absmiami Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 post-Irma ........ note that there is a small bike chain sprocket in the picture of the crank case shown above the chain travels to the transmission - alongside its casing - and then runs back to a sort of transaxle casing difficult to machine these - so an internet hunt before the storm turned up ETSY - which sells old watch parts in bulk some of the parts will be used for the sprockets -which are different sizes on the crank case and the trans case some of the smaller gears will turn up in a later Bugatti project ..... the chain will be simulated with photo-etched "chain" links made by Aber they don't match perfectly with the watch gears but it should look okay - will probably try to solder this together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 back to the suspension for a moment the kit rear uprights will be used as modified with evergreen bits and the rear suspension arms from the Deeks' kit will be used as modified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Very cool. I missed this previously...and I have the Merit kit. Really like what you're doing with the tube frame and guts represented. Most excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Marischal Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Very impressed with the work you're doing here.I built a few of these Merit kits back in the last century when they were new but nothing to this level.steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Where did you get the Aber chains? I have a use for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted September 24, 2017 Author Share Posted September 24, 2017 Aber Chains : sold out on the BNA Model World site (Australia) have a look around - I purchased these w/in the last yr - can't recall which internet seller check the major model sellers catering to military modelers photo: current model assembly bench it takes one of two events to force me to clean my work bench first: an act of Congress second: a major hurricane this time it was the hurricane ..... Merit kits: got any un-builts left ?? which ones ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pico Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Glad to see you're not working by candlelight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) ...Merit kits:got any un-builts left ?? which ones ??I have a Cooper, as you're doing here, a Simca-Gordini, a Maserati 250F and a Vanwal. Plus a few Talbot-Lagos and Alfa Romeo Alfettas in both Merit and SMER boxing. Also the Jag D-type and Aston Martin DB3 S, both cleanly built but falling apart, so rebuilding will be much like starting fresh.Some of the Merit tooling (that didn't go to SMER) ended up with Premier (at least the Aston Martin did), and The Ferrari looks like it may very possibly have become the MPC or Strombecker slot car. I have what I believe is the Strombecker version. Edited September 25, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RancheroSteve Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Just found this topic - so cool! Following with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Glad to see you're not working by candlelight. : ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pico Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 "three little pigs"... time for some U joints this Cooper was one of the first race cars with indep rear suspension - using U joints they are relatively compact - they don't have to be as hefty as later U joints on car w larger engines So I tried several different methods of construction - using U joints soldered from brass my first attempts were too large - and a re-check of my photos led to some construction changes I will use the top one in the photo - the U joint is made from 1/32 brass tube - soldered and drilled - with .019 brass pins through the yokes the yokes are filed drilled and sanded from .60 x 1.00 evergreen stock, with some discs from round stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 some more shots to explain the process my first attempts used U joints made from solid brass rod but I wasn't satisfied with the plastic yokes - which had to be made in halves so I then made the joints fr tubing - which had to be filed and sawed to tiny joints that would fit into the yokes as close as I will come to brain surgery on this project ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 some more shots to illustrate gonna make one more or three more undecided - the joints either side of the transaxle might be faked as they run under the frame and are difficult to see anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pico Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 Balsa wood ignition temperature: 400 F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DustyMojave Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Nice work!But I have to take issue with the statement that "this Cooper was one of the first race cars with indep rear suspension". Porsches of the same era had independent rear suspension. Swing axle with joints that are definitely not u-joints. And the same Dr. Porsche headed the GP team at Auto Union in the 1930s with independent rear suspension race cars. Again, not u-joints. But it is independent rear suspension. Others tried it too. But the Cooper 500 was a neat and innovative little race car that I'm quite fond of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share Posted October 10, 2017 Balsa wood ignition temperature: 400 F.yes - the photo of the soldering on balsa should have come with a warning - something like "don't try this at home" there are better, safer soldering pads available - but I seem to be stuck in my ways - as you know .....and about the rear suspension - yes - excellent and thorough hx - I oversold this Cooper's innovationsFerry Porsche has to be considered the Father of the modern race carJ Cooper would have seen - and studied - the Germans at the pre-war British Grand Prix racesand like Chapman - he was anxious to try his own designs after the war ....anyhow - I've got a U joint fetish - let's keep this a secret .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 4, 2018 Author Share Posted January 4, 2018 I hate when this happens ... just as I was recovering from my U joint fever , I obtained some really cool white metal castings of a long lost French Grand Prix car - from the twenties It's a Delage - and it's been on my "to build" list for years So the Cooper has been put back into the barn for a little while so that I can begin this project - with apologies to John Cooper .... off we go ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagercr Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Wow, lots of detail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 decided to wheel the Cooper back out of the barn will do some engine building on the "Old Racing Engines" blog .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromecop Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 This is just stunning artwork!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codi Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 Andrew, don't care what you're building, worth following along as the info / details shared are fantastic. Now I have to go check out your "Engines" thread. Cheers, tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Chernosky Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 Andy....good to see you are still active. You are doing some interesting work here. I have this kit in my stash, along with a few other Merits, so i will be watching your progress with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted August 15, 2019 Author Share Posted August 15, 2019 active ! yes, thank you like a yeast infection .... reaching back in my memory - were you active in doing the Watkins Glen meet/contest ? - would still like to go one year ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Chernosky Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 Just now, absmiami said: active ! yes, thank you like a yeast infection .... reaching back in my memory - were you active in doing the Watkins Glen meet/contest ? - would still like to go one year ... Aaahh..you remember. I am still on the commitee but I don't host a show there. I let the Motor Racing Research Center have my show and they hold it in the early part of April. Did you ever finish that AutoKit Lotus I traded with you. I have worked on the Ferrari but have yet to finish an Autokit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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