1932 Cadillac V16 scale model

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks for the comments and be careful with your keys! It happens from time to time that mines disappear too...

[Big Fins]

Following this thread is always amazing to me as I find drawing stick figures challenging.

The keys? I always know where they are. They represent fun in my Cadillacs.

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Guys,

If you keep mentioning keys, Roger just might be challenged to make a set, and the ignition switch complete with tumblers. He made working power windows for his model of a  Continental MKII....hope I can mention that brand

[carguyblack]

Very funny, Ralph!  But, I'll bet Roger is now going to loose some sleep wondering if maybe he should make the keys and tumbler now. And the dome lights with working switches.
We are a cruel bunch, aren't we?!
Chuck

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Chuck,

I was not trolling anybody or anything. It really has operable power windows: https://www.modelmotorcars.com/roger-zimmermann-switzerland-continental-mark-ii-scale-model/

Just unbelievable!

[carguyblack]

I was only trying to be humorous. My wife says I should quit trying!
Chuck

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Chuck,

Completely understood...No harm,  no foul

Ralph

[Roger Zimmermann]

Oh...Keys and tumbler could be possible, but not with my equipment: to make very small parts, the equipment must be very precise and...heavy. Then, the practical side: can imagine how small the keys will be? About 4mm in length (0.16"); it would be very unpractical to grab them and try to insert them into the lock. No problem to misplace them and don't find them anymore!
The Toronado model I did had switches operated with the door. However, my system was not reliable at all and finally unusable.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Finally the carbs are over. I skipped some details as well as all springs because they are so small it makes no sense to add more complication. The actuating lever is a strange one, its shape is dictated by the exhaust manifold. Nothing is moving on the carbs; shaft, accelerator pump lever, idle lever and actuating lever are all together soft soldered . Once the carbs are installed, almost no lever can be seen as they are facing the engine.

[carguyblack]

Good day, Roger!
Were you ever a watch maker in your former life? Beautiful work and glad it's all being documented. No one would believe it otherwise!
Chuck

[Roger Zimmermann]

thanks Chuck!
No, I was not into that trade. But I like doing small things...Next to the large cars scale 1:1!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Well, I'm not totally ready with the carbs: I tried to install one under the manifold assembly; it's almost mission impossible to turn the bolts as the space is very tight for one bolt. Maybe studs and nuts could help, but I prefer the following set-up: the carbs will be attached with a central screw from the exhaust manifold when the intake manifold is not yet installed, plus dummy bolts.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Way to go.   It is not as if you are going to be worried about leaks.

Bruce.

[Roger Zimmermann]

After the carbs, I had to decide with what to continue. The choice came on the tires. There are very nice reproduced tires for those antique cars with an intricate thread. Unfortunately, my equipment is totally inadequate to reproduce most of the treads. I saw that there is a Firestone with a zig-zag thread which will be easy to do as it's very similar to what I did on my other models.
Last week, I ordered a large piece of brass (about $ 40.00) to make the tire pattern. As you can see, the stock I got is really the maximum which can be handled with this machine. The outside diameter is 70 mm (2 3/4") and the weight 1.47 kg (3 1/4 pounds)! There will be hours removing material and almost so much waiting time as the electric motor cannot run for hours without cooling from time to time.

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Roger,

I'm interested to see how you make the zig-zag pattern in the mold or tread.......Keep the pics coming, please

[Roger Zimmermann]

Roger,

I'm interested to see how you make the zig-zag pattern in the mold or tread.......Keep the pics coming, please

Thanks for your comments. Sure, I will show it! Let me first "chew" that big bit of brass!

[Roger Zimmermann]

It took two afternoons to get the large piece of brass to the shape it's now. Too deep a pass or higher rotation speed caused strong vibrations so it was a balance between low speed and moderate cutting deep.
This rough element will be refined to look like a tire.
My deepest concern was about the dimensions. The original tire was 7.50-18; those tires are reproduced as I stated earlier, but their dimension are strange. I found nowhere the correct dimensions from the thirties and the tires produced now are like overinflated with an exaggerated width and overall diameter. Why tire manufacturers are doing that now? I have no answer. Anyway, I was the "victim" of those practices when I was building the Mark II: I took the dimensions from my own 8.20-15 tires installed on my '56 Biarritz and reproduced the tires according to the dimensions I recorded. As a result, I was unable to fit the spare wheel into the trunk; I had to cut away a good portion of the thread to install it. Sure, it could also be that I did some errors and the space allowed for the spare tire was too small.
Some years ago, a friend of mine discarded a restored spare wheel and the new tire installed over it because it could not fit the wheel well in his 1960 Corvette! Obviously, he got the same issue with an oversize tire. Strange.
As I noticed on several occasions, it's better to have parts a tad too small in scale model construction, I will do something similar with the tires: a compromise between the theoretical dimensions and the ones I saw on various advertisings.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The rough work is done on the tire pattern. The face towards the rear of the lathe will be refined with an hand held tool. This is the best way to get a smooth and regular surface. Because of the white wall, the other side will be handled differently.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Roger,

You teach me something new every day.   Love the use of the rotation stop, making swapping of the machining piece beautiful.

Bruce.

PS.   Looks like you need to make another pattern as this one would be ideal for drag slicks.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Bruce, this method is the sole one to have a constant true rotation, between two solid "pins" (there is certainly another expression in English): you can take away the part in process a number of time, it will always rotate the same way. If the part is held into a chuck, this is a different story. I know that it's a bit futile to quest for precision for a model which will hardly get rolling; this is my way of doing things. Plus the next operations to get a rubber tire are so imprecise that the final product will never turn completely true. At least the beginning is not compromised!
Like real tires, the beginning of mine is like a slick; the profile will come later!