Roger Zimmermann

Thanks Don and Keith for the comments! Well Don, my obsession as a child was "cars" and my parents did not have one! When I realized that the Meccano could not help a lot with bodies, I did them with cardboard. Then, with humid cardboard to allow to bent the cardboard in two planes. The the fiberglass went in; the rest is history!

Some progress was done at the floor; it's now definitively attached to the cowl as the two remaining cross members at the rear will just be glued on the side rails. The remaining open space at the rear will be closed with brass.

It's not a kit, but scratch built. Can be seen here: Roger's handcrafted 1:12 scale models - Page 96 - Our Cars & Restoration Projects - Antique Automobile Club of America - Discussion Forums (aaca.org)

Interesting construction! I'm about in the same process with my scale model (1:12), but will be limited to the floor!

While I was at it, I continued with the floor. There is mainly wood, but there are also large steel panels which were installed. What I’m doing is more or less correct; some elements are done the way I think they may be correct. As reference, I’m using many pictures from a ’32 All Weather Phaeton which has a different floor at the rear than the convertible. I have also some good pictures from Paul, some from a LaSalle convertible (same body as I’m doing), the mix will give something not too far from the reality. Before I can glue some crossmembers, I have to finish the milling from the side rails, otherwise, when assembled, I will not be able to perform more machining.

Thanks Alex, it's exactly what I was needed! Due to the tiny width, I probably will not be able to replicate the original system. But I will find a way. @Don: thanks ! Yes, we can thake it that way: my 29th again! Stainless stell is not easy to weld; take care of that Swiss coin!

Thanks Gunsmoke for the pictures and explanation about the hood. I have several pictures from the 1932 hood from a V-8 model; the V-16 is similar, just a bit longer...The hinges are a bit diferent than the one you are showing, anyway, similar. A man located in the Netherlands restored a '32 V-8; I have many pictures from various systems; unfortunately, he restored an all weather phaeton. The front of the body is identical to the one I'm doing, the back is of course different. I'm waiting from him a dimension to be able to continue with the hood. I'm attaching one of his pictures showing which dimension I would like to have. Maybe Alex D. could take it from his own car; the parts are the same! There are periods which I’m doing a bit from this or that. Due to the reasons I described recently about the hood (see also above), I began to tackle the body’s floor. It’s mainly a wood construction, but not only. I began with the side beams which are connected to the cowl and go till the end of the car. The beams were screwed at the cowl; when I’m ready for that, I will glue them, it better against road vibrations! I’m using plywood for those beams: strong enough and light. The outer lines are not yet trimmed. All will be done in due time… I’m also adding the promised picture from the hood’s buck. I wanted to buy a transparent product for the wood but I choose the wrong one. I'll get the clear one next week, but to bend the hood panels on the buck, that white stuff will be also OK.

From an old book, "catalog of American cars ID numbers 1950-1959", I see for 1957 Lincoln: 747/757A: Coral/Black. In that book, the number 747 is not alone. Therefore, I'm not sure if that's correct.

I'm not sure, but this tag is a reproduced one: the font for the trim and paint are not at all "GM like". On my 3 Cadillacs from the fifties, the tag was not painted but masked when the body was painted. The data plate from my '72 Cadillac is covered at 30% with black overspray.

Is that enough? I would wait myself a week or two.

The Hydramatic from 1956 to 1963 are more or less my "specialty". I don't know the previous models, but something is looking similar: the torus cover assembly from your last picture. The hub is most probably welded to the torus. Last year I had a problem with a '56 Hydramatic: there was a massive oil leak.I replaced the seal, but the leak was still there. After some message exchange with people I know, I did a leak test with the torus cover assembled with the flywheel, inflating the whole with air. To my relief, there was a leak at the weld. A small local shop rewelded the neck; the issue was solved. The first picture is the assembly with compressed air ; the second picture is showing the new weld. I don't know if the previous Hydramatic transmissions had this issue. If you can test it you are then sure that tho problem is at another place.

For what I could see, the disc is rotating like an egg. Is that sufficient to induce vibration? When looking at a previous picture, that disc is looking good.

Cadillac models from the fifties have the same issue. You can deflate the tires to remove/instal them, but how will you do if you have a flat during a trip? The sole method which is acceptable: you have to lift the rear with the bumper jack till one rear wheel is no more contacting the floor. Due to the suspension geometry, there will be just enough clearance between tire and wheel aperture. If you don't like the bumper jack idea: lift the car; use jacks at the frame and, with a shop jack push on end of the differential as high as you can. You will have the same effect as with the bumper jack. Cumbersome, yes, but there is no other method.

Thanks Randy! If the car is the correct year range (32-33) I'll have certainly wishes... Glad you appreciate that whine, but the one from 1952 may be like vinegar! All elements from the front end are tied together: the cowl, the radiator surround, the central hood hinges, the upper hood panels and so on. To have the cowl at its correct position, a bit of the floor should be done, the buck for the hood panels is also needed. It’s done, but the battery for the camera decided to go empty, therefore the picture will come later. Another element is also needed: the molding between hood and cowl. The purpose from this molding is not clear to me; I have the impression that it’s just an artifice to hide the misalignment between hood and cowl: as some identical body styles were used on V-8, V-12 and V-16 frames, the line cowl/hood cannot be flowing. Anyway, I finished this molding as the shape of the cowl is now set. I added a small lip which go over the cowl, hiding the imperfection of the cowl where the molding is meeting it. Thanks to Johan, I got details how the hood is articulated at the middle. I’m not sure if I will be able to replicate the original system as it required three profiles which must be almost perfect.

No, no! we are in Switzerland. No way to be in france and get exposed to excessive temperatures! We like to go there, but we are also well here! "Fortunately", wines in my cellar never get that old! The older ones I have for the moment are Pomerol from 2016. Good wine, but never in the same class as a Château Lafite! Depending how the wines are stored, such old wines can be fantastic or just like vinegar... If the car from your new friend is from 1932 or 1933 and the body is from Fisher, there are details I may be interested! Too much "ifs" to tell you what to photograph. From the man living in the Netherlands, I have hundreds pictures, but so few dimensions... A bit of filler to correct some irregularities and a coat of primer is making a lot of difference! As it can be seen on the attached pictures, the surface is not yet ready for paint. The cowl will stay that way for some more time, but now I have a good base to continue towards the front or the rear.