Roger Zimmermann

Lou, nice car but not complete: where is the hard boot?

I'm glad if I still can amaze you and other people!

As usual, the time needed to construct something is all the time shorter in the mind as it is in reality. The frame is a good example! Anyway, the side members are ready; some finishing process is still needed but that will happens when all elements are soldered. The next step was to bore the holes for the cross members which are of various diameters and shape. The easy one (at the rear) was indeed cut too short; I had to do another one, no big deal. It is now silver soldered at the LH side rail. In the picture below, the next cross member, the one for the shock absorbers, is just inserted into the holes. Before I can solder one end, I have to fabricate and solder the studs for the shock absorbers. The next Crossmember is just inserted into the side members, but not yet ready: there must be a dip in the middle of it. As you may be able to see, it's not a tube, but a plain piece of brass. The ends will be bored to create the illusion of a tube. This afternoon, I installed and soldered the large front tubes. They are linked by a smaller piece of brass, just for the temporary stability of the assembly. The inner ends will be trimmed when the rail for the front suspension are put in place. The next steps? Finishing the crossmembers # 2 & 3.

Last week, I formed the rear parts of the side members and attached them to the front parts. The trick is to silver solder both elements while keeping the general shape. So far, so good. The inner rail is thicker as the outside one: .5 mm versus .3 mm. If I should do the frame again, I would choose .4 mm for the outside rail: once heated, the thinner one is soft like cheese; this fact is responsible for bad surprises. The body will be attached to the frame with screws; at the factory, nuts were welded to the inner rail. I cannot do that because of my primitive setting. To overcome the difficulty, I silver soldered a long strip at the upper inner rail. This operation can be seen on one picture. Then I had to adjust the inner rail to the outside one; when this was done, I inserted small pins to avoid a displacement during the heating process. All went well so far. To bend .5 mm brass required much more efforts than the .3 mm; therefore I decided to do the inner rail in 3 parts. The straight line are not a problem, the curves are! Halas, the small "in between" part was not fixed properly and shifted during the soldering process. The shape from above was out of line, I had to correct it, creating some damages to the outer surface (it's the bad surprise). To hide it, I had to solder a piece of brass over the damaged section...I just hope that I can avoid that with the second rail. The last picture is showing the first finished rail and the second one has the first inner part installed. Before the cross members will be soldered, a good cleaning and finishing will be required.

Now that the forms are completed, it's time to continue with the real parts. The indentation on the side was easy to do thanks to a careful preparation; the remaining was bending and bending again... You will notice on the picture that the side members are not in one piece: my brass sheet was too short! Even with enough length, I had certainly done the side members in 2 pieces for ease of handling. The rear part of the side members is not yet formed as you can see. On the top of the picture, there is the cross member on which the rear shock absorbers are fitted. Just below, it's the easier part I have for the frame: the rear cross member just after the tank: it's a straight tube! Of course, there will be 2 bracket silver solder on it to fix the trunk's floor; this will be done when all is installed.

It add certainly some flexion strength, but, if you look at the drawings you supplied to me, it's mainly a clearance for the exhaust tubes. Without that, the tubes would just touch the outside surface of the frame. No good for noise and rattles!

Today, I finished the second frame's form, as well as the die necessary to reproduce the indentation on the side of the frame. On the picture, a small sample of the side has been done as a test. Now, the fun will begin, however not at home: I need a larger vice to bend the sheet metal around the forms.

After 10 days holiday, I'm back to business, the model and other tasks. Today, I could finish the LH side rail's form. Why don't use it as is? Again, the weight problem. Then, I may have difficulties to silver solder the cross members as the heat source I have is rather limited. The final aspect is also important: the side members are done as double "U" elements welded together. There is a step between the outer element and the inner one; the part in full could not show it. Another aspect I still have to confirm: I have the impression that double "U" form is less flexible than a part in full. I will have confirmation when I'm that far as the form will still be available.

Olds wheelcovers. Unfortunately, I'm not home to check the year in my hubcaps bible.

What? the picture below is showing the side rails from the frame? Not exactly: these ugly parts are the form on which the messing will be formed. These parts must first be trimmed before the forming can begin. This will require probably more work that to bend the sheet metal...

The first task I intended to do was the side members. However, I have to do a form in brass to hammer the sheet metal on it. This will be done probably tomorrow; this form will not be done home as I have to bend it; the small hammer I'm using home will not be enough; therefore I will form it where my cars are stored. I began easy parts: the crossmember (it is in 2 parts) which is on most '56 models and deleted on some '57 ones. Each half crossmember is dome with 2 pieces of brass .4 mm thick. Some small holes missing; they will be done later.

You are too kind! I suppose yu were trying to show your wife the 1:6 Duesenberg model with running engine. It's not the same art of work; his creation is nevertheless fantastic.

After the power steering pump, it would be logical to continue with the A/C compressor. However, this is a tight fit at the front of the engine; this explains why the road draft tube has some indentations. Therefore, I had to do the oil filler and draft tube first. I will certainly have to add more indentation on the tube when I'm "installing" the compressor but I'm not yet so far. To tell the truth, I have enough for the moment with the myriad of small parts to be added to the basic engine: today, I ordered a large piece of brass to begin the frame; at least something large and easy (maybe) to do! This will force me to finish the frame drawing I began long ago. When I was at the draft tube, I did also the tube for the dip stick; this part is different for cars with A/C.

After the air cleaner duct, it was the turn of the power steering pump. I did first the easy part: the pulley...then, the reservoir and cover, easy parts. The difficulties began with the first support, the one which is attached to the water pump. 3 holes are given, but where to place the other 2? Thanks to the great number of pictures I have, the completed part is looking right. The second support was another matter: few infos and the drawing in the shop manual is obviously incorrect. As I was totally in the blue, I continued with the next element: the pump body. The shop manual is giving a rather good breakdown of the part and fortunately, last year I had measured the diameter of the reservoir cover. When the pump body was done, I could come back to the second support, doing it at first in cardboard...Once done in brass, the great moment came: will the pulley of the pump align with the one from the crankshaft? You bet, it did not. I had to modify the thickness of both supports (which was only estimated) until the alignment was correct. The motor will not be functional, but the idea to have misaligned pulleys is against my nature! Once this detail solved, I could finish the pump. Still missing is the star nut to close the cover; for the moment there is just a too long screw which is just here to avoid loosing the cover.

Now I understand better. Your first post mixed 2 issues... Interesting enough, there is no circuit diagram for the trunk lock in the '56 shop manual, but there is one diagram in the '57 manual. Your problem is that the wiring from the switch in the glove box to the lock solenoid in the trunk is probably interrupted (by the roof?) The attached diagram will maybe help you; '57 must be the same or similar to '56. Definitively, English from England or Australia has sometimes nothing to do with American English...

OK, English is not my mother tongue, but I really don't understand what you are saying! There is just one motor and pump to open and close the roof, all the rest is to be done by hand! Power boot release? Are you really dealing with a '56 Biarritz? If you disconnected the roof struts, you can open and close the roof without the help of electricity. Maybe a picture of what you are explaining would be a great help!

Now I am with you Lou! Imagine that poor guy searching for a relay.... Your car is really good looking! The black roof is a hard contrast, but, as you noted, the car came that way from the factory. I would have probably done the same.

Knowing the skills from Greg, it would not be too difficult to do one handle in brass and let chrome it! Another possibility is to laser weld the diecast part; it can be done; I have an address...in Switzerland.

Are you sure? According to the shop manual, there is just a circuit breaker behind the kick panel. Anyway, my own Biarritz has no relay. To robo: if the motor is turning, then you may have not enough hydraulic oil in the reservoir or the pump is not getting enough pressure. There is just one circuit breaker, no fuse.

Only the small lever on the side is missing, it will be added later. As my explanations how I will attach the duct to the air cleaner were probably not very understandable, the first picture is showing it. It's not very nice looking inside the air cleaner, but who cares once it's assembled? The other pictures are showing the installed assembly.

The first half has been trimmed; the flange has been silver soldered to it and a small round piece done on the lathe added. This small round piece will help to align the other half with more precision. The original duct has ears near the air cleaner; by screwing in both screws the duct can be assembled tightly to the air cleaner. Obviously, my construction does not allow that; I had to search for another method: a long screw will go into the air cleaner at the opening and the duct will be tightly assembled with a nut. I'm glad the air cleaner has a separate lid to install the nut! The picture is showing both halves and the long screw. Once both halves are soft soldered, I will have to do the shroud which is slipped over the exhaust manifold. I don't have to forget to add a stud as a support for the duct like the original part. 3 days ago, I disassembled a 1959 Hydramatic transmission. I have never seen so much sludge in the pan; the oil screen was full of it; no wonder that the car did not move, the oil pump could not get enough oil! Otherwise, the transmission was not bad. Probably the oil has never been changed; it was stinking like an old engine! The car was recently imported from the USA; the maintenance is not taken seriously in that country as I could also see on other freshly imported cars...

With some well placed hammer blows, the first half could be formed. I had to cut at the inside corner; with a strong pattern, this step could be avoid. I will add a small bit of brass and silver solder to the main part. The other side will have the same treatment. On the second picture, the part is more or less ready; it must be trimmed and the dimensions adjusted. I now can do the other half, probably tomorrow as today I'm opening the season of hard work: I will open a defective '59 Hydramatic for overhauling. This work is not done at home but in my storage room at 10 miles from home.

As somebody from the Mark II forum would like to see in detail how I'm doing that duct, I will publish on this forum the same steps. First I had to choose a piece of wood, without to make the deforestation problem worse. I can say that this danger is discarded: by looking at the wood's duct, I could hardly heat the whole house next winter when the form will not be needed any more. As only one part will be done, a soft wood is acceptable; for a small batch, only hard wood would be acceptable. The wood's form is more or less like the duct I would like to have; the dimensions are reduced to take in account the thickness of the brass. Next to the form is a piece of brass, ready to be hammered on the wood; this will be the upper part of the duct. The quarter dollar will not be hammered; it's just here for the size. As you can see, that part is not large. Why am I not doing it full in brass? Two reasons, at least: the weight. Even if it's a tiny part, the accumulation of too many grams can be a problem for the tires. Then, the duct must be installed on the short piece soldered to the air cleaner. If the duct is solid, I should hollow that part, which is not an easy task. There is a third reason: on the real duct, both halves are welded at a flange; with the solution I choose, the flange will be easy to form.

You are welcome! Glad to help when I can...

Tjhe attachment of the wiring may be incorrect in the picture I published. I found a factory picture; it's not so clear, but the routing is different.