Harry P. Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Most of the photos in post 463 could pass for the real thing. That is a sure sign you're doing things right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 More hours down the rabbit hole... I won't bore you with the minutia of the job, but essentially, it is time to place the grille shell (containing the rad) in relation to the chassis and firewall. To do that accurately with much trial fitting, I decided to make the job easier by doing more work (??). As Pocher gives it to you, you must screw the grille into its crossmember from below. That means inverting the whole shebang numerous times and back. So I decided to make 2 'bolts' using 2mm rod, washers and nuts epoxied together, then epoxied to the steel shell. Now it plugs in from the top: / Since I'm adding the shutter control rod which runs from the dash, through the firewall and to the control linkage on the rad, I needed to place it accurately. More research revealed that good old Pocher molded that representation on the wrong side of the rad! Here (actually pic #41-we're over 300 now) was the previously finished rad when I was blissfully unaware of the bogus part: Presto! hours later, all ground off and a similar mounting flange created from .005 sheet and rivets: Here, my simplified version of the real rods and levers and flange operated by the rod from the firewall: The new assembly. Pretty pics later: http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv151/Aframe/314Medium_zps268e5f4a.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrherald420 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Stunning work! I tip my hat to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I'm confused. My original Rolls handbook shows that your first placement of the thermostat control on the left was correct (page 12, fig. 3). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Different placement on LHD vs RHD models? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) Different placement on LHD vs RHD models? Sure but they replicated a RHD car; somebody shoulda told Senior Radiator Die Maker.... Edited October 14, 2014 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) I have both the LHD and RHD handbooks, and they use the same illustration in both manuals (OOPS! WRONG. SEE CORRECTION BELOW IN POST 484). The image below is from the LHD handbook. Neither handbook contains an original publication date anywhere. I seem to recall that somewhere along the way (I don't know when), Rolls modified manual shutter opening/closing with the automatic thermostat shown here. It can be overridden manually. Edited October 14, 2014 by sjordan2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Impressive. Looking at a lot of the pictures itsc hard to believe its not the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) I would add that I was incorrect about the illustrations being the same. The placement of the thermostat is the only thing that is common between the LHD and RHD illustrations. That's because the LHD version as shown above is mostly a mirror image of the RHD chassis and engine layout, and components like the carburetor, exhaust, etc This is the correct RHD illustration... Edited October 14, 2014 by sjordan2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 I have both the LHD and RHD handbooks, and they use the same illustration in both manuals. The image below is from the LHD handbook. Neither handbook contains an original publication date anywhere. I seem to recall that somewhere along the way (I don't know when), Rolls modified manual shutter opening/closing with the automatic thermostat shown here. It can be overridden manually. Most impressive and thorough explanation Skip-thanks. So I've inadvertently modeled the full manual system. Rolls went to the full thermostatic system shortly after 1932. Just like with the gas tank (22 gallon vs 28 gallon) and the carburetors (2 different designs, prior to and after 1931), Pocher has blurred the changes and modeled an amalgam of Rolls parts in the same car. The enduring mystery of the swept front fenders continues. No evidence exists (to my knowledge) of a car with them on a Sedanca (Continental). Possibly the boat-tailed roadster IIRC. If Pocher modeled them from a real car, it does not now exist or any record of it. Yes these were all done to customer's wishes by coachbuilders so maybe one owner desired them in all P II production. Again, almost nothing you do is 'wrong' on a Pocher classic. It's made me more comfortable with the license I took on details and finishes. I'm going for art as much as a faithful replica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) Rolls registry info indicates that chassis JS1 with the auto thermostat and other JS series were introduced in 1931 (the kit is supposed to be 1932, isn't it?). I found a catalog picture of an enclosed 1931 Hooper sports saloon with similar fenders. I find the caption a bit confusing, but I'll scan it today and post it. NOTE: I've come up dry on this --many of the Rolls coachbuilders had similar flared front fenders on fixed-head tourers and sports saloons, but I can't find one on any open car. Edited October 14, 2014 by sjordan2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 BTW Cato... congratulations on your "starring role" on the modelmotorcars site. Very well deserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 The enduring mystery of the swept front fenders continues. No evidence exists (to my knowledge) of a car with them on a Sedanca (Continental). I can't explain the fenders, but I do know that Pocher usually picked one specific car and based their model on that car. So they very well may have chosen one particular Rolls that happened to be equipped as it was–as the owner wanted it equipped. With RRs being pretty much completely customizable by the buyer, it's impossible to say that any one particular car is "right" or "wrong." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 Yes Harry that's my belief as well. Lets me get away with the wacky stuff I'm doin' to this one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) Getting REALLY excited now....... Pocher must have had Machiavelli engineer their kits. Their instructions only show you where things are supposed to go, and ignore that you must pre-fit them dozens of times to get them right. And none of them fit right when assembled without pre-fit. I have figured a way to make the cowl unit easily removable for mock-up purposes. It will need to move forward or rearward a few mm's to get the coachwork perfect anyway-another mountain to climb. Be happy to share with any builders who like to see the detailed mods needed-it's not really hard. Just tedious on a fully finished cowl... But here it is in place with the grille out front. The three rods are also in place and play nice together. The upper one will be trimmed a bit and screwed into the waiting clevis on the cowl lip. This one gives adjustment for the vertical plane of the grille-but it's near perfect now so I'm lucky. Below that is the thinner shutter control rod and below that is the starting carburetor control rod. It only needs trimming. The last two will be painted black and I'm debating black for the upper brace or possibly chrome. From the top it's all arrow-straight and I'm both relieved and ecstatic: Edited October 15, 2014 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I can't explain the fenders, but I do know that Pocher usually picked one specific car and based their model on that car. So they very well may have chosen one particular Rolls that happened to be equipped as it was–as the owner wanted it equipped. With RRs being pretty much completely customizable by the buyer, it's impossible to say that any one particular car is "right" or "wrong." My guess is that it's the missing open car from the 1931 Hooper catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cien1986 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 the engine is fixed on place.... still waiting and always amaze by every picture...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 BTW Cato... congratulations on your "starring role" on the modelmotorcars site. Very well deserved. In the Pocher modeling world, this is like getting an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Bravo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Fasten your seatbelts... I'm going to break this into 3 posts of 5 pictures each. As always with Pocher: A. Take nothing for grranted. B. One step forward after 5 steps back. To wit: Many steps ago I had mounted the grille / radiator unit and found it to be within tolerance of dead vertical. But that was with the engine out. Now that the engine is a permanent resident, the unit had a forward tip at the top. Bad words ensued. After much diagnosis, the culprit was found to be the fan and its shaft. I removed the fan and sanded its face. Was a bit better so going in the right direction: Further searching found the shaft protruded pushing the rad so that had to be ground in place - whirling Dremel in a fully finished area is a sweaty exercise. Again thanking the Gods that I made the grille shell plug-in-able from the top, I still had lean at the top. Culprit this time; the right angle corner of the steel shell (on the pass side) had a 'crimp' in it, raising it a mm. See shaded area. Dremel grinding wheel again but thankfully off the car. Finally got perfection on both sides vertical and equidistant to the corners of the cowl-flush and square. And this without the adjustable brace which will follow: Next order of business-the upper rad hose. I originally intended to stick a length of hose in place with two bands of BMF and move on. Sadly-I came across much better reference and as always I start sweating how I might 'fake' it a bit better than basic. Well here's a bunch more hours figuring it. I'll glady share what and how done if any of you not snoring yet. But then must kill you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Upper hose... And in place: Not forgotten is the lower hose, though seen much less often. BTW, I thrashed out a way I'd never seen before to make slightly better hose clamps-not as good as the PE pro guys do but adequate for hackers like me. Easy; strip of lead foil (with one shiny ally side), maybe 1.5 mm wide. Take the edge of a file (3 corner here) and press it into the foil along its length on a surface like your cutting mat. Presto, little 'hashmarks' that are slots in the 1:1. Curl around correct sized hose and CA the 'crotch'. Leave a small tab. Then a common pin, 00-90 nut, a 3mm or so length of 1/16" ally tube you're now very good at cutting and CA the shebang to the round clamp. To wit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Lower hose and finale... What I was after; plumb and square. Something you can't take for granted with a Pocher. The brace is just placed but it's dead nuts on center. That helps avoid the 'toy' look. Satisfaction comes at a price but it's worth it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm blown away by the workmanship and detail in the buildup of this model. The engine, firewall and chassis look like "the real thing". I'll reserve the rest of my praise for when we get to see the completed car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm blown away by the workmanship and detail in the buildup of this model. The engine, firewall and chassis look like "the real thing". I'll reserve the rest of my praise for when we get to see the completed car. Hope you're patient Rich. 2015.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Oh yeah, I'm patient when it comes down to seeing this exceptional model. You are to be commended for your attention to detail and craftsmanship. This car would be well worthy of a magazine feature article, and a trip to the GSL Show, and any other show you would take it to. IMHO it would be a hands-down winner anywhere as long as the judging staff is worth their salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 I'll probably get hate mail for this... -But I was never a fan of the 'signature' Rolls / Bentley fishtail exhaust outlet... / Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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