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1932 Cadillac V16 scale model

Started by Roger Zimmermann, July 12, 2019, 01:40:19 PM

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Roger Zimmermann

#580
While looking at details pictured from a real car, I saw a rod coming from the front relay down through the frame. At first I did not understand the reason for it, until I found a picture from one relay: the rod is indeed a tube with a grease nipple! As there is a shield between frame and engine, this pivot could not be greased without removing the shield. So, I did it to look like the real thing.
With some errors (the spring was on the wrong side), I installed the idler shaft with the levers. The provision to adjust the rods is done at those levers; as mine will just be static, the rods will be pushed into the clevises.
Then I finished the relays at the front. The inside lever on the left side has a leg more: it's for the rod coming from the dash to adjust the shock absorbers.
The next task will be to remove the shock absorbers, solder the actuating levers and fit the various rods.
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

On the first picture (sometimes they appear in a different order), you can see the actuating lever attached to the shock absorber. On my project, it's soft soldered to the shock absorber. The next picture is showing the first rod from the shock absorber to the relay lever. Then, there is a view at the inside of the frame with an intermediate rod going from the relay lever to the idler lever which is shown on the next picture. The free "leg" at the relay lever is connected to the linkage going to the dashboard; that leg is not present on the RH relay.
A third rod finally go from the idler lever to the rear shock absorber's actuator. The idler shaft is connected with the other side; it is transmitting the input to the RH shock absorbers.
What I still have to do are the guides for the middle and rear rods. They are useful to prevent buckling from the rods when they are in mode "pushing".

490 operating lever.JPG
491 front rod.JPG
492 middle rod.JPG
493 at idle lever.JPG
494 rear rod.JPG     
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

The parts list is saying that there are six guides for the shock absorbers control. On the pictures I have from a V-16 frame, I see only four. The drawing in the shop manual has four, but this is the image from a V-8 frame, they are shorter.
Anyway, I did only four. As the system is just for the eyes, I will not run into troubles. To attach the guides to the frame, I'm using 0.5 mm (0.02") screws in stainless steel, with nuts in the same material. When I'm using brass nuts, I can solder them to the base, but stainless steel cannot be soft soldered. Installing the nuts on the screws is taking some time and good glasses!

495 Guide.JPG
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

dadscad

Roger, as before, I marvel at your enginuity and craftsmanship to replicate complex components. You truly have a gift. Thanks for sharing your project with us.
Enjoy The Ride,
David Thomas CLC #14765
1963 Coupe deVille

Roger Zimmermann

1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

Indeed, I wanted to finish the front brakes; as I'm missing a spring to guide the cables actuating the front brakes, I began something else: the exhaust system. It must not be routed at 100% like the original did; it just must be coherent.
I began with the mufflers; the original ones are very large with a diameter over 7 3/4" and just one each side. A funny system was used at the rear to improve the sound; I'll show it in due time.
The inner construction is shown on first picture; a thin piece of brass was rolled on this skeleton and soft soldered.
The front tube is not too difficult to do; after the 90° curve, it's almost straight. The other side will be more difficult as the tube must go between the brake booster and the frame and end almost at the same place as the RH one.
I see also that I will have to plan very carefully the final assembly: for the moment, I cannot torque the front clamp; there are too many obstacles to insert a tool. Probably I will have to build some wrenches for that task.

496 exhaust muffler.JPG497 RH front exhaust.JPG 
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

57eldoking

I am glad to see you're as active as ever Roger, incredible work and level of detail as always!
1957 Eldorado Biarritz #906
1957 Eldorado Biarritz #1020 http://bit.ly/1kTvFlM
1957 Eldorado Seville  #1777 http://bit.ly/1T3Uo1c
1995 Fleetwood Brougham  http://bit.ly/20YwJV4
2010 SRX Performance

1946 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup
1957 Buick Caballero Estate Wagon (x2)
1960 Chevy Apache 10 Stepside
1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer (x2)
1992 Pontiac Trans Sport GT

Roger Zimmermann

Thanks Henning!
Those two little curves around the brake booster gave me some trouble to have the end of tube at the right position. I did not bend the tube; I cut slices and silver soldered the cuts. The space between the tube and the frame is really tight. As the engine has limited movements (especially mine!), it should not be a problem here.
There is one support at the front of each muffler and one at the rear. I'm attaching a front support from a real frame because with so many rods and all parts the same color, it will be difficult to understand. There is one vertical plate, attached at the transversal's tubes for the brakes and one rod limiting the transversal movements from the muffler. Some rubber grommets are used to limit the noise transmission to the frame.
The rear muffler's support is from a different construction; this is a bracket attached to the third cross member, also with rubber grommets. As the threaded holes I did on the cross member are not at the right place, I had to improvise with the shape of the brackets. The next challenge will be the outlet tubes: if I'm replicating the tubes from the real frame, they will come in conflict with the rear axel's rods at the end of its travel. I will also have to improvise and shape the tubes to clear the rods.

498 Front exhaust.JPG
Front exhaust support2.JPG 499 rear muffler support.JPG
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

During my search for exhaust tube's pictures, I found a supplier offering those for the V-16 cars. At first, I was unsure if they were for this type of cars unless I saw that I was making an error with the tubes orientation: what I saw in front was indeed the outlet. The curves I saw are indeed necessary to clear the rear axle's rods.
Therefore, the frame I measured in Germany may have some interference with the home made exhaust system.
There were many slices cut through the tube to get the proper alignment. Sometimes, one or the other curve was exaggerated, I had to do other slices, open slightly the tube and insert some brass.
Finally, I was satisfied with the LH tube. I added the tuning chamber as it's called by Cadillac. Was that system efficient?
Another surprising fact: the mufflers are supported at the front and at the rear with small rubber grommets. However, at the cross member in front of the tank and at the last one, the tubes are attached directly to the corresponding brackets, without provision for thermal expansion...

Exhaust tubes.jpeg500 LH rear tube.JPG501 LH rear tube.JPG502 Tuning chamber.JPG   
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

The Tassie Devil(le)

What a lovely addition to any exhaust system.   A tuning chamber.

All it needs now is a sliding piece as in a Trombone with a driver-operated lever to create even more beautiful tunes.

This is truly a piece of art that I would say than very fer people in the world would have known about, had you not brought it to our attention.

Thanks Roger.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Roger Zimmermann

Thanks Bruce!
I don't know if other brands used that tuning chamber. Anyway, if I'm understanding the parts list correctly, it was offered in 1932 to 1934 on some Cadillac models. I can imagine that it was quickly rusted through...
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

As the exhaust is more or less finished (I should do the exhaust tips, but it's too early), I continued with the front brakes: I added the guide and retainer for the cable at the frame and the retainer and anchor for the cable at the wheels. I also added the rods on which the cables will be silver soldered.
As I'm still missing the case for the cable, I began the radiator. It's a huge construction with plenty stamped parts encasing the radiator core and the tanks. I will have plenty to do, especially with the honeycomb. I don't know how I will do it; the previous method with paper will not be possible here. As my working pace is rather slow, it will be for next year.

503 guide for cable.JPG504 ready to install the cable.JPG505 rod for front brake.JPG506 radiator base.JPG   
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

As the honeycomb is encased by the other parts, I tried to replicate that. Of course, this is not large: the pitch is 0.85 mm (0.033") or one side is 0.6 mm (0.024"). My idea was to shape bands 0.1 mm thick; I created a prototype tool. The results were so-so but good enough to make a long tool. I fed the brass bit by bit but the shaped material was cut with regularity. Obviously, my idea was not too good. Various ideas were studied, but most of them were beyond my possibilities.
Later I took again the proto tool and improved it a bit with the guide to position both jaws, like the long tool. Again, I had the same issue. I took another approach by cutting the top of the "teeth" with a file and tried again. This time the band stayed intact! To show what I intend to do, I soldered two elements together. Many, many more will be needed; I will be busy for some weeks!
I'm adding a picture from the real radiator to facilitate the understanding.

507 Tool.JPG508 new tool.JPG
509 prototype.JPG  DSC01292.JPG
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

gross707

Wouldn't it be easier to just invent an industrial-sized shrinking machine and then use it on a real car?  I've been watching this thread for a while and am simply amazed with each new post.
Gerald Ross

Roger Zimmermann

Well, Gerald, that would be amazing! Are you taking the task to create the machine?
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

David King (kz78hy)

Could you do the same thing with a rolling punch and die.  Basically a two wheels with gear teeth on them to match each other?  Offset the the interface whatever your metal thickness is?  With your lathe, the simple machine might not be too hard to create.  A small handle to crank the material through the wheels to from your corrugation.
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

Roger Zimmermann

David, thanks for your comments. I was also thinking at this solution which is not so easy to do: my basic machine does not allow for a small pitch on the divider. By discussing this issue, a member from another forum had the same idea which he tried some time ago: the results were not at all good with brass not releasing from one or the other gear.
In between, I refined my method, filing the tips from the longer tool. That way, I can have a constant pitch. I also ordered in Australia (Nothing nearer!) a roll of brass 0.05 mm thick (0.002") which will arrive between February and March 2023...time to do the other parts from that monster of radiator!
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

Some time ago, I began the upper water tank. As I unfortunately don't have pictures from the top of this part (the radiator strap is hiding most of it), it will be some guess in the making. I still have to do the thermostat housing at the front of the tank and probably two depressions to allow sufficient space between the tank and the bolts attaching the radiator's surround to the radiator.
The pictures I did in Germany are not entirely correct for the 1932 radiator: there was for me a major difference: till 1932, the radiator filling neck was on top of the surround, from 1933 the cap was under the hood. To spare on costs, the strap was the same for both years.
At the tank's rear, there are two holes: they are used to install the ignition coils. Interesting solution!

510 upper water tank.JPG511 upper water tank.JPG 
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

People who used an analog camera have probably had a "camera shutter release cable". What has this accessory to do with that scale model? The answer is easy: the inside cable, diameter 1 mm, ideal to run a small cable.
I had such an accessory; it was used for the emergency brake from my 3 other scale models. Unfortunately, I had no more, so I had to buy one. I could not find a used one, I bought a new one in England. Ordered on January 17, delivered on January 19. 5 minutes after I got it, it was already destroyed to get that cable which will be used as a gaining for the front brakes.
It was indeed a gamble: is the medium still the same as it was many years ago? Same diameter? Fortunately, yes!

Camera shutter release cable.JPGCable.JPG 
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Roger Zimmermann

Sometimes, I have good ideas, but this time the realization is not following the theory. I bought 0.05 mm thick brass to make the cooling fins for the radiator. Making the wavy bands went finally well, but the soldering on the basis plate is not going very well. I had almost one week to do and solder about 25 bands and the result is deceiving. To complete the basis plate I would need about 130 more fins and this would be just one side of the core, the same should be done for the other side. With a nice look and good alignment of the bands, I would continue, but I'm realizing  that I cannot do better.
I'm putting the radiator on side; I hope to get a better idea soon...
Yes, 3-D printing would be a solution, but then it's a machine which is doing the work, too easy!

512 Tentative.JPG
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101