absmiami

hinges assembled for initial check strength is good - but I need some more "fold" will correct this while I add more details to the bonnet

filing the slots on the smaller hinge - but using the same square files and soldering the second length of tube for the opposing hinge ...

So I sawed apart a section of the right hand bonnet to make a second hinge - per the photos trying a smaller dia. brass tube - 0.70 mil - which in scale is about 3/4 of an inch closer to scale than the central hinge - but I wanted some extra strength at the center...

it hinges - but I need more "hinge" - will have to file away some more metal

still upside down ? oh well managed to reduce the thickness of the bonnet panels to about .040 - which is reasonable how much metal have I filed off of this thing ? See the jar ...

bet files that are too large might load improperly ??

not sure why these are loading upside down stupid computer tricks ... more bonnet prep more filing

hope these load properly will try to re-post if not

and yes - balsa wood can ignite - "so don't try this at home" 1.0 mil tube soldered w tix solder onto bonnet edge and then hand filed for the hinge Pico's casting uses - I think - burillium (?) which seem to be less prone to deform while soldering - higher melting temp? don't think you can do this on the Finecast white metal - has anyone been able to ?? always wanted to try this - Wingrove has made his bonnet hinges from brass for decades .... still not real time - but I'm catching up ....

changes to bonnet for the '24 "hybrid" restored car - soldered over the rear inward louvers and filed and sanded everything smooth now starting to file channels on either end of the bonnet to retain the bonnet straps again - used tape to guide the filing

now to the bonnet - which was cast in two parts = with lots (unavoidable) of excess of wh metal buildup and flash using mostly hand drills, and large to small metal files, I am prepping the surface - top and bottom openings will be covered in mesh - and removing ALOT of white metal - have to reduce the thickness of the parts by about 50%

the CMK razor saws sold thru the UMM-USA site came in handy here taped guidelines on to the tail and sawed narrow slots to outline the lid over the fuel tank this will not open - the metal beneath is too thick and the tank underneath is not original on the restored car anyway

and rest in peace, Dan ....

the '24 car had a recess in the body work so that the riding mechanic sat slightly behind the driver so with more files and steel cutting burs I have made the recess and I removed some of the louvers - the casting is accurate for the 25 car - which ran with added louvers the last shot has some taped guidelines as I began to cut narrow lines to simulate the shape of the fuel tank cover

"Thanks for allowing us to come along for the ride" by the way - it's a rather dangerous ride ... I think two of the team drivers were killed in races in 1925. It was that era ..... very fast cars and dirt circuits - yikes

thing 1 the '24 car had a raised lip on the cowling in front of the riding mechanic - the '25 car did not, so neither did the casting I melted a bunch of low temp - "tix" solder onto the lip - a small pile then sanded and filed into shape per the above photos next I am removing some louvers and reshaping the cockpit opening

well - now the plot thickens ... Frederick: very good pictures - I've d/loaded what is generally available on the web - starting years ago when the car was first shown after it's extensive resto but any of your shots can be posted as you have time - and they will all be helpful / instructive etc Do you think the body rivets are copper ? they appear to be in the photos And how about the cockpit opening trim ? appears to be brass ?? regarding the parts: they were "sourced" from Pico Elgin who lives in Atlanta - I will make sure that he sees your post some or all of the parts could be available - if he is able - his terms, obviously dash: I think that Indycals produces very good Bugatti dash gauges - they mite be the answer Please ask Patrick Delage it the car will be back in the US any time in the next few years perhaps at the Amelia Island event - my favorite concourse ...

per the attached good kits - similar to the 12 cylinder cars of '24 and '25 it's a curbside kit - but a good start it was inching higher on my to-build list - until I got my hands on Pico's castings/printings has a straight 8 cyl engine - the cylinder head looked a lot like the heads on the earlier car and shared a lot of design features

initially - this will not be real time work was begun 2 months ago so I'll be posting in catch-up mode for a week or two ... first prep work on body before making changes to build the restored car. the opening for the cockpit was covered in a "film" of white metal - removed with steel cutting burs and metal files removed the thick metal engine bulkhead and did some surface prep and removed quite a lot of metal flashing from the inside

a cyclekart based upon a Delage ??? couple more shots - the translucent parts are 3D printed by Shapeways these include the engine, exhausts, tires and wheel rims other parts are resin casted the body parts are white metal casted - partly because they look cool - and partly because the car was finished with a turned metal pattern - EVERYWHERE - I'll be scratch-building the other stuff think I forgot to mention that this is 1/24 scale try scratch-building that engine and exhaust manifold in 1/24th - lots a luck ...

"I have one of his bodies" Did Pico 3 D print his body ? - does that mean that he can be two places at one time ?? what do you do when your "parts" start to fall off ??

Gramps - good guess - Auto Kits did the '27 Delage - which had a straight eight engine - though the kit was a curbside ...

don't think Mr. Leno will object to the link .... this is just the coolest looking pre-war Grand prix car I've ever seen actually - I've only seen photos and videos and I'm breaking one of my rules ... I generally never build anything that I haven't actually walked up to and photographed but I'm making an exception for this thing so the Cooper is back in the barn for a little while so I can build me a 1924 Delage Grand Prix car the parts are 3D printed and casted by a Georgia modeler well known to participants of the NNL South Atlanta show his name is Pico he actually "drew" - and built - the 1925 race winner using printed parts from Shapeways that he then re-cast in metal. I'm taking a second set of his parts to modify for the 1924/5 car - and wait til you see the engine casting! which was a sort of hybrid car - this is the car that has been restored and featured on the Leno video I don't think any of the other 2LCV's have survived - maybe one other early car here we go

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 ...