LHD Gulf Seven

[Scale-Master]

I machined the bolts, washers and fittings and installed them by press fit.  (Some of them may have to come out later to mount some brackets.)   

 

[John Goschke]

I love your work on these cars! Modeling at its best!

[Scale-Master]

Thanks John.

 

I milled the oil cap for it from aluminum; I'll make the decals for that later.  This subassembly will be bagged until needed.

[Scale-Master]

This is the steering rack from brass tube and sheet stock.  The inner workings of it are made of rod and tubing.

Painted and assembled.  The tie rod halves are pinned so the ends can pivot when the rack is slid side to side.  I made the bellows by machining a master and casting them with rubber-like resin that was dyed black.

[Scale-Master]

The front control arms are cast in Zamac as the exact same parts for both sides so the sway bar receiver (on the upper arm) ends up being different from side to side instead of mirror imaged.  So I filled them in and reshaped and drilled them to accept the sway bar.

Also the shocks snap onto the lower arms leaving the bottom of the shock eye open, not realistic but easy to assemble.  To make it so I can install closed loop shock eyes I cut out the mount from the A-arm and drilled a hole to use hardware like the real cars.  I added a brass section to beef up the parts before cut out the shock mount, and to make it look like the beefier optional part.

Before:

After:

[Scale-Master]

One of the fenders was slightly damaged during the tear down.  (In fact I found several pieces that were broken or cracked at the screw-together points when they were taken apart; probably due to the tightness of the original assembling.)

 

I also thought they would look more accurate if all the mounting holes were the same.  Straight from the kit two "holes" on each fender are actually slots for ease of assembly.  I filled them in and redrilled them while fixing the broken piece.  I also filled in the holes for the side marker lights and the rather obstinate ejection marks on the underside.

 

I added seven evenly spaced but different sized holes (larger to smaller front to rear) for letting air out at higher speeds.  

 

 

[Scale-Master]

To limit the size and therefore amount of debris that could get through those holes I made rock screens from some fine steel hydraulic filter material.  Holes were drilled through the screens and then correlating ones into the fenders. 

Small clamps to spread the load were made from 0.004 thick sheet plastic. 

The screen assemblies are just sitting loose next to their final placement.  Mounting hardware will be made later…

Edited July 20, 2017 by Scale-Master

[John Teresi]

Mark........looks GREAT!!!!!

 

[Scale-Master]

Thanks John.

 

Dipstick. All brass.

 

The stripped down engine block.  Since I relocated the alternator to the other side I'll have to address the area it used to mount to.

 

Painted dipstick, dry fitted to partially reworked and repainted engine block.

[Scale-Master]

The timing belt had rotted and disintegrated (not that I was going to use it…) so I milled a new one from a black zip-tie.  Learning from the last time I was able to make this one even thinner so it will wrap around the cogs easier.

I made this jig for the last Super Seven I built to preload a memory into the belt.  It will stay in it for a few days in direct sunlight when possible, (instead of a week like last time).  It isn't critical for the belt to hug the jig; the teeth will engage the cogs and lock it in place on the model.

[Earl Marischal]

I think I've worked out your secret. You are actually a 1/25 scale human and you are working on a real car in scale...

steve

[John Teresi]

Mark.....Fantastic stuff......your jig for the belt is very cool.......and your weathering too

[MrObsessive]

Mark! Timing belt made from Zip Ties!! And a very clever way to make it "stay"!

This makes my Green Hornet  WIP seem like a mere toy!

Excellent work as usual! Once upon a time I had one of these kits (Cycle fender BDR). I kinda wish I had it back now, but time being such a premium, it would sit for another bunch of years before I'd get to it.

[Scale-Master]

Thanks guys!

Bill, that Seven you mentioned is the one that I started with.  It is the only one that cam with those cool cast metal Minilites.  I'd really like to snag another one; like I need one more Seven...

 

The cam cogs were milled to fit the teeth on the belt.  Fresh off the mill.

After acid etching.

[Scale-Master]

I machined the bolts and washers and installed them.  They spin free so I can index them when the belt is installed.  I also made the idler pulley and some other hardware.  Still more to add…

Edited July 23, 2017 by Scale-Master

[Scale-Master]

Oil pump cog…   It was also treated to acid etching.

[Gramps46]

Mark,

I have been an admirer of your work since I saw your 1st Seven.  Amazing.

Oh yeah, tell your mother I said hi.

Gary

[J.G.]

wow, amazing work, just wow!

[Scale-Master]

Thanks guys. 

Yes Gary, I will pass that on.

 

Crank drive cog…

Edited July 24, 2017 by Scale-Master

[Scale-Master]

The water pump pulley was made last year during the initial conversion to left hand drive for an article in Scale Auto magazine.  I milled the mounting bolt for that pulley today and assembled all the pulleys.  The belt will go on after this assembly is mounted to the block.

[mustang1989]

Simply unbelievable!!!!

[John Teresi]

Mark......WOW man......Amazing work

[Randy D]

Love it that you are machining your own bolt heads!!!!!

Beautiful work as always Mark.

Randy

[Scale-Master]

Thanks guys!  It's not just the bolt heads, I'm machining the entire bolts.

 

I forgot to take pictures when I scratch-built the alternator last year.  I just got around to painting and assembling it.  Still a few details to add and paint…

Mostly aluminum with some brass and a little styrene.

[Scale-Master]

Got the belts and alternator installed.