Marvel's Hydra coupe 1/12 scale full scratch build

[BK9300]

Your printed parts appear so clean - is that a function of the model’s scale or set up of your printer or post printing sanding (or all three)?  The quality of the print looks amazing.

[François]

It's more the printer's high resolution.  At 12k, the print quality is pretty good right off the bat. Small or big, the quality is there.  I did no sanding on this. I printed the ujoint and they came out looking great. End they work !

[Big John]

You may have mentioned before but, what brand/Model printer are you using? Were the U joints printed as a unit? I understand that they are doing that with enclosed gear box's now.

[François]

The printer is an Anicubic photon M5. And the ujoint parts were printed separatly. I would't know how to print as 1 working unit.

[NOBLNG]

4 hours ago, François said:

It's more the printer's high resolution.  At 12k, the print quality is pretty good right off the bat. Small or big, the quality is there.  I did no sanding on this. I printed the ujoint and they came out looking great. End they work !

Awesome project you’ve got going here Francois!? I will be following along.? Not sure if that is just a mock up, but I believe that driveshaft is out of phase…one end needs to be rotated 90 degrees. Wish I had your computer skills.?

[François]

Nobling,  you are absolutely correct on both counts, the drive shaft is a prototype and the phasing is off by 90deg.   I made this same mistake on one of the very first machine I designed back in 87, shame on me for doing it again.Thanks for noticing this!

[François]

Here is a second version of the drive shaft.  It now has an 8 spline shaft so orientation is no longer an issue.

[Pierre Rivard]

Formidable work Francois. This new project is fascinating and unique.

It was great meeting you in person at JacHobby this weekend and seeing your incredible Bentley. I'm a big admirer of your model creation & fabrication magic.

[Mattilacken]

Epic modeling and printing going on here! Great work! Keep it up!

[François]

I started the ground work on the cockpit.  I inserted 3 bentley seats   ( I'll eventually model new ones with the correct shape and upholstery pattern) and the Bentley's steering column.  The idea is to position these items correctly so I can continue with the transmission, firewall and eventually the engine.  After a few minutes of web search, I found a 16 cylinder motor but it's too modern and the proportions are wrong.  I need a very long v16, I'll probably end up modeling it myself.  I might use some parts from the v16 I found such as pistons,  con rods, crank... it's extremely detailed. 

[BK9300]

It’s going to be an elegant beast!

[Big John]

W16! are you sure you have the firing order correct?  Kidding.  May I submit, for your approval, 3 engine options? 1932 Cadillac V16, a Miller inspired OHC V16 such as in the Stutz Blackhawk LSR, or an Auto Union GP V16. The Cady  looks pretty Evil.

[absmiami]

Thoughts - several …

thought one - this is really cool - its like CAD College …

thought two - have you seen or studied the BRM V16 ?  Its properly British - its 70 years old - it had a Rolls Royce supercharger - and it sounded like  - well - just wander over to U tube and listen to one …

thought three - you’re gonna need some brass supports in the frame somewhere - maybe design cutouts in the frame sections for the  brass ??

thought Four - how you gonna park this thing ??? Certainly not in Montreal …

[François]

Big John,  thanks for the engine suggestions. I've read somewhere that the car's designer envisionned it with a v16 airplane engine. I might investigate that a bit. I do like the Auto Union engine. Which ever engine I choose,  a big decision factor will be how much info I can find on it (existing dowloadable cad files, dimensions...)

Absmiami, 

Thought one: glad you can get something out of my crazy obtention 

Thought two: I'll certainly look it up, I don't know that one

Thought three: it's already in the plan, each frame rail  will be printed in 3 sections and I plan to incorporate a brass or steel rod from front to back. And probably some aluminium tubing for cross members.

Thought four: ha ha! Definitely not in the city! All the parking spaces are taken by construction cones! Good thing I rarely go there... in one of the text I read on the car, it say that the movie car had a 38 foot turning radius and wasn't very fun to drive.

[absmiami]

[François]

I found a partiel transmission housing already modeled.  I added the shifter mecanism,  really not sure how it will print. I guess I'll find out eventually. 

 

[François]

The fun thing about this build is that I know what the enveloppe will look like and it's limitations in space (height,  width,  lenght and curves). Everything else is speculations and up to my spur of the moment whim. So today I decided to create the fuel tank based on the only known parameter for the tank,  I know where the fuel filler caps are (yes, they are 2). Then it was just a question of giving the tank a somewhat plausible shape that would fit in the general area dictated by the caps.  The location in just dehind the rear seat and above the 2 differentiels,  just under the trunk lid, a pretty standard spot. But the area is quite small since the spare tire seems to be located just under the trunk lid. I'm using the tank as a spare tire holder, this gave the tank a rather nice shape.  But it will be a small tank so this v16 will definatly not be winning any mileage contest.

[François]

 

I've been busy with the mouse and key board the last 2 days. 

I'm a long ways from being done,  especially since I need to design a complete 16 cylinder engine.  But before I start on that, I decided to work on the enveloppe first, to better know what volume I have to fill with mecanical stuff. So I  started with the front end working my way towards the back.  I first 3d modeled the radiator with the 4 head lights being careful to draw printable parts and adding as many features as possible such as lightbulb housing for the head lights and wire routing. I base the design of certain parts on similar bentley blower parts such as the radiator core. I'm very satisfied with the result so far. I also started the firewall.  Once it's done,  I'll be able to do the hood.  I'll then have a very good idea of the engine bay volume.

Here are some progress pictures. 

Edited August 22, 2024 by François

[Big John]

When you mentioned an airplane engine I naturally thought of a stretched Rolls Merlin, but as you've pointed out it has to fit the envelope already established. And a masterful envelope it is.

Edited August 23, 2024 by Big John

[François]

Thanks big John !

I started the bodywork,  it will definatly be a hard one to do as the cad system I'm using is not exactly the right tool for this type of form. But, being very patient and stubborn, I should be able to eventually get it right. 

Edited August 24, 2024 by François

[François]

More work done on the body today. I had my doughts on how easy it would be to do the body with Inventor but I  must say it's turning out pretty good. I still need to tweak the form here and there and to add many details such as the hood scoop, the spare tire bump,  the exhaust ports... Once I'm satisfied with the shape,  I'll create the seams for the hood panels, doors and trunk lid. These will all be separate parts since they will all be openable. I will definatly need to separate the body in multiple pieces to be able to print it.   

Edited August 26, 2024 by François

[François]

Almost there!

[BK9300]

That’s a lot of detail work already - big project!

[Bugatti Fan]

Francois, was that movie car actually driveable, or used as a static prop but scanned and using CGI in the film to animate it?

Your designs are coming on in leaps and bounds for your model. You must be extremely proficient at using Autodesk Inventor by the speed at which you turn around your 3D designs.

A really 'off the wall' subject compared to the Bentley !  

[François]

Bugatti Fan,  from what I've read and seen,  the prop car was drivable. There is a youtube of it being driven on a flatbed platform. It had a v8 engine of some sort, nothing like the v16 powerplant the designer envisionned.