Alfa Romeo Coupe Elegant 1/8

[CrazyCrank]

@Pouln, your door handles are amazing

 

But, if you accept a little criticism:

the slot of the screw that feature the key housing is a bit unrealistic, because too wide, IMHO

I wonder if you could modify that: for instance, filling the slot with heated welding wire, and then, sand, and then grab a shorter slot at the centre of the screw's head, with a micro conical-shaped milling bit ?

 

Aniway, you entire work is very impressive and inspirational

Best regards

 

Thierry

[Pouln]

Thanks, Thierry, 

and your criticism is appreciated.

 

I see what you mean and actually I agree. I'll try to find a way to make the slot shorter. 

Might fill part of it with solder and create some sort of key guide (I assume that's what you're aiming at with the micro conical mill).

The thing is the it still needs to function as a screw, otherwise the handle cannot be mounted on the mechanism. Having said that, it is worth a try.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Pouln

[Jnkm13]

Hi Poul,

 

Here are 2 pics of the metal sticker I used.

 

 

2nd photo "attempts' to show the reflection.

 

 

Regards,

Jeremy

[Pouln]

Thanks, Jeremy. Does not look bad at all. 

I actually had a go at using a fixed disk platter. 

 

I need to process the pictures and upload them, but I was quite happy with the result.

I guess I will use that. 

 

I will post the procedure and the resulting mirror pics later today, 

[Pouln]

So what did I do to create a rear-view mirror?

Well, first of all, I opened a fixed disk. Just a number of screws (torx) to remove.

One is behind a label that read: Warranty void if removed. I guess I no longer have warranty on this disk.

The lid sticks to the case of the disk because the gap is filled with some sort of kit.

Opened it looks like this.

 

 

The top platter is already removed (again just 5 or so torx screws). Some nice alu rings come off these disks. I have a whole selection of these.

Maybe they can find a place in a rim sometime.

 

 

So, I removed the top platter. The shine is perfect.

Issue with these platters is that they are way too thick to be used as rear view mirror.

 

 

I mounted it on the lathe and thinned it down. Under the outer layer is a alu carrier. This alu is of a sort that does not really machine well. You end up with a coarse surface, but, hey, who cares. It is the backside of the mirror.

I thinned it down to 0.75mm. I didn't dare to go thinner.

 

 

I cut a section out of the platter and put tape on the mirror side for protection.

I wanted to use the lathe to cut a 10mm mirror disk out of it.

All seemed to go well until the cutter went through the disk. It caught the 10mm disk as soon as the support of the rim was gone and due to lack of strength, the mirror disk crumbled.

 

 

 

New plan, which actually did it, was to use a punch and die. I recently acquired a set that went up to 14mm.

The third try worked out perfectly. First try I had the mirror side up, but this left me with nasty burr on the mirror side.

Second one was slightly scratched.

Third one is in the pictures below.

 

 

 

I am quite happy with result.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2017 by Pouln

[Pouln]

I also started with the rear light. I punched it out of 0,25 brass sheet. Drilled some holes and then filed the remainder away.

Below is the result. I'm not sure if I will keep this one. There are some flaws. If I can hide these flaws under the paint, than I can keep it.

 

 

That's it for now.

As always, comments, questions, advice and criticisms are welcome.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Pouln

[PROPELLER]

As usual, well done Poul!

Congrats!

Dan.

[Pouln]

1 hour ago, PROPELLER said:

As usual, well done Poul!

Congrats!

Dan.

 

Thanks, Dan. Really appreciated coming from you. I'm in awe seeing what you accomplish in your bugatty build.

[Pouln]

Finally found some time to do some work.

First the lid for the petrol tank

 

I first drew my interpretation of how the lid should look like

 

 

I pressed a small cup and soldered a ring around it. Also made second ring for the body.

 

 

I made a small hinge and a clamp to keep it closed

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2017 by Pouln

[Pouln]

I did some more prep work for the paint. Mainly the top of the cowl and the surrounds of the windows that will be black.

 

 

[Pouln]

I decided that the first attempt for the rear light should be scratched.

New attempt follows...

 

First step was to make a lower and upper form on the lathe.

 

 

I have a small press that is actually to light for the .25 thick brass (even after annealing).

 

After that I drilled some holes and filed the openings for the upper and lower part of the light.

I used a lot of filler to get a good enough surface.

 

After sanding and priming in black, this is the result.

Need some more cleaning, but it will do.

 

That's it for now. More to follow....

Edited April 2, 2017 by Pouln

[larchiefeng]

Old world craftsmanship and it's probably not far off from how the original version was made! Nice job and the body painting looks like it's coming along as well; good to see an update!

[PROPELLER]

Good stamping work Poul! 

[Pouln]

Thanks, guys. 

The stamping was not all that easy. I have now brass sheet 1/8th of a millimeter and am going to test with that. 

Just want to know if the result is strong enough (not too wobbly).

I think I will use the above samples as rear lights on the car.

[rjfk2002]

I love all the hand made details you are adding Poul. Any update on the rear light housings? 

[Pouln]

Thanks guys.

 

Well, I'm short of time. Have been busy preparing the house and garden as we are planning to put the house up for sale.

hope to get it sold soon as we are eyeballing another house (which will have a nice roomey workshop for me).

I hope to get some more work done  on the AR before I need to pack everything for the move. 

Don't know when that will be, but when that time comes, it will be quite some time before I can restart the work on the model. 

 

Next up will indeed be the housing for the rear lights. I am thinking about lightning need up front and in the rear too.

Thought process not finished yet.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Pouln

[Codger]

I'm slowly catching up with the great builds going on here. Look forward to your continuing excellence. Best luck with your move and pack the Alfa carefully!

[Pouln]

Thanks, Chas. Good to have you on board again. 

Continued excellence.... well, I'm flattered with that. 

Will be some timebefore the move will happen. First sell the house and haggle about the price of the next one. so I ought to be able to get something done before we need to pack. 

 

Rest assured, I will be very careful with my AR. 

[Pouln]

Hi guys, 

 

I know, I terribly neglected this lot.

I wrote in Wayne’s and Rich’s F40 wip what

The coupe build is not fotgotten but it is safely stored until I’m ready to pick it up again.

Don’t wait up for me, because it will be some time before I’m able to restart the build.

[Codger]

22 minutes ago, Pouln said:

Hi guys, 

 

I know, I terribly neglected this lot.

I wrote in Wayne’s and Rich’s F40 wip what

The coupe build is not fotgotten but it is safely stored until I’m ready to pick it up again.

Don’t wait up for me, because it will be some time before I’m able to restart the build.

Not going anywhere unless undertaker has me on the list. Love to see this come back Poul.

C

[Pouln]

Let’s hope that that moment lies far in the future, Chas.

I will certainly do.

[Pouln]

Given the fact that I retired, I will have more time to spend on the build of the Coupe.

We moved to a new home, I managed to set up quite a spacious workshop, found all the parts of my Coupe, so nothing is stopping me.

I will most probably go slow, but hope to make some steady progress.

Not being able to do much outside of our garden due to the Corona virus, it should be achievable.

 

So last week I started and decided to do some body work first.

I thinned down the vents on the cowl because these were way too thick.

 

Before:

 

After:

 

 

Then there is an issue with the doors.

There is no real stop except for a tiny pin that protrudes from the roof top. It actually means that the seats will stop the doors but that does not create a nice fit.

Also the driver and passenger will face a lot of wind and possibly rain that will come in through the gaps.

 

 

 

So I decided to fabricate a seal of thin plastic. that will serve two purposes:

1. it will close the gap

2. it will guide the door as it is otherwise too loose within its frame as you can see from the picture above

 

 

 

 

 

But, of course, every solution leads to a new challenge. In this case it is the thickness of the "outer skin" of the doors. Those are thicker than plastic of the bodyframe, so the new

seals stop the doors from closing completely.

I therefore thinned down the edges of the doors. Left is thinned to half of the original thickness.

 

 

 

 

This solved the problem. a much nice fit of the door inside the frame.

 

 

 

 

I had been working on body and doors off the chassis. I knew that putting the body on the chassis meant that the underside of the body would be pulled outside by almost 2 cm, which would change the fit of the doors in the body. 

That's why I have the piece of wood inserted inside the body. It's a somewhat rough indication of the width of the body when it is mounted on the chassis. 

But the proof of the pudding is in the eating

 

And.... drum rolls..... This is how the right side door closed when the body was on the chassis.

 

The door bulges out at one point. For the moment I decided not to modify the door. Instead as it is only the wheel arch I decided it would be best to modify the wheel arch where it meets the door. 

Later on I will dry-fit with the wings on as this solution might be a problem for their fit. Before this they where a perfect fit to body and chassis.

 

Ok, on to the passenger side

 

 

Luckily the fit was perfect even with the body on the chassis. 

 

 

Pocher cut some corners here and there. Most obvious at this point is the missing inner wings at the rear.

If I was to finish the build as Pocher intended, you would see the backside of the seats from the wheel arches. I already extended the floor from behind the seats to the fuel tank, but the sides are still open.

 

 

Of course this cannot stay as it is. I'm thinking about how to solve that, but that is for the next post.

 

That's it for now. I will not post daily, will probably move ahead and then post a bunch of stuff that I've done. Thanks for watching and comments are always welcome.

Edited April 1, 2020 by Pouln

[Codger]

Great to have you back Poul !

Especially with a rare Pocher.

Look forward to your work.

C

[Pouln]

I do have some pictures of my new workshop.

We had installed a new kitchen, so I decided to use the old kitchen furniture  as a basis for the workshop.

 

 

Paint station and a bit of mess that needs to be cleared

 

 

The drill press and milling machine

 

 

My good old lathe, with milling attachement

 

 

The work area. I made it quite high as I find myself standing often when I'm working. 

 

 

And a large table (244x122cm) to work at and spread things out when needed.

 

 

That's about it. More to follow soon.

[Pouln]

Than

44 minutes ago, Codger said:

Great to have you back Poul !

Especially with a rare Pocher.

Look forward to your work.

C

Thanks, Chas. I will try to make it worth your while