Cato

I have been hounding you to rejoin this build after your beautiful chassis and engine were complete. I didn't know you went so far on the coachwork. Any more gems you recall is enormous for me even though it will add months (at my pace) to the build. And I love that because this has been the most enjoyable project I've done since the Cobra. And that was only 27 years... I will root for the Bears even if they play The Celtic Women. Have a couple of cold ones too. I already owe you a steak and a few brews Harry.

I love you man. Yes I too thought of creating slots on roof and body sides / rear so they interlock. Your method of chassis attachment is clear and I will mock that up. Gotta think about body sides to floor board-those three screws/washers per side suk. I can't envision you just scribing off the roof-that plastic is like rhino hyde. I was thinking maybe a fine coping saw-with the Hand of The Lord to guide me-gulp! But surely the scribing is less prone to damage so I'll prolly start that way. And my roof will be fabric covered too, I finally got the fabric. This will also help me make a headliner inside. After I think more and worry myself sick I will follow your outline. Obviously it works-but I'm not you. Anything I can screw up, I do. I know your time is limited but I would never stop you from unearthing the body and having instant memory recall.

Agreed 100% and I was not demeaning your choices. After all, your results are great. I should have said 'off-brand' paint - meaning not the conventional KryRustouplicolor household names. I didn't realize such good looking paint was not more widely known. I know many here use Wally World primer and colors with fine results. Yes model paint has become an eyedropper-for-your-arm cost proposition. Jameson and the MCW folks are pricey too but they provide a premium with exact match 1:1 colors in ready to shoot form. I'm doing quite well with parts store auto paint and primers; big can for the same price as Tammy's tiny ones.

First off Harry, I truly appreciate this kind of input. Apparently the few experienced Pocher builders we had are gone. I may be the only one currently building one here. And I couldn't coax you into restarting yours to share methods. But seeing this is a Godsend as I've been roasting the two gray cells I have left on this dilemma. So sincere thanks. I have been noodling around to a similar conclusion but the fog hasn't cleared enough to see the method. I don't expect you to give an A -Z explanation; what you just revealed is a great start for me to figure out myself. I will tell you that I had conversation with Marvin about fabric covering the roof (not about these assembly procedures) and he was adamant that they do not remove the roof sides from the body. Am not nuts about the covering process on finish-painted parts. I am glad that I 'studded' the roof sections and assembly and removal is safe and easy now. I just tonight took a slight warp out of the center section and got the body sides to sit flush on the counter top. Just give me a couple simple bits of info; did you scribe the side sections off the body?-that curve is dramatic and the plastic is thick. What tools did you use? Plus I'd like to confirm that your floorpan sits flush onto the chassis-right? This is a major help and I like the sequence idea you did much better than Koo's. Can't thank you enough for the input.

Yup-makes sense now. Junk brand paint looks so good in all your builds! I can't believe it's that bright even muted with transparent black...

A correction for you: road draft tubes were usually connected to the intake manifold, valve cover or crankcase itself. They carried off crankcase oil vapor and fumes and released them to the outside air. Today that is verboten and we're blessed with pumps that pull it out and feed it back into the induction system. I say this because you said 'connected to the carbs' - carbs would not have a vent to outside (cause a vacuum leak) unless they're bringing air into the carbs (unlikely in this case). If they are connected to the intake manifold on the 1:1, it's possible they are pulling crankcase fumes-if that part of the intake has a passage into the block. Your difficult work is lovely however. What silver is that you use? Is it a Metalizer? It's very bright and fresh. EDIT: Another look shows a tube connecting the valve cover to the intake. They may have a passage where manifold vacuum pulls oil fumes then siphons them off to the draft tubes. You never know with those Germans...

All of us have preferences which we produce good work with-this is mine. Never had an adhesion problem and changes are quick and easy. For best work, I prefer to wash the wet / dry paper clean (the water doesn't affect the adhesive or sanding block) or change grits often. cutting faster means less work. I'm sure your method has served you well. I mention this for new modelers or those seeking a better way than they currently use. EDIT: For edge work, I often wrap 220 grit around the edge of a small flat file. Gets into everything with nice clean cut.

Necessity is a THE Mother of Invention... Here comes the body work. The first and most visible part of the model-it's got to be right or nothing that went before matters. Unfortunately being a Pocher and 3 decades old doesn't make that easy. Seen here is the right hand side and center roof panel. It's a big floppy thing that Pocher has you join with 2 tapping screws into posts that don't line up with the holes in the roof edge. Having to assemble and remove these parts a thousand times for alignment and finish would not work- the screws are loose the second time you do that yielding a floppy mess. A brainstorm (rare for me) led to tapping the posts for 2mm threaded rod and nut- fastening them in place. A bit of CA on the threads plus a dab of epoxy for insurance and they are rock-solid studs which contribute enormously to strength and make disassembly child's play. I will do this wherever possible: Here is the inner side of the left panel. There are posts and holes for attaching the inner door panel and they all need pre-threading or tapping and some need redrilling into a better location for fit. Fun stuff: Here is the outer side of the same panel. You are advised by Koo to keep the door itself molded in place for fitting purposes. It comes out later for truing and finish after the body is placed correctly. The silver squiggles note some of the sink marks to be filled. The louver area has had a raised mold seam removed and made flat. All the edges of the roof and main panels have a thick raised edges (like excess plastic) which needs to be removed to get true and neat panels: Here is the inner door structure. All the screws for this need trimming or relocating. Note the broken edge at lower right-it came out of the box that way but I can't complain-the kit was in remarkable condition and completeness: The bottom of the floorboard with all the faux woodgrain and sinks sanded off. The rectangular hole will be covered over; the battery box is there but was accessed from above by removing the seat. Foolishly, this will get covered with real veneer and fasteners as 1:1. With the chassis inverted it's near impossible to view with all the running gear and linkages in the way. Shoot me: The topside. The slots around the pedals have been relieved for easier fit. Again, all these pieces must go on and off the chassis many times before final placement. The floorboard is very sturdy but does not rest on the chassis rails. It is screwed to the body lower edges. The body is what gets screwed to the chassis' sides. I'm not nuts about that for strength but will cross that bridge in a while:

It probably looks better than what came on the original car....................................

I'll go you one better when adhering paper to sanding stick / block. I use Scotch ATG tape which framers use to mount art work. It comes on a roll, is 1/2" wide and is a film of tacky adhesive with slick release paper on both sides. Remove one release paper and adhere to the block. Press down, trim to size, and expose the second sticky side by removing the backing, Then adhere the paper to that; trim to size. Use on both long edges and the middle. When the sand paper is worn, peel (with some effort) up the paper and apply fresh. The adhesive generally remains intact. I usually can reuse the same adhesive on a fresh piece of sanding material. Or you can just add new sandpaper right on top of the worn paper with more ATG. Art supply stores or Framers carry it.

Very sharp. The copper looks great behind the spokes. Nothing to do with your work Harry but that fan looks ridiculous to me. Like a prop on an Evinrude...

Did you have to make improvements to the front suspension as Skip noted? It looks as though you have gotten the wheels positionable. Is it weak?

Beautiful-thanks for posting.

Art, I'd like to see that complete model-mind posting a pic?

Knowing German (over) - engineering (I owned 3 of their products), they may have been double-walled tubes. Pipe in pipe.

I'll probably get hate mail for this... -But I was never a fan of the 'signature' Rolls / Bentley fishtail exhaust outlet... /

So you actually mixed 6 separate 'little blobs' of 5-Minute? Did you thin it with anything?

You have my undying respect. Those ally tube terminal ends kicked my butt. But I had to do 12 of 'em. I'm surprised 1/16" tube still looks scale in 1/16 scale. They look tiny in 1/8... Unsolicited suggestion: With gloss black wheels, I'd do the tires in maybe a Nato Black or Testors 'Rubber' (a very deep brown-black) - for a bit more visual interest. I'd hate to see your wheel detail 'go away' as just a whole black area. And Skip will want those chrome wheel weight thingies... Minding my business now...............

How about opening a driver's door? Much easier to see your upholstery magic that way. Can be displayed all shut too.

Good.

Harry, I'm concerned the thread may: A. Sag B. Get 'fuzzy' -when hit with primer or paint, especially thinned. Sorry to be a worry-wart but I'd test on stretched thread off the wheel first... -Jus sayin'...

Sorry I didn't catch this earlier. Dude, All your criticisms are right on. The nazis used that wire on their fences... I like dental floss for mock-up purposes. I would have recommended different, more malleable .012" wire, for final finish. Your thread's OK if its thickness is about .012". And as good as you are (and you're great), Skip will expect the tuning bar on the radio to work and the nap of the carpet to flow in the 'correct' direction...

Hope you're patient Rich. 2015....

Superb as always Harry. The trunk not correct size to fit a whole wife however. And the famous De Dion rear axle, can you show us that sliding extravaganza?

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: