WIP - 1/16 RR Phantom Sedanca by Revell

Hi Folks

From some of the previous posts I get the impression that quite a few people have this Revell kit unbuilt so this may interest some of you and come as a warning.

I only started this about 2 weeks ago and was happily building the engine when Skip Jordon sent me this picture of a built model. (thanks Skip)
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/RevRR2.JPG

It doesn't need me to tell you what is wrong with it!!

At first we thought that the builder had messed up somewhere so I got the chassis pieces out and did a test fit but mine was going to come out exactly the same.

Anyway after much messing about and trying to use my addled brain for a change I decided that I just had to drop that chassis somehow.

The front axle glues onto the springs so by filing out quite a bit of plastic from both parts I was able to slot the two together and lift the axle about 3mm (it spoils the authenticity of the way the springs fit but right now I'd rather have a model that sits correctly)
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/frontaxle.jpg

For the rear axle I cut off the locating piece that represents the shackle on the spring and inserted a 3.5mm block (recessed .5mm), this is going to take the weight of the whole back end so I reinforced it with some good old fashioned cement from a tube . This still doesn't get the rear end quite right but any more and springs will look too low in relation to the wheel so the answer seemed to be to flatten the spring about another 1 - 1.5mm. To do this I filled the rear locating hole for the spring with Milliput and moved it back. The spring now just fits in tightly but without the same curvature as before.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/rearaxle.jpg
(the spring shackles are on the outside of the chassis on the real car and if Revell had done this in the first place this problem might not have cropped up - however they haven't left enough room between the chassis and floorpan to modify it)

So this is how she looks at the moment - a bit of an improvement I think you'll agree
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/collage.jpg

Before tidying up the chassis and spraying it I now have to make up the truss braces which Revell have left out for some reason and then get the engine to sit horizontally instead of leaning backwards as it does!! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Cheers

Hi Folks

From some of the previous posts I get the impression that quite a few people have this Revell kit unbuilt so this may interest some of you and come as a warning.

Hi Martin, many thanks for the heads up - I think I'll wait a while to improve my modelling skills more before building mine! Looking forward to seeing more on this, as I know it will be stunning! :grinyes:

Quick progress update. Chassis nearly completed - meanwhile a few pics of the engine.

http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/enginefrR.JPG
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/engineleft.JPG
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/engineright.JPG

This is more or less finished but will have a few more bits added when the firewall and rad are installed.

Happy New Year all

I think I have that exact model. My dad gave me a box full of older half built models like that but I dont know where it is anymore lol

I don't think it has the wrong stance for the 1:1 car, they were built for driving over some pretty rough terrain, so the suspension had to be pretty tall. it's looking good from what youve shown. and the suspension mod makes it look fantastic for a modern day driver.

This is the first time that I have tried a WIP and right now I don't know whether to recommend it or not! So far the build is going OK but I'm now waiting for the whole thing to go t*ts up and for me to make a complete fool of myself! (next time I think I'll just post a finished model)

With the basics sorted on these old 1/16 kits I usually build a mock up on the chassis. Here's how it looks right now - the stance of the car looks about right to me and the bonnet and engine are horizontal - the fit doesn't seems too bad but there are numerous sink marks and ridges in the body pieces which need sorting.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/side.jpg

I'll leave it there - as I said - it will be a long journey! Thanks for your interest - until next time.....

Martin

p.s. rsxse240 - sorry but I don't agree with you there. I'll grant you that the car had a longer suspension travel than a modern but rough terrain? in a Rolls Continental? I don't think so. These cars were made for fast long distance motoring with the minimum fuss. Sorry too - I think, if you look you will find that the Revell model is far too high
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/1933%20GN%20Sedanca.jpg
here's a similar Gurney Nutting currentaly for sale. What do you think?

nice work

Ouch! To think I nearly missed this!! :banghead:

I saw the thread title in the most recent post list and knew this had to be one of yours :lol:

Inspiring work so far as always - I'm looking forward to your next updates.

PS Thanks for the PM on the MGB - I envy you but maybe one day soon I won't need too ;)

sweet... Keep it up!

very nice subject for a build.

well saw off my knees and call me shorty! I guess I'm not accustomed to european cars of old. I failed to realize it was a rols, I thought RR was a model company I'd never heard of, or something. most "average joe" cars of this vintage were designed for deeply rutted dirt roads, with big soft buggy springs to allow for some pretty rough driving, but you are right, it's a rols, who'd be taking it off road anyway?

Great subject! I'm going to follow the heck out of this build. Great job fixing the ride, it looks to sit perfect. And that engine is immaculate! Thanks for sharing!

Hi Folks,

Not a lot of progress this week I'm afraid but as I had mentioned the chassis truss braces previously I thought I'd post a pic of them as the next stage will have the floorpan fitted.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/Chassis.jpg
These were made from alloy tube and brass wire. They'll all but disappear when the model is finished but can be seen from some angles so I thought it worth the effort in the end. The rest is just finished in satin with not a lot of detail, mainly because the springs were covered in leather and they are not particularly prominent.

At present some of the body parts are in primer and there should be more to report next time.

Until then - see ya. (and back to the grindstone!)

Looks great Martin, I love seeing these 1/16 build-ups. I've already built the Bugatti Royale and have the 540K and Mercer Raceabout to do. I'll be watching this build.

Mike.

Thanks Mike - I also have the 540K and am expecting big things for that one,
I want to convert the Royale to the Weinberger version
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/winroy2.jpg
but will have to polish up my body conversion skills a lot before then.

Meanwhile this Rolls is quite enough for me!!

Thanks for your interest - more next week.

I also have the 540K and am expecting big things for that one,
Goody! I can't wait!
Please don't keep me waiting for my next fix too long ;)

Hi - I thought it about time to revive the WIP and let you know what's been done. Due to being out of the country for a while progress has been slow - most of the time has been spent messing with the interior and at times it felt like taking 2 steps forward and 3 back!

Starting with the dashboard - I've made a new one up from two pieces as the top rail went right up to the bottom of the screen on these cars, the wood will eventually continue up the inside of the screen posts.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/interior%20bits.JPG
I've shaved the main bits off the original dash and done them with Alclad Chrome and black. At present they are only arranged in their approximate positions for the photo.

The door hinges were cut from a 3/8" piano hinge obtained from Nelson Hobbies. A lot of time was spent recessing these in the main body piece (I'll post a picture later)

The door cappings were done by reducing the thickness of the door cards by the thickness of the wood and trimming the top, front and back also so that they fit over the original piece. I've also reduced the thickness of the door top itself to fit the glass.

Quite a bit of time was spent in designing and making the door catches so that they will work from either the inside or outside. On the picture you can see one with the door card fitted and the other in all its naked glory. I think I may put a compression spring at the rear of the catch so that they return because at present the handle has to be reset manually.

And finally I've modified the seats so that they tilt forward as they should and thought it may be fun to make up some folding drinks tables in the backs - that's the seat back on the left of the picture. (I'll try and post a picture of the table folded down next time when the seat is fully assembled).

So - for now "That's all folks"

Cheers

Nice seeing this build of a classic.

Wow! That's amazing - looking forward to seeing the more detailed pics & description of how it's all built :grinyes:

Wonderful work on the interior details.

Martin, please make your photos more close-up - I've got crappy eye sight and I want to copy all your techniques :D

A bit more progress over the last couple of days. The dash gauges are not particularly realistic and needed some sort of bezels around them to bring them out a bit. I was not sure how to do this as 4 of them are quite small (2.4mm) and pretty close to each other. Eventually I used 5amp fusewire to form the circles by turning down wood dowels to the right size and wrapping the wire around them. The decal gauge was then 'painted' with Metal Foil Adhesive and the wire put in place - when it had set for a bit the entire thing was filled with a blob of adhesive and left to settle and dry. The result is a passable representation of the glass.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/dash1.JPG
Also in that shot is the seat in the forward position with the drink table closed.
and in this one open with the seat in the normal position.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/dash2.JPG
I'm not happy with that result and will be changing the table to a dummy glued onto the seat back. This is because it will be too difficult to open and close with the seat glued in position and is not really practical (it's different wood too). Also I don't like the join between the back and the seat and can fill it in easier without the table in position.

More later

p.s. how about that bow in the bottom of the screen surround? Looks as if some adjustment is needed!

Looks great! I just can't get over that woodwork...

I just tried the same thing with wire to make bezels for my S7 and I am ashamed to say that I gave up and painted it instead :(

" I just tried the same thing with wire to make bezels for my S7 and I am ashamed to say that I gave up and painted it instead "

Well I have to admit that I must have made well over a dozen before I got the four small ones that I wanted! (I'm useless with a paint brush anyway.)

Martin

Hi again - at last a bit more progress on the model. I've had a few issues with the body and getting the doors lined up properly. Mainly these were of my own making because I failed to notice that the bottom hinge is below the line of the floor which makes it difficult to secure (the top hinge is cut away for the line of the bodywork until it is virtually non-existant). Eventually I cut a piece of brass extending from the middle to bottom hinge and back to the wheelarch - this was soldered onto the existing hinges and gave a nice large area to epoxy onto the inside of the body.

Last night the floorpan and chassis were married up permanently and this is how she stands at present
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/005.JPG
This, from the rear, shows the doors open and the trunk assembly fitted temporarily.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/001.JPG
I've changed the spare wheel to wire spokes which was not too difficult once I knew which way to go. (I'll put the method on my Freewebs site later for anyone contemplating doing the same).

Since I'm no longer doing the car on the box I have changed the frontal arrangement by mounting a single spot centrally on the emergency starting handle tube which is joined to a new cross brace, both brass tubing. The trumpet horns will be fitted either side on brackets on the apron.

Here's a mock up, without the horns fitted
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/002.JPG
and another mock up which gives a better impression of how she will look
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/003.JPG
on that shot you can just see the door catch which works from both sides - I made the interior handles from brass rod and tubing. It also shows the carpeting which continued onto the doors and the bottom of the rear seat.

And lastly for now the next issue to sort out is the bonnet hinging.
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/martsmodels/004.JPG
Here you can just see how the hinge at the back of the bonnet has to stop short.
This is because there is not enough room for the thickness of the hinge on the top of the firewall without it raising the bonnet line. I'll get over this by fitting a dummy piece of hinge glued to the scuttle which will act as the rear anchor for the hinge. Hopefully I'll get away with that if I don't tell anyone - Oh dear - I just did!

For now ......... Martin

Awesome Martin. Looks like it is coming together nicely. Is it sitting low in the back or is that just the pics?

Mike

Capital stuff! She's looking absolutely spiffing! ;)

Absolutely amazing: the wood work is simply superb! Fantastic stuff: I ever loved when someone do models with "Art". Bravo!

Awesome Martin. Looks like it is coming together nicely. Is it sitting low in the back or is that just the pics?

Mike

Mike - I think it is more to do with the picture angle but I would have preferred the rear end a couple of millimetres higher - considering the original state (see beginning of thread) I'm not disappointed.

Martin

Martin - that's looking great, and lovely colour scheme! Really looking forward to seeing more as it progresses :)

Thanks to all of you - Mike - you got me thinking! Took the cutting tool to the rear suspension today and reset it! Perfect now so thanks for that crit' - much appreciated - She looks much better now.

Also - I usually fit the radiator taped together with the bonnet on these !/16 kits so that all the elements come together - on this one I have had to split the top hose piece (due to me messing with the engine position). Now it has a bend top and bottom and a real hose in between and fitting tonight brought the rad exactly into position. Whether by luck or judgement I don't know, but this will make fitting the bonnet a lot easier.

i've had trouble fitting the bonnet hinges where they seemed to show more hinge above the bonnet line at one end than the other. The actual kit bonnet has the centre chrome strip on one side but not the other - therefore that had to be taken off to accommodate the hinge, so we have to get both sides equal, taking into account the hinge we are using. I couldn't understand why I could not get the hinge to fit properly until I put a straight edge along the bonnet edges and realized that they were both warped. Sounds simple but easy to miss! A little judicious bending and now all is well!

I'll post again soon and thanks again for your input>

For the first time I feel on the downward slope on this one - ain't life grand!

Hi - the Rolls is finally finished. Pictures are in the completed gallery.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=738176

Hope you like her and thanks for all your input.