absmiami Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 forgot to post a picture of the Etzell engine next to the kit engine What a difference !! the Etzell engine also came with a much better trans - which can be used with nearly no mods ….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 This is a great project - I’m really enjoying seeing this come together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 interesting factoid - the photo fr the Ludvigsen 60's Indy car book clearly shows that on this car - the peek of the intake side valve cover has been ground down slightly to clear the engine bonnet hinge so I'll do the same - which will give the kit engine a bit more clearance it will seem to be some modeler's deceit - unless you've seen the ludvigsen picture …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 the exhaust side gear train cover is sawed off and height reduced per the first photo so both sides are now about the same height and I modified the AMT kit water pipe and added some flanges - evergreen strip drilled and filed - to dress up the cylinder head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 the gear case cover has circular plates to inspect or maintain ? the gears driving the camshafts I had to grind them off of the Etzell casting to change the height of the cover so then I tapped out some .015 plastic replacement discs - glued them on - drilled four .0125 holes [not three - but four - on this engine] and glued in some replacement bolts - these are fr Scale Hardware - size is .020 - which is probably just slightly over-size - but will look right then added some bolt detail to the flanges in the cyl head - not enough material on the sides of all of the flanges - but I managed to get four out of six - that'll do …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 the bolts will just barely be visible with the water pipe in place the Etzell white metal casting for the Hilborn unit is really good starting to drill holes for the fuel lines and will try to open the throttle valve holes to run a throttle body rod and linkage and per the Ludvigsen photo - I'll make an intake plenum that this team used - the Foyt car would have had a different set-up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 And thank you , Mr. Driver …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 Great stuff happening here. As I was around at the end of the Indy "roadster" period, I have a deep love for the cars. Though I've started several models of them, I've held off due to scale and fit problems like you're addressing. What you're doing here is inspiring, and I'm learning a lot. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt Tuttle Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 That engine is a piece of art! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Looks beautiful - certainly an icon. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrobarry Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I`ve developed an interest in these old Indy roadsters. I think that they are some of the most beautiful race cars (along with 1960`s Top Fuel dragsters) ever built! Your work sir is outstanding! Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 ok 24 holes later …. some more bolts glued into the holes at the base and then I'm making some fuel fittings from bent .012 brass rod and a small strip of evergreen sawed a 45 degree opening or slot into the end of the plastic and glued it to the bend on the brass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 the fuel line is the black Model Factory Hiro line designed for their 1/20 sc kits it's a little oversized - but close enough slow going - and a lot of oops, that didn't work ... the fittings are filed to a sort of square shape, added a small nut and coaxed the fuel line on to the end and to the junction box the fuel fittings will be painted a shade of brass - gonna try a sharpie have to do something for the linkage for the butterflies - not sure what yet once this is done I'll get to work on the plenum - which is attached to the manifold …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 thanks ace - and I too was around at the tail end of the roadster era - saw my first Indy car race at Trenton in '69 [I think] - I was rooting for the rear engine cars / revolution - but I was a fan of Jones - I respected his willingness to jump from the roadsters to the radical turbines …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 Does anyone within the sound of this internet have current contact info for the two gentlemen that operated American Racing Miniatures ?? As some of you know - they had obtained the Etzell line at one point in time ….. got some brass color onto the fuel line junctions and on to the spark plugs wanted to use RB Motion's wonderful spark plugs - but I need a secure attachment for the .013 plug wires so I am sending them into a 0.06 MM alu tube and using a corresponding nut and the RB distributor caps a little over-sized - but not much - and it will be secure ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 here's where I get to break some more of those .0012 drills ….. the Etzell casting for the Joe Hunt magneto is super I've got some good photos of the mag and am adding some features - holes, nuts, clips, and screws ... paint is old fashioned Tamiya gloss red - brushed on ... thinking about the Joe Hunt decal - clearly visible on all restored or vintage magnetos - not sure if the Jones car would have had the sticker on its mag - contemporary photos are not sharp enough to pick this out … anyone know ?? … did I mention that I have a magneto fetish ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 27, 2020 Author Share Posted January 27, 2020 the back of the engine casting has moldings on the bell housing that are drilled for support struts I used .022 nickel silver rod then I removed that wonderful crank case detail outlined in black - hated to do that but the 255 engine blocks were modified from the 270 engines - and as the racing years went by - those intricate crankcase covers were replaced with much simpler - and probably cheaper - covers will have to do this on the left side of the crankcase too ….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted January 27, 2020 Author Share Posted January 27, 2020 below the fuel block I glued a small piece of plastic with a .012 post to mount a fuel injection arm using some modified linkage arms from my old sets of S & S photo-etch always liked this stuff - its at least 25 yrs old … but I'm running out of my favorite parts ... then some .031 banjo RB Motion parts and .06 MM alu tube - see Randy Ditton - to complete the supplemental linkage running to the fuel block so how does the throttle linkage reach the fuel inject unit ? not sure - I think it runs from the throttle pedal directly up the bulkhead to a crank at the end of the rod ….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps46 Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 You sir could author a 1:1 shop manual using these scale photos and no would know the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Chernosky Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 I agree with Gary. This engine could be a work of art all by itself. Really enjoying this build. Thanks for putting it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 there are only a few photos of the engine intake plenum used by the Willard Battery team and the car was restored w/out it - so there is some guess work on the size and shape the white parts are Evergreen shapes and tubes - liquid glued -the ram tubes are .093 and just in place for measurements - to be glued later the intake "horn" is made fr renshape - shaped by random toothed files and bars and sanding sticks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 the renshape part …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Richard C ….. as I am chasing shadows and scattered projects - is it time to get to work on our Lotus / Ferrrari build blog ??? ?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrobarry Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Outstanding work! I love old Indy roadsters as well as mid 60`s full bodied fuel dragsters! The most beautiful race cars on the planet in my opinion. I`m afraid my old eyes would cease to function after working on on such an intricate project. Now if someone were to do a 1/12th scale version of that car............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 thank you Nitro: As was done on the right side of the crank case - I had to remove the wonderful finned crank case side plate because the 255's - or most of them - used simpler, less elegant plates. Hated to do it …. the AMT kit actually has the correct engine plate and breather on the chrome tree - but it is too short to use with Etzel's correctly dimensioned block …. In place of the fins - removed with a diamond coated rotary sander and an exacto blade - is a plate and breather made from Evergreen strips and bars - liquid glued together, filed and sanded - 4 pieces . to be painted or finished in a dark metal shade - maybe gun metal or darker - not sure this will be surrounded by bolts to be added after I paint the block ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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