1932 Cadillac V16 scale model

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

You've GOT to be kidding! I haven't checked on the progress for quite some time, and that was about the only comment I could think of. Absolutely mind-boggling and superb!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Barry; I appreciate your comments!

[Roger Zimmermann]

As I explained for about one month, the next step for the horns was to do the long almost cylindrical element. How could I machine it? I began with turning the largest outside diameter, followed with smaller steps. I drilled also a hole from one end to the other. This hole will help to remove, if necessary, the grille which will be added at the front of the horns. The previously large parts were then soft soldered to the "tubes" And came the question: how to continue with machining?
The solution was to put the assembly between two "pins", one solid, the other turning (sorry for my bad explanation). The friction between the solid pin was sufficient to machine the tubes as you can see on the pictures.



This assembly will then be screwed into the power unit.

[Roger Zimmermann]

To finish the horns, I still had to machine the base from the power unit and the cover. Again, I had to plan how to attach the power unit to the headlamp bracket.
I did modify the original design: the power unit will be screwed into the bracket and the trumpet into the power unit.
Here too, I had to be imaginative to machine the duo.



Like the original horn, the cover will be attached with one screw.



This week, I bought a product to continue with the body. The store in town where I used to buy the polyester resin is gone; fortunately, there is a large supplier in Switzerland with various chemical products; I bought there the silicone for the tires.
In the large offering (it's amazing how many products are offered for the same application) I did not find the polyester, but something different which is, according the description, ideal for modeling.
I got it today and, good news for our noses: this product is almost odorless. I will not have to go outside to play with the fiberglass and do the negative mold and then the body itself!

[Roger Zimmermann]

This week-end, I could not resist to use the "new" product to make the negative body's mold. Using a different product as the one I knew the properties is the door open to many questions. The process went rather well; I could only to one side of the body and the trunk part because I mixed not enough product. There were also other considerations. What I learned yesterday:

The new product is very sensitive to the proper mix. Maybe 1 gram hardener was missing to the prepared quantity (56 grams) as it took a very long time to be drop free.

The mixture has a lower viscosity compared to the polyester resin. Working on vertical surfaces is a nightmare! The fiberglass mat is not sticking to the surface well due to this low viscosity. Small radius with one mat piece is just impossible.

The curing time is 24 hours for a pot life for 40 minutes.

One very interesting characteristic is the low smelling, allowing to work indoor. Working outdoor is fine, but a small wind is taking away the prepared fiberglass pieces!

Tomorrow or the day after, I will remove the negative mold from the wood buck. I already expect some air bubbles which will require the use of bondo!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Probably the wax I used as a separation product was absorbed by the wood because the mold's separation with the wood buck was not without difficulties. Fortunately, some good hammer blows saved the day, without damage for the resin mold. As I expected, there were many small bubbles I tried to close as well as possible.
Now, I'm ready to made the definitive body's rear and the trunk lid.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Now the positive body rear is done. The negative form is in the background.
I just have to trim the part and adjust it on the floor, plus some futile details!

[Roger Zimmermann]

While having enough trimming the body shell, I finished the headlamp bodies. I was lucky enough that the inside diameter was large enough to attach the bodies to the chuck as shown on the picture.



The whole contour was done with my personal CAD machine and a chisel. Both headlamps should be rather identical.



They are not ready: I still have to do the provision to attach the lamps to their supports and ad a wind split on top.
On the original parts, there is one screw securing the headlamp door to the body. As I have no space to ad a hook at the bottom, I'm not sure if the screw on top will be enough to secure correctly the door to the body. I probably will have to improvise.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The body's rear is now roughly trimmed. I did a quick construction to have the part at the same elevation from the floor like the wood buck. It was sufficient for some trimming, but now I will have to remove the floor from the frame to adapt body and floor together.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Body and floor are together adapted. I had to modify the rear wood crossmember as the plastic body is way much thicker than the original made with steel. The body is now temporarily positioned on the floor; the door apertures are the final ones and the cut-out for the rear fenders are almost definitive. When Paul Ayres is giving me the dimension I asked, I can finish the trunk aperture. I have width and length from the "sales presentation" booklet, but of course, the lengthwise position is absent.
In between, I can try to install the brass rear inner fenders.
Fortunately, I'm not allergic to dust: working with a fiberglass body creates a lot of fine dust, a mix from the glass and resin.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The rear wheel houses which were done some time ago, were adjusted into the apertures and glued to the body. Like the original parts, they are screwed at the floor. As I don't have miniature wood screws, I did a kind of Heli coil: short 2 mm screws glued into the wood with a previously thread done for a metric 0.9 mm screw. I did not used so many screws as the original cars because the wheel houses will also be glued to the floor.
Of course, the rear fenders will also be screwed at the wheel houses: here too, I'm using less screws as the original body.

[Roger Zimmermann]

As the wheelhouses were just glued with some Araldite to the body, I decided that it was necessary to reinforce that joint with some resin and fiberglass. It's difficult to see that on the first picture as the resin is transparent. As I had to mix the resin, I took the opportunity to mold the side door for the accessories
I could not resist to put the body on the frame!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Finally, I could buy a fine wire mesh. At first, I ordered a "100" mesh; I had the impression that it was finer than the brass one I had since ages. To my surprise (and disappointment), the pitch was exactly the same than the brass mesh!
As I went back to the site from the seller, I saw that he has some "200" for sale. A bit more material as need, but, after all, it's not a fortune.
At arrival, I cut a sample and let the roll into the box. That sample will be enough for the air intake from the generator and the screens for the horns!



If somebody is needed some 100 or 200 stainless mesh, I can send some, asking just for the shipping...
I finished the apertures from the side compartment and trunk. I also adjusted the respective panels (which are still too tight); I just have now to do the structures for those panels. I have no idea how the hinges for the side door are looking for; they must not be that complicated. I have it better for the trunk: I have good pictures for the rumble seat hinges.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Having the side compartment door and the trunk lid ready, it was logical to continue with the installation of one or the other. I began with the side door. First by doing a brass frame glued to the door and studying how the hinges should look like. With a drawing 10 times larger than the model, I came to an approximative shape of the hinges, but how to do the pillar? I had to begin with the 3 other sides, doing the bottom and upper flanges glued to the body. I was ready to glue the third element when I realized that I have to make the hole for the locking draw bar (I hope this is the right term) because it will not be possible to machine the flange once glued.
To prevent scratches on the paint, a chromed plate is added to the flange; the locking draw bar is riding on it when the side door is closed.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

A great job of including a recess so that you can include the weatherstripping to seal the opening to keep the rain and dust out of the Golf Clubs when in inclement weather.   You are going to make a set of Clubs in a bag to fit inside?

Bruce.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thanks Bruce for the comments! Originasl cars don't have a seal at the side aperture; there is just a rubber strip at the top of the door; not a great help for rain or dust. The doors don't have seals either, seals are just at the windows; the windlaces are supposed to stop water and dust. Acording to Johan, those cars were not ideal in unclement weather.
I don't intend to reproduce a club set, even if originals are certainly easy to copy!