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Building the Pocher 1/8 Lotus 72D, Emerson Fittipaldi 1972


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13 minutes ago, Schummie said:

I have some doubt about the two belts that go from the fire extinguisher to the bottom of the seat. This way they look to have no function.

They come from nowhere, and the end nowhere. 
Is this right?

 

I agree. But there are several sources where they are like that. I think they must have something to do with the additional loops on the lap belts. The shoulder and lap belts clearly lock into the four points of the central circular buckle. Which leaves the two metal square loops on the narrower extra belts hanging loose, and the two belts coming up through the seat flapping in the breeze. I’m sure they must come together somehow. Unless it’s something like the leg straps on an ejector seat which go through loops on the flight suit of the pilot… The fixed ends are under the seat base, though, not the fire extinguisher end, where they are just hanging over the edge of the seat.

best,

M.

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9 hours ago, cmatthewbacon said:

I agree. But there are several sources where they are like that. I think they must have something to do with the additional loops on the lap belts. The shoulder and lap belts clearly lock into the four points of the central circular buckle. Which leaves the two metal square loops on the narrower extra belts hanging loose, and the two belts coming up through the seat flapping in the breeze. I’m sure they must come together somehow. Unless it’s something like the leg straps on an ejector seat which go through loops on the flight suit of the pilot… The fixed ends are under the seat base, though, not the fire extinguisher end, where they are just hanging over the edge of the seat.

best,

M.

Thank you,

If the fixed ends are under the seat, then a croix belt configuration is logical and explains the square loops on the lap belts.

Jochen Rindt didn’t use them, and this was suspected to have contributed to his tragic dead at Monza in a Lotus.

The loose ends near the fire extinguisher would go between the legs, and then attached on the metal loops on the lap belts with the little black belt parts on the lap belts.

Rindt had two reasons not to use these. One was the obvious discomfort of the belts between his legs, but more important, he was afraid that in case of an accident he would be entangled with his legs in these belts. 
And in the way it’s configurated here, that’s not totally unlogic. The loose end would have to go throug the metal loops en could not be disconnected fast 
I’ll connect it like this in my model. I’ll post a picture here when it’s ready. 
Thanks again for your input. 
Also very interested on your work on the dash board, as I wonderded exactly like you if there were plans originally to include connections and wires on this dash.
 

 

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A general question about air brushing parts. In the past, Testors had something called Model Master Buffing Metalizer. They have discontinued manufacturing it. Here is a picture of what I'm talking about.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185806434991?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=185806434991&targetid=4581183927179143&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418233787&mkgroupid=1241348861725295&rlsatarget=pla-4581183927179143&abcId=9300542&merchantid=51291&msclkid=17456df44a0d1624bd5609df55006018

 

It's something I thought was the best way to make plastic look like metal. They had all kinds of colors. Does anyone know of a substitute that is comparable? Gads I miss that stuff.

Bosco

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1 hour ago, Bosco said:

It's something I thought was the best way to make plastic look like metal. They had all kinds of colors. Does anyone know of a substitute that is comparable? Gads I miss that stuff.

 

Bosco

 

Can you get Humbrol paints in the US? Their Metalcote enamels and sprays are the same sort of thing.

best,

M.

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dash-starting-cabling.jpg

 

dash-starting-cabling-2.jpg

 

Made a start. The two outer gauges have been fitted with some of the thin TU-1 tube. The rev counter drive to the middle is made from guitar string, annealed to make it a bit easier to bend. All the cabling comes out through the bottom left corner of the dash and into the C-section conduit we glued to the left hand side of the cockpit way back when. It comes out the other end and under the fairing behind the drivers left shoulder at seat top level. It's almost like the designers ran out of time or the will to live at this point because all the cabling COULD be fitted with the bits that are there, they just don't give you any instructions to help you do it. I've got plenty of tube left though. (Wonder what I missed along the way.... ;-P)

 

dash-cabling-parts.jpg

 

So, onward with wrapping wire, Tamiya black cable of various diameters, heat shrink sleeve and some solder...

 

best,

M.

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On 4/2/2023 at 5:07 PM, Schummie said:

I have some doubt about the two belts that go from the fire extinguisher to the bottom of the seat. This way they look to have no function.

They come from nowhere, and the end nowhere. 
Is this right?

 

The slots on the bottom edge of part # A-10 on either side of the fire extinguisher make it look like Pocher intended the lower belts to terminate under A-10.

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2 minutes ago, brady said:

The slots on the bottom edge of part # A-10 on either side of the fire extinguisher make it look like Pocher intended the lower belts to terminate under A-10.

The slots are the right size to fit the pegs on the DCA-3.  If you fit the belts in there, will A-10 fit properly?

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Has anyone encountered this problem? As I'm assembling the lower wishbones on the front damper assembly, I'm noticing a 2.80mm gap between the wishbone and the frame. The upper wishbones don't seem to have a noticeable gap between them and the frame.

Bosco

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32 minutes ago, Bosco said:

Has anyone encountered this problem? As I'm assembling the lower wishbones on the front damper assembly, I'm noticing a 2.80mm gap between the wishbone and the frame. The upper wishbones don't seem to have a noticeable gap between them and the frame.

Bosco

Any chance of a photo to show the problem? 

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dash-fully-cabled-from-right.jpg

 

dash-fully-cabled-from-left.jpg

 

dash-fully-cabled.jpg

 

That's all the wiring I'm going to do! It looks busy enough to me, through the real thing has rather more complicated crosslinks among the four terminals in the groups on each side.

 

dash-mockup-in-place.jpg

 

dash-mockup-in-place-front.jpg

 

Clipped in place to check the cable runs. They will go round the corner right enough.

 

coaming-test.jpg

 

cables-through-side.jpg

 

Acid test... yes the coaming will go on with them in place. The visible gap behind and around the dash is like that on the real thing, too. Now just to make it look as though all of these are going into the cable conduit on the side wall.... and coming out of the other end!

 

best,

M.

 

 

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12 hours ago, cmatthewbacon said:

dash-fully-cabled-from-right.jpg

 

dash-fully-cabled-from-left.jpg

 

dash-fully-cabled.jpg

 

That's all the wiring I'm going to do! It looks busy enough to me, through the real thing has rather more complicated crosslinks among the four terminals in the groups on each side.

 

dash-mockup-in-place.jpg

 

dash-mockup-in-place-front.jpg

 

Clipped in place to check the cable runs. They will go round the corner right enough.

 

coaming-test.jpg

 

cables-through-side.jpg

 

Acid test... yes the coaming will go on with them in place. The visible gap behind and around the dash is like that on the real thing, too. Now just to make it look as though all of these are going into the cable conduit on the side wall.... and coming out of the other end!

 

best,

M.

 

 

Great job Matt.  Looks amazing!

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Very nice mod, and also very realistic looking. Did you soulder those green wires to the dash?

Are there metal parts in the dash, or did you put after market switches in?

Very inspiring, and I will also try and follow in your footsteps with this dashboard.

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Thanks, gentlemen. @Schummie nothing so sophisticated. I just drilled holes through the “posts” of the moulded on detail from the side with a 0.35mm drill (and miraculously didn’t break any!) and superglued the stripped ends of the wire in place after poking them through…

best,

M.

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17 hours ago, Griph said:

Any chance of a photo to show the problem? 

Not really as I don't know how to post photos here. What I'll try to do is take a 1 or 2 second video, upload it to Youtube and post the link here.

Thanks,

Bosco

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Just now, Bosco said:

This should work. I've posted a few second video of the wishbone misalignment here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-rAs8TlDW8

The assembly is upside down. You can see the other wishbone fits nicely. Also, to let this forum know, I'm a novice machinist. I know what I'm doing. I have a Bridgeport Mill and a LeBlond Lathe. Here are a couple of videos of compressed air steam engines I have built from bar stock.

Bosco

 

 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Bosco said:

The assembly is upside down. You can see the other wishbone fits nicely. Also, to let this forum know, I'm a novice machinist. I know what I'm doing. I have a Bridgeport Mill and a LeBlond Lathe. Here are a couple of videos of compressed air steam engines I have built from bar stock.

Bosco

 

 

 

 

Wow love the working models! Great job!  As for the 72D - no I didn’t have this problem - looks like the subframe DCA-17 is deformed/bent? Have you checked both sides? You may need to contact Pocher to send out a replacement part, unless this can be carefully bent back into shape? 

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The front and rear faces of the part DCA-17 should be flat, parallel planes. It’s hard to find an undistorted photo among mine, but this shows it:

both-sides-suspended-top.jpg
 

I think your subframe part looks distorted. I would ask for another. It’s very hard to bend this casting metal without breaking it. Sorry!

best,

M.

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33 minutes ago, Dinky said:

isn't that an optical illusion?

Well, it might be, but that video @Bosco posted looks like the left hand “leg” of the frame leans away from the right, bent slightly at the bottom. Since the wishbone should connect closely at both ends, there’s clearly _something_ wrong…

best,

M.

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Right, didn't see that video. Thanks. Does not look good indeed. If you heat it you can bend the casting but without heating it will break. 
But better to ask Horny for replacement parts

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Grrrr....aaaargh! I have broken Part L-5, the thin clear screen at the top of the cockpit coaming. Accidentally caught one end with my wrist while holding the other the other corner to remove the attachment point and "ping" it just snapped at the corner. Plan A is to request a spare part from Hornby, while plan B is to try to make a template from the broken one to cut a replacement from acetate sheet. Which would probably be more accurate scale thickness, anyway...

best,

M.

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16 minutes ago, cmatthewbacon said:

Grrrr....aaaargh! I have broken Part L-5, the thin clear screen at the top of the cockpit coaming. Accidentally caught one end with my wrist while holding the other the other corner to remove the attachment point and "ping" it just snapped at the corner. Plan A is to request a spare part from Hornby, while plan B is to try to make a template from the broken one to cut a replacement from acetate sheet. Which would probably be more accurate scale thickness, anyway...

best,

M.

Oh sorry to hear that! Very easy to do! When I fitted L-5 onto D1-1 I left it on the Sprue.  This added extra bracing to the part and made it easier to fit the two together using  Micro-Krystal Klear, otherwise both would be flopping about! 

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3 minutes ago, Griph said:

Oh sorry to hear that! Very easy to do! When I fitted L-5 onto D1-1 I left it on the Sprue.  This added extra bracing to the part and made it easier to fit the two together using  Micro-Krystal Klear, otherwise both would be flopping about! 

That is clearly the right way to do it. I am an eejit… So learn from my mistake and @Griph sound advice, all ye who have not got to this bit yet!

best,

M.

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Just now, cmatthewbacon said:

That is clearly the right way to do it. I am an eejit… So learn from my mistake and @Griph sound advice, all ye who

have not got to this bit yet!

best,

M.

Yeah I wish I’d said this earlier! Sorry Matt, but hopefully as you say others will take advice! Pocher/Hornby are pretty good at sending out replacement parts, even for broken parts! Found that out after breaking one of the DC-50 parallel struts to the rear wheel assemblies! Got the replacement in under 7 days! At least part L-5 won’t stop you progressing the rest of the build! 

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