Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut and Mercedes SLS AMG - Revell gift package - 1:24 scale

[CrazyCrank]

18 hours ago, othertales said:

Always a delight to come back and see your progress ✨

 

13 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Hope you cleaned the paint off first to get a good earth....!!

 

More really impressive modelling Thierry, very nice work as always!

 

Keith

 

Thank you very much @othertales and @keefr22, kind comments always much appreciated 😎

[Toftdale]

On 08/09/2024 at 18:36, CrazyCrank said:

the engine has exactly two hundred parts!

Wow, that is crazy.  But totally stunning  - Andy 

[CrazyCrank]

On 8/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, Bengalensis said:

https://gdist43.com/

Fantastic guy! I had his old site as one of the first morning reads when I got in to the office +20 years ago.

 

I've just found his Youtube channel : https://www.youtube.com/@gdist43

[Neddy]

Fret not Thierry, take a  break from it for a while until you recover your mojo.  It happens to us all my friend.

[CrazyCrank]

 Hello guys

I don't know if I'm lazy or a slow builder (or maybe both).
Or maybe I just had a hard time figuring out how to make the little things I did make.

 

So I've made some real progress, making 2 hoses for the water cooling system and starting to detail the injection pump.

 

Water cooling system:
You need to remember that there's an upper and a lower hose that run from the engine to the radiator.
But that's not all.

 

For some reason I don't know or understand when I study my reference photos, there are two curved metal hoses that connect the upper and lower water cooling pipes, as you can see in the photo below:

 

 

There were several difficulties in making them from metal tubing as I wanted.

 

Firstly, it's impossible to know their exact lengths and shapes until you've mounted the engine on the chassis, temporarily of course.
And once you've done that, you need to make templates out of a rather stiff electric cable.

If this isn't too difficult for the front, it's a different matter for the rear, where it has to fit into a very small space between the left brake drum and the steering housing.

Secondly, to make them from metal tubing (0.8mm nickel silver tubing), I had to bend them according to the template shapes, but avoid flattening them.
And I tried several methods, the same as you all know .... and I failed several times.

 

The inspiration was found on a Youtube channel, gdist43's one (https://www.youtube.com/@gdist43), watching this precise video:

 

 

 

 

But I did it a bit differently:

I inserted a 0.5 steel rod into the tube instead of clogging it with solder.
The steel rod was the same length as the tube.
At one end, the steel rod protruded about 1 mm, forming a pin that will serve later to fix it on the lower water cooling line, and at the other end, the tube obviously wasn't clogged over 1 mm, leaving a hole that will serve later to fix it on the pins I put on the upper water cooling line.

 

So I bent 2 lengths of 0.8mm nickel silver tubing, then I painted the ends black over 1.5mm to simulate the rubber sleeves, and then I simulated the clamps with a 0.5mm wide strip of Hasegawa stainless steel.

 

I simplified the tubes by making only one clamp at each end instead of 2.

 

And I got this result:

 

 

 

Detailing the injection pump:

 

I was inspired by this photo (From Tecni-art  http://www.tecni-art.de/?portfolio=mercedes-benz-300slr-2&lang=en) 

 

 

And from those of the true car, below:

 

  

 

First, I made the throttle lever and its spring:

 

I used 0.3 mm plastic sheet for the lever. I cut a plate of about 1.0 x 2.5 mm and drilled 0.4 mm holes at the ends.

 

 

I stripped an electrical cable and recovered the very fine metal wires (not copper) it contained, about 0.15mm thick, which I used to make the tiny spring.
I wrapped the wire around a tailor's needle by hand.

 

  

 

  

 

 

I painted the plastic lever steel

 

 

I used a 0.4 mm steel rod, inserted it into the hole provided for the purpose on the injection pump and cut off the excess length:

 

  

 

I installed the lever on the pin:

 

 

I used a tiny photo-etched washer:

 

 

 

which I placed on the pin sticking out of the lever.

 

 

And finally, I attached the spring on the pump:

 

 

 

Then I made the two fuel lines that connect to the pump, using 0.6mm braided line and the "banjo" connectors I recently 3D printed.

 

 

I attached the first one on the rear of the pump

 

  

 

The second one has to be placed after I've made and installed the 8 injection hoses.

 

 

Next, I made the tiny connector situated between and below the fuel supply lines

 

It is so tiny that it's impossible to 3D print it correctly, so, I scratched it:

 

I used the 0.15mm metal wire  that I inserted into the hole of a short length of 0.4 mm tubing to make the two outputs of the V connector

 

 

And I inserted them into 2 holes I'd previously drilled in a 0.8 mm aluminium tube

 

 

I separated the finished V connector from the aluminium tube and cut several short lengths of 0.6mm brass tube.

 

 

I placed 2 brass "tubes" into the 2 lower holes on the injection pump

 

 

Next, I attached the V connector to the pump and connected the wires to the brass pipes.

 

 

Just for fun, here's a photo I took after temporarily placing the fuel supply line at the front of the injection pump and the pipework coming from the front of the air intake manifold.

 

 

 

I'm sorry, but I couldn't do any more in 3 days, however it was an interesting albeit hard work !

 

Now, to finish the details of the injection system, I have to mount the pump on the engine block and then make and mount the 8 injection hoses, which will be difficult because the shapes are complex, if not tortuous, and the working space is very small!

 

Stay connected for next episodes 😉

[Bengalensis]

Thierry, doing what you have done here in three days is neither "little", nor "lazy", on the contrary it's quite impressive, very impressive even! These little details can be extremely time consuming, and frustrating. And then there is a life to live away from the model work bench as well, at least for most people (I'm not too sure of myself all the time...). And to connect to what you wrote earlier, we can only do this work when inspiration, time and mood are all in the right place, and that will always vary. This will be a lovely build, no matter what time it takes or which breaks you need 👍

[Neddy]

That break seems to have done you a power of good, you're back to your brilliant self and no mistake!  That injector pump is a work of art let alone miniature engineering.

 

The only way I can make sense of the cooling system bridge pipe is if there was a thermostat in the black T-piece at the top end, diverting coolant flow from circulating through the radiator until the engine temperature reached optimum.  I can't see any sign of a thermostat housing anywhere else.

[keefr22]

1 hour ago, CrazyCrank said:

Just for fun, here's a photo I took after temporarily placing the fuel supply line at the front of the injection pump and the pipework coming from the front of the air intake manifold.

 

When you look at the palm of your own hand from a foot away and it's smaller than yours in the picture, it brings home just how small those remarkable little details are!! Simply brilliant work again Thierry!!
 

1 hour ago, CrazyCrank said:

I'm sorry, but I couldn't do any more in 3 days, however it was an interesting albeit hard work !

 

 

You've done more in those three days than I have in three months!! And what I've done is absolutely nowhere near your standard!! Absolutely no need for any apologies!

 

Keith

[CrazyCrank]

3 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

Thierry, doing what you have done here in three days is neither "little", nor "lazy", on the contrary it's quite impressive, very impressive even! These little details can be extremely time consuming, and frustrating. And then there is a life to live away from the model work bench as well, at least for most people (I'm not too sure of myself all the time...). And to connect to what you wrote earlier, we can only do this work when inspiration, time and mood are all in the right place, and that will always vary. This will be a lovely build, no matter what time it takes or which breaks you need 👍

 

Thank you, Jörgen, for your kind and reassuring words.
Your comment about inspiration, spirit and mood is very apt.
In fact, I think I'm a bit depressed after my major surgery and all the side effects I've had and still have to deal with.

 

And as for my current build, I have no choice but to take my time, not only because I tire fairly quickly, but also because the task I've set myself in wanting to make a 1:24 replica of this almost unique car is a real Chinese puzzle. 🤪

 

3 hours ago, Neddy said:

That break seems to have done you a power of good, you're back to your brilliant self and no mistake!  That injector pump is a work of art let alone miniature engineering.

 

The only way I can make sense of the cooling system bridge pipe is if there was a thermostat in the black T-piece at the top end, diverting coolant flow from circulating through the radiator until the engine temperature reached optimum.  I can't see any sign of a thermostat housing anywhere else.

 

Thank you @Neddy for you kind comment, much appreciated as usual.

And thanks for your interpretation of the water cooling system. I think you're right about the thermostat, but ..... why two extra hoses for that?

 

2 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

When you look at the palm of your own hand from a foot away and it's smaller than yours in the picture, it brings home just how small those remarkable little details are!! Simply brilliant work again Thierry!!
 

 

You've done more in those three days than I have in three months!! And what I've done is absolutely nowhere near your standard!! Absolutely no need for any apologies!

 

Keith

Thanks, Keith 👍 You're too kind with me, and you're probably too modest and too hard on yourself !

 

[Spiny]

Got to agree that three days to create this isn't lazy in the slightest, especially give the quality of the work. I look at what I've created this weekend in comparison, and think the lazy epithet is more appropriate to myself than all that you've created.

[CrazyCrank]

9 hours ago, Spiny said:

Got to agree that three days to create this isn't lazy in the slightest, especially give the quality of the work. I look at what I've created this weekend in comparison, and think the lazy epithet is more appropriate to myself than all that you've created.

Thanks Spiny 😎

But really, apart from the fact that this kind of work on such tiny parts is hard and time-consuming, I find it difficult, at the moment, to start doing anything (modelling, and all the tasks you have to carry out day after day as well).

 

[Spiny]

14 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

... I find it difficult, at the moment, to start doing anything (modelling, and all the tasks you have to carry out day after day as well).

 

 

I certainly can't claim to be an expert on such matters, but if I can make one suggestion it would be to try to get outside in the fresh air if you need lifting a bit, espcially if you have some nature you can reconnect with nearby as well.

 

The tasks including modelling can wait (unless absolutely essential!), getting back on an even keel is more important. And it really is pleasantly surprising how just going out for a walk and taking note of your surrounds, listening to the birds etc. can help reset your brain.

[CrazyCrank]

1 minute ago, Spiny said:

 

I certainly can't claim to be an expert on such matters, but if I can make one suggestion it would be to try to get outside in the fresh air if you need lifting a bit, espcially if you have some nature you can reconnect with nearby as well.

 

The tasks including modelling can wait (unless absolutely essential!), getting back on an even keel is more important. And it really is pleasantly surprising how just going out for a walk and taking note of your surrounds, listening to the birds etc. can help reset your brain.

 

You're right @Spiny, and I did just that yesterday afternoon, visiting "La Devinière", near Chinon in the Loire Valley, where our famous François RABELAIS, father of Gargantua and Pantragruel, was born. The place is absolutely fascinating and the surrounding nature, in the middle of the Chinon vineyards, is very quiet and relaxing. 

 

[Neddy]

I agree wholeheartedly with @Spiny, getting out of the house into the fresh air and country can give you your objectivity back and get things back into perspective.  I'm glad it helped yesterday.

[Neddy]

I've just had a look at "La Devinière"'s website - what a beautiful place.  The country all around it is lovely too.  And the wine... 🍷😊

 

[CrazyCrank]

2 hours ago, Neddy said:

I've just had a look at "La Devinière"'s website - what a beautiful place.  The country all around it is lovely too.  And the wine... 🍷😊

 

 

I live in the countryside in a house that's over a hundred and thirty years old, which was originally a winegrower's house. I still have a screw press in one of my outbuildings, and a happy mess all around.... and good wine in the cellar 😉😎

[CrazyCrank]

Evening Gentlemen

 

I've made some progress on this build.
Before I could make and install the fuel lines coming out of the injection pump, I had to mount the injection pump on the engine block and make and install some hoses that I'd almost forgotten.
So I dedicated a few hours to this task.

 

I started by 3D drawing and printing a special connector that I noticed twice on some ref. photos, as on this one:

 

 

Drawings:

 

  

 

3D printed parts:

 

 

Next, I made 2 hoses which connect on such plates:

 

I used 0.5 mm electrical cable,  stripped off the wires, and threaded  a 0.3 mm steel rod  into the hole

 

 

The steel rod is then  inserted into the hole of the connector 

 

 

Then, the connector is painted. I choose , to give some relief to the engine, to paint them Titanium gold

 

 

And finally, the painted connector if pulled against the hose:

 

 

A 0,5 mm wide strip of Hasegawa Stainless finish is prepared, and will be wrapped around the end of the hose, simulating the hose clamp

 

.  

 

The first hose has been fitted on the front of the engine block, just in front of the injection pump, which is only placed on the block, not yet glued.

I've also installed 2 red thin cables on the magnetos, coming from the ignition coil (Where is it on this engine ? I DON'T KNOW, SHAME ON ME ! )

 

 

Now, before permanently gluing the injection pump to the engine block, I needed to check if, once I have installed the engine with its pump approximately in place, on the chassis and placed the body on the chassis, it will be possible to close the bonnet or not. Indeed, if the injection pump (with its tubing) protrudes too much, things could go wrong.

 

 

 

 

But everything was OK.
Of course, I forgot to take pictures with the bonnet on the body, which would show that everything was OK! You mut trust me 😇

 

I installed then  the second hose which has this special connector, just below the starter motor:

 

 

 The engine looks now like a hedgehog 🤣

 

The next step will consist in making and fitting the 8 injection pipes. I'll use 0.25 mm Nickel-chrome wire.

 

 

I've already 3D printed  the metal clamps which maintain them in good position

 

 

 

Stay tuned for next episodes  😉

 

[CrazyCrank]

Afternoon guys

 

At the moment I'm working on the pipework for the injection pump and it's not a piece of cake!

I did it for the first time 2 years ago for the 300 SLR Mille Miglia 1955 driven by Stirling Moss, and I managed to get an acceptable result using 0.3 mm soldering wire.
But this stuff is not very practical, it breaks easily and it's not enough to accept a harmonious curve!

 

So this time I used nickel chrome wire. (Steel and copper, even annealed, are too stiff )
At first I wanted to use 0.3mm, because at a scale of 1:1 it would be 7.2mm, which seems to be the right size for this plumbing.
But it turned out that this size was still much too stiff to accept a short radius bend, which was essential for my purpose..

 

I therefore decided to use a wire of the same type but only 0.25 mm long, i.e. 6.0 mm on a 1:1 scale, and I managed, with great difficulty despite everything, to obtain a rather promising first result for the 4 front pipes, provided that the rest goes well.

I still have to bend the upper ends that fit over the injection pump outlets, and correctly bend the lower ends that fit over the first 4 injectors. And it won't be easy!
You may remember that I 3D printed some cable ties. They turned out to be too big for the scale, and I resized them to 1.5 and 3.0 mm.

 

  

The 4 hoses pass through the 0.3 holes in the 2 large cable ties, then after the bottom one, the 1st and 4th bend to go to their respective injectors, and the other two pass through a small cable tie before dispersing.

I even went so far as to respect the exact distribution of the 4 front pipes:
- Hose 1 -> Second cylinder injector
- Hose 2 - > Third cylinder injector
- Hose 3 -> Fourth cylinder injector
- Hose  4 -> first cylinder injector

 

As this photo shows:

 

 

And here's my intermediate result, which just needs finalising, something I'm going to take all my time and energy to do. Time!

  

 

OK, it's not absolutely faithful but it's still very similar !

 

Wish me luck for the final steps 🙏

 

 

[Neddy]

[CrazyCrank]

Evening my friends

 

I don't know how many people prayed for me and how hard they prayed, but I am proud to tell you that I managed to get the front plumbing of the injection pump in place, not only the top part of the lines coming out of the injection pump outlets, but also the connection to the four injectors !!!!.

 

Frankly, it was a challenge I wasn't sure I could deal with, and I still can't believe it !

 

After a great deal of hesitation, I managed to bend the top of the lines into exactly the same shape for each of them.

 

 

Then I managed to align the four lower ends of the fuel lines horizontally and to space them the same length as the injectors.

 

 

Then I inserted the 4 hooks on the top of the lines into the holes in the 4 front outlets of the pump, and then I managed to insert the lowerends of the 4 lines into the 4 holes in the injectors.
Obviously they are not perfectly aligned, but they are in!

 

 

  

 

 

I can now place the first fuel line on the pump.

 

And then I'm going to do the same job for the 4 rear lines.

 

Just for your information, it took me two whole days to do this tiny job, this delay including my four failed first attempts, but it worth worth the efforts and the pain (headache because working 24 hours under magnifying glasses).

 

Stay tuned if you like and don't miss the next episode 😉
 

 

[Neddy]

Oh I'll stay tuned alright, this is beyond amazing.  I'm not surprised your head aches, my brain hurts just getting my head round what you've achieved.  I admire your persistence too, I think I would have given up after the second abortive attempt and gone to the pub. 😁

[CrazyCrank]

24 minutes ago, Neddy said:

I think I would have given up after the second abortive attempt and gone to the pub. 😁

 

Well ! If there was a pub in my little village, I think I would have done so too 🤣

Thank you, @Neddy, for that VERY kind compliment. And I'm glad you enjoy watching my work.

[Bengalensis]

Magical, nothing less!

[CrazyCrank]

10 minutes ago, Bengalensis said:

Magical, nothing less!

 

Thank you very much Jörgen! 👍
Coming from you, a veritable artist who dazzles us every day with his incredible talent as a model maker, this huge compliment is even more valuable. 😎

[Hamden]

 

More and more outstanding detail, you have raised the bar yet again!

 

            Roger