BMW 507 Cabrio 1957 - Elvis Presley's one - Based on a Revell old kit 1:24

[Lucky13]

It's a gorgeous car in real life and it looks like you're doing it justice in scale too. 

[Neddy]

I'm watching this thread from behind the sofa, you're far braver than I am.  I had to chuckle at your mention of deviating from the instructions though - so far any resemblance to the instructions is purely coincidental!  

 

I'm just a basic modeller and I find your skills and inventiveness amazing to follow.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Neddy

[CrazyCrank]

11 hours ago, Lucky13 said:

It's a gorgeous car in real life and it looks like you're doing it justice in scale too. 

Thank you very much,  Lucky13 . I do my best

 

1 hour ago, Neddy said:

I'm watching this thread from behind the sofa, you're far braver than I am.  I had to chuckle at your mention of deviating from the instructions though - so far any resemblance to the instructions is purely coincidental!  

 

I'm just a basic modeller and I find your skills and inventiveness amazing to follow.

 

Thank you so much Neddy for this huge praise 

[CrazyCrank]

Morning chaps

 

There won't be much progress for the next 4 weeks, as my son who lives in Canada is coming to France for his holidays, with his wife and my grandson, and his brother will join us with wife and daughters !

That said, whenever I can steal an hour or two here and there to continue this project, I'll do it.

 

Currently always working on the chassis, which suffered a new modification.

Indeed, I've found on the Web some other pictures, which show a little better the underside of the fuel tanks.

 

And it appeared that Revell was partially right and me partially wrong. So, I've modified it:

 

 

I'm beginning to see, after a lot of testing and measuring, how I'm going to go about connecting the frame, doors and bath. There are several modifications and additions to be made to hopefully achieve this.

 

 

See you later 

 

[Neddy]

Enjoy your family time! 

[Hannes]

 

The restauration of the original car is shown in the video above. Great work, dear Thierry!

[CrazyCrank]

1 hour ago, Hannes said:

 

The restauration of the original car is shown in the video above. Great work, dear Thierry!

thanks Hannes.

I saw and looked at this video dozen of times and  of course, it is one of my ref. documents.

[CrazyCrank]

Evening gentlemen

 

Almost  not visible progress on this build since the last post.

 

I'm quietly designing and fabricating the final trunk hinges, using my first hinges as a template, since I've receive my U shaped brass rods.

 

The picture below shows you my template, and the U-shaped brass rod I'll use to fabricate the final one

 

 

And this one shows you why the U-shaped rod is better:

 

 

I also corrected  with Tamiya putty some imperfections on the periphery of the trunk lid, which were responsible for a too big gap with its housing in the body on the right side.

 

And I replaced the brass inner frame of the trunk lid with a styrene one, much less pretty and accurate, but much more suitable for my purpose.

I have now managed to locate exactly where on the inside of the boot lid the hinges will fit, and I have made a slot in the frame for each of them.

 

Some pictures will be published when the result is presentable

 

In the meantime, I've also went on my documentary research, and found this picture (on the left below), that I would have preferred to discover earlier, because, now, I'm oblige to redo the wrong job (on the right below) !

 

  

 

Not a big deal 

 

See you soon, hopefully

 

 

[CrazyCrank]

Afternoon, guys

 

End of this adventure ? .... I made a major error with the trunk lid while forming the plastic inside frame shapes with hot water, and it has not only distorted hardly, but also shrunk ! (YES ! unbelievable but true !)
I've made my possible to recover a good shape, but the lack of material subsists
I'm going to try another method to see if this lid is reusable, but I'm rather pessimistic !

I've found another same kit on the net and ordered it, but I'm still waiting for an answer of the reseller, too know if it's still available.

So, wait and see !

 

[Hamden]

 

Sorry to hear of your mishap with the boot/trunk lid, but could your 3D printer be your friend here?

 

  Stay safe               Roger  

[Fnick]

Another option could be to contact revell and ask for a replacement part...

 

Nick 

[CrazyCrank]

31 minutes ago, Hamden said:

 

Sorry to hear of your mishap with the boot/trunk lid, but could your 3D printer be your friend here?

 

  Stay safe               Roger  

 

Maybe but very difficult for me

 

10 minutes ago, Fnick said:

Another option could be to contact revell and ask for a replacement part...

 

Nick 

 

Thanks Nick, but this kit has been released in 1991 and is discontinued, so, no spare part !

 

Fortunately, the reseller has just confirmed that the new kit is available 

 

Furthermore, I'm currently trying another method . I've already  managed to get a rather correct shape for my lid  (this shape could be improved later) and I try this :

- I glued a very thin sheet of 0.18 mm styrene, longer and wider than the lid, to the underside.
- I cut off the excess, leaving a small overhang around the edge of the lid, large enough to fill in any gaps.
- I will now putty the lid from above, generously, following the tight contour of the styrene sheet
- Once fully cured, I'll sand the cover periphery little by little, following the contour of the trunk opening in the body, until I get the right result.

If it doesn't work, my new kit will be shipped to me on Wednesday and I'll be able to pick it up at the drop-off point when I come back from Barcelona.

 

Fingers crossed 

[Pouln]

It is a pity that this happened but you’ve proved that you find solutions for every challenge, so I’m sure you will get it corrected.

[Neddy]

My sympathies on the mishap.  The work-round though sounds ingenious, I do hope it works out. 

[CrazyCrank]

On 8/2/2022 at 6:26 PM, Pouln said:

It is a pity that this happened but you’ve proved that you find solutions for every challenge, so I’m sure you will get it corrected.

 

On 8/2/2022 at 7:02 PM, Neddy said:

My sympathies on the mishap.  The work-round though sounds ingenious, I do hope it works out. 

 

Thank you my friends for your sympathy 

 

The work-around with putty worked pretty well, and it remained to put another layer of putty to improve the lack of material.
However, the shape remained incorrect, despite my best efforts this evening, and finally, when I tried to bend the lid a little more, it broke!

Unfortunately, this was to be expected, as I have handled this piece of plastic an incredible number of times!

 

Moreover, despite the body reinforcements that were supposed to limit the risk of breakage when working on the body and when handling it for test fitting, especially the trunk, it broke too, at the underbody level under the doors.
And this, several times...I repaired each time, but this is too much!

 

So I decide tonight not to try to recover a trunk lid from what's left of it, and to wait for the arrival of my new kit to redo the job from scratch.
This will have the advantage that, knowing all the mistakes I made with the first bodyshell, I'll proceed differently and in a different order, to the different cosmetic surgery operations I already did.
In particular, the doors will only be cut once the front and rear body work is done (thinning of the plastic at the wheel arches, fitting the nose, sanding and masking the front, opening the trunk after fitting a reinforcement just in front, fitting the front trunk partition, fitting the hinges, cutting the fuel door etc.). ); and the passenger door will only be cut out once the driver's door has been cut out and the work to be done to fit the hinge on that side is complete)

 

This being said, I'm thinking about trying to make a trunk lid with 0.3 mm thick aluminium sheet on this damaged body, just to practice this kind of scratch-building, that I've only experimented a few times so far, and, who knows, maybe I'll get better results and why not, a usable part?

 

See you later, guys

 

 

[Neddy]

Good luck!  At least you'll have the benefit of a full trial run and will know in advance the weak spots and potential points of failure.  I admire your perseverance but agree that the project is too good potentially to abandon now.  You're a braver man than I am!

[Lucky13]

20 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

 

 

Thank you my friends for your sympathy 

 

The work-around with putty worked pretty well, and it remained to put another layer of putty to improve the lack of material.
However, the shape remained incorrect, despite my best efforts this evening, and finally, when I tried to bend the lid a little more, it broke!

Unfortunately, this was to be expected, as I have handled this piece of plastic an incredible number of times!

 

Moreover, despite the body reinforcements that were supposed to limit the risk of breakage when working on the body and when handling it for test fitting, especially the trunk, it broke too, at the underbody level under the doors.
And this, several times...I repaired each time, but this is too much!

 

So I decide tonight not to try to recover a trunk lid from what's left of it, and to wait for the arrival of my new kit to redo the job from scratch.
This will have the advantage that, with the knowledge of the mistakes I made with the first bodyshell, I'll proceed differently and in a different order, to the different cosmetic surgery operations I already did.
In particular, the doors will only be cut once the front and rear body work is done (thinning of the plastic at the wheel arches, fitting the nose, sanding and masking the front, opening the trunk after fitting a reinforcement just in front, fitting the front trunk partition, fitting the hinges, cutting the fuel door etc.). ); and the passenger door will only be cut out once the driver's door has been cut out and the work to be done to fit the hinge on that side is complete)

 

This being said, I'm thinking about trying to make a trunk lid with 0.3 mm thick aluminium sheet on this damaged body, just to practice this kind of scratch-building, that I've only experimented a few times so far, and, who knows, maybe I'll get better results and why not, a usable part?

 

See you later, guys

 

 

Sounds like a lot more work, but I understand your position, as I’ve been there myself. Sometimes it is just better in every way to just start over. 
About making the trunk lid out of sheet metal, I would recommend going with brass instead of aluminum. It’s a better choice of material in every possible way and it can be cut and soldered together, which you will need to get the curves needed. 

[CrazyCrank]

Evening gentlemen

 

New kit just arrived in  good conditions 

The new job will begun in a few days, when I come back home from Barcelone 

 

[Neddy]

Great news!  I'll order more popcorn and settle down to await developments. 

[rob Lyttle]

Well, Thierry, that was an emotional read through, catching up with your latest adventure!! "Fearless" is the word that springs to mind

You really tested this first example to the breaking point! 

For the replacement boot lid, I like the plan. The only thing I'll say is, I once fabricated a replacement airbrake panel for a big scale Tornado aircraft. Such a thing is curved but only in one plane. Not a compound curve. I used a combination of of pie-dish Ali and craft grade paper sandwiched in the middle. Held in shape till the glue set, and the laminated structure really gave the piece good rigid quality. 

I'm just thinking aloud here, but the idea may be of some use in your scratch adventure. 

Good luck with the new one of course, but I love it when you pull one "out of the Jaws of Doom". 

Hmmm.... A red one AND a cream one!! With tiny lipstick stain decals......

[Brandy]

I made engine panels for a 1:72 Bleriot scratchbuild out of beer can aluminium. Using the back of the handle of a small pair of nail scissors to rub the panel with gentle pressure it was possible to form neat compound curves, I just had to be patient.

 

I'm sure it would work just as welljin a larger scale.

 

Ian

[CrazyCrank]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:23 PM, rob Lyttle said:

Well, Thierry, that was an emotional read through, catching up with your latest adventure!! "Fearless" is the word that springs to mind

You really tested this first example to the breaking point! 

For the replacement boot lid, I like the plan. The only thing I'll say is, I once fabricated a replacement airbrake panel for a big scale Tornado aircraft. Such a thing is curved but only in one plane. Not a compound curve. I used a combination of of pie-dish Ali and craft grade paper sandwiched in the middle. Held in shape till the glue set, and the laminated structure really gave the piece good rigid quality. 

I'm just thinking aloud here, but the idea may be of some use in your scratch adventure. 

Good luck with the new one of course, but I love it when you pull one "out of the Jaws of Doom". 

Hmmm.... A red one AND a cream one!! With tiny lipstick stain decals......

 

Thanks Rob 

 

My plan to save the deformed boot lid narrowly failed, but it failed. Moreover, the plastic broke again at a door level...

So, taking into account the condition of this first bodywork, I think it will be used to build the car as it was when it was discovered after years of neglect !

 

And the second one, which I'm currently working on, will be built as it was some years ago, after its complete rebuilt, in honor of "The King"

Regarding the tiny lipstick decals, the idea had tickled my brain, but I doubt I could find any convincing ones 

 

Some pictures of the new body soon, when the boot lid hinges are done !

 

Stay connected 

[rob Lyttle]

On 21/08/2022 at 07:39, CrazyCrank said:

I think it will be used to build the car as it was when it was discovered after years of neglect !

Sounds like a good Plan B kind of solution! But please have mercy on the 2nd kit

[CrazyCrank]

Evening, guys

 

Thanks to those who worried about my build or gave wise advices  

 

My new build with the second kit progresses slowly...but surely ( @rob Lyttle  )

At the moment,  I've cut the trunk lid off.
The underside of the trunk lid has also been improved, with the addition, as on the real, of a peripheral frame and the housing of closing/opening system (not functional).

 

  

 

  

 

 

Furthermore, I dug a groove on the edges of the lid, to reducing its thickness and allowing the installation of a trunk lid seal on the body.

 

  

 

 

The jaws of the trunk closing system were shaped with files from 0.3 mm aluminium plate, after making and testing a temporary styrene template, and they will be glued later.

 

 

   

 

  

 

  

 

 

I've  redone the underside of the trunk, which is now waiting for the delivery of styrene stuff to be finished.

 

 

 

I've also done the interior of the trunk with the fabrication and installation of the side partitions, those delimiting the spare wheel storage space and the fuel tank, the fuel line from the filler neck to the tank, as well as the removable trunk floor in 2 parts.

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

These last plates will be carpeted later

 

The almost vertical front bulkhead of the trunk has been fabricated, and installed on the underside of the body.

 

  

 

  

 

I dug a groove on the underside of the horizontal portion of the reinforcement bar, in which I had planned to glue later the alu part of the hinges

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

I made and installed the trunk lid hinges

 

 

Initially, I thought I would install the hinges in the groove I dug previously on the horizontal portion of the reinforcement bar in front of the front bulkhead of the trunk

 

 

But it appeared that in this position, it was impossible to open the trunk because its front edge  hit quickly the body when lifting it, so, I placed it in front of the reinforcement bar, and trapped it in this position with a second plastic bar stuck on the first one by its underside .

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

At last, I've done the new fuel flap and its hinges.

 

  [

 

 

All that remains to be done is to 3D print a new chute and glue it in place to complete this part of the assembly.

 

And, especially for @rob Lyttle, I have to say that the only portion of the first bodywork that never broke while handling,  the tail, under the trunk opening, had broken on the second body a few days ago during a test fit...of course, I hadn't reinforced it previously since it never broke before. 

This is already fixed, obviously  

 

Stay tuned if you like 

 

 

 

[CrazyCrank]

I forgot to post some views of the state of second bodywork with its trunk just put on it.
You can see that the cut off with Tamiya fine PE saws 0.1 mm is very precise, neat and clean.

There was obviously some tiny damages on the edges of the aperture of the lid on the bodywork, what explain the little touch-ups with Tamiya Light Curing Putty ( a GREAT STUFF, which deserves its insane price)