Porsche 356a 1500gs Carrera Speedster-Engine

[simonr]

This is a quick update of what I’ve done so far. As you guys will see, the engine of this model has taken so much time to add some important details that doesn’t come with it. I had used more the time to build, instead of build and take pictures. Most of these pictures are about the complete build of the engine. To me it has been more a date with automotive history than the time that I had spent building this plastic model. I say this because, see all those components and look through pictures in books and the internet, had made me think about the greatness of the German engineers at Porsche through more than 50 year already.

Here we go….

In this first picture we can see bits of brass tubing that I trimmed to size in order to be used as the venturi tubes inside the carburetor stacks.

An overview of the whole carburetors assembly.

The distributors were detailed with some photo etch bolt heads from Model Car Garage. The spark plugs were made of 1mm plastic rod from plastruct and painted silver.

The enclosure were the alternator lives was detailed with the same photo etch bolt heads. A piano wire was added in order to substitute the plastic part of the kit were that represent the rod that holds the springs of the linkage in the carburetors. Plastic from Plastruct was also used to make the throttle linkage knobs.

A close-up of the carburetor with a spring from Detail Masters connected to the linkage. I gave the carburetors a light gold paint wash to show the light gold tint these parts shows.

A general view of the front of the engine with all the mentioned components already in place.

To be continued....

Simóm P.Rivera Torres

Edited August 13, 2008 by simonr

[simonr]

Although it won’t be seen when completed the engine is assembled and installed in the model, this model even includes a flywheel. This is one of the few models that include this part. The pistons also are included but, like the flywheel, it won’t be seen when is mounted on the model.

To give a little more of depth and detail to magnificent lines of the engine, I gave it a black wash using The Detailer Black wash all over. Here we can see both a close-up and the bottom of the engine showing the depth of the parts lines.

At this stage the muffler was installed. I though to give it a metallic look, but, looking to pictures, I saw that that the real part has a flat light gray paint all over that looks more to a primer coat. Actually, this gray color that can be seen here, it’s the thin Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 1000 primer. I think of it, not just only for the primer job this product will do, if not, because of how thin it is and for the perfect light gray color it will show. I also made the muffler exhaust tips from aluminum tubing.

Here we can see a general view of how it looks everything together. One can think these are a lot of parts in order to get this engine completed right, but, at the end one will end with a historic and accurate beautiful engine.

I hope you guys like this

Simón P. Rivera Torres

Edited August 13, 2008 by simonr

[LVZ2881]

WOW!!! looks very real!!

I like the venturi's..I may have to try that.

[Bernard Kron]

I always feel that super-detailing at this level actually pays big dividends. All the small visual cues are “added up†by the viewer and a subjective feeling of realism is created that is very difficult to achieve any other way.

I’m excited to see how you build out from this initial piece to a completed car.

Great modeling!

B.

[Raul_Perez]

I always feel that super-detailing at this level actually pays big dividends. All the small visual cues are "added up" by the viewer and a subjective feeling of realism is created that is very difficult to achieve any other way.

I'm excited to see how you build out from this initial piece to a completed car.

Great modeling!

B.

I'll second that!! Great job so far!!

[84vanagon]

WOW Simon.

The engine is a whole model in itself!

It would almost be criminal to put a body around it.

Beautiful work.

[george 53]

Naw Van, that engine IS a total model by itself! If that's what a part that's NOT gonna be seen looks like,Imagine how cool the parts you CAN see will look like! GREAT BUILD Simon!!!

[CAL]

Nice job on that monster. And it was a monster it took a week just to time all four cams. Roller bearing... it was an insane bit of engineering for a little more hp.

[JayVee]

Excellent details, looking forward to seeing more of this build.

[simonr]

Thanks a lot to all guys that had take from your time to take a look to this model and for all your kind comments. There's more to come soon.

Simón P. Rivera Torres