Roger Zimmermann Posted October 24, 2018 Author Share Posted October 24, 2018 Most of the time, I'm taking pictures just to show a specific detail or surround. It this case, the new emblem. But you are right, this art of pictures is not the way somebody would look at the real car, unless he is on a ladder. A more realistic rear view will be done when I have some license plate attached on the bumper! The background is also an issue; it requires a different environment than my work desk. Of course, once the model is ready, the following pictures will be done the way you described. I did them that way when the body was painted and on the frame. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted October 24, 2018 Author Share Posted October 24, 2018 If one of my followers is asking for something, I may well try to do what was wanted! Here are 2 quick pictures at a different angle. With a better illumination the effect would be better. I'm probably a better scale model builder as a good photograph! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconS Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Apart from the harshness of the camera's flash and the shadows it creates, those photos look incredibly life-like. It really is amazing to see the car in that condition. (Maybe you could brush some soot in the exhaust pipes? It looks almost too perfect at the moment! ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinC Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Mr Zimmermann, I have, for a long time, without being a member of this forum and without giving you proper admiration, followed this amazing project. You are an inspiration to all of us people who are interested in old vehicles but also to those of us who believe that mankind can do almost anything we set our minds to. All your updates fill me with the greatest of joy! Thank you so much for showing this and for telling us so much about it along the way! /Martin C, Sweden 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Coyote Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Is there a professional photographer in your area that would be willing to take some pictures of the model when it's all finished? Maybe behind a white back drop or something more realistic. That would be the icing on the cake. Just a thought. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Fantastic! I must visit to see this in person but it is such a long drive 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 12 hours ago, Laughing Coyote said: Is there a professional photographer in your area that would be willing to take some pictures of the model when it's all finished? Maybe behind a white back drop or something more realistic. That would be the icing on the cake. Just a thought. Yes, I know somebody who is talented and usually is working for the watch industry. Maybe something to consider! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconS Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, Roger Zimmermann said: Yes, I know somebody who is talented and usually is working for the watch industry. Maybe something to consider! I think it's something a person with your talents could manage, Roger. ? I found this interesting page showing how one man in the US does it: https://petapixel.com/2013/10/14/life-like-miniature-scenes-shot-using-model-cars-forced-perspective-250-ps/ Edited October 25, 2018 by SiliconS (see edit history) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Coyote Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 That is so cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Recently, I completed the steering column after I added the gear selector’s decal. By looking at the picture, the horn ring does not please me: the line between the chrome and blue paint is too irregular; I did it just with a brush without masking tape. Definitively not to my usual standard! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 (edited) Why the model is now in this strange position? Something to repair under the car? No, it’s just to keep the door open while I’m finishing the RH carpeting: as the check link is not yet installed, the door is closing itself which is very annoying to: keep the door open, hold the torch to illuminate the inside (a light colored carpet would solve this), push the finishing carpet into position and hold the glasses which are falling down when I’m trying to see something from the LH door aperture! At least, the last bit of the carpet on the right side is finished; the closing panel between the carpet and glove box is also installed. This side is ready, which is not yet the case on the other side. The weight of the model right now: rear axle 1611g (56.8 oz); front axle 1044g (36.9 oz), total 2655g or 93.7 oz. When to front clip will be assembled, the front axle will much more heavier, the model near 3kg or more than 100 ounces. Edited October 27, 2018 by Roger Zimmermann wrong word (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Coyote Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 Roger, With that kind of weight you really should use jack stands for your safety. And where are you going to find a creeper small enough to get you under the car to work on it? I guess you will just have to make one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipdang Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 He does have the front wheels chocked well. That's a good rule to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 11 hours ago, Laughing Coyote said: Roger, With that kind of weight you really should use jack stands for your safety. And where are you going to find a creeper small enough to get you under the car to work on it? I guess you will just have to make one. You are right, but I was indeed inside the car! (at least the fingers…) To make a creeper would not be a problem, after the jack! Have a look at the picture: here, I went under the car to measure details of the frame and floor; I was not very confident about the situation! To zipdang: indeed the car could not move as boxes and floor are horizontal; the wheels are just at a different altitude. The creeper is there to avoid a movement when I'm pushing on the floor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Yeah, that looks a little sketchy... Glad you survived that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 Oh! The risk was well calculated: the owner of the car lifted it with an overhead crane. The picture is showing one of both hooks; the long jack stands on the previous picture were indeed just for show because if the overhead crane would have a problem, those jack stands would have collapsed. He is doing since years the maintenance from his car with the same system! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex D. Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 7 hours ago, Roger Zimmermann said: Safety first You are right, but I was indeed inside the car! (at least the fingers…) To make a creeper would not be a problem, after the jack! Have a look at the picture: here, I went under the car to measure details of the frame and floor; I was not very confident about the situation! To zipdang: indeed the car could not move as boxes and floor are horizontal; the wheels are just at a different altitude. The creeper is there to avoid a movement when I'm pushing on the floor! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconS Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I just saw a video that I though was interesting for anybody intrigued by the 'models photographed as life-size' discussion. It's quite a big animated gif so I'm linking rather than embedding it: https://i.imgur.com/RjdRlLg.gif 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 Mostly after each step, I’m checking if the electrical functions are still up to my expectation. Recently, I saw that the LH quarter window had difficulties to go up and down, like a poor contact. Before I’m installing the LH door, I wanted to be sure if the missing electric wires from the LH door would change the situation: it was not. However, I discovered that both vent windows were moving when I wanted to operate the RH one from the driver’s door. No problem with the LH one, not with the RH vent window when operated from the RH door. Another gremlin to chase! I removed the LH door armrest to check the wiring. Effectively, one wire was soldered at the wrong place! I did many checks before, but never when all was connected together. Once the wire was soldered at the right place, the operating of the vent windows was correct. By applying current directly to the LH quarter window’s motor, the window went up and down without problem, but not with the switch. There was one solution: to remove the LH arm rest to check the switch. For that, I had to remove the seat back which after some weeks in place was sticking. I managed to damage the RH arm rest’s leather, I was very happy! The contacts (not easy to remove when the wiring is attached) from the LH arm rest were OK, but I still had a problem with the window. In between, I removed the damaged RH arm rest to redo the leather. I checked the switch; I had the impression that one of the blades was still making contact. Indeed, now the LH quarter window went up and down without problem! Finally, both arm rests are back again and the windows are OK. Without the damaged leather, I would not have found the problem. Ah! the joy of electricity! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 3, 2018 Author Share Posted November 3, 2018 Sometimes things are going well, eh, almost. I had fears to install the steering column because the screws attaching it to the dash are pointing towards the floor and the heads are almost invisible. By putting the model on its side, the situation was not so bad. Once the steering shaft was inserted into the steering box, the assembly was rather stable and I could install the supporting bracket without too many difficulties and without damaging the paint. All is good? Well, not exactly: when the wheels were positioned for a straight drive, the steering wheel was wrong by 180°. At first, I wanted to let it that way, but I did not like that idea. To remove the column was out of question; I tried to remove the steering wheel inside. Finally, I could turn it a half turn and now it’s the way it should. The movement from the wheel to the steering shaft is done with a tiny steel screw. Obviously, this screw will break if too much effort is required. As it’s not a toy and will be seldom “used”, I can live with that. And now? Another fear: soldering the wires from the LH door to the board seen on the picture…Anyway, the number of parts lying in the display cabinet is slowly diminishing! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 If the wires soldering went rather well, the result was not what I expected: during the function test, I noticed that when lowering the RH door window from the master switch, the RH quarter window went up! What was wrong? Wiring problem, a short somewhere? When I noticed that by pulling the switch without much force, the quarter window was not moving. Conclusion: something was not quite good in the master switch. I don’t like to open again doors, but I had no choice. Fortunately, my construction is rather service friendly, the switch can be separated without too much hassle. I just had to unbend a contact, bend a bit more another one and voilà, all windows are going up and down as intended! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Good news! Glad you solved that glitch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCollar Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Roger With all the bumps in the road you come through the winner. That is half of what makes me come back. Steering or wiring nothing can be half way it has to be right, you one amazing craftsman. Thanks for the ride along. Nelson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 Once the wiring was ready, it was time to hide it under the carpet. I don’t have large hands, but working into the model is not especially easy. I had to shorten the LH kick panel at the bottom. Once in place the question was if I could attach it to the body with the 2 foreseen screws? The slot on those screws is not very deep and the position of the screwdriver is very impractical. First, I searched with a tiny drill bit if the foreseen holes would correspond with the attaching brackets at the body. I did not believe it, but they did! Usually, a couple of seconds is needed to tighten those screws if the setting is right; here I had maybe one hour. For 2 screws! The next step was the seat installation. It was already in the model, I saw no difficulties and it would be done rather quickly. Unfortunately, the reality was very different: I had 3 afternoons to install it! The seat is attached with 4 bolts inserted from under the body. They have to go through the carpet into the nuts from the seat rails. When the seat is into the car, the sight is just zero. So, I prepared 4 studs long enough to go through the carpet and the floor; the studs were screwed into the seat tracks. When one was emerging at the underbody, I secured it with a nut, pushing then on the seat to let the remaining go through the holes. Then, I undid the studs one after the other to use the foreseen bolts. I managed to break one bolt, requiring the removal of the seat to remove the broken bit. After a second similar adventure, I realized that the carpet was the culprit because the attaching points are offset, putting too much stress on the bolts. What to do? The removal of the carpet under the track was out of question; I should have removed the whole carpet but the door scuff plates were glued on the body and the carpet in sandwiched between the scuff plates and body. I did 4 spacers and began again the installation. I just saw that with the spacers the studs were now too short. OK, 4 new longer studs are quickly made. With longer studs the pre-installation of the seat should be easier because I could more or less see the holes on the floor, but it was not! One stud had no envy to go where I wanted, even with some persuasion and chosen words. Finally I was stronger and I could install the bolts. Success! Well, not exactly: the seat was lower on one side. Nevertheless, I tried to install the seat motor. It is attached to the floor with 4 nuts. 2 went well, but 2 could not be screwed in most probably because too much paint was on the thread. The seat had to come out once again. This time, I checked the distance between the attaching points; it was about 1 mm too narrow, maybe the frame was deformed when I tried to insert the studs. I did the correction which was easy as all was soft soldered. At the same time, I cleaned the threads for the motor. New tentative: the studs can now be inserted with ease and the motor is now correctly attached. I had the pleasure to see that the seat was functioning; the seat was at the same “altitude” on both sides, but it was crooked! The seat came out again, but the motor stayed in place. I corrected the tracks to have them square and installed the seat again. Once the connecting rod from the motor was definitively attached to the seat, I could close that chapter! Finally, I put the decal representing the patent plate (Fomoco designation). Practically, the main body is ready with the exception of the windshield and back window, plus the associated chromed parts. The next step will be the inserting of the door strap links, if I can do that. It will be similar to catch a fly with closed eyes: the hole for the shaft is barely visible; see the arrow at the last picture. Maybe I will have to plan a long installation time! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Amazing. I may have missed this, but where are the batteries located for the power parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 Previously, I told that the curent will be supplied by external batteries through the filler pipe from the tank. This is how I can test the electrical part. As that device is rather crude for the moment, I did not show it. Later, when it will look better than now! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Amazing work, Roger. What scale is the Lincoln? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 Thanks John! The scale is in the title: 1:12. Technically, it was not a Lincoln; Continental was for some years a separate brand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCollar Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Roger You are the best and I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Your build has just about come to a close and it has all been exciting seeing you overcome one obstacle after another. Nothing stopped you even time and we were ably to enjoy it all. I am kind of regretting the completion but for you one more masterpiece down. Most beautiful works. Nelson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 I am what I am, not the best! You are right, the end of the tunnel is near. Yesterday, I had the first try to insert the pin at one of both drag links. It just disappear behind the "A" pillar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 13, 2018 Author Share Posted November 13, 2018 Frankly, I was not very optimistic about the strap links. To maximise the chance of success, I did a cone at the pin to facilitate the insertion, assuming that the hole from the link would more or less align with the ones from the pillar. I also silver soldered a strap at the other end of the pin for the same purpose. After a while, the pin & strap disappeared into the pillar! It will stay here: to rescue it, I should remove the dash, which is out of question. I did a new pin and strap, this time longer as to be able to guide it with the hand. On the RH side, I could see the link when I illuminating the place with a torch. After a while and many tentatives, the pin went into the catch! I cut the excess from the strap and glued the remaining to the body. It was time to go to the other side. Even if I tried to construct the body the same way both sides, I saw nothing at the LH hole. After some hours, suddenly the pin went into the link! Again, some glue secured the strap. The LH is less effective than the RH; anyway, now I can have open doors without holding them. And, as intended, the doors are held at two distinct positions as you can see on the pictures. Now, I can “play” with the front clip. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulie9fingers Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 Very cool, I hope the pin and strap that fell into the pillar doesn't create an annoying rattle while driving. ? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 13, 2018 Author Share Posted November 13, 2018 Well...I put the car upside down and shuttled it. Nothing came out, but it's not the first time. Usually there are nuts or screws which disappear! It's like a real car: usually, the owner or mechanics find later strange things! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I wonder if you left any very small wrenches in there.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 13, 2018 Author Share Posted November 13, 2018 No, no! I still need them! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buicknutty Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Just amazing, it looks so much like a real car! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 Without the front clip, the model is looking far away from completion. To change this look dramatically, I just had to add the hood and both front fenders. To add some stability, the lower air deflector was installed. I did know that it was a tight fit around the radiator cradle and frame; this time I had to use some persuasion to get it in place. Later I understood why: on the sides, it must go under the fender construction; I managed to put it on top of that lip! I saw that when I wanted to install the screws at the flange: they were not at all aligned. Fortunately, with some more persuasion, the air deflector came out. Once correctly guided, it went in place without problem; I just had to repair the black paint which was damaged during the wrong installation process. The exhaust tubes are also installed; could I now install the grille and front bumper? No, I must first do the missing hoses for the air conditioning system. The fresh air tube for the air cleaner was done since a long time; unfortunately, it’s too short! It will not takes weeks or months to do another one; I just don’t understand why I did not it longer than necessary and cut the excess… 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconS Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 I wonder whether the only way someone will appreciate the detail in your work is if this beautiful model is displayed in a cabinet in a "broken down" situation, perhaps raised on the jack with the bonnet/hood raised, one hub cap loose and a wheel removed as though there was a puncture. I was looking at the wheel centres and the mounting studs, thinking that nobody will ever see what's behind the hub caps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted November 16, 2018 Author Share Posted November 16, 2018 That's the problem with a "modern" vehicle, compared to one till the thirties where most mechanical aspects/features were not covered by the body. Indeed, here, with just the body and seats inside, it would do the same effect with much less hours (or years) spent. As somebody once wrote, nobody will know each detail except the one who build it. Most scale model builders do cars from the twenties or thirties, probably because the work can be seen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCollar Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 Roger I had to grab some of your words from your last response. Quote: "As somebody once wrote, nobody will know each detail except the one who build it." Not exactly true look at the installation of the air deflector. That part was made some time ago and reassembling it is easy to put things on in wrong order or position. Please do not take my reply wrong, we are all human. Your Continental has had my adoration for years. A superb job done well. I'll be sad to see it sitting in a showcase but for you a journey almost complete. Thank you for sharing all your procedures and how one man can be so gifted. Nelson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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