Roger Zimmermann

Wow! Did you were awake during the day? Anyway, thanks to have a look at my adventures since the begin! Thanks also for the appreciation if my little things... The last details were added on the main body of the transmission. On the LH side: drain and refill plugs. On the RH side: 3 attaching points and the vertical surface for the locking yoke pin plate. On the V-12 and V-16, both front attaching points are used to attach the ratchet for the hand brake lever; on the V-8 cars, the two rear attaching points are used for the ratchet. Now, I "just" have to attach the case to the flywheel cover...

Hi Kari Thanks for your comments! Yes, as you saw, I had about 10 years to restore that car. Some cash was also needed...Al was done before Internet, complicating the matter, but, as you could see, it was possible! I still have some parts from that project. I bought them maybe 20 or 30 years ago, when the exchange rate was not se favorable for me. I know no place in Europe selling parts for this model. Of course, there are some parts resellers, especially in Germany and countries like Sweden, but I never search there for my needs. I'm listing below what I have in excess with prices in Swiss Francs. Depending where you are living, you have to calculate in your own currency. 1 Sabre hubcap medallion, repro CHF 62.- 1 hood emblem, plastic, repro 230.- 1 base for the hood emblem, repro 140.- V for the trunk and hood, used 40.- each. If my memory is good, several to choose. 1 emblem for the seat, repro 215.- 2 original back-up lenses, way from perfect, 25.- each 1 NOS windshield wiper transmission 130.- This a transmission for an early '56 car, with a small pulley. Later cars had a larger pulley. 1 glove box lock with key, repro 135.- 1 molding for the top of rear fenders, made in bronze as original ones were not available. Must be adjusted, polished and chromed 180.- 1 molding for the top of rear fenders, not assembled (they were made in 2 pieces) 140.- 1 windshield washer jar, repro 75.- 1 RH front bumper end, rechromed 400.- 1 fog lamp lens, NOS 140.- 4 or 5 NOS bulbs 1044 for the fog lamps 48.- (difficult to find) I may have other parts I did not listed; the storage room for my cars and parts is rather large... I may have some mechanical parts; they are however easy to find except maybe crankshaft or cylinder heads (I have 2) The above prices will seem rather excessive, but they include the cost of the part(s), the shipping costs and customs when I bought them. I may however be ready to adjust prices if I have a reasonable offer. For some parts I have pictures. Have a good time with your restoration!

The last few days saw some improvements at the parts from the transmission. Elements were added at the main body; some more will come next. At first, I intended to adjust the main body to the flywheel cover; finally, I inserted the body into the cover. With this move, it will be easier to control distances and alignment. Both elements are not yet soldered; I will first add details on the RH side of the main body.

I agree that with some heat, product's life could be better. However, that old barn is just impossible to heat. It can happen during the winter that the temp is getting to =°C or lower. The '56 Sedan de Ville on the picture has been sold for 3 years. The picture is probably about 10 years old (the guy in front -me- was younger too!), but the barn did not change a lot. I'm calling it my "refrigerator"! It's also not very practical as to drive the third car, both in front must go out first...

I experienced that myself. It was about a can of 3 or 4 liters. For years all went well until it began to separate. Shaking or mixing it would end to nothing; I discarded it.

Thanks Pat and Dileep for your comments! The pictured parts will be the transmission. The "thing" at left is the main case and the other one at right should be the junction between the case and the flywheel case. Some hammer blows are still needed as well as some more work. Like all elements, the beginning is sometimes rather crude. No, the engine is not ready but I wanted to do something else.

Gerald Wingrove is no more among us since about one year (or more?). I had some discussion last year with Ken Foran; I sent to him a bit cable for one of his projects. Anyway, except when the required model is built without working mechanical like suspension, steering etc., the amount of hours can go out of the roof. As all my models were done without a selling in mind, the set price is anyway totally subjective, like a painting done by a famous artist. Or a good way to wash money!

Thanks for your response. In between, I got an offer from the WTB section from the forum. I ordered it, I hope it will be in a good shape!

Finally, those flexible joints are not too bad. I cleaned a bit more the flashes from the silicone rubber; once installed, the joints are decently looking. They even do their job as you can see at the water pump: the pump is not exactly aligned with the generator and looking at the joint, the upper "rubber" is thinner than at the bottom. If necessary, I can rotate the shaft but, as I had to make some compression at the joints, there is a lot of friction. Nevertheless, this is a static model and, when the carb will be installed, there will be no possibility to play with the shaft. To accelerate the process with the silicone rubber, I heated it with the mold at about 100°C or more. The excess product took about two days to polymerize at room temperature!

Martin, thanks for your comments. You are right, the material costs are almost insignificant. It's just labor, which you wrote, or time. There are few people who can do and are willing to do something similar (not especially a car), spending years to get the "finished product". But there are also very few people who have to money and recognize what's behind the chrome or paint and would spend the right amount. Anyway, this is not my goal. I'm glad I can entertain a bit people; if there would be no interest, I would not continue to publish my adventures. When looking at the number of views, it seems that I'm on the right way!

But not with a magnifying glass! You know that pictures are lying...Anyway, those joints will be melted into all the other elements from the model, therefore it's not a major annoyance.

Sometimes the initial idea is good and then the realization not so. I wanted to do the flexible joints between the generator and the water pump. In fact, it's simple: two discs with "fingers" and a bit rubber in between. It would be easy to do them at a 1:8 scale, but at 1:12, the end result is so, so. The Dow Corning rubber (An ivory and a black thick liquid are mixes together; my product is about 40 years old!) is nice to do tires but for very small elements like that flexible joint, a reinforced rubber would be more appropriate, but I cannot machine that kind of material. Plus the fact that the "fingers" from the discs are not spaced exactly the same. The whole assembly (the shaft between both joints is still to be done) must be under slight pressure, otherwise the joints will not stay together! Anyway, something is not bad: I added the "gland" for the lubrication of the water pump shaft; it's not bad looking. The gland, the joints and the shaft will be chromed. A lot of chromed parts were used on this engine.

Years ago, I had a visit from my insurance. At that time only the Avanti and the Toronado were ready; maybe the Mark II was in the works. If I remember well, there was an amount of about $ 80'000.00 for the models. Frankly, I did not let modify the contract when the Mark II was finished. This is maybe something to do soon. A (stupid?) question: how to put a value on that? It's like a painting: some are exchanged for millions when others have a $ 100.00 value or less. Basically, all are made with a little paint on a canvas...

On my Cadillac engines, I used to spray some Permatex sealant on the head gaskets because I had once the same issue as you.

By the way, jensenracing77, do you have maybe some parts for sale? A friend of mine is searching for his '62 F-85 (not so nice as yours) a RH lower front suspension arm. Could you have that?

A friend of mine is searching a RH (passenger side) front lower suspension arm for his 1962 Buick Special. That arm was used from 1961 to 1963 and was used also on the Olds F-85 models. If you have one in a good condition, please indicate the price and if you are willing to export it to Europe. Thanks!

A friend of mine is searching a RH (passenger side) front lower suspension arm for his 1962 Olds F-85. That arm was used from 1961 to 1963 and was used also on the Buick Special models. If you have one in a good condition, please indicate the price and if you are willing to export it to Europe. Thanks!

Hydraulic brakes are one of the most neglected element of cars...

The camshaft 1085019 is for models I gave in my previous message. The cam 1081312 is for models 345BC & 355BCD. Sorry I cannot say more, I have not enough knowledge in those engines.

It's hard to answer because the parts book does not state the year but the serie for all the parts. For example, the camshaft for engines 303, 328, 340, 341, 345A, 353 and 355A is the same. You just have to determine the year...

Now the water pump could begin to work as I added the three water "tubes" which are indeed solid. Even if those tube are looking easy to do, they were not: the flange must be aligned to the block and the pump; the radius must be tight (I did them by cutting slices into the material and silver soldered the tube) and the length must correspond. The long tube at the LH side should be parallel to the block at both axis; unfortunately, when looking at the picture, you will notice that it's not exactly parallel to the block but, from above or under, it's perfect. When the exhaust and intake manifolds will be installed, this flaw will be unnoticed. To do the tubes, I removed the pump's cover. I will now do the shaft with the joints between the generator and pump.

As you may imagine, I'm glad that the pump is ready. Such a small part and so complex! I'm pretty sure that it's not a 100% exact replicate of a real one; working with pictures is not quite easy. There is always one picture missing to see this or that detail or the relation between two elements! The first picture is showing the 3 elements for the pump's body. The hole in the center is the "fil rouge" as with an inserted shaft I had at least the correct position of the 3 elements relative to each others. The body on the second picture is ready and on the last two, the pump is installed on the crankcase. This time, the generator is in his correct position; it will be removed for the subsequent jobs which will be the fabrication of the two tubes between the pump and the crankcase and head and the long one located the other side.

With different pistons, you will have to balance the crankshaft/pistons assembly. I'm sure you know that!

After a short vacation, the work resumed on the water pump. After the front cover, I began the rear part of the pump which is more or less flat. I silver soldered this plate to the "legs" which are attaching the pump to the block. I did a hole into that plate which is the axis for the impeller; it must be more or less aligned with the one from the generator. Rubber couplings are used at both ends as a solid shaft was not realistic due to the production variation. As I did not know how to continue the rear part, I did the pump's front flange; on the picture, this part is on the floor near the block. Most probably, the part between the front flange and the back will be solid; then, once the exterior shape will be acceptable, I will do a large hole in the middle to save some weight.

The fit was probably not better when installed at the factory!