Miller 122 Rear Dr Junior Eight Special

[absmiami]

thanks Pierre  -  i'm making masters for a resin casted early Ferrari 12 cyl racing engine - the first Ferrari 12 - which had a broad based sump, 3 Weber carbs, no decorative ribs on the valve covers,  and "inside" spark plugs - 

What Daytona Coupe ??

just kidding ....

 

and yes - I am nearing completion - as I have a deadline ....

 

[absmiami]

and I have made managed to put page 13 behind me -

thats good

- maybe no more parts will fall off ...

[Straightliner59]

Parts falling off is a bugger. This thing is looking gorgeous, Andy. It's a thoroughly enjoyable "watch".

[PhilX]

I'm back after a long absence and I still see amazing things here ... ?

Really congratulations on your work.

[absmiami]

Welcome back X

hope you got some snow this year … the steering links have ball and socket joints - hard to do in this scale - i first experimented with this on the Delage ….  The joints were turned on a Sherline fr nickel alu - 

[absmiami]

This is what it looks like on the Jr 8 Special - i think this came to be known as a Pittman arm …

[absmiami]

The steering arm on the restored car is polished - I finished mine with a chemical dipped gun blued finish - which Mark Dees - author of the Miller Dynasty - believed was more accurate …

[absmiami]

[absmiami]

Finishing the radiator - the shell was painted w air-brushed Molitow chrome   - ive had a refill bottle of this stuff in my workshop for a couple of years - i noticed that the “paint” was starting to thicken - but it sprayed nicely after thinning w some Gunze alc thinner - tamiya thinner mite work too - not sure … the finish mite be a little more durable than Alclad - but im going to avoid handling the part as much as possible …

[Straightliner59]

The steering rod and pittman arm are fantastic! Well, really, the whole thing is, but...

[Pierre Rivard]

The rad has that perfect polished metal look. I hope the Molotow paint holds up. It's spot on for appearance.

[absmiami]

The water return manifold is really cool …

[absmiami]

I made a master part a long time ago - but i cant use it because its not tall enough for rhe neck to reach the opening at the top of the radiator - because i was did not correctly judge the location of the engine in the frame - i hadn’t installed one yet …I missed by about a scale 2 inches …

[absmiami]

Now that the engine is installed and i know exaxtly where  everything needs to go - its time to make a taller manifold …. Starting with some .050 copper wire … its flattened by rolling it under this chunk of aluminum …

[absmiami]

The pipe is tapered  fr .050 to about .040 by chucking it into my Foredom handpiece and running the part between a file and a sanding stick  - then i silver soldered pipes 2, 3, and 4 - which were also tapered and shaped - the idea was to duplicate my first part - only taller …

[absmiami]

And added some fittings that RB Motion makes for fuel lines … 

[absmiami]

Ok - now the neck of manifold reaches the fitting at the top Of the radiator - which is a big deal … actually the first pipe doesnt quite reach the cyl head - but the judges wont know - ill bridge that gap with the RB Motion fitting - our secret - 

[absmiami]

Before installing the radiator and the exhaust pipe - ive finished work under the frame - i re-routed and attached the fr brake line - knocked askew when the engine went in - and added the fuel line to the carbureter … and i made and attached the rear friction shocks …. 

[absmiami]

The pictures are out of order - cut some brass tube - just about 3 sc inches - soldered a post on - and painted it black and then Molotow chrome - not yet installed - probably add some blue and gold heat stains ro the pipe first …

[absmiami]

Time for the nickel silver fuel cap … the cap is turned on the Sherline …

[absmiami]

The cap has a clasp with a finger tab - filed and soldered from 3 peices of nickel - apologies for the gross finger nail  …. 

[absmiami]

The radiator screen on the Jr 8 Special - 2 things -  thing 1 - its polished steel - its not as bright as the rad shell - thing 2 - had to figure out how to attach the screen without visible glue traces on the frame …

[absmiami]

Ive cut some screen that has the correct pattern and painted it with  - first black - then chrome - then Alclad stainless steel - which made some contrast w the rad shell … i need to attach the screen but i dont want to glue it - enough glue or paint will show - and minimal glue - i tried - didn’t securely hold the screen …

[absmiami]

So the fix was drilling holes thru the radiator and winding steel wire thru the screen top and bottom and thru the radiator - securing the wire behind the radiator …

[absmiami]

So ive gotten a securely attached screen w no traces of glue - and its a good alignment - there is a sm downside -  although i was careful holding  and handling the shell - i did lose some of the paint finish shine - but its a reasonable tradeoff …