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Mercedes Benz 300 SLR n° 722 - Overall winner 1955 Mille Miglia, driven by Sir Stirling Moss - FINISHED


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Good evening guys :)

 

I've not be able to spray my clear coat over the bodywork, because I was late in decanting my can of Mr Hobby Super Clear Semi-gloss, and the jar where I decanted it was always releasing gas 2 hours ago, so it will be done tomorrow, if weather allows.

 

On the other hand, the test runs on the chassis and under the body being conclusive with the test engine, I started to assemble the final engine, and there, without counting all the preparation and cleaning of the parts because of the flash and the molding lines or ejection pads, I spent several hours, while studying my reference pictures, to drill the holes in the right places in which the injectors, the spark plugs, and the different hoses will fit.
I also spent a lot of time filling all the gaps between the 3 assembled parts, due to bad fit of the kit parts, with several layers of polyester putty.


But now, the engine block is ready and I have applied 2 coats of primer/filler, which give the engine block a really nice aspect.

 

52017259497_dcb8d5869e_c.jpg   52017259527_8f1f898cc5_c.jpg

 

52017259477_c6e8dbe83c_c.jpg   52018546924_c0e74b4eb7_c.jpg

 

52018815070_6012c2aa87_c.jpg  52018823840_c1da050aaa_c.jpg

 

Once the primer is fully cured, I could give the engine a good sanding with 3000 grit to prepare it to receive the final paint..

 

Stay tuned if you like 😎

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Evening gentlemen :)

 

First tlight  layer of semi-gloss clear coat have been sprayed , it has slightly darken the aluminum color, which appears always good.

Tomorrow will be time to apply the decals, an then 2 new coats of clear will be sprayed, a mist one and a wet one.

 

A the moment, no issue with this, just a micro-micro-dust on the bonnet.

 

52020151931_69932a2ef1_c.jpg   52020151891_acf9636d7c_c.jpg

 

52020673760_801b9c6740_c.jpg

 

The engine block has been sanded and sprayed with aluminum, a pulley (? not sure that it is a pulley, b-ut it's visible on the original engine)  has been added on the front side.

It's been made on the lathe with 5 mm aluminum rod.

 

52020403214_df38c4f1ff_c.jpg   52020673770_5481123c8f_c.jpg

 

52020151751_2e1f42799f_c.jpg   52019114037_545fddef3c_c.jpg

 

Thats all for now, guys ! stay tuned if you like :)

 

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Evening mates :)

 

The first layer of clear, although light, wasn't strong enough today and I didn't want to run the risk of damaging it by putting the decals, so I'l do it tomorrow.

 

In the meantime I have not been idle:

- I've detached all the parts that will go on the engine from the sprues, cleaned them of all the flash, some others have just had a bit of putty applied to fill in unsightly moulding holes.
- I primed two alternators, 2 coils, 2 oil filters, 2 injection pumps, rocker covers etc.
- Finally I did a little precision work, very meticulous:
      * by making the 8 injectors, from 0.8 mm brass tube
      * and the 16 spark plugs (2 per cylinder) from a 0.6 mm brass tube threaded on a 0.8 mm brass tube, and 0.25 mm electric micro-cable, threaded in the hole of the 0.6 tube.
        Each 0.8 mm tube will be threaded into one of the holes in the top of the engine block, to the right and below the air intake pipes, but before doing so the head of each spark plug must be painted black and the base aluminium.

 

Some pictures to illustrate this:

 

52021172537_5f3e5f4d9c_b.jpg   52022213576_b1a77fba37_b.jpg

 

52022213561_e537fc0073_b.jpg

 

52022464589_79630430db_c.jpg   52022249238_60da4dcba0_c.jpg

 

And on the first picture, what you can see in my photo booth, is a blueprint of Mercedes 300 SLR chassis I found on the Internet. Is it close to the real ? don't know, but despite everything , very helpful 😎

 

52022727885_da82259b80_h.jpg

 

Stay tuned for next adventures :)

 

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Good morning, gentlemen :)

 

I began to put the decals.

Those are aftermarket ones I found here: Indycals for 7 USD plus shipping cost. The seller is a very good fellow, very reactive 😎

 

I thank @modelbautony who gave me his own decals stencil.

I did tries with them on my wife's deskjet printer, and wasn't happy with the result, due to the pr quality of this first price printer.

So, rather than buy another better printer, I preferred to search on the net, and bingo !

 

They are of very good quality but must be cut off one by one, following thoroughly their outlines , with a very sharp and thin blade.

 

52023505473_84c423521d_c.jpg

 

I apply them after several examinations of the pictures available on the MB archives website.

 

See you soon for the next ones :)

 

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16 minutes ago, Fnick said:

Looking very good Thierry. One observation though. Is it me or does the "2" on the right hand side have a bit of the black outline missing?

 

Nick

 

It's you... and the picture where there's just a small reflection on the second "2" surrounding .

 

I prouve it:

 

52023586771_b4edc6d658_c.jpg

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Left and right sides done:

 

52023792368_200e87b98b_c.jpg   52024004649_106bdecf7f_c.jpg

 

52023763656_8164048e40_c.jpg   52024276345_afe574688d_c.jpg

 

52024278675_11ced9228a_c.jpg.  52022726442_8e0c3b93e3_c.jpg

 

Here, the difficulty was to correctly apply and cut the decals on the left side, around the door.

 

She seems to come alive, don't you think ?

 

See you soon for the end of decals :)

 

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Well guys, decals job done, not without some difficulty with the right side "2" on the trunk, because of the opposite curvatures of the body at this place.

With a lot of Micro Sol, I managed to do it !

 

Union Jacks decals were a piece of cake :)

 

52024314884_8e6f270b6f_c.jpg   52024116058_781146f97a_c.jpg

 

52023011607_318cdfb010_c.jpg   52024594840_2bb44a97dc_c.jpg

 

52024312364_e6713060e4_c.jpg   52024124353_e199ee7fc7_c.jpg

 

52024602755_e36bd7374d_c.jpg

 

As you can see, the centre numéral "2" on the trunk lid covers partially the raised letter "D" (for Deutschland, and accessorily it was the handle to open the trunk), as on the real car.

Later on, the con covered parts of "D" will be painted with Molotov chrome.

The 3-pointed  star  of MB and the name "300 SLR" will be added later on, over the decal "2", but I've planned to make some paint touch-ups with red and black to give the impression that the "2" is applied over the letters and numbers, as it was the case on the real.

 

Now, I've to wait for a good drying  until tomorrow before spraying the clear...

 

So let's go on with the engine...

 

Stay tuned if you like 😉

 

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Good evening, gentlemen :)

 

I've painted and varnished all engine components but exhaust lines, which need a special treatment to become realistic.

 

All these parts are drying quietly, and tomorrow and the following days, I will still have a lot of work to do to improve some of these parts like:
- the alternator: manufacture of the strap that attaches it to the engine block
- the coils: red-brown paint of some parts, insertion of the 8 spark plug cables on each of them
- the water cooling line: manufacture and addition of the different hoses, simulation of the rubber seals and their metal straps on the line and on the 8 outlets
- Air intake line: Same as above.


Furthermore, I have to paint the 16 spark plugs, make the fittings and hoses that connect to all these parts and to the engine, weather this too new engine bloc, highlight some details, etc...
It looks like nothing, but it will take a lot of time, patience and energy !

 

Steel grey metallic for these parts (the rendering is not conform to the real)

 

52024781524_a670fbc594_c.jpg

 

And white aluminum for the last ones:

 

52025055775_f0fd837428_c.jpg

 

Stay tuned for next adventures :)

 

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Good evening guys :)

 

I've made some progress on the engine today:

- First I've painted the 16 spark plugs and then inserted them in the dedicated holes on the engine block top. Now, the engine looks like a hedgehog or a porcupine  😄

-  I've glued in place the oil filter

- I've glued in place the rocker covers and the front piece. 

- I've begun to detail the intake manifold and the water cooling line, painting on them in Tamiya Rubber black, the parts which are rubber sleves.

 

I've still a LOT of work to do on this one.

- Highlighting some details

- Fabricating or simulating the metallic collars, 37 or 38 of them, I'm not perfectly sure

- Fabricating the connectors for all hoses, a lot ...

- Detailing the alternator, and coils

- Fabricating another missing part situated on the left side of the engine block, above the oil filter and below the alternator, where to hoses connect.

- This list is long, etc.

- Not to mention the weathering of this too-new/neat engine !

 

However, to see how it looks on the chassis, I've put the engine as it will be with intake manifold, injection pump and water cooling line.

IMHO, this is very promising ! And it is a BEAST !

 

52027444955_e410f47ec0_c.jpg   52025888952_713b39775f_c.jpg

 

52025888922_38cfe130ea_c.jpg   52027445070_162af6a20a_c.jpg

 

52027175529_02ea76bf9a_c.jpg

 

Stand connected for the next post: clear coating is quite achieved 😉

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1 hour ago, CrazyCrank said:

Good evening guys :)

 

....

 

Stand connected for the next post: clear coating is quite achieved 😉

 

It remains to spray a 4th coat for a perfect finish after wet sanding 6000/8000 to remove 3 dust micro-particles on the bonnet.

Indeed, the  semi-gloss clear I sprayed this morning looked too mat, so I have sprayed this afternoon my third coat with a mix 2/3-1/3 between Semi-Gloss and Gloss, and now, it's too shiny on some places (where I probably insisted too much !)

So tomorrow the finishing coat will be a mix 75% / 25% between Semi-Gloss and Gloss.

 

52027229801_3bae34f17d_b.jpg   52027745120_f004cf1608_b.jpg

 

See you soon :)

 

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Evening guys :)

 

Too wet weather today to spray the last clear coat. I haven't taken the risk to spoil the good result I already got.

 

So, I went on adding "quills" to my porcupine 😄

 

First, I've achieved the alternator, taking inspiration of this photo:

 

52029758314_777bbbfcfb_c.jpg

 

It's been easy to paint black the right part of the alternator body

Easy too to scratch the fixture: 1 strip of BMF Okra Brite Chrome, two 1.5 mm sections of .5 mm brass tube, a bit of Molotov Chrome on them

 

It remained to scratch the wiring: 3 cables, of which 1 is 0.3 mm copper wire ended by a rubber sleeve, very simple to make with a section of 0.5 mm black electrical tube.

 

52029553251_264376c1f4_c.jpg


The 2 others, 1 red and 1 black, made of 0.5 mm electric wire, and both end with a brass pod, covered by a  rounded rubber cap:

- To make this, I used a 0.6 mm brass tube in which I inserted the electric wire.

- Then, I flattened the brass tube with flat pliers, at a distance of about 1 mm from the beginning of the tube where the cable entered
- Then I drilled a 0.3 mm hole in the flattened section, threaded a 0.3 mm copper wire in the hole, cut off the excess part of the copper wire on the top, and keeping 1 mm o the bottom, this 1 mm being threaded in the dedicated hole I drilled previously on the alternator.

- A last, to create a rounded rubber cap, I covered the top of the flatten section with UV resin, cured it with UV light, and painted this in Tamiya rubber black.

 

Some pictures to illustrate my explanation :

 

52029582043_48bae34dc4_c.jpg   52029574528_0f391c0b50_c.jpg

 

52029549611_4e85c9837c_c.jpg   52028503742_8d9047c175_c.jpg

 

52028498522_221bce0646_c.jpg   52029552336_f86c671927_c.jpg

 

52028493997_0cddb5d820_c.jpg   52029556306_d88e98178c_c.jpg

 

52029589383_e2e699d448_c.jpg   52029556306_d88e98178c_c.jpg

 

What took me the more time to do is the distributors wiring (sorry because in the previous posts, I made a mistake calling them coils)

 

I'm sorry and I apologize because, in the heat of the moment I totally forgot to take pictures of the makig-of

So, a long explanation:

 

Each distributor  has is centre part painted en a mix Red hull/ Flat red, as on the photo above.

This centre section has eight holes and I've had to insert and glue in each of them a short section of 0.25 mm black electrical wire: these are the spark plug cables

The top section receive a red wire, that I've scratched too.

The 8 spark plug cales are retained together with a strap that I made with 1.0 mm Tamiya masking tape painted Rubber black.

That was relatively easy, thorough, time consuming but easy.


It is afterwards that it became difficult !

 

The 8 spark plug cables of each distributor  join in a big rubber hose, and this last one climb on the top of the engine and leads towards the right rocker cover.

- I had to find something to simulate the big rubber hose. Looking thoroughly to my ref. photos, I've been able to determine its dimension by comparison with other elements, and found hat a 1.3 mm cable would match.

- Fortunately, I own 1.4 mm electrical cable, and I decided it would be perfect for the scale

- But, once the metal wires stripped of the tube, I saw that the inner diameter was about 0.7 mm, and so not enough to thread the 8 cables into it.

- I had to enlarge the end after heating it cautiously , using a little punch.

- And then it was not still that easy, because I had to thread the 8 cables simultaneously, but I managed this difficulty.

 

And the results:

 

52029649031_5a898c877e_c.jpg   52029901459_6a391bc71e_c.jpg

 

52030070375_29448bede1_b.jpg

 

52029765258_644b4f081c_c.jpg

 

But the difficulties don't stop there when it comes to ignition. The worst is yet to come:
- When the time comes, the two big pipes containing the spark plug wires have to be applied against the central part of the engine,

- fixed with a flange, also to be scratched, on the top of the left rocker cover,- brought down to the right rocker cover by passing between the air intake pipes,

- connected to the 2 "flutes", also to be made,

- and finally, the 8 spark plug wires, which go from the spark plugs on the top of the engine, have to be threaded through the 8 holes of each flute.


A big job of patience!


The 2 distributors are fixed on the engine block

The alternator will wait, because I've still to scratch additional parts  and fix on the left side of the engine block, and also I must fabricate the fuel lines coming from the injection pump and install their ends in the 8 injectors BEFORE glueing the alternator.

AFTER, it would be quite impossible.

 

As you can see, all action has to be planned and made in a precise order, otherwise, we are heading for a catastrophe, or at least a big disappointment

 

Stay tuned for next adventures 😎

 

 

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Thierry, you are adding so much to this engine. Looks really good. On first glance the paintwork looks a bit crude, But I amagine that you have magnified these pictures many times. What size is the alternator? Can,t be much more than somewhere between 0,5 and 1 cm. Right?

In any case, at that scale, this engine will be impressive.

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2 hours ago, Pouln said:

Thierry, you are adding so much to this engine. Looks really good. On first glance the paintwork looks a bit crude, But I amagine that you have magnified these pictures many times. What size is the alternator? Can,t be much more than somewhere between 0,5 and 1 cm. Right?

In any case, at that scale, this engine will be impressive.

Thanks Poul

 

The alternator is 12 mm large, and the distributors 10.

 

The pics have been taken with mi iPhone 13 in macro mode, and, in any case, the embedded camera see always details that your eyes don't catch !

Moreover, the alternator and distributors are painted Tamiya metallic grey, which is a bit glittery , and varnished semi-gloss. All this , magnified by the camera, explain your impression the paint is crude..

The magnification on the photos above is 12 times !

 

The paint is really not crude.

However, particularly for the distributors, the red zone where ares inserted the 8 cables may have been spoiled  a bit by the CA glue I used, despite my carefulness !

 

hereunder some picture  I've just taken at a distance of 15 cm, after having verified that what I saw on my phone screen have about the same dimension than what I saw simultaneously with my eyes:

 

Pic size is 400x300 pixels and on y iMac screen, so without any magnification :

- the whole engine is 4 cm large, exactly its real size

- The alternator is 12 mm, exactly its real size as well.

 

But you must take in account that, having reduced the resolution of the pics to 400x300 to show you the real size at 15 cm with the naked eye, the have lost  A LOT of details, that your eyes really see at this distance, so the pics below are not really what you can see (which is much more precise, detailed, and neat)

 

52031090713_d5a11b53aa_w.jpg   52031103438_bc8186e3f4_w.jpg

 

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated 😎

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Afternoon chaps :)

 

Little post quickly, before my appointment with the anesthesiologist (nothing serious, don't worry)

 

This night and this noon, I've simulated the Cerflex collars situated at the base of the pipes of intake manifold and on its body, and as well on the water cooling lines, using first BMF, which was too weak and didn't resist to handling , and finally Hasegawa Mirror finish, not perfectly convenient (too shiny), but stronger !

 

You must know that each strip is about 0.5 to 1.0 mm wide, so very tiny, and difficult to place.

In all they are17 on the intake manifold and 13 on the water cooling line !

A Benedictine work under magnifying glasses, which took about 4 hours !

 

Hereunder the result :

 

52031267531_75123f764c_c.jpg

 

Once weathered, the shine will be drastically attenuated.

 

I've also added on the water cooling line the first hose, it remains 4 to fabricate and fix

And I've one to fabricate for the intake manifold.

 

 

To be continued :)

 

 

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Evening gentlemen :)

 

I'm pleased to announce that the painting/clear coating job is achieved for the bodywork.

 

The main body is perfect and don't need any sanding or polishing.

However, it will remain, in 24 hours, to fix a very very slight orange peel appearance and a couple of dust micro-particles, on the bonnet ( and one on the trunk lid).

I managed to obtain the satin paint I wanted to get 😎

 

52032434050_2df4ba3432_b.jpg   52031918391_ff9ecfec82_b.jpg

 

52031951923_34cac484b7_b.jpg   52030875387_b701c5ce74_b.jpg

 

But I've not finished with the bodywork !

 

- I think it would be possible to scratch and add the wheel housings, which exist on the real car, and are not supplied in the kit. I'm not 100% sure, but I've already ideas to reach this purpose.

- Furthermore, the real car has a wide metal protective shield under the engine, and I think it would be interesting to add it, but making it removable .

- Also, I've to paint the inner side of he bonnet in mat black, and scratch a new air intake coz the kit part that is supposed to represent this is ugly and unrealistic. And also to add on the inner side the air duct which connect on the front end of the air intake manifold.

- And also to scratch the system with retain the bonnet when it's open.

- At last, not to mention the side chrome fillets, the door release button, the finish of the trunk release system with the rear spoilers etc., I also have to paint the interior of the body where it will be visible in the tub and under the car.

 

So a LOT of work ahead !

 

We'll see that in the next weeks :)

 

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Afternoon guys :)

 

Thanks for the kind comments, always appreciated.

 

I wrote yesterday that after 24 hours drying, I should fix some slight defects on the bonnet and trunk lid.

 

In fact, at this very moment, the clear has fully cured and what I thought to be dust particles has totally disappeared ! As well for the slight orange peel appearance. 😎

 

So, best being the enemy of the good, I would simply level the surface by lightly polishing it with MicroMesh 12000 , what can't spoil the varnish nor creating scratches :)

 

I'm currently working on the engine, and particularly on the top water cooling line.


It's almost achieved, it just remain to add 2 "collars" over the rubber bottom end of the brass lines of the left side. These brass lines will be painted aluminum, and their top ends will receive the same treatment than the bottom ends, BUT only at the very end of the installation of engine and front axle.
In fact, they are not yet glued on the water cooling line, just inserted in their holes, because their exact position will be determined only after having installed the front brake drums and the steering system.

 

So far, it looks like this:

 

52032683557_9e38c6dd9c_c.jpg   52032683617_54b11bdf6f_c.jpg


Funny bug, right? It looks like a plasma :)

 

For comparison, I placed next to the piece being worked the raw part of the kit

 

52034244520_ca7e5f453a_c.jpg   52033727921_3e556e456c_c.jpg

 

The water-cooling line, OOB, has 2 parts, and at the moment, there is 27 on the modified one, and once achieved and installed with the radiator, there will be 31 !

 

I've also painted and detailed the bottom water line, which connects backward on the left side of the engine block, above the distributors, and forward on the radiator .

It has been glued definitely on the engine block, because it was time to do it, and especially because it was impossible to determine the lengths and the bending angle of the brass pipes that come out the water-cooling line. Indeed, this brass pipes connect on this piece.

 

52034005469_2727ff70cd_c.jpg

 

Now, I'm going to scratch a hose which connects the front part of the injection pump and the front part of the air intake manifold, still a difficult task !

 

Stand connected, and thanks for watching :)

 

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For the fun, before going on, some pictures of the different parts of the engine already almost achieved and placed together on the chassis frame:

 

52033844736_c6df17ede9_c.jpg   52033844786_394f0f2dee_c.jpg

 

52032801847_da392b9ed4_c.jpg

 

What a beast ! and what a beauty ! I'm madly in love with it 😍

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