Pocher F40 WIP

[bmwmech1]

It's not an exciting update, but I completed the front subframe, tonight. Most of the joints are cleaned up and now it needs wetsanded before I plate it. I will do a copper plate first to even everything out and then a nickel plate to simulate the polished aluminum finish on the 1:1 LM version. Enjoy and thanks for looking!!!

All of the electronics brackets and radiator brackets are done along with the square tubing that mounts the front bodywork to the subframe.







BM1

[bmwmech1]

Okay, just a teaser pair of photos of the radiator... I took a bunch of pics while I was constructing this, but, I'm only posting 2 right now. I couldn't wait, so here you go...





I'll go into detail about how I made it and what I used, but I thought I'd post these 2 shots before I turned in for the night. Enjoy!!!

BM1

[bmwmech1]

Okay everyone, as promised, here's a little mini tutorial on how I made the radiator...

Started off with some brass L channel and some tin sheet stock to form the "frame"...

Then closed it up with a second piece of tin sheet...

Then cut 2 pieces of radiator P/E from crazy modeler to cover the tin...

Then used some smaller L channel to form the outside perimeter of the radiator core, trappeing the P/E against the tin...

Then made 2 blanks for the "tanks" to go on either end from brass bar stock...


Shaped them with the dremel and soldered them on either side of the core...

And finally added the brackets, tubes and pins to mount it with...


And here it is mounted in the subframe...

And attached to the chassis...


Thanks for looking!!!

BM1

[jano11]

Originally Posted by bmwmech1

Thanks for looking!!!

Thanks for sharing!

[kingkai]

Nice to see also some tutorial, I'll keep that way in mind (I done an easier one for a not so visable one on another car) Great stuff there, thank you for sharing!!

[bmwmech1]

Thanks for the compliments, everyone...
Not much done since the last post today, but I did manage to get the coolant tubes bent up and the battery tray made. Enjoy the pics!







BM1

[maxxxmasher]

Amazing work, man! Thanks for bringing it in to the shop for us to see. You gotta have it done for the 2010 spring show!!

[Shovel]

Hello BM1,

As always fantastic work your showing here. I would like to know how you manage to bend your tubes so nicely?
Whenever I try this I seem to end up with flattened bends .
Thanks for sharing this great result once again.

Mark

[bmwmech1]

Originally Posted by Shovel

Hello BM1,

As always fantastic work your showing here. I would like to know how you manage to bend your tubes so nicely?
Whenever I try this I seem to end up with flattened bends .
Thanks for sharing this great result once again.

Mark

Secret weapon... use solid rod instead of tubing when you need to make sharp bends!

BM1

[Shovel]

Thanks for sharing your "secret weapon" with me.
I'm sure it will come in handy one of these builds...

Mark

[bmwmech1]

A quick update before I turn in... got some interior work done tonight. Lots left to do, but a good start...Enjoy!!!











BM1

[rollin80s]

this is how i feel every time i see this

awesome work and keep up the great progress.

[Twowheelsrule]

I love the work you are doing! I was wondering how much of this is kit and how much is your own scratch building? This thing is amazingly detailed!



Mark

[bmwmech1]

Originally Posted by Twowheelsrule

I love the work you are doing! I was wondering how much of this is kit and how much is your own scratch building? This thing is amazingly detailed!



Mark

Hey Mark,
pretty much everything is hand-made, except the bodywork and engine, which is in the first few posts. Most of the bodywork will eventually be hand-laid fiberglass, since the kit pieces are white-metal and very heavy. All the brass frame is scratchbuilt and the styrene panels I'm doing for the interior are scratchbuilt. Actually, by the time its done, there won't be very many parts used from the kit. If you've not ever seen one of these kits in person, then it's hard to describe how mediocre the level of detail is OOB. There is a transkit available for them, which takes it into another realm, but there are still the inherent kit shortcomings which I decided to get around by building everything that was wrong, by hand. Judging by how much of the kit will not be used, you can see just how lacking I felt the kit was. As soon as I get the frame completely done and painted, the build should move along much faster... I have around 150-200 hours in the frame alone, so far, so it's been a huge undertaking, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, now...

BM1

[Robi J]

...I'm just silently admiring your incredible craftmanship...

Robi