Miniature bicycle/motorcycle chain

[Greg Cullinan]

Well it was a good plan.

What does the kit provide for the chain?

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll have to go to plan B and not use actual chain.

[sjordan2]

Well it was a good plan.

What does the kit provide for the chain?

No chain. Just the hardware it runs through, cast onto the sides of the left and right frame. This is hard to remove and "accurize" since it's metal, but I can work with what's there.

For the record, this is a reasonably decent model of a real car. It's Bburago's version of a specific 1934 T59 Bugatti, chassis #59124. I'm told by the people at bugattibuilder.com that the model is closer to 1/15 than 1/18. Here's the model and the real car as it appeared nearly forty years ago.

My biggest challenge, really, started out to be the piano wire wheels, but I found a Bugatti modeler in Europe who offers some nice-looking wheels for this model at a reasonable price. Here's his reworked model of the Grand Prix version of the model, replicating Ralph Lauren's T59. You'll note he didn't bother with the brake chain assembly.

Edited November 2, 2010 by sjordan2

[sjordan2]

For the record, you can see the brake pulley mechanism toward the bottom center of the frame, between the handbrake and the steering arm on Lauren's actual car:

[Greg Cullinan]

I can appreciate what you were trying to do,I wish I had an idea for you. The only thing that comes to me is to use a basic chain. Are those the wheels ?

Edited November 2, 2010 by Greg Cullinan

[sjordan2]

I can appreciate what you were trying to do,I wish I had an idea for you. The only thing that comes to me is to use a basic chain. Are those the wheels ?

The aftermarket kit wheels are on the black model in the post with three photos; the real wheels are on the Lauren car, above. It's worthwhile noting that the real Lauren car has been painted and polished to a higher gloss than is original.