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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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25 minutes ago, johnlambert said:

Incredible work, I'm really enjoying this build.

Thank you so much for your kind compliment, John, much appreciated. 👍

I'm happy (and proud, I must admit) that you and other members are enjoying my builds  😎

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Good evening guys :)

 

Great new tonight !

 

The hinges system I imagined to get the trunk openable, lifting simultaneously the two fairings of the headrests, works perfectly😎

 

And it hasn't been too difficult to assemble it.

I was afraid that the sections of piano wire that run across both sides of each fairing, trapping the hinges underneath and serving as their axis of rotation, could not be cut short enough not to protrude from each side of the fairing, which would have been rather ugly.
Well no, I succeeded in this challenge too!
 

Some rough pictures quickly taken to show you the result:

 

52174777821_682a01d6fa_c.jpg   52173760267_005843bbdb_c.jpg

 

52175037674_249713e35c_c.jpg   52174788616_00a650d039_c.jpg

 

52174799863_d229d4e3a1_c.jpg   52174802518_4715b66f07_c.jpg

 

52174799476_e464833332_c.jpg   52175054774_0eea066454_c.jpg

 

52174813113_2e9642042c_c.jpg   52174808081_55f8618f3d_c.jpg

 

52174817293_de582bb4c7_c.jpg

 

Of course, making the trunk openable, with fairing/headrests modified to be closer of the truth, needed to accept doing compromises with their shapes, and the general shape of the car.

Purists would say that there is a too big gap between the bottom of the headrests and the rear of the bodywork, that the trunk isn't flush with the body, that the real hinges were different,  etc. etc.etc.

 

They are absolutely right !

 

BUT I'M VERY HAPPY of what I've achieved to make :)

 

See you soon for next episode 😉

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10 hours ago, johnlambert said:

You should be happy with what you've made, it's incredible.

 

SECONDED!!!

 

  Stay safe          Roger

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I was thinking about your build late last night (1 year old is teething so no sleep for me!) and about those tiny 3D printed Mercedes badges and other similar tiny details....

 

You mentioned that you print a lot of them as they break easily as you try to remove them from the supports. That got me thinking about how I would might go about that job if I was doing it.

 

I'm assuming its the difficulty of holding the little piece well enough to cut the supports off that is the issue? Too much pressure at a single point and the part flexes too much and snaps something thin?

Have you considered printing a flat topped block with the inverse of the part embossed into the surface to create a hollow the same size and shape as the part? If you did that then you could place the part into the depression in the flat surface and that would both support and hold the part. You could also put a tiny amount of something like Microscale Micro Liquitape (a repositionable light glue) into the holder block to stop parts pinging out as you work on them to remove the supports. 

Not sure if this would work but as you have the printer and the parts in digital format it should be easy to create the holder blocks?

 

If you do try this do let me know if it works.

 

FB

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The engineering and planning required to get the boot to open like that is phenomenal. Very well done, you should certainly be proud of that achievement.

 

Ian

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22 hours ago, johnlambert said:

You should be happy with what you've made, it's incredible.

Thanks a lot John for these kind words  🥳

7 hours ago, Flying Badger said:

I was thinking about your build late last night (1 year old is teething so no sleep for me!) and about those tiny 3D printed Mercedes badges and other similar tiny details....

 

You mentioned that you print a lot of them as they break easily as you try to remove them from the supports. That got me thinking about how I would might go about that job if I was doing it.

 

I'm assuming its the difficulty of holding the little piece well enough to cut the supports off that is the issue? Too much pressure at a single point and the part flexes too much and snaps something thin?

Have you considered printing a flat topped block with the inverse of the part embossed into the surface to create a hollow the same size and shape as the part? If you did that then you could place the part into the depression in the flat surface and that would both support and hold the part. You could also put a tiny amount of something like Microscale Micro Liquitape (a repositionable light glue) into the holder block to stop parts pinging out as you work on them to remove the supports. 

Not sure if this would work but as you have the printer and the parts in digital format it should be easy to create the holder blocks?

 

If you do try this do let me know if it works.

 

FB

Thanks for this suggestion @Flying Badger. They broke sometimes when I cut them off the support, but most oftenly after, when I handle them while cleaning.

You tip will work when I cut them off the supports, but after is the real matter.

 

12 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

SECONDED!!!

 

  Stay safe          Roger

 Thanks for the compliment, Roger, very kind of you, and much appreciated :😎

 

3 hours ago, Brandy said:

The engineering and planning required to get the boot to open like that is phenomenal. Very well done, you should certainly be proud of that achievement.

 

Ian

Thanks a lot, Ian, for this praise, ans YES, I'm proud.

The engineering has been a really difficult thing, the planning wasn't so. :)

 

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Good afternoon gentlemen :)

 

The end of this build is fast approaching 🙄

 

I've managed to put the body on the chassis, not without some difficulties, and to glue it in right position with CA, one edge/corner at a time, allowing the glue to harden before glueing the next corner.

And it's now strong.

 

I've so be able to begin to implement the exterior details, slowly, but surely.

 

So, the chromed MB star and inscription "300 SLR" have been carefully placed at the right place (comparing with my spare bodywork) and glued with diluted PVA glue.

Beforehand, I bent them slightly to fit the shape of the trunk lid.

 

Little touch-ups of Molotov Liquid chrome has been necessary to fix the little damages the pliers inflicted them.

I took the opportunity to apply some Molotov Chrome on the letter "D" on the boot lid, on the places where it is not covered by the red decal .

 

The method I used, 3D printing, to produce the emblems is probably not the best in terms of thickness and neatness,  photo-etching would have been more appropriate, but it looks good at the naked eye:

 

52184322380_cd47f7ceb4_c.jpg

 

I've put the wheels on the chassis and glued the knock-off nuts on their axles.

And I've also detailed the wheels, adding wheel balancing weights.

 

52184081249_f46b2efd5a_c.jpg   52183834626_82d1a4fe80_c.jpg

 

It remains to paint black the inflation valves.

 

As you can see, I gave up the idea of making and installing the wheel arches. It was technically possible and I had already started, but I realised that it would be even more difficult, if not impossible, to install the body on the chassis if I implemented them .

 

The bonnet closes correctly (for once !)

 

52182829697_dd30c00497_c.jpg

 

To be continued ....thanks for watching :)

 

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Stunning you have most defiantly worked your magic on this one, a great addition to your collection

 

    Stay safe                 Roger

 

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Looking fantastic with superb detailing!

 

Great to see it progressing with the body on the chassis.

 

RE: Photoetch detailing

The 300SLR badge might have worked OK in photoetch but I think the MB star wouldn't have looked nearly as good. Photoetch would have lost the profile shape to the star's arms which your resin prints replicate much better.

 

 

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4 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

Stunning you have most defiantly worked your magic on this one, a great addition to your collection

 

    Stay safe                 Roger

 

Thank you so much, Roger, for this huge compliment, not sure to deserve it, but most appreciated 😎

 

25 minutes ago, Flying Badger said:

Looking fantastic with superb detailing!

 

Great to see it progressing with the body on the chassis.

 

RE: Photoetch detailing

The 300SLR badge might have worked OK in photoetch but I think the MB star wouldn't have looked nearly as good. Photoetch would have lost the profile shape to the star's arms which your resin prints replicate much better.

 

 

 

Thank you very much, @Flying Badger for your praise, much appreciated :)

PS: You're right for photo-etched badge and star.

By the way, I still had an MB Star in photo-etch, of the right size, from a set bought during my previous MB 300 SL builds, and I found it's too flat, so I decided not to use it and make my own  😉

 

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Evening guys :)

 

This is not the end of this build, but we are inexorably approaching it 😥

 

First, I've tried to install my two spare wheels in the trunk.

Fortunately, only the left one can be placed, there's no room for the right one...I've written fortunately because, thanks to this issue, we can see, opening the trunk, one spare wheel, and also the fuel booster pump, the fuel tank and all the plumbing I made :)

 

52183614137_b35d34f714_c.jpg   52184908389_661d4a1efa_c.jpg

 

 I've designed and 3D printed a bolt and its cup which serve to fix the spare wheel on its stand

 

52184676648_570b39e416_c.jpg   52184673131_f6ceb5b20b_c.jpg

 

52184681343_c1d1e1374f_c.jpg

 

I've designed and 3D printed a part of the dashboard which is visible on this picture, a silver plate with 12 holes, placed just in the extension of the air intake fairing located on the left in front of the windscreen, which is used to ventilate the driver.

I took inspiration from the following picture :

 

52134646333_aecfaef235_c.jpg   52183654937_e696a6009f_c.jpg

 

52184935444_392952fbc0_c.jpg   52185173160_9526bbe081_c.jpg


52185173160_9526bbe081_c.jpg

 

The dimensions of this plate are 13.0 x 1.0 mm and 0.35 thick. Holes are 0.35 mm diameter.

I've painted it the same color as for the bodywork, so ALCOA Aluminium and sprayed a gloss coat.

It is now in place and enhance drastically the dashboard :)

 

52183673492_cbf9fc5515_c.jpg

 

I've replaced the fixture I scratched yesterday (?) to lock the retaining bar of the bonnet, by a tiny strong magnet, which allow to lock and unlock this bar more easily.

 

52184948534_2545d9ab34_c.jpg

 

I've painted Ribber black the inflation valves's caps for 6 wheels

 

52184955979_75f27b435c_c.jpg

 

I've added the opening handle for fuel hatch on the left headrest fairing,  and the opening handle of the driver's door:

 

52183687662_fc2206b412_c.jpg

 

It remains to do:
-  finish and install the windshield and its mirror
-  install if possible the part I 3D printed which connects the aperture of the bonnet and the air intake manifold
- to glue another time the chromed lateral strips of the body, cause they unstuck (4 times !)
- to.....hum ! that's all except taking some nice pictures for RFI section I think, folks 
 

To be continued, for a short time :)

 

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Congratulations you have just won a prize for the best looking boot!🙂 And the rest of the car is pretty good too!

 

That's an amazing amount of detailed crammed into such a small space.

 

Nick

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Excellent work here. And, while it might not seem that much on an achievement at first glance, doing all those modifications and still getting the bonnet to fit snugly is very much an achievement.

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16 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

Work of art, it's coming together very nicely. 👍

Thanks Jörgen for this kind comment 👍

 

15 hours ago, Fnick said:

Congratulations you have just won a prize for the best looking boot!🙂 And the rest of the car is pretty good too!

 

That's an amazing amount of detailed crammed into such a small space.

 

Nick

Thanks Nick for, your kind words 👍 A question, however, because I'm not sure to understand "best looking boot"

 

15 hours ago, Spiny said:

Excellent work here. And, while it might not seem that much on an achievement at first glance, doing all those modifications and still getting the bonnet to fit snugly is very much an achievement.

Thanks Spiny for your huge praise 😎

 

3 hours ago, Noel Smith said:

Beautiful build!  Enough said!

Thanks Noel for this kid comment 👍

 

1 hour ago, JeroenS said:

Amazing, Thierry... what a result! 

Thanks Jerkins for your appreciation.....but wait a bit  more, because it's not finished !

 

I'm currently glueing carefully the windscreen on its frame, and it's a challenge

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30 minutes ago, Fnick said:

Another word is trunk or if you prefer "coffre" 🙂

 

Nick

That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure, and for me, "boot" was shoes first :)

 

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1 hour ago, Vesa Jussila said:

I finally had time to catch up this build. Looks excellent and this is real masterpiece. 

 

Thank you so much for this huge compliment  @Vesa Jussila 😎 

 

PS: could you read your PMs ?

 

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I’ve said it before, but this can’t be said enough. You’ve built a fantastic model. Hat off for you. 

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Just now, Pouln said:

I’ve said it before, but this can’t be said enough. You’ve built a fantastic model. Hat off for you. 

You're too kind with me. I'll try to go on deserving such compliments 😉

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Good evening Gentlemen :)

 

Well, it seems this one is finished !

 

I've scratched the windscreen with 21/100 clear plastic sheet, cut off following my template, and gently glued with micro-droplets of CA, after I had curved it by hand in order its profile matches with the frame

The mirror has been glued in place, no modification on this part.

The part I 3D printed for the underside of the bonnet, has been placed, slightly trimmed to avoid it goes in conflict with the front of the air intake manifold, and so the bonnet closes correctly.

Its shape does not fit perfectly around the air intake grille but I could not do better, for lack of more precise dimensions to extrapolate from reference photos

 

Some rough photos taken in a hurry, waiting for a sexier photoshoot for the RFI section that I will do in the next few days :)

 

52187186185_f4fb5015c8_c.jpg   52186713363_d871380c28_c.jpg

 

52185681607_2592080a3e_c.jpg   52187186070_a72625e062_c.jpg

 

See you soon for next adventure in modeling :)

 

 

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