1932 Cadillac V16 scale model

[Roger Zimmermann]

Indeed, a shifter is not that difficult to do, except that its diameter is not constant. It's not possible to machine it the usual way because, due to the length, its too flexible. I had to improvise doing a bit after the other, taking care that the shaft is not like a camel.
As I like difficulties, I added a "H" grille into the transmission, used a ball from a bearing, added some small parts and now, the lever can be shifted to all four positions. Totally unnecessary, but fun!
The next job: the brake and clutch pedals. I will do first the basic; the multitude of levers, springs and so on, especially for the brake system, will be added when the suspension will be added as I need the axles for the various rods.

[carguyblack]

Just amazing work! Thoroughly enjoy seeing the engineering and manufacturing and hearing your thought process throughout. Captivating. I always hope there is a new post by you every time I log on to the CLC!!!
Chuck

[Roger Zimmermann]

Chuck, thanks for your comments!
Due to maintenance at my old cars scale 1:1, there was a slow activity with the model. Anyway, there is some news. I began the clutch and brake pedals. As I had not enough material 2mm thick, I silver soldered two 1 mm elements to have the adequate thickness at the base. The thickness at the top is about half; the pedal at the left is now ready for further working on it, the pedal at the right must still be "thinned".

[Roger Zimmermann]

 Those crude brass parts evolved into something more near to the reality. On the first picture, the clutch pedal is on the left. In the reality, but pedal stops are adjustable; on my model, only the clutch pedal has its adjusting screw because I could not position the stopping hub in a position to skip the adjusting screw. The original hub is positioned on the shaft with splines, I just put a screw as the effort will not be that huge.

The next step: create the clutch lever which will be actuated by the clutch pedal. I'm skipping the freewheeling system to avoid too much complication.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The clutch lever should be functioning. Pictures later!
Just finished the clutch lever with the link to the clutch pedal. The assembly is externally functional which means that there is nothing inside the transmission except a strong spring to simulate the real clutch springing. This is totally futile like the gear lever going through the gates, but its fun!
The last picture is showing what I had to do to warrant the correct position of the clutch lever and to prevent its rotation.

[Glen]

That's a work of art.  Great workmanship. 

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

That's a work of art.  Great workmanship.

I'll second that Glen.....I'm over in a different thread pounding on a piece of sheet metal with a ball peen hammer, trying to get my water pump to stop leaking....

Then I come over to what Roger is doing here....absolutely incredible work!!....WOW !!!

I have my 1929 Roadster on the lift and I walk underneath it and I see all the detail on the full scale car as in the size of your car!!....Incredible !!

Mike

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Glen and Mike!
There are indeed a lot of differences between 1929 and 1932: the frame is different, the transmission too and, of course the sole engine available for 1929 is a V-8. On V-16 cars, the frame was new for 1930/31 and new again for 1932/33. However, the techniques used at that time are very similar: lot of castings, grease nipples everywhere, torque tube and so on...So, don't try to change something on your Roadster by looking at my pictures!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Nowadays, a brake pedal is a pad with a lever on a shaft, period. It can push a rod or be connected one way or the other to an ABS system, but the pedal itself is easy. Not so with a car from the thirties with power brakes. There is a reaction lever attached to the pedal and an acting lever which is pulled by the vacuum system. I'm skipping further details as this is irrelevant for the model. I tried to build that system by simplifying some aspects, but in general the look is there. All is indeed simple, but the shape of the parts is not.
On the pictures, you can see on the top the clevis which will pull a rod to activate the brakes. That clevis has an elongated hole; this is the method to avoid that the brake pedal is moved when the hand brake is activated.

[Roger Zimmermann]

While I was at the brake system, I did continue with the booster. Not a too difficult part do do, even if the rivets at both ends were maybe unnecessary to reproduce. The booster is attached to the frame with a support, for once not a casting but two stamped sheet metal parts spot welded together. It's what I did, with soft solder instead of spot welds. Unfortunately, that support is no good: it's too thick and should be positioned a tad towards the center of the frame. I will have to do another one, with thinner material.
Why all that complication? Because the way it is now, I could not attach the rod coming from the brake pedal to the (not yet born) lever welded to the rocker shaft. With a gain over .5mm (0.02"), the rod position will be fine!
Some explanation about the picture: the rod connecting the booster to the brake pedal is indeed a drill bit, with it I saw that the booster is not contacting the transmission's support and the future rod will be parallel to the frame's axis. The short axle to the booster is a temporary one.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Still working at the brake system. I added 3 lever on the rear rocker shaft and did the clevis for the booster. There should be a rubber boot between the brake pedal lever and the booster; it will be added later.
More levers/small pieces will next be added to the system.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The previous picture was showing the rear rocker shaft which is responsible for the rear brakes. Now I did the one for the front brakes. As the actuating levers are located outside the bearings, they must be removable. Fortunately, I kept the "tooling" for the actuators located at each drum, so I could do the necessary splines. Maybe the shaft is a tad too small (0.2 - 0.3mm) and on those levers, there are more than 6 splines. To reproduce that exactly would be too much work. However, I noticed a strange detail when looking at my pictures: the LH actuating lever is looking like a blade (mine is probably too thick) while the RH actuating lever is a more conventional in design. And this is not an error on that car: I have also pictures from a 1932 V-8 brake system, it's identical. The parts book is also clear; the RH lever has not the same part number as the LH one.
My theory is the following: the LH actuating lever must have some flexibility, and the RH one is rigid. Maybe when doing an heavy braking, the LH lever is flexing if the RH one can go further, like a differential actuation. I don't see a different explanation but I don't know everything!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Still working on the brakes. Both rocker shafts are now complete and temporarily installed. I saw that the levers actuating the front brakes were too short and the rods going to the front wheels would interfere with the cross member #2. Probably my measurement in Germany was correct, but the rocker shaft may be located too low or the crossmember not 100% correct. To avoid the issue, I made the a tad longer with some modification.
The cotter pins you may be able to see are not the definitive ones; I had to do something simple for the testing.
As far as I can see it, the brake system will be really functioning. Certainly not perfectly, but at the speed the model will be used, there is no danger and no recall will be issued!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Brakes, continuation. Indeed, I was almost closing this chapter by finishing the hand brake. And then, the trouble began: when the clevis with the rod was installed on the hand brake lever, I saw to my dismay that the décor on the transmission side was pushing the lever to the side and the pawl was no more contacting the ratchet. I bent a tad the lever to clear the transmission side. No interference anymore, but the pawl did not contact the ratchet anymore. No problem, two thick washer will correct the distance.
But...but if I'm doing that, the starter motor will be impossible to install.
The sole solution was to diminish the thickness of the décor, which was done after removing the engine from the frame and separating the transmission. After I was thinking there is enough material away, a quick check said that I'm right. The power train was again installer on the frame (it quickly done) and I could try the brake system. Another trouble: by pushing the brake pedal 1/3 of his travel, the rod from the hand brake was contacting the actuating lever for the RH rear brake. Even if I tried to make my parts as precise as possible, I certainly missed some details. I solved the situation by shortening the actuating lever and doing a longer link for the hand brake.
Now, it seems that the system is functioning as I hoped it would do.
First picture: the brake system is not actuated.
Second picture: the hand brake is on; the elongated holes at the clevis from the brake pedal allowed the main rod to go forwards, without disturbing the brake pedal.
Third picture: the brake pedal is pushed, moving all actuating levers; the link I had to redo is tilting to the rear, allowing the hand brake lever to stay at his place.
Hydraulic brakes eliminated all those problems but created others!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Hi Yann!
Thanks for your comments about the scale model.
Unfortunately, I have no answer to the other topic you posted.

[Roger Zimmermann]

For the moment, I cannot continue with the brake system: for that, the axles must be under the frame (or the frame above the axles); for that, I must first do the springs. I will have to buy spring steel, I don't have enough material presently.
there are enough element missing at the engine to be busy for a long time. Recently, I did the breather. This part will be aluminum color at the bottom, the part above the base will be black and the cover will be chromed.
To drill the necessary holes into the crankcase, I had to remove various elements. The engine will stay that way for a while as I will do now the fuel pump, located just before the breather.

[dadscad]

Roger, just curious,  are You still working on the project or are you taking a vacation break? We've been missing your updates! Thanks for sharing the steps to make the model.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks for asking, David! Yes, we had our summer vacation, therefore nothing happened to the model. This week, I resumed the construction; I'm not after the fuel pump. As it will be seen, I'm trying to make as few shortcuts as possible. I'm attaching a picture showing the unfinished upper part of the pump.

[dadscad]

Without the two bit coin, you'd think it was the real deal!

Hope your vacation was great!

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Roger the level of detail is just amazing!

How do you get the proportions right?....Like the size of that top of the fuel pump to say the size of the valve cover....

Do you measure the pictures you take and then do some kind of calculation to get the right size?.....

That pump cover is exactly what the top of my pump looks like....it is truly amazing!!

Mike