1/8 Porsche 935/78 'Moby Dick'

Your work is really an inspiration for me.

Every step is very elaborate and your finish is very smooth,even at the smallest detail.

Christian

SB - each installment of this thread just amazes me more and more - you are truly a craftsman at what you do and display in the forum - your fiberglass work is really good - among the other awesome skills you have shown here such as your engine building and chassis work

John

just amazing work.

Today, 06:13 AM by ScratchBuilt
...So yes, I'm feeling quite pleased tonight!And so you should SB. :worshippy
This is looking so fantastic and shaping up to be a true masterpiece..You ROCK mate!
So pleased it is coming together as you envisioned, and I'm sure any small heart stopping moments will be just that...short. :) :thumbsup:

You have amazing Skills .Just a pleasure to see this unfold.. Hats off to you.

Noticed some books on Mars in the bookcase. Anything you'd like to tell us?

Amazing work on each part of the model!

Hello again,

I decided that rather than wait until Sunday for my next update, I'd do it tonight - I know I'm not going to get any meaningful modelling done this evening, whereas on Sunday I might be on a roll...

So, time to bite the bullet and trim some more out of the topshell - with the rear quarterlights removed, I could get better access to the wing panels. First a (very) rough-cut:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby180.jpg

I've left a small section in place to give the side a little support, and you can see where I've started to mark out the positioning for the pillar. With a bit more trimming and fettling, I had this:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby181.jpg

...oh yes, and the rear window was removed, too! I CA'd some 3mm x 0.75mm styrene strip to the inside of the shell beforehand to give it some strength - you can see how thin the fibreglass is behind the rear quaterlight cut-out.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby182.jpg

The rear edge has been extended with styrene to create the lip where the engine cover will sit - I'd considered doing this as another small fibreglass moulding, but decided it wasn't worth the effort (or the delay). Once it's all filled and primered, I don't see it being a problem - especially as it will all be hidden below the extra rear bodywork added later.

My current job is to continue adding to the lip around the rear window:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby183.jpg

I'll build it up with layers of styrene strip, then give the fibreglass edge a final trim to get it in shape. Across the upper edge you can see an inset piece which will give me the series of small vents which were a feature on these older 911's. I simply cut eleven 2mm lengths of channel section and glued them end-to-end. So, we'll see how far I get with it this weekend...

Most of last weekend was spent down at Thruxton circuit, for the final two rounds of our FF2000 championship. I know I've mentioned this before, but I always feel guilty that I don't post many photos of my racing activities - until today!

First, here's the Van Diemen RF82 FF2000 I've been looking after for the last couple of years:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby184.jpg

Mmmmm...new tyres! This was first-thing in the morning before we went out for qualifying, so the car is looking clean and tidy. Here's the grid in the collecting area before going out on track:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby185.jpg

We had 23 cars out for this meeting, which was good going for us - our normal grids this year have been somewhat less! For those of you not familiar with UK circuits, Thruxton is a quick place - lots of fast sweeping corners, with only a chicane and a small 'complex' to break things up. As they don't have much testing available, it's one of those places where experience counts for a lot!

Here's the collecting area afterwards:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby186.jpg

Fortunately our three cars survived the day in one piece, and two of our drivers took three trophies between them - so it was a good way to finish the season. Next year, I really must take more photos...

Before I go, a couple of follow-ups from recent posts: Greg23 - yes, there's a few Mars reference books on the shelves, but it's nothing unusual, honest! I've had a casual interest since reading Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars books a few years ago (which also resulted in a few books on Antarctica on the shelves, too...) and it's remarkable that we're now driving those rovers around out there!

To Howarddrive - ready in 2014? Maybe the Porsche factory LMP1 will be...but I suspect it'll probably be early 2015 for the Moby Dick, to be honest! I know from the 908 that even though I had 95% of the components made at the start of 2011, it took all year to get everything painted and assembled. From where I am now, I know I won't have this amount of parts ready by the end of next year, so completion in 2014 is unlikely...

That's it for tonight - have a good week, everyone.

SB

Nice post; it's certainly a complicated beast compared to the 908!

ianc

Hi Ian,

'Complicated' sums it up neatly. Everything is taking so much longer as I'm having to spend more time convincing myself that what I'm doing is going to work! Plus, I'm basically having to design so much of it myself as there are no drawings, and there's also the problem of making it 'buildable' -I've got to be able to paint and assemble this thing...

Rather you than me with the 1:43 917's, though - that's a challenge I won't be taking any time soon! The PA is an unusual choice - how about doing a stretched version with the prototype flat-16 engine?! Looking forward to seeing how the LH turns out, too.

Cheers!

SB

looking good SB, you will get there.:smile:

Sunday night again...

Picking up where I (sort of) left off, I continued to add layers of thin styrene strip around the inner edge of the rear window:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby187.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby188.jpg

This ended up as a 3mm-deep border around the edge, but would also need to have a return added. My original plan for this was to cut the return from a sheet of 0.5mm styrene, but this could wait until later...

I wanted to start adding some structure to the rear of the body; the corner area between the rear side windows and the main rear window had to be filled somehow - but whatever was used was effectively going to be the inner surface of the shell. Hmmm...this is what I ended up with:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby190.jpg

Remember that later on I'll be adding an extra rear body section over the top of this shell, complete with air inlets positioned behind the rear side windows: just where I've left a nice big empty space! I'll add some reinforcement on both sides of the fibreglass, as right now it's all just CA'd together.

I'd been thinking of tackling the rear parcel-shelf area for some time, and decided to give it a go. Plan A was to make it as a fibreglass moulding, but I didn't think I would be able to get the crisp detailing the part required. So, Plan B was a mixture of plain fibreglass sheet for the basic structure, with styrene additions. Firstly, I made a cardboard pattern:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby189.jpg

...then I marked and trimmed out the detailing layer from 1mm styrene: even making this was an evening's work!

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby191.jpg

The cardboard pattern was replicated using plain fibreglass sheet, and was trimmed to fit inside the shell where I'd added the corner reinforcements mentioned earlier. You'll notice that I've also added two small diagonal tubes to the rearmost section of the chassis, over the engine bay - these pass through the parcelshelf, so I would have to trim the panel to fit around them:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby192.jpg

The final job for this week was to add the return to the window edge. After trimming out a panel from styrene sheet I decided it just didn't look right - and the extra thickness didn't help as the body was a snug fit on the frame anyway. So, the alternative was to glue two more layers of strip around the inside of the edge, both 0.5 x 0.5mm; fiddly, but worth the effort:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby193.jpg

My attention is now directed to the front of the shell - I want to start reinforcing the the A-pillars and surround so I can start trimming out the window area. Then I've got to sort out the intersection between all the panels around the base of the windscreen, and start joining it all together...could be fun!

More next week,

SB

outstanding job !!!!

It's looking great SB. That's a huge amount of work you've put in there already! :cool:

Super work SB - the window framing is un-believable attention to detail

Have you ever considered building a "real" one of these - LOL

Your scale replicas are just amazing - and your skills continue to amaze

John

YES!!! Already started another one! Can't wait for more updates!http://www.rekz.info/11gd.jpghttp://www.rekz.info/10dh.jpghttp://www.rekz.info/09ht.jpghttp://www.rekz.info/09ax.jpghttp://www.rekz.info/09jh.jpghttp://www.rekz.info/09bh.jpg

SB, I have been following the thread since the beginning but haven't had found the words to describe your work. Your attention to detail and level of accuracy for replication is impeccable; when coupled with your excellent craftsmanship you achieve what many of us have never dreamed of. Your work is of the highest caliber, thank you for sharing, teaching, and inspiring.

I look forward to more!

I want to see a pic of SB himself, cause I start to think he is a giant not human cad-cam machine working similar to terminator...:D the hands in pics can be resin moulds with correct weathering...u never know.. LOL :D

Evening, all,

Firstly, I can confirm that I am a real person - all the bits of hand and leg you see in the photos are mine. Certainly not 'cad-cam' - more like 'not-very-rapid prototyping'!

Meanwhile, back at the build...

After working on the rear window frame I was keen to continue with the rest of the internal detailing - but it was clear that I couldn't do anything with the front window until I actually had a window to frame! However, removing the fibreglass would leave the remaining shell quite vulnerable - at the base of the 'screen it's only about 4mm wide. So, I had to leave something in place for a bit of reinforcement, and make sure that I got on with the job sooner rather than later. First step, cut out most of the screen:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby194.jpg

I wanted to glue a skin of thin 0.25mm styrene sheet to the inside of the fibreglass shell - I could then add further layers of detailing to this to create the windscreen pillars, roof supports, etc. I started with the corners at the base of the screen, as these were the two weakest points:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby195.jpg

To make life easier I would do this in small sections - the 0.25mm styrene has a fair amount of flexibility, but I wanted to keep the changes of direction as small as possible. I used plenty of CA glue, pressed the styrene in place then used the clips to hold it for a while. Hmm, pale blue crocodile clips - I've got some orange ones around here somewhere too...it's a good colour combination, I think..!

After a few hours of trimming and gluing:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby196.jpg

At this point I was happy that I'd strengthened the screen frame enough to be able to remove the central support section - plus, this would allow me to file and fettle the edges of the shell to tidy everything up:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby197.jpg

As you can see, I've also started to add a few layers of 0.5 x 0.5mm styrene around the inner edge, similar to the rear screen last week. Here's the view from the outside:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby198.jpg

The cardboard dashboard-top is a basic pattern I started working on a couple of weeks ago - I'll return to that (much) later when I do some more fibreglassing. I've also started trimming out the vent openings in the lower curved panel at the base of the windscreen - in time these will need to be covered with some sort of mesh grille...

So, with the windscreen trimmed out and reinforced, I continued lining the shell, starting with the rear side windows:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby199.jpg

...and continued adding 0.25mm sheet until I ended up with it like this:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby200.jpg

I've dug around online to find some half decent shots of the internal shell detailing, so I've got a reasonable idea of what I need to add. I'm sure I'll have to make a few 'adjustments' to fit around the tube frame, but if it all looks 'right' I'll be happy. I'll be continuing with this during the next few days, so hopefully you'll see more progress at the weekend.

Have a good week,

SB

Really amazing work!

I Like that:) very good.

Hello again,

Despite my plans last week, I haven't gone too much further with detailing the interior of the topshell - close inspection of some of my Freisinger reference photos suggested that the Moby does not have the same roof headlining as a 'regular' 911. My original intention was to run some ribbing detailing across the shell, but I've put that on hold until I'm convinced I'm doing the right thing! So, in the meantime I'll continue with some of the more structural aspects of the build...

Here you can see how whatever detailing I put into the edges of the shell, it has to fit around the roll-cage:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby201.jpg

I'm hoping that I can incorporate a more positive location method for the rollcage, rather than relying on short lengths of copper wire. Again, I'm trying to make life easier eighteen months from now when I start trying to assemble all this!

Next, I wanted to continue reinforcing the windscreen surround. The thin styrene layer and edge strip-work helped, but two lengths of 1/8" square-section would help even more! I had to do a little shaping at each end to match the internal curve of the shell, but they were soon glued in place:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby202.jpg

To add further strength and to cover the curved gap between the box-section and the shell, I added a length of 2mm angle section along the door edge and up over the top of the side-window. In time, this will give me a starting point for sorting out the door fit...

In this shot you can see how I've notched the inside edge of the angle strip to curve it around the top edge of the door opening:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby203.jpg

I also added a couple more layers of thin strip around the windscreen edge before doing any of the work mentioned above - it was easier to do it first, rather than wait until the A-pillars were in place. The extra detailing to create the look of the original pressed roof-rails will be added later and will provide further reinforcement for the top ends of the pillars.

Now that I had some box-section running down each side, I wanted to tie this to the lower part of the chassis and the front inner wings - both for strength, and to ensure everything stays aligned. I shaped and glued two small lengths of 1/8" box to the front wings, then added a locating pin:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby205.jpg

...so when the top section is added, the A-pillars end up just where I want them:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby206.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby204.jpg

There's still more work to do, of course, but I'm slowly ticking off some of the awkward jobs. The short 'sockets' at the base of the A-pillars will have to be 'extended' down the inside of the front wings, for example, and I need to build-up the detail around the corners of the windscreen. Then I want to start sorting out the rear side windows area - that's the last section of the topshell that needs mating-up the the lower bodywork.

So, it's all useful progress!

Have a good week, everyone,

SB

Looking good as usual SB; you have buckets of patience, that is for sure. The shell is definitely shaping up nicely!

ianc

Hello again,

It's mid-November, so I must be on holiday again - two weeks at home, catching up with life, and getting plenty of modelling done! This time last year I was busy masking and spraying the 908, this time I've been busy with the Moby's bodyshell.

Having put some structure into the A-pillars, the next job was to continue the stiffening down into the lower part of the doorframe - into the front wings. Starting point was a stip of 0.4mm styrene sheet, cut and shaped to suit then CA'd in place; then, a single strip of 0.5 x 0.5mm styrene to create an edge, followed by a length of 2mm angle section:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby207.jpg

I had to notch the angle section on both sides as it had to curve in two directions:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby208.jpg

Once this was all dry I continued adding more 0.5mm strips until I had created a solid 'block' of styrene measuring about 3mm square. The top end was shaped with emery cloth and file to match the curve of the fibreglass panel, once the overhang had been cut off.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby209.jpg

In place:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby210.jpg

Again, it's surprising how much this has stiffened up the fibreglass - I was worried it might start pulling things out of shape, but so far everything still fits in place.

Next job was to tackle the B-pillars and rear side windows - after fiddling around for a while it was obvious that the only way to proceed was to cut out the remaining sections of 'sprue' fibreglass so I could actually see what I was doing. So I did...

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby211.jpg

I've used lengths of 4.8mm square section for the pillars, split as shown, with 1/8" section used inside to pin both parts together. In time I'll add styrene detailing around the lower 'socket' section and the rear wing panel, but the first priority was to reinforce the upper section where they attached to the roof:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby212.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby213.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby214.jpg

More lengths of 0.5mm strip have been added around the inside edge of the rear windows, and I've done some minor fettling to the top edge of the lower fibreglass panel to improve the fit. The strip-work across the roof ties the two pillars together, but I will be adding more detailing around the base of each.

Finally, I spent most of yesterday working on this:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby215.jpg

Big deal! It's not much to show for a day's modelling (and a headache at the end of the evening) but it was a necessary evil. I decided that the original fibreglass panels I'd made to use for the door mountings were not going to work - it was going to be difficult to add the necessary detailing, and they were not as stiff as I would have liked. So, the only option was to create the panel using styrene...and I'll show more of this next time!

All the best,

SB

U are incredible sb..

God this is a great WIP!

Interesting work on the rear door panels. Any idea how you'll do the door latching mechanism yet?

ianc

:eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2: There goes my jaw again... Oh boy this is incredible. You truely live up to your nickname Scratch Build... Almost can't wait to see more.

Mark

Hello everyone,

Early post today - trying to keep this evening clear ahead of the Brazilian GP!

So, back to the door mounting panels. The main vertical sections were made from two layers of sheet (0.5mm for the backing, and 0.8mm for the 'detail' layer), with sections of tube used to create the curved ends:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby216.jpg

On the front face I added a length of 1/8" square - this would provide location to the lower sill. To increase the stiffness, I CA'd a length of offcut fibreglass too, as shown below:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby217.jpg

There'll be some weight hanging off these panels once the doors are attached, so I've been trying to get the strength into the structure rather than relying on the glue to hold it all together! I'm also hoping that the fibreglass strip will stop the two styrene layers going out of shape over time...

Also in this photo (on the right) you can see where I've addded lengths of half-round section to fill-out the front. An outer panel will be added here shortly.

Next, a small triangular panel (again, two layers) to close-off the top:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby218.jpg

Here you can see where I've drilled into the lower sill structure and added a locating pin - this slides into the 1/8" box section mentioned earlier. Further up I've glued a short length of small angle section - this slots into the back of the door mounting piece and keeps everything upright. It's only CA'd now, but in time I'll probably drill through and pin them for extra strength.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby219.jpg

So, here's how they look now:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby220.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby221.jpg

There's still some more surface detailing to be done, plus some tidying-up with greenstuff, etc, but the main structural work is complete. I'm now thinking ahead about the best way to assemble these parts - should I make the door mounting a permanent part of the outer sill structure, or should I fix it to the fibreglass front wings first? Hmmm...both ideas have their attactions, but as the whole lot is designed to come apart I'm not forced to decide just yet.

Hi Ian - regarding the door latches, I'm hoping that the actual locking mechanism on the back edge will be a little easier than on the 908 as they will be hidden from view once the doors are closed - they don't actually have to engage. The front hinges are more of a concern as they are offset some way forwards of the mounting structure (curse those pesky bodywork door extensions!). I suspect I'll probably have to experiment with brass strip to get the strength without the thickness. The fact that the doors open outwards, rather than up-and-over as on the 908 or 917-10, should make life easier - I'll be able to see what I'm doing, for a start!

In the last photo you can see the closing panel I've added to each end of the windscreen base. This is the area I'm working on now, and it's going to look rough until it starts looking better! I've been playing around with this for the last couple of days, trying to get a tidy way of joining the top section to the front wings, so it's very much a work in progress. I've modified the original solution by removing the small socket sections from the tops of the inner wings, and attaching them to the base of the main A-pillars - I've drilled through the fibreglass and into the styrene strip-work below, so the pins now locate there:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby222.jpg

Right now it's not particularly tidy, but I'm sure I can build-up the detailing I need and smooth everything out afterwards - greenstuff will fill the joints on the pillars, and add strength on the inside. It'll all be hidden from view eventually, so I can live with it!

...and that's probably what I'll be fighting with for the next few nights. All these little areas are not not particularly satisfying (there's not much to show for an afternoon's work), but I don't think I could tackle this project if the bodywork was a single piece - so the connections between the panels are a necessity! If I can get the front bulkhead to fit, we're in business...

More again next week,

SB

SB - your attention to such details is what makes your builds so captivating to watch
don't know how you envision such solutions
You are truly a master-craftsman

John

Evening all,

First task this week was to add some greenstuff around the base of the windscreen pillars to tidy everything up (and add a little extra reinforcement):

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby223.jpg

I left his to harden for 24 hours, then attacked it with the fine emery cloth and files:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby224.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby225.jpg

It's slowly starting to look better - and it allows me to drop the entire roof section into place without having to interlock various sections around this front area. I've also added some greenstuff to the outer door mountings, which you'll see in some of the following photos.

The next job was to return to the lower sill filler panels - I'd made a start on these some time ago, but I've now re-cut them in thicker 0.8mm stryene rather than the original 0.5mm. A couple of lengths of 2.5mm strip on the inside face will locate the panel into the side of the main sill structure:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby226.jpg


I'll add some small brackets to the inside of the top corners to give the fibreglass some extra support. The overall shape is not quite 'factory spec', but there's a couple of radiators to hang behind the doors - I might need to use the lower corners of these sill panels to provide fixing points, etc.

Having done all the work around the windscreen and front wings recently, I wanted to check the front bulkhead section still fitted properly. The strip-work around the edge of the doorframe clashed, so I've cut a couple of small notches in the bulkhead sides to clear - other than that, it all seems okay:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby228.jpg


http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby227.jpg


To be honest, I might not use this particular bulkhead panel: although the shape is quite 'busy' it's not really my finest piece of fibreglass work. It's very thick in places (over 2mm!) and still has some flex - ideally I'd like it stiffer and thinner! Other than trimming it to fit I haven't really done much to it since it came off the mould, so it wouldn't be a waste of effort if I re-made it next year. The front wings are still independent parts, so they shouldn't be affected by a new bulkhead. Maybe I need to re-think how to mould this piece - the lay-up is not easy on the current pattern...

To finish, I've made a start on some of the detail panels to fit inside the rear wings:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby229.jpg

The pressed detail on the original steel bodyshell would be very difficult to reproduce in fibreglass on this scale, so layering thin sheets of styrene allows me to get the right effect. Here I've got a base layer of 0.25mm, then a middle 0.4mm, and a top 0.25mm to finish off. I'll leave the top edge untrimmed for now, just in case I need to adjust the fit of the roof.

This panelling will also allow me to reinforce the joint between the two fibreglass wing and sill sections, and the bases of the B-pillars. The pipework for the radiators passes through the top of these panels, so at some point I'll have to punch holes in them - but that's not going to happen for a while! I'll continue with these for the near future and see what happens next...

Before I go, John: thanks for your comment there. What I've been doing in 2012 has been a change for me - although it's not the same as adding hex-nuts, drilling out brake discs or putting together a convincing-looking wiring layout, so far it's been an exercise in detailing on a larger scale! This year's work is the foundation for whether this project succeeds or not, and I've really had to think hard about how I put this car together. I guess I'll know the answer in 2014 (or 2015)! Until then, I'll keep posting...

See you all next week,

SB

What an amazing build. I keep a close look and can't wait till the next update. In the future I'm planning a superdetail build of this "Moby Dick" in 1/24 (Tamiya) your WIP is very helpfull. Keep up this excellent build.

Eric

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby228.jpg


That one is the moneyshot SB! :cool:

It's looking fantastic already...if it were me, I'd leave it at this stage of construction, paint her up and just add hubs and suspension. It's almost a shame to cover up all that lovely construction work!

I agree to that, it looks great that way, but i think a lot of it the details can be seen at least.:licka:

Thanks Cinqster - I almost captioned that photo as 'gratuitous bodyshell shot' when I put the post up! Actually, a lot of the detailing will still be visible when the model is complete - the bonnet and engine cover will come off, but also the whole nose and tail sections. Throw in some opening doors and it should be possible to see all the good stuff! The only things that will be hidden will be the engine and gearbox - but I'm sure I can use a mirrored display base to get around this.

One of the reasons why I want to postpone any further fibreglass moulding until the Spring is that I know what will happen: as soon as I make the nose and tail sections, I'll be doing a dry-run fit of it all and seeing the finished car! I want to keep that as a reward for after I've broken the back of the engine, gearbox and suspension work...

Hello again,

No major developments this week, just a few 'odds and ends'-type jobs to keep things moving along. The layered panels I was working on last time have been glued in place, and I've added some extra reinforcement to the joint between the two fibreglass sections - first, a layer of 0.8mm styrene to level everything up:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby230.jpg

...and then a 0.4mm patch to strengthen the joint:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby231.jpg

These panels are still a long way from being finished - there's more trimming to be done when I start adding the suspension pick-ups, etc. For now, it's all about making sure the panels survive the build-process in one piece, rather than trying to fall apart!

I've been adding some more greenstuff here and there, too, such as this thin seam around the joint between the base of the windscreen and the back edge of the bonnet:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby232.jpg

A more time-consuming job was making a pair of detail panels to fit inside the rear C-pillars. It would have been much easier to cut them from thicker sheet, rather than the 0.25mm I used, but as they would be glued onto a curved surface I wanted the maximum flexibilty.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby233.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby234.jpg

Perhaps the most significant job this week took the least amount of time.
I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to start on the suspension, and before then I want to plan what I'm doing with the wheels (as that will affect what I can do with the discs, hubs, etc). On the 908 I used heavily modified RC-car wheels as the starting point - on the 935 I intend to do the whole lot from scratch using my method of layering styrene strip inside a mould to create the rims, then adding the hub and external detail.

So, I need to know what diameters I can work with - and by drilling a series of holes with a wood-working hole-cutter, I can see what's possible:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby235.jpg

Ideally I could simply measure the diameter of the different hole-cutters, but - no! They're not exactly circular, and by the time they're wobbling around in my bench drill, the hole is somewhat larger than the cutter. These four are the likely sizes, ranging from about 48mm to 65mm, but I haven't started to do any calculations yet. In theory I could use a larger cutter and sleeve down to get the required diameter for the wheel, but I can see this causing problems when I then try to make the foam tyre...

So, working out the wheel sizes will be one of the jobs for the next few days - next weekend I can maybe prepare the foam blocks to be used as the moulds, and then over the Christmas holidays I can make a start on the rims themselves.

All the best,

SB

looking great, your detail is very good.

Another great update of your works SB. I like the way you explain every step you take in this building proces.
Concerning the wheels, I was wondering if there are no closed hole cutter saws ?
Maybe a little bit easier to work with ?
I'm sure you will find the right size and method in the end.

Mark

Good point Mark - thanks! I bought this particular set of hole-saws when I was building my first 1/8 project in 2001, and I've never really bothered to look for anything better - they only get used once per build, after all.

However, a quick search online has given me some ideas - I've seen two particular sets of closed hole-saws which would be a big improvement over the old ones (allowing me to cut right through from one side), plus there are some adjustable cutters out there too. Hmm...I'd better start working out what size the wheels should be!

Great work as usual, SB! Your accuracy and level of detail is a real work of art.

Thanks Mike - much appreciated.


...Hello everyone,

Lots to write about tonight - the no-post last weekend was not due to lack of progress!

Firstly, the new tools arrived - another set of hole-saws (closed, this time) and an adjustable cutter:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby236.jpg

The hole-saws give me seven more sizes to play with - and the design means they will drill through the 50mm foam from one side (although I'll have to stop part-way through to remove the centre core, then continue). The adjustable cutter makes holes from 40mm diameter through to 120mm, so really it's the only tool I should need.

I drilled a selection of test-holes to get an idea of the actual sizes produced - the new yellow cutters produced holes 1mm larger in diameter than their nominal size, so that's better than the old ones. I've done some measurements and scalings for the rims, and it looks like a couple of these will do what I require.

Regarding the rims, I was happily thinking I would be making another set of the regular 5-spoke design as used on many of the 70's racing Porsches, when I realised that these were not necessarily correct. The 935-78 ran at Le Mans with cooling hub-caps fitted, so you don't actually see what type of rim is behind them; however, at Silverstone the car ran at least part of the time with the front rims uncovered...

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby240.jpg

...which reveals a split-rim similar to those used on many of the standard 935's (BBS, right?). So, would Porsche have used a combination of 5-spoke and split-rims depending on whether or not they wanted to use the hub-caps, or would the split-rim be the standard-fit? Logically, I'm assuming they used the BBS full-time, so this is what I'll be making...

Before getting the rear suspension underway I spent an evening making some cardboard test-panels for the rear bulkhead. In time this will all be re-made using fibreglass, but I wanted to get a feel for how it looked - it's a bit rough, but the concept works:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby239.jpg

Next up, the rear trailing arms. I used tracings over the original drawings to get the basic layout, then set-to with the styrene to make a prototype:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby237.jpg

I modified the positioning and angle of the forward pivots to suit, and made another Lego fixture to hold everything in place whilst I was working:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby238.jpg

This keeps the hub tube at ride-height with zero toe-in and zero castor, which will make life much simpler. One of the trailing arms should have an adjustable front pick-up, but in the interest of strength over accuracy I'm making them as one-piece (as on the Carrera RSR Turbo).

So, now to start on the actual parts. The core to each trailing arm is made from 1/8" x 1/4" box, double-pinned at each end to the hub-tube and the pick-up:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby244.jpg

Keeping these joints strong is critical - it's not like the chassis where I can simply run lengths of brass or ali tube inside the framework. These pins are a natural tight fit inside the styrene anyway, so when everything is glued together it should be strong enough.

Here's the basic arm on the chassis:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby241.jpg

To get the final shape I'll be covering the core structure with a mixture of panelling and greenstuff:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby242.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby243.jpg

None of this is actually glued together yet - I wanted to keep the first arm in kit-form until I knew it would work, then use it as the pattern for the other side. Since taking these shots earlier today I've been busy making the second set of components, so one of tomorrow's jobs will be to start assembly. Then I can start playing around with the mountings to the chassis - hopefully a straight-forward job. The extra work to add the damper mountings, caliper lugs, etc, will follow in time - the plan for now is simply to get the axles in the right place.

So, that's what I've been busy with for the last couple of weeks. I'll probably get one more 2012 update posted next weekend - maybe with some front suspension and wheel components to show...

Whatever you're all doing in the next few days, have a good time!

All the best,

SB

unbelievable work SB -
please take some time and have a merry Christmas
John

Inspirational work, SB.

The spoked wheels were more common to 956 and 962. The 935 commonly used bbs E50 and similar variants, so you are correct in making those.

Nice job.

Okay - so the plan to start on the front suspension layout didn't work out. I've spent time modelling most days since I finished for Christmas, but getting the rear suspension mounted has taken a lot longer than I thought - and it's still in progress.

The second swing-arm core was made and glued together, then I was ready to get the four mounting brackets (1/4" x 3/8" box) attached to the back of the chassis. Despite my best efforts to file and fettle them to suit beforehand, I still ended up with a few gaps here and there - not a major problem, as we will see. Here's the starting point:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby245.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby246.jpg

Next step was to reinforce the mountings with plates and gussets - and this was the time-consuming part:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby247.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby248.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby249.jpg

Having done this, I've made a start on filling the remaining gaps with greenstuff, and adding some welding seams:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby250.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby251.jpg

I'm going to have to continue this in small bursts - it's a bit mind-numbing to just keep at it for hour after hour! The greenstuff starts going hard after 45 minutes or so anyway, so that's a good time to stop and do something else. The important thing is that the mountings aren't going anywhere and should be able to handle having the suspension hanging from them. Okay, I'll admit some of the gussets aren't strictly to original spec, but there are some areas where strength has to be the priority.

So, I'll continue adding the greenstuff during the coming days, then I can think about the front end. With the rear mountings in place I can also do some more trimming on the fibreglass panels, too.

That's it from me for 2012. The 935 has been slow-going at times, but when I look at all the various bits and pieces I've made during the year, I can see where the time has gone. Targets for 2013? For starters I want to get the front and rear suspension sorted out - including discs, calipers, etc - before returning to the front bulkhead panel. Then it's a question of whether I dive straight into the engine and gearbox, or keep busy with fuel and oil tanks, rads and coolers, interior details, etc.

Thanks to everyone who's been following, and I hope you all have a Happy New Year.

All the best for 2013,

SB

As always great progress on the build SB. I like it very much.
To you also all the best for 2013 but above all a good health.
Have a Happy New Year.

Mark

unbelievable work SB -
please take some time and have a merry Christmas
John

Now it's time for New Year's
Amazing what you can do in such little time
Happy New Year's 2013 SB
John

After the 908 Your work on the 935 is amazing, You make me start on scratchbuilding also but on a smaller scale. I will follow your work in 2013 . So Happy 2013 :cheers:

Wow, I missed a couple of updates, but you are just going great guns! Fantastic progress on a difficult subject!

ianc

Hello everyone,

So, with the rear suspension under control I wanted to make a start this week on the front end. Although the 935-78 chassis and bodywork is heavily modified compared to a standard 911 of the period, the suspension layout at both ends is not so different. Instead of a double-wishbone arrangement as on the 917 or 908, the 935 has a single lower wishbone and a front strut - new territory for my modelling! First step was to put together a basic layout drawing:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby253.jpg

My initial worry was that there wouldn't be enough room between the tyre and the frame to squeeze in the strut, but this layout proves that it should work - the strut stands quite upright. The next step was to make a basic corner from styrene tube to prove the concept - I wanted to use the RC balljoints for the bottom pivot, and if possible at the top too. I've added a simple spring collar half-way up the strut, and used the upper spring platform to conceal the top balljoint:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby254.jpg

In reality the top of the strut should be attached by a fabricated bracket welded to the frame, but as I will struggle to make this strong enough in styrene I want to use the balljoint instead - the bracket will (hopefully) not be a structural element, although it will still be modelled and detailed. Here's the strut in position on the frame:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby255.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby256.jpg

I've started playing around with the mounting brackets for the lower wishbone - nothing too special, but I want to make sure they end up in the right place and at the right angle! I have to remember to allow room for the pipework connecting to the front rads to run below the level of the pick-ups, too. The wishbone itself is low-priority - it'll be similar to what I did on the 908, but with some tweaks and extra detailing.

With the strut in the right place, the final step is to work out how to attach the hub and wheel. Again, the real 935 uses a separate lower hub section which is clamped onto the bottom end of the strut - the trick will be to make something which looks right, but has the strength to stay in one piece. This is all a bit rough for now - very much a prototype - but I'm experimenting with three sizes of tube to create the basic hub, which will be slid over the lower strut:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby257.jpg

The small spigot on the side is drilled through all three layers and should give me a strong mounting for the stub-axle. I'll probably be using capscrews for these again, but this time I want to make them look a little more realistic. The small piece of larger diameter tube on the left will fit over the head of the capscrew and give me a starting point for the brake caliper mountings, etc. All of this will need a great deal of detailing and refinement for the final versions, but for now it confirms that I can get all the parts I need in the right places!

So, I'll be working on this through the week to come, and hopefully the next update should show some of the results. I'm certainly planning to include some form of internal brass or ali reinforcement for the front struts, rather than simply relying on the strength of the styrene tube. A mock-up brake disc could be useful too...

All the best,

SB

I go on thinking that pink hand is a silycon fake one :D and u are a CNC machine with a virus making such models to invite all of us to suicide... :D:D

http://www.dixienoveltydistributors.com/webdnd/creepy_hand.JPG

Heh - you only ever see my left hand in the photos, as you've got the right hand in that bag! Give it back!

One thing i wonder is, how much time do you invest for references? see much details, but i`d like to know from where you have all the references???
Is a real car standing beside your homedoor??

To date I have never seen a 935-78 in the flesh, so I'm reliant on books and online sources for all my references. Since I started scratchbuilding my first 917 in 2004 I've slowly been collecting Porsche-related books (and a few magazines, of course), so I've built up my library - there's not many titles that are specifically 935, but the Moby Dick usually gets a mention. Of course, the photos on the Freisinger website are invaluable and so these are my main reference for this project...

...but a real 935-78 to take measurements from would be nice, if you have one!

SB

Another great update. Keep them coming.

To date I have never seen a 935-78 in the flesh, so I'm reliant on books and online sources for all my references. Since I started scratchbuilding my first 917 in 2004 I've slowly been collecting Porsche-related books (and a few magazines, of course), so I've built up my library - there's not many titles that are specifically 935, but the Moby Dick usually gets a mention. Of course, the photos on the Freisinger website are invaluable and so these are my main reference for this project...

...but a real 935-78 to take measurements from would be nice, if you have one!

SB
Than ks for notice, but unfortunately i have no 935 in my garage to give you exact mesurements. ;)
I think it is a real hard way to go by without any mesurements, if this is the right word^^. I did 3 weeks mesurements until i had enough for my Bitter CD, and this was a closed 1:43!
I like the way you model, exapt one point: the painting! Sorry, but to me as professional car painter, it is one of the first points: the painting!
have you ever tried an airbrush gun or something like these? I think you will get a much more better result by spraying all with an air gun.
I know you`re allways paint it by brush, but i guess your model will become a professional touch with a pinture that is done by professionals ;)
I don`t want to touch your skills down, but this is a major point in my eyes to a model!
How much time do you invest in your builds? I Put sometimes 50% of the building time into research, that bore`s a littel, but to go by like you, i think it will take me less than 300 hours o nly for research!
great job at all, like your updates ;)

Than ks for notice, but unfortunately i have no 935 in my garage to give you exact mesurements. ;)
I think it is a real hard way to go by without any mesurements, if this is the right word^^. I did 3 weeks mesurements until i had enough for my Bitter CD, and this was a closed 1:43!
I like the way you model, exapt one point: the painting! Sorry, but to me as professional car painter, it is one of the first points: the painting!
have you ever tried an airbrush gun or something like these? I think you will get a much more better result by spraying all with an air gun.
I know you`re allways paint it by brush, but i guess your model will become a professional touch with a pinture that is done by professionals ;)
I don`t want to touch your skills down, but this is a major point in my eyes to a model!
How much time do you invest in your builds? I Put sometimes 50% of the building time into research, that bore`s a littel, but to go by like you, i think it will take me less than 300 hours o nly for research!
great job at all, like your updates ;)
Edit: sorry for my bad english, but i pasted this questions only to bore you :lol:

sorry for double posting, this was not my intention ;)

:meant:WOW:ylsuper:

Mark

To date I have never seen a 935-78 in the flesh, so I'm reliant on books and online sources for all my references. Since I started scratchbuilding my first 917 in 2004 I've slowly been collecting Porsche-related books (and a few magazines, of course), so I've built up my library - there's not many titles that are specifically 935, but the Moby Dick usually gets a mention. Of course, the photos on the Freisinger website are invaluable and so these are my main reference for this project...

...but a real 935-78 to take measurements from would be nice, if you have one!

SB

Sb where can I see this 917? I like a lot also such one. will be another dream done by you in 1/8...