mm high, so that gave me a reference.

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-11 150847

     

    I can use brass for the plungers on the oil feeds (?). Here's the rest

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-11 154533

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-11 154809

    And the tap

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-11 151144

    It's not quite fully detailed, but in 1/8 scale it's only 6mm long, so I'm happy with it!

     

    I still need to find a way to make the stamping on the dash for "FRONT and REAR" (twice). They look like 1/4" characters in full size, so I'm looking for a stamping set with 0.75mm letters.....

    • Like 3
  7. I've gone back to the engines, because a lot of the build involves lining up with bits of them - or clearing them with the bonnet.

    First step was to get some decent 3d prints of the cylinder barrels and heads. The barrels weren't too difficult, using standard chitubox supports on the head face, but deleting those on the fins. The edges of the fins try to warp downwards (as it's printed) but these were acceptable. The heads were more difficult. I tried several style of chitubox support but the fins always curled over. eventually I made my own supports, but still had deformation around the cutouts for the pushrods. The final version looks like this - I continued the support across the pushrod slots and it stopped the warping

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-03 220345

     

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-03 220457

     

    The supports are thinned at the head face to make them easier to remove. Note that I set the supports on the head/fin joint.

     

    The front engine...

     

    IMG_0239

     

    Carb 2

     

    I found some suitable diameter springs in my collection if recycled printer and cd drive parts (I generally only keep the springs and small screws, possibly bits of rod as well). The rockers had been drawn long ago.

     

    Here is Engine no.1 assembled and temporarily in the frame. i've left the carbs off as the are very easy to knock

     

    IMG_0794

     

    IMG_0792

     

    IMG_0799

     

    There's a wire (hose!) going into the oil catch tank. this appears to be wedged between the cylinder and the body work

     

    Screenshot 2024-01-03 220723

    Very easy to draw, just a profile rotated around an axis.

     

     

    IMG_0796

     

    IMG_0797

     

    And there's that very nasty exposed chain drive...

     

    Next time I'll shorten the rockers so the pushrods are parallel.

    The rockers are a nightmare to assemble. The bolts holding them to the head are 0.5mm hex head rivets from MFH. They are cast, so I drilled out the holes to 0.6mm to compensate....

     

    It's going to get some serious weathering, the rockers and springs in particular need to look very oily.

     

    On to engine no. 2!

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 5
  8. Forgive if I'm dreaming, but after all the hullabaloo about flying direct from Oz to London (a first!) a couple of years ago, I definitely remember flying Perth/London direct in 1985 on a 747SP (dash 200?) Only a 20 hour flight, but as the plane was only 2/3 full there was room to walk around, stretch out etc.

    Was it all a dream?

    • Like 1
  9. You might want to check the orientation of the rev counter with photos. Most were aligned so that max revs were at the 12 o'clock position (easier to see for the driver). The red needle is the "telltale" that is mechanically driven by the rev counter needle, so should also be at max revs (or more if you're modelling a lunched engine!). These telltales were re-settable using a button on the back of the instrument.

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
  10. 5 hours ago, Karearea said:

    There’s also the Mangaweka DC3 tearoom, which would give you a chance to do a classic Kiwi service station next to it. Find some battered Holden Kingswoods and you’re set.

     

    The Mangaweka one has gone. I've seen it in my travels minus wings, but can't remember where. Maybe Marton or Fielding?

     

     

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