1932 Cadillac V16 scale model

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Glen!

[Big Fins]

As always, amazing work.

+1

This gentleman is creating a miniature scale model and I feel lucky if a stick figure comes out straight.

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

A Fabergé Cadillac.....

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks for the comments!

As I had some elements already done for the generator, I decided to continue with it before I'm going to the oil pan. A generator is a stupid round cylinder with some small details. Regarding the details, I did some: the screws to attach the pole pieces (they are fake, a word used frequently those last 4 years), the oiling funnel, also a fake, at the back cover, the small retaining plate for the bearing at the back cover, held with 3 screws. The difficulty I had was to determine the angular relation with each other. I think I'm not too bad.
Another detail which cannot be overviewed: the air outlet tube, which is screwed on the generator; the inlet conduit will be done when I have the blocks and exhaust manifolds. Here too, I had to guess its position; it's not vertical but inclined towards the exterior. This why I cannot do it now, I have to wait for the other parts.
There are still details to come: the cover over the slots at the back of the generator and both oiling cups (fakes) for the front and rear bearings in addition to the air inlet tube.

[INTMD8]

Truly amazing craftsmanship!   You never fail to impress, thanks for sharing the progress 

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Jim!

[Roger Zimmermann]

As the oil pan is attached to the transmission, I had first to continue with the transmission's flange. I had to "repair" it, by silver soldering a bit brass because I removed too much metal...It's not the first time, and not the last one!
Now that the points for the lower attaching bolts have been set, I began the oil pan. The location for the starter motor is not yet set ; it will be done later when the oil pan has more details done.
For the moment, I have two separate parts: the flange and the pan. Both will probably be soft soldered as such long thin stripes are very unstable when heat is applied.
I'm adding also a picture from a real part.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The pan itself was continued by closing the front end. Before it was soldered to the assembly, I milled some slots to help positioning the cooling fins. After that, I silver soldered the fins and trimmed them.
The first pictures is showing the pan and the prepared fins; the second picture is self-explanatory. Further additions will be soft soldered.

[Big Fins]

Along with your exemplary skills, your patience must span the globe.

Now, let's see you make it operate! 

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks John! that's for sure, I got a supplement of patience at birth!
No, it will not be functional: this would require a very sophisticate tooling and machine park; all that in a flat?

[V.Sorok]

Roger, I'll point to your wonderful work again!
If you have doubts about the manufacture of the body still, I want to express my opinion: you can not hide such high detail behind any body! Many of details could be not reproduced if you knew that they would hide behind the body.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks for your comments! You are right, a body will hide many details. However, during the construction of the Mark II model, I did details which cannot be seen now. That's the difference between a commercial model and what I'm doing.
The body issue is more a time factor than something else. If you go in my profile, you will see that I'm no more so young!

[V.Sorok]

Thanks for your reply. I understand you. I have a question about that. Are you doing this scale model for yourself without any order?

Vlad

[Roger Zimmermann]

Yes, Vlad. I will not do something like that for somebody else: if I would get an order, most probably the required model would not interest me; I have no affinity for a Ferrari or something like that. Then the time pressure would be there as a deadline would certainly be set. And, finally, to which price? If I should calculate a price according to the time I'm spending on the model, it's price would quickly get over the roof, unless I'm asking 50 cents per hour!

[Roger Zimmermann]

After adding all the tiny details to the oil pan, it's now ready. Well, not exactly: I now have to drill all the needed holes to attach it to the crankcase; there are more than 30. Then, I can do the same at the crankcase. The original studs are 3/8", at 1:12, they will be 0.8mm.

[Roger Zimmermann]

At first, I had not idea how to drill the numerous holes at the pan and into the crankcase. The easy method with a rule and tracing point is hardly applicable when so many holes must be drilled with a relative precision.
For the oil pan, I put it on a wood block, attached it with 4 screws, inserted the whole into a jaw. After checking that the pan was parallel to the bank, I could move the carriage the desired distance and do the holes, this is the first picture.
The oil pan was then used as a template to replicate the holes into the block. To avoid unwanted rotational movement, I had to adapt a plate at the front. This way, the assembly was stabilized, second picture.
Now, all the holes are ready to accept the studs; for the moment, I'm using regular screws to attach the pan to the crankcase. On the original engine, studs were used almost everywhere because aluminum is not strong enough for regular screws (ask the Cadillac designers why they did not used that method on the Northstar engine and previous aluminum ones...)
As you can see, the flange for the transmission has been trimmed; it's ready to be soldered to the transmission once it's done.
Now, I will do the engine blocks. Fortunately, they are the same left and right; it will be serie work!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Even if the engine blocks are rather easy to do, I spent more time as anticipated. Sometimes things are not going the way I like!
By the way, when I'm hearing the name "engine block", I do see in my head something rather bulky and heavy. This is not the case with the V-12 and V-16 from that time. I'm first adding pictures from the real thing. The block is indeed the element into the pistons are moving. If you look at the second picture, you see that the cylinders are like a tube protruding from the block. Probably that strange solution was adequate for the low output and RPMs from that time; for me it has an evident lack of rigidity. After all, those engine were more intended for comfort than for power .
The last picture is from my blocks, way from finished.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Roger,

I love learning new things.

The pictures of the engine showing the cylinders poking completely through the cast "Housing" really explains the lovely way these engines were constructed.

Does this mean that there is no actual Engine Block in these motors, but a sump, crank case, and a cylinder holder, with the heads on top?

Bruce.

PS.   As you can read, I have never been inside a V12 or V16 Cadillac engine.

[Roger Zimmermann]

It's exactly like that, Bruce. In fact, the main piece here is the crankcase, a fantastic cast aluminum piece.
Before I began this scale model, I had no idea how it was constructed! I also have to add that the numerous pictures I got from Johan in the Netherlands are a great help to understand.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Each engine block has 6 expansion plugs; I reproduced them as good as I could. Then came the moment I have to drill the holes into the crankcase, securing partly the blocks to the crankcase. To have a consistent drilling, I did 2 supports with scrap material to have an horizontal surface for one block. For the other block I certainly will have to do two other supports because they are not reversible. Furthermore, I will need them again when I will drill the heads, blocks and crankcase.
As you see, the blocks must be closed at the top. As long as drilling is required, the "cover" will not be soldered.