Roger Zimmermann

My store room is not that large. Years ago, I sold all I had on paper. Recently, I found some Buick catalogs: 1963 Buick Riviera: nice brochure, 6.5" x 7" 16 pages; excellent condition $ 20.00 or best offer. Only one available. 1963 Buick Skylark: NOS brochures; two available. 8.25" x 10.85", 18 pages; $ 15.00 each or best offer. Even if I'm located in Switzerland, the shipping will not be that expensive: $ 9.00 for the large brochure in a rigid envelope.

The previous picture was showing the rear rocker shaft which is responsible for the rear brakes. Now I did the one for the front brakes. As the actuating levers are located outside the bearings, they must be removable. Fortunately, I kept the "tooling" for the actuators located at each drum, so I could do the necessary splines. Maybe the shaft is a tad too small (0.2 - 0.3mm) and on those levers, there are more than 6 splines. To reproduce that exactly would be too much work. However, I noticed a strange detail when looking at my pictures: the LH actuating lever is looking like a blade (mine is probably too thick) while the RH actuating lever is a more conventional in design. And this is not an error on that car: I have also pictures from a 1932 V-8 brake system, it's identical. The parts book is also clear; the RH lever has not the same part number as the LH one. My theory is the following: the LH actuating lever must have some flexibility, and the RH one is rigid. Maybe when doing an heavy braking, the LH lever is flexing if the RH one can go further, like a differential actuation. I don't see a different explanation but I don't know everything!

Still working at the brake system. I added 3 lever on the rear rocker shaft and did the clevis for the booster. There should be a rubber boot between the brake pedal lever and the booster; it will be added later. More levers/small pieces will next be added to the system.

Oh! I'm really from this planet, with all the positive and negative aspects from life! Those cars were probably more comfortable than low price models, but I don't have any experience and not eager to have one. Compared to modern cars, their comfort was probably totally different, especially cars with live axle in the front. During a meet with the Swiss Cadillac club, I had the opportunity to see how much effort was needed to make a 90° curve in a city on a 1938 V-16 convertible sedan. This impressive view did confirm that those cars are not for me. I'm convinced that those cars were well built for the time, but their frames had a poor torsional resistance. Not good for a good driving behavior. On other aspects, those cars were overbuilt with needle bearings at most unusual places!

My preference is white walls! Maybe not on a roadster, but a limousine, yes. Costs more, but anyway those cars are costing more than a simple transportation vehicle.

You are welcome Mike! That bras is willing to take shape according to my will. Well, most of the time, but not always! I redid a new support for the booster; the rod from the brake pedal will have room now.

While I was at the brake system, I did continue with the booster. Not a too difficult part do do, even if the rivets at both ends were maybe unnecessary to reproduce. The booster is attached to the frame with a support, for once not a casting but two stamped sheet metal parts spot welded together. It's what I did, with soft solder instead of spot welds. Unfortunately, that support is no good: it's too thick and should be positioned a tad towards the center of the frame. I will have to do another one, with thinner material. Why all that complication? Because the way it is now, I could not attach the rod coming from the brake pedal to the (not yet born) lever welded to the rocker shaft. With a gain over .5mm (0.02"), the rod position will be fine! Some explanation about the picture: the rod connecting the booster to the brake pedal is indeed a drill bit, with it I saw that the booster is not contacting the transmission's support and the future rod will be parallel to the frame's axis. The short axle to the booster is a temporary one.

Nowadays, a brake pedal is a pad with a lever on a shaft, period. It can push a rod or be connected one way or the other to an ABS system, but the pedal itself is easy. Not so with a car from the thirties with power brakes. There is a reaction lever attached to the pedal and an acting lever which is pulled by the vacuum system. I'm skipping further details as this is irrelevant for the model. I tried to build that system by simplifying some aspects, but in general the look is there. All is indeed simple, but the shape of the parts is not. On the pictures, you can see on the top the clevis which will pull a rod to activate the brakes. That clevis has an elongated hole; this is the method to avoid that the brake pedal is moved when the hand brake is activated.

Good to know that you are going better!

Me too, but the ones at modeling!

Randy, sure, it would be easier at 1:6. However, my small machines would be totally inadequate; the larger scale would require a larger lathe, a milling machine and so on. The result would be that I had to search for a larger flat with a room in the basement for the heavy machines. No thanks, I prefer my small flat and the complications required for 1:12!

I don't know how tight the bulb must be torqued on your adapter to be tight. In your situation, I would have silver soldered that adapter. This aside, I like your idea!

Just finished the clutch lever with the link to the clutch pedal. The assembly is externally functional which means that there is nothing inside the transmission except a strong spring to simulate the real clutch springing. This is totally futile like the gear lever going through the gates, but its fun! The last picture is showing what I had to do to warrant the correct position of the clutch lever and to prevent its rotation.

For the moment, chances to find service station with fuel is greater than to find a charging spot...Even if performances from electric autos are fantastic, I'm not yet ready to cross the border!

Until you are on the road with an empty battery!

Thanks Alex! This is what Johan Boltendal told me when I was in Germany (he is the guy who restored the frame and engine). When I was a kid, I heard that freewheeling was the cause of accidents. And there still are people who think an automatic transmission can do all the work and go down hilly roads by activating the brakes instead of choosing another range with the gear lever!

Those crude brass parts evolved into something more near to the reality. On the first picture, the clutch pedal is on the left. In the reality, but pedal stops are adjustable; on my model, only the clutch pedal has its adjusting screw because I could not position the stopping hub in a position to skip the adjusting screw. The original hub is positioned on the shaft with splines, I just put a screw as the effort will not be that huge. The next step: create the clutch lever which will be actuated by the clutch pedal. I'm skipping the freewheeling system to avoid too much complication.

Due to maintenance at my old cars scale 1:1, there was a slow activity with the model. Anyway, there is some news. I began the clutch and brake pedals. As I had not enough material 2mm thick, I silver soldered two 1 mm elements to have the adequate thickness at the base. The thickness at the top is about half; the pedal at the left is now ready for further working on it, the pedal at the right must still be "thinned".

Indeed, a shifter is not that difficult to do, except that its diameter is not constant. It's not possible to machine it the usual way because, due to the length, its too flexible. I had to improvise doing a bit after the other, taking care that the shaft is not like a camel. As I like difficulties, I added a "H" grille into the transmission, used a ball from a bearing, added some small parts and now, the lever can be shifted to all four positions. Totally unnecessary, but fun! The next job: the brake and clutch pedals. I will do first the basic; the multitude of levers, springs and so on, especially for the brake system, will be added when the suspension will be added as I need the axles for the various rods.

Thanks Alex for the details about the shield and mud pan shelf. Tanks to your comments, I now realize why the 1933 frame/engine in Germany had no freewheeling: it was no more available. Indeed, this info is in the shop manual; I did not saw it until this morning! Randy: why 1:6? it's 1:12! You are right, all those tiny parts will be a nightmare to reproduce. However, when I'm looking at each individual piece, it may not be that bad. I have anyway an advantage: they must not be functional. I assume that this complex affair was not because the engineers wanted to make things complicated just for the fun of it: it was necessary to have them that way because all was mechanical. When I will do the linkage for the brakes, I will explain why there is a slot here or there. The fact that the handbrake is actuating the same rods as the service brake without actuating the front brakes was requiring some tricks. They will be explained in due time. Most probably all the vehicles with pure mechanical brakes had a similar arrangement. Things were much simplified with the arrival of hydraulic brakes, which I could not reproduce in that scale!

When I restored my '56 Biarritz, I had the same problem. The felt went it, but not well and since the front of the engine is not leak free. There was a mid-change during the '56 MY with a cover having provision for a modern seal. I bought one, and sold it in between. So, a little oil leak will not kill me. I'm wondering if it could be easier when the felt is full of oil? Some one must have a solution because they were used on so many engines.

Should I say: thanks Alex! or: that's not fair to show this arrangement! Anyway, now things are clear: the brake booster is attached at the point I'm aware of and the clutch assist is installed much higher. I have good pictures from the clutch assist from a V-8 car car, if I don't know what to do, I can add it! I will first do the brake assist system, then we'll see! On your pictures, I see a shield to protect the brake and clutch system from the exhaust heat. This shield was not present on the chassis in Germany, but it makes sense. Now, I understand the usage from this small bracket shaped as a "L" attached to the transmission. The whole set-up is making a very busy place near the transmission! Thanks to your third picture, I have a nice view from under of the support for the pedals. What I did is not too far away! You are correct, V-8 cars had no brake assistance.

That tiny stupid support for the pedals took me a long time to understand its general shape! Finally, I got it more or less right; I hope that the position of the pedal's shaft is not too far away from the reality. When I did the pictures from that frame and engine, the free-wheeling system was removed or was never installed as I don't know if it was standard or optional. As the bracket is the same for all V-12 and V-16 engines, "my" bracket has the provisions to install the valving (there are the tiny holes flanking the shaft), but will stay that way. Anyway, as I have pictures from a 1932 V-8 equipped with that system, I'm wondering how both boosters could be attached to the frame; I have the impression that there is not enough space. I did also the 4 "yoke adjusting quadrants" and temporarily installed them. It was wise: I noticed that the screw behind the hand brake lever was interfering with the lever. I made it thinner in that location and reduced the height of the bold attaching that quadrant. The next goal? The gear shift. Aa ACCA forum member gave me its length (another dimension I skipped when I could have measure it) and it's time for it. Most all my brass parts are silver soldered. For years, I had Castolin 1802 rods in 1 mm or 1.5 mm diameter. That specific solder is no more available because it contains cadmium. The manufacturer is now selling the Castolin 1800 which is cadmium free, but has a higher content of silver. The temperature needed is almost the same, so I can do the switch. There is just one problem: nobody is selling those rods by the piece as it was the case years ago. The minimum quantity is 1/2 kg for about $ 650.00. Finally, I gave up with my researches and ordered that minimum quantity. I will probably have silver soldering material for the next 100 years! Anyway, a local jeweler is interested to buy some quantity from that material, but I don't know how many rods...

Yes, because the clear coat is not yet applied!

The Cadillac set-up is very similar and there is a shop manual. Maybe the info in that book could help?