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

[silver911]

Yet more superb progress Thierry 

 

Ron

[CrazyCrank]

4 minutes ago, silver911 said:

Yet more superb progress Thierry 

 

Ron

Thank you so much for the compliment, Ron, much appreciated, as usual. 😎

I must admit I am not unhappy with my first result on these wheels

 

I just finished to draw the rear ones, easier and quicker , as only the inner part of the rim and hub is larger, and I started from the front wheel design, modifying some parameters... et voilà !

Regarding the spare wheel, I have to redo the job starting from zero, unfortunately.

 

CC

 

 

[CrazyCrank]

Good afternoon,  gentlemen

 

I have now 4 perfect front wheels and 7 rear ones.

They fit correctly on the axles and on the tyres.

I just finished to design the spare wheel, and the 3D print is in the starting blocks

 

Edit: I'll show you the whole set once the printing is finished

 

 

[CrazyCrank]

Hereunder my set of new spoked wheels.

One for the front, the second for the rear, and the third for spare wheels.
They are similar, except their thickness.

Having two kits, I own 4 front tyres and four rear ones.
But I've lost a front tyre and can't find it, at the moment...
I've printed 4 perfect front wheels, 7 perfect rear ones and 5 spare ones. I've been well inspired to print 8 wheels each time !

For the fun, I've mounted 2 front wheels, 2 rear ones and the two spare wheels.
I've placed the front and rear ones on the chassis.

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

I haven' yet made a blank test with the body placed on the chassis, to check if my drastically reduced and fake spare wheels will fit or not in the trunk.
If not, it doesn't matter, they will be displayed aside the model, trunk open.

 

When placing the rear wheels on their axle, I realised that the inside of the tyres were in conflict with the pushing arms, not allowing the wheels to be fully inserted in their housing.
So I had to remove the pushing arms, and I would see, by studying the reference pictures again, if I had installed them in the right place or if I had made a mistake.
If possible, I will reinstall them.

 

That's all for now, folks...see you soon

 

 

[Pouln]

Excellent rims, Thierry. Looking real good. 

[CrazyCrank]

Good evening chaps

 

I've been busy the whole week-end, and made some significant progresses 

 

First of all, I've painted the rims. Obviously, as I'm absent-minded, I forgot the spare rims 

 

  

 

Little comparison between my rims and the kit"s ones

 

 

Tyres on the rims

 

  

 

 

And wheels on the chassis

 

  

 

Then, I've worked a lot on the tub, which is quite finished.

It "just" remains to enhance the dashboard , paint it and install it, and then to do the same job for the upper part of the firewall, which has to be glued at the front of the tub !
 

So:
- I painted the front tunnel with Aluminium, the floor and inner side of firewall with mat black
- I painted the side walls, the partition walls,  the rear tunnel  and the seats, Adriatic blue (Special color from Gravity Paints)
- I painted Aluminium the gear grill
- I've scratched a new gear lever, the kit's one  being simplistic (and it's a euphemism !) : styrene squared rod fo the lower part, 0.4 mm piano wire  for the upper part, and UV resin for the sphere at its top, some paint....that's all ! 
- The lever has been glued in the gear grill, and this latter just put in its housing
- I've painted the handbrake lever and its ratchet, and installed them in the tub
- I've installed in the tub the partition walls between seats and central tunnel, and the one which separate in 2 sectors the space before the passenger seat
- I've also scratched and painted the rod that separates/joins the seats partition walls

- I've scratched a new clutch pedal and a new pedalboard for brake and throttle pedals, taking inspiration from these ref. photo (from Techni-art.de)

 

 

  

- I've placed into the holes I drilled previously 18 steel rod, which ends simulate screws or rivets 
- And..... and ... I believe that's all !

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

    

At last, I've put the decals on the seats, and I'm waiting they are fully cured before spaying a coat of  mat clear.

 

 

That's all for now, folks

 

See you later for next adventures 😎

[Toftdale]

The wheels look fantastic, especially when compared to the kit originals - Andy 

[Fnick]

That gear box is just wow... To stand up to the scrutiny of those close ups is a feat.

 

Keep 'em coming! 🙂

 

Nick

[CrazyCrank]

9 hours ago, Toftdale said:

The wheels look fantastic, especially when compared to the kit originals - Andy 

Thanks a lot, Andy.. but it wasn't difficult to do better 😉

 

9 hours ago, Fnick said:

That gear box is just wow... To stand up to the scrutiny of those close ups is a feat.

 

Keep 'em coming! 🙂

 

Nick

Thanks a lot, Nick, for this huge comment... the only difficulty was to master Fusion 3D; then, it's the printer which made the job.

I have to recognize that I'm always surprised by the prints quality, even for so complex parts, as the gear "grill" or the rims

 

[CrazyCrank]

Evening gentlemen

 

Since yesterday, I'm working on the cabin, the top part of the firewall , and especially on the dashboard .
Nothing really interesting about the cabin and firewall at the moment.

However, for the dashboard, I've a ambitious project : Improve it as much as I can, to be the closest as possible with the real one.

 

We haven't any picture to the original 722's dash, but we have some of its "authentic" replica:

 

  

 

  

 

So, I've decided to:
- Cut off all the little reliefs which are supposed to represent push buttons, push tabs, dash lights, screws, ignition key housing etc.
- Drill in their places holes of various diameters
- in which will be inserted replacement parts which I've planned to scratch with 1.0, 0.8 and  0.6 mm aluminium tubes, 0.3 mm piano wire, modified sewing pins, UV resin, some color touch ups, and many other stuffs.

 

  

 

At the moment, I've already primed, painted and cleared the modified dashboard, and I've to wait 24 hours for a good curing, before handling it.

 

Waiting for that, I've killed time 3D drawing a new steering wheel, with only 3 spokes, as it was on the 722

And I've printed and painted it:
- Aluminium for the hip an the spokes
- Polished brass for the hub's centre.
- And wood imitation for the wheel

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

I've also modified some sewing pins, and fabricated the bezels for the dashboard:

 

The dash lights will be made with short sections of 0.8 mm polished aluminium tubes which I'll insert in the dedicated holes from backward, and that will protrude slightly from the dash. The holes of the tubes will be filled with UV resin previously colored with Tamiya clear orange, red and perhaps blue, and UV cured.

 

Regarding the dials on the dash, I've decided to sand them until I've completely removed the engraved parts, to get a flat surface.
On these 3 disks I'll put the decals, and then I'll glue over them 3 shiny rings (made of nickel-Chrome 0.25 and  0.40 mm wire),  with droplets of Micro Kristal Clear, to simulate the bezels.

 

  

At last, I'll use UV resin to cover the dials, and get, after UV curing, the illusion of a covering glass over them.

 

That's all for now, chaps

 

See you soon 😎

 

[Toftdale]

You have certainly mastered the art of 3d designing and printing, the steering wheel looks spot on and painted to perfection too. - Andy 

[CrazyCrank]

9 hours ago, Toftdale said:

You have certainly mastered the art of 3d designing and printing, the steering wheel looks spot on and painted to perfection too. - Andy 

 

Thanks a lot, Andy, for this huge compliment 👍

 

[Fastcat]

Hi CC,

                    There are photos of 722s interior but they are not complete. I have no idea who these belong to and will take them down if asked. I came upon the pre-start photo after my model was built but the main addition should be the grab handle on the passenger side. Denis Jenkinson alludes to there being more handles in his account of the race but doesn't say where they are. You can see this grab handle in Toftdale's post of the cars after the race in the Mercedes garage. Jenkinson also says that there was some means of keeping the check tickets in the car (the race was run like a rally and at various check- points, race officials had to stamp or sign their tickets).

I'm not sure of the drinks holder. It seems unlikely that a drinks bottle would be provided for the driver and nothing for the passenger in a 10 hour race. I think only Moss had a passenger and in subsequent races passengers weren't carried. Jenkinson describes peeling oranges for Moss in his account so the holder may be a later addition.

The photo also shows a 4 spoke steering wheel but I think this was changed to a 3 spoke just before the race began.

 

 

 

Dave

[CrazyCrank]

5 minutes ago, Fastcat said:

Hi CC,

                    There are photos of 722s interior but they are not complete. I have no idea who these belong to and will take them down if asked. I came upon the pre-start photo after my model was built but the main addition should be the grab handle on the passenger side. Denis Jenkinson alludes to there being more handles in his account of the race but doesn't say where they are. You can see this grab handle in Toftdale's post of the cars after the race in the Mercedes garage. Jenkinson also says that there was some means of keeping the check tickets in the car (the race was run like a rally and at various check- points, race officials had to stamp or sign their tickets).

I'm not sure of the drinks holder. It seems unlikely that a drinks bottle would be provided for the driver and nothing for the passenger in a 10 hour race. I think only Moss had a passenger and in subsequent races passengers weren't carried. Jenkinson describes peeling oranges for Moss in his account so the holder may be a later addition.

The photo also shows a 4 spoke steering wheel but I think this was changed to a 3 spoke just before the race began.

 

 

 

Dave

 

Thanks a lot, Dave , for these photos. 👍

 

They compete my collections, and confirm my ideas for the buttons, push levers and other lights on the dash.

It will be easy to add a handle on the glove compartments door.

I didn't know the anedocte of oranges for Moss, very funny indeed

Regarding the steering wheel, I'l sure I've read somewhere that Stirling Moss preferred a 3 spoked one, and furthermore, on the pictures below taken during the race (source: MB archive), it looks really like the wheel has 3 spokes

 

  

 

 

[Fastcat]

Hi CC,

                    Yes, as far as I know a 3 spoke steering wheel was used in the race and Toftdale's post of the cars in the Merc garage after the race confirms this. Moss says that the steering wheel was changed immediately before the race began. He was impressed with the Mercedes organisation and their ability to make last minute changes to keep their drivers happy.

 

Dave

[CrazyCrank]

Good evening guys

 

Not much progress this week-end, since I took care of my grand-daughters and celebrated their mother's birthday.

 

That said, I found some time on Friday evening/night and some hours here and there to go on with the improvement of the dashboard.

So, I scratched the push buttons and push tabs with sewing needles, sanded to reduce their head and flattened if needed. And I inserted the top of the pin in a 0.8 mm alu tube, itself inserted in the dash

 

  

 

  

 

 

I scratched the "keyholes" using 0.8 mm alu tube inserted in a 1.3 mm brass tube, the alu one protruding a little bit fro the brass one, and inserted them in the dash as well.

 

 

 I scratched the three lights, using 0.8  and 0.6 mm aluminium tubes, and colored UV resin. And I scratched all the screws with short sections of 0.3 mm piano wire inserted into dedicated holes:

 

  

 

I scratched the passenger handle with 0.8 mm aluminum tube. On the photo below, it's just put on the dash, not yet glued:

 

  

 

It remained several parts to fabricate, that I'm unable to scratch from a metal plate, because they're so ridiculously tiny:

 

- Ignition key and a MB keychain

- The lever which goes into the black plate in the middle of the dash, and this black plate (I believe it is dedicated to the magneto)

- The 2 vertical plates you can see on both sides of the gauges set, which are screwed with 3 screws  and have a little hole above the screws

- And at last, the kind of black conical "tube" you can see under and in-between the 2 right gauges

 

I decided to design these parts in Fusion 3D and try to 3D print them.

To my great surprise, it worked ! Very nicely !

 

The drawings and the renderings:

 

   

 

  

 

  

 

The printed parts:

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

I just achieved to paint these parts and to give them a clear coat.

 

So, I've to wait until tomorrow before assembling definitely the dashboard . Once achieved, it will consist of 43 parts, instead of only one !

 

I'll try to join the contact key and the keychain with a 0.18 mm nickel wire, to bring live to the car

 

Stay tuned if you like and thanks for watching

 

 

[silver911]

Excellent progress Thierry...yet another 'masterclass' of detailing at it's best...bravo! 

 

Ron

[CrazyCrank]

11 hours ago, silver911 said:

Excellent progress Thierry...yet another 'masterclass' of detailing at it's best...bravo! 

 

Ron

 

Thanks a lot Ron for this huge compliment 👍

[CrazyCrank]

Afternoon gentlemen

 

My dashboard is finished 😎

 

First I placed the black plate with its lever for the magneto (or battery ?):

 

  

 

Then I fixed the 2 screwed silver plates on each side of the instrument panel

 

 

Then, I joined the ignition key with the keychain, and put the set in its housing

 

  

 

Then I put the decals on

 

 

And then the bezels (glued with a small amount of diluted  PVA glue)

 

  

 

Then I filled the gauges with UV transparent resin and cured it, to get very shiny and reflecting gauges

 

 

ThenI glued the black conical tube between and under the right 2 gauges

 

 

And at last I fixed the passenger handle

 

 

 

Some better quality photos of the dash:

 

  

 

  

 

 

And others in situation once I'll have glued it on the tub

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

See you soon for next episode

 

 

[Bengalensis]

Fantastic work as always, looking absolutely magic!

[CrazyCrank]

28 minutes ago, Bengalensis said:

Fantastic work as always, looking absolutely magic!

 

Wow ! I don't think I'm deserving such a huge compliment, but it's much appreciated, particularly coming from you 👍

[Pouln]

Very beautiful stuff. Love it, Thierry

[CrazyCrank]

2 minutes ago, Pouln said:

Very beautiful stuff. Love it, Thierry

 

Thanks a lot, Poul 😉

[CrazyCrank]

Good afternoon guys

 

The chassis is finished.

I've done all the plumbing (water, oil, braking system, fuel).

The cabin is glued in place and the dash on it.

The engine bay is almost entirely finished, it just remain to put a 0,6 mm nut (I'm noticing this oversight while writing this post), and all parts of the frame are in place.

I've put the chassis on its wheels, but they are not yet  glued. It will be done at the very end of this build.

 

I've taken several photos of the beast, some in black and white:

 

First, a underside view:

 

 

Some paint touch-ups to do to be cleaner ...and then I'm wondering for a bit of weathering ?

 

And in the right position:

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

And looking at this last picture, I notice that a hose disconnected of the reservoir in the middle of the firewall 🙄 🤣

 

Two points to fix so !

 

Now, I'm going to finish the body, and it remains A LOT of work to do, so, don't be eager 😉

 

See you soon 😎

 

 

[Fastcat]

Strictly speaking there was almost no weathering until later in the race as it was dry but by this time the care was looking distinctly second-hand. There was a large dent in the front where Moss hit a hay bale and a big dent in the driver's headrest where a mechanic was slow in getting clear after refuelling. So there's plenty of weathering but it depends on the stage of the race being modelled. See car in garage after the race.

 

Dave