Roger Zimmermann

Today, I finished the LH side of the case. With the addition of 5 pieces, the total count is now 23 for a total weight of 12 grams (.4 oz). The next task will be the oil pan for the transmission. Unfortunately, I forgot to measure the depth while measuring the transmission and my pictures are no good to evaluate that. I hope that somebody from the Mark II forum will help again!

I "quickly" added 8 parts to what is already done. This way, the RH side of the transmission's case is ready. It will be better looking with a little paint, but, obviously, it's too early...Parts count now: 18. The Lh side is quite different and, less easy to do.

Some more parts added; it's more looking like a transmission than before...Now, it's time to decoration with the various raised castings. They will all be soft soldered. Parts count now: 10.

The rear flange was added to the case. As it was done with 2 pieces to show the details, we are now at 6 pieces and it's not yet obvious that it will be a transmission's case.

Thank you to Greg for the explanation. Sorry if I'm that far away and unable to help!

Greg, I'm really sorry about this conspiration. Fortunately for me, I'm far away enough from you to feel safe! Another thinking, but you may have the answer: by using paint remover on polyester/fiberglas, are you not afraid that this product may find its way into pores, stay there and affect the new paint you will spray on that hood?

This time, I will try to show how many separate parts are needed to form a casting with just flat brass. I'm showing the beginning: the flange of the case which attach to the converter's housing soldered to the bottom of the transmission and another picture showing the case (or what is done) to the housing. Up to now, the case is done with 4 elements.

The explanation from oldcar is making sense; maybe it's time to take the pistons out of this engine!

Well...I'm back from vacation; this is the reason there was no update. Today, I could complete the torque converter housing. Some holes are missing, as well as the sheet metal parts (the cover at the engine's side and the duct for cooling). This small part is the assembly of about 15 pieces! I assembled it to the engine, together with the starter motor. It seems that I did my home work well; I had just a small interference between the engine block and the starter motor. I will continue now with the transmission's case, another nice casting part!

The bias-type tires don't help either: I have a '56 Cad with bias tires; I have to turn the steering wheel like in the old movies. My other '56 Cad has radial tires: the behavior is totally different.

Thank you for the link John. However, it's not new to me, I saw those pictures in other forums. Anyway, interesting and certainly a lot of work behind each picture.

John, thank you for the link. Interesting vehicle! Who knows, maybe in 80 years my own models will be offered for sale...

As I had not right on hand the large stock needed to do the converter housing, I began with the transmission's extension. The main part is mostly done on the lathe, with some milling. As pictured below, the extension is practically finished, with the exception of holes for the rear mount and for the speedometer gear. I took a short cut: I id not a separate cover for the access hole to the governor; why? The answer is easy: the extension is well hidden by the frame; most of the work I did will not be visible. It's not quite the same with the converter housing: with a wide open hood, it can be seen. The people at Franklin Mint did spare here: there is just nothing after the engine on the Mark II model from this company, just the bottom is represented! The picture is showing that housing while the part is not finished: the lower part needs some heavy work; the housing for the starter motor is to be done too. I noticed from the pictures I have from a real housing that the above part is more rounded than the lower one; I did the entire form on the lathe, then with a good file, I did the correct shape for the upper part.

Thank you John! The Avanti was completed in February 2010 and drove maybe 50 meters! This model is full of compromises as just a refresh was planed; this refreshing evolved into an almost new construction with biaised sarting point and wrong decisions. To make it 98% correct, it would be easier to do another one! Let's finish the Mark II... Attached are 2 views of that inner fender. At first glance this part is OK, but it was done by guess.

This is correct, Barry. By the way, you asked already some time ago (months ago!) if I was aware of it. In the real car, the ends are probably closed with a welded plate; I will not do that on the model. It will be easier to me to turn a hollow cylinder and insert it at the correct place. For a long time, during the construction, I used these tubes as a guide to avoid too much distorsion. Anyway, thank you for your comments!

With the form for the idler arm at the outside rail, the frame is ready. There will be cosmetic improvements, but no welding anymore (unless I forgot something)! As I need to locate the engine on the frame, I will now continue with the transmission.

Those pictures would have helped a lot when I was doing my Avanti model...I never had a clear view of the RH inner fender! There are some discrepancies; I can live with that.

It's now ready. Of course, I still need to do the Pitman arm and the universal joint at the steering shaft. Later... I may have to reshape the LH exhaust manifold. Its outlet is very near from the steering gear's valve body; I will see for sure when I can put the engine on the frame. As the box is temporary installed, I can look for the idler arm and modify the frame.

Usually those screws are 1 mm. The side cover will be held with .8 mm screws (.03") and the end cover will get .6 mm screws (.024"). The car is American, but the screws are metric on my model!

Maybe...Do you know that the '56-'58 Cadillac steering box are very similar? The steering from my Brougham is, for that vintage, very precise, much more than the ones from my two '56 Cads, even if the steering box is the same. There was a big change for '57 at Cadillac: ball joints for the front suspension, which explain why the Brougham is more agreable to steer than the other two. With a properly adjusted/restored steering box, you should have a much better behavior than you have now. The adjustment at the Pitman arm is one thing; you may need larger balls and other bushings. I see already your problem: to remove the steering box from a Continental is a major task; on the model it will be more easy to install as the steering shaft will be assembled with a screw to the worm shaft.

By chance, I had a steering box to photograph and measure. This is again a complicated casting part; on top of the form, its function is adding some complexity. I had the good fortune to find in my remaining parts from an other age a worm and pinion which could be usable for that purpose. The distance between axles is indeed very near to the calculated distance; sometimes compromises are necessary. The input and output shafts are made with brass (what else?) but I'm using steel inserts into the "casting". This will prevent to get too much play in a short period of time: brass on brass is not the best, brass on steel is much better. Hardened steel on steel is the best, but we are dealing here with a static model! With my weak machine, I could manage to have less than .01 mm (.0004") play between the shafts and inserts; by necessity, there will be some play between the worm and pinion, otherwise I could not turn the steering wheel. The box is not yet ready: some details must be added as well as the valve body. The pictured screws on the side cover will be replaced with more realistic ones when the box is ready.

Thank you to all! However, I'm not surprised from the reactions: when the frame was pictured in brass, it was looking artificial or unreal as everybody knows that frames are not made with brass. With a little paint on it, many ungainly details are gone and the illusion is much better.

Strange title...Either it's finished or not! Well, there is still a form to be done at the place the bolts for the idler arm are located. First, I have to do the steering box to know where the idler arm should be located. As the frame will be put on side for some time, I decided to clean it, first in cheap vinegar to remove all traces of silver solder cleaning agent, then with sandpaper. To avoid that the surface get oxidized, I applied a good coat of primer.

As you may imagine, the frame is slowly coming to completion. There are however all the small details which are added before it's too late: a bracket here, a support there... The front end is now finished as I added the support for the radiator and the front bumper supports, with one major exception: the outside frame rail at the idler arm has a particular form; for the moment I cannot do it because I don't know yet the angle of the arm and the distance of its mounting bracket relative to a major element of the frame. I will know it when the steering box is completed. That odd stamping will be inserted into the frame and fixed with soft solder. At the back, the frame was not completed: the bumper stop for the rear axle was missing; it's now soldered to the cross member, slightly off-center towards the passenger side. Is that bracket absolutely conforming to the reality? Maybe, in my application, the rear axle will not bump often to that bracket! I added also both support to the body; they are called "body support # 6". I still have to do the reinforcement at the rear of the frame for the rear hanger.

Thank you! Indeed, the frame is more complicated as at first glance! It was the same with the Avanti frame: at first I thought that it would be quickly done and then, the details came to disturb the plan!