1/8 Porsche 935/78 'Moby Dick'

Back again...

I've been making progress on several fronts since the last update - having lots of bits of new fibreglass sitting around means there's always something that needs doing! I've been on holiday for the last week and a half, so I've also been able to spend plenty of time working on one or two new parts which would be awkward to do during normal conditions.

First up, the fan shroud needed a little extra trimming and extending around the front edge. Nothing major, but it just improved the fit around the sides of the fan housing:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby680_zps7923720e.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby680_zps7923720e.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby681_zps13fc3ba9.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby681_zps13fc3ba9.jpg.html)

Next, I made the seat frame. This would be more complicated than on the 908-03 (which was basically two lengths of bent wire), as it had to include an adjuster mechanism and fit into a more confined space. I started by taping two lengths of 1/4" angle to my flat board to give me something to mount everything on:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby682_zpsbb7a1d24.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby682_zpsbb7a1d24.jpg.html)

The main frame parts are made from 3/32" styrene, with the lower bushes in 1/8". I tried to pin as much of it together as possible, but this was a real pain! I started work on the frame sometime after lunch one afternoon, and was still fiddling with it at 10pm that evening - but being able to tackle it in one hit like that just made it work. If I had been trying to do it during a normal evening - maybe an hour or so at a time - I think it would have been doubly frustrating!

So, this gave me a frame...

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby683_zps0558839c.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby683_zps0558839c.jpg.html)

...now I had to mount it into the chassis. Starting point for this would be a pair of runner channels, with some new tubes added to the floor of the main chassis frame, and then the adjuster mechanism. The runner channels would require two slots in each - I quickly decided that trying to drill and cut these out of stock channel section would be a dead-end, so I had the idea of laying up each side of the channel as a stack of strip styrene. This would allow me to create the exact size of channel I needed, and provide a much neater finish. I went on to make the adjuster mechanism in the same style - here's the basic components:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby684_zps512d5e87.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby684_zps512d5e87.jpg.html)

You can see the runner channels better in this next photo, with the adjuster mechanism on the outer side of each one. I've fitted the extra tubes into the chassis - these will eventually be greenstuffed to finish them off (as will the main seat-frame) .

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby685_zpsced8cb4e.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby685_zpsced8cb4e.jpg.html)

Moving on, I wanted to start trimming the dashboard parts and fitting them into place. As usual, this wasn't a five-minute job and it became obvious that everything was a little over-sized. I cut-and-shut the main dash-top by about 6mm to reduce it's width (front to back), then took about 8mm out of the instrument pod and the cover (left to right). You can see that I've added an extra chassis tube at the base of the windscreen - this is not original, but I felt it was necessary to give me somewhere to hang the dashboard structure from:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby686_zpse24edac5.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby686_zpse24edac5.jpg.html)

I've glued a piece of styrene sheet to the underside of the main dash panel to reinforce the joint, and a couple of lengths of angle to locate it against the new cross-tube. The cut-out in the middle will be detailed later, and eventually the whole lot will need a cloth covering. This was as far as I wanted to go with this for now - the whole front bulkhead area is weeks of work waiting to happen, but I just wanted to check that the basic idea was sound. So far, so good.

Another area which needed attention was the two mounting frames for the rear anti-roll bar. Once these were in place it would be possible to think about the bar itself, the adjusters, droplinks, etc. Some photos show a conventional bar with manually-adjusted sliders, other sources suggest a cockpit-adjustable blade-type bar. More investigation required!

Anyway, these appeared to be simple enough - five tubes for each one, mounted onto the back of the chassis frame. Not a chance! If the seat frame was a real pain, these two were the equivalent of having salt rubbed-in afterwards. They fought me every step of the way - tubes having to be cut and filed this way and that, tying to pin as much as possible, clashing with existing pins that were already in the frame from 18 months ago...not fun. However, I continued and eventually managed to beat them into shape:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby687_zpsc993afd2.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby687_zpsc993afd2.jpg.html)

I don't want to do that again!

The last big project I wanted to get underway this week was the turbo installation. I remembered from the 917-10 that these were particularly fiddly, but at least with that project I had some solid measurements to work with. Rather than using flexible tubing to make the main bodies of the turbo units, I decided to create them using short lengths of styrene tube:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby688_zpsa8e3cfa3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby688_zpsa8e3cfa3.jpg.html)

...then with plenty of greenstuff added to fill in the gaps:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby689_zpsca0a58bd.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby689_zpsca0a58bd.jpg.html)

The two units at the left and top of the photo will connect to the intercoolers on the top of the engine, the other two will connect to the exhausts. The whole lot will be hung from the back of the engine, something like this:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby690_zps7e7a2b80.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby690_zps7e7a2b80.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby691_zps905daa26.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby691_zps905daa26.jpg.html)

The styrene engine plate has been pressed into use here to allow me to make a dummy mounting for the turbo - I wanted to make sure the overall spacing was going to work, that everything would clear, no fouls, etc. The turbo parts are still a little rough - I've given the greenstuff an initial smoothing - but I wasn't going to go overboard with the detailing until I was happy they were actually going to fit. I think they will be okay, so there's still plenty to do here - I'll be dropping in an out of this for the next few weeks.

That's everything up to date for now. The work continues...

SB

I've exhausted all my superlatives... :)

ianc

What more can there be said, about this work of art ?
I'm all out of words :eek2::eek2::eek2:
Great job.

Mark

Once more, thanks for the support guys. There's still probably another year or more to go on this project, and it's hard to keep things 'fresh' when so much of it sometimes feels like a re-run of the 908. The bit that worries me now is the thought that this all still needs to be painted and assembled...

Meanwhile...continuing with the turbo/intercooler plumbing, I felt that the two compressor units were a little undersized. So, I added an extra layer of styrene tube to the outlets, and another smear of greenstuff all the way around. This was enough to give them some extra bulk, without requiring a full re-build. After filing and smoothing, I added the half-round detailing around the edge and finally the rib detailing on the back face. There's still a little more to be done - bolt detailing, some tab washers, etc - but this can all be added later.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby692_zpsc85797ea.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby692_zpsc85797ea.jpg.html)

Next job was to start on the pipework which would connect the compressor units to the inlet side of the two intercoolers. I wanted to use styrene tube for this, rather than flexible hose - mainly to get the dimensions right - but I would still use it for creating the inner structure, as shown:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby693_zps392d9f49.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby693_zps392d9f49.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby694_zpsa72b3d69.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby694_zpsa72b3d69.jpg.html)

The two sets of pipes are not supposed to be identical - the connections to the compressors both exit at different angles. The left-hand pipe in particular has to pass through a small gap under the alternator:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby695_zps6a5e5662.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby695_zps6a5e5662.jpg.html)

Both sets of pipes get quite close to the fan shroud in places, too:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby696_zps41453ac0.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby696_zps41453ac0.jpg.html)

This is as far as I'm going to go with these for now - until I get the rest of the turbo installation in place. There will be two extra short 'S' pipes added to connect them to the compressors, but I want the compressors positions fixed before starting that job!

Moving to the underside of the engine, it was time to start on the exhaust pipes. These would use a similar construction method as for the intercooler, but are somewhat more complicated in shape:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby697_zps64fc1a21.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby697_zps64fc1a21.jpg.html)

Not the best photo, but it gives an idea of the internals - I've tried to pin all the joints for strength, and to stop it all falling apart while I'm actually building it! The smaller sections of tube (1/8") will get another sequence of larger 3/16" tube slid over the top, before adding greenstuff to fill and smooth out the gaps:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby698_zps0359ef01.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby698_zps0359ef01.jpg.html)

...and then I'll start on the other side! The exhaust pipe flanges to connect to the underside of the heads will need to be added and detailed later, as will the main connection to the turbine units. Also on the underside of the engine there are a couple of solid water pipes, but these should fit below the level of the exhaust.

So, I should still be busy with the pipework through next week, before continuing with detailing the turbos, making pressure valves, tailpipes, etc, as well as finally trying to make the fibreglass engine mounting plate work - all these parts have to be hung from it too. Right now I don't think I'll be planning to do any more new fibreglass work over the Christmas holidays - there's plenty to be getting on with in other areas. The wheel covers need all their fins fitting, for example.

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

SB

another update that leaves us all speechless with the attention to detail :)

Yet again, you leave us speechless SB. Incredible work you've done so far.
It's always anxiously checking the inbox to see if there are new updates to this fantastic project of yours.
Superb work, yet again...

Mark

Fantastic!

Question: 'Greenstuff'? What is this? Appears to be very easy to work with.

Anthony

Hello Anthony,

'Greenstuff' is a two-part modelling putty made by Citadel / Games Workshop. It's 'stuff', and it's green! Here's the packet:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby699_zpsec4c8c6d.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby699_zpsec4c8c6d.jpg.html)

They also do a liquid version in a small pot which you can brush on. I'm not claiming it's the cheapest putty / filler out there, or the best, but it's the one I've used for my modelling for about the last 20 years. It doesn't react with styrene, either, which is a good thing.

I really should be on commission...!

SB

I just can't wrap my head around this. I struggle with trying to figure out how to go about making small 1/24 parts. This is mindblowing.

Hello everyone,

It doesn't seem possible that exactly one year ago I started cutting the first bits of styrene to make the engine for this project - it feels like no time at all! Of course, it's a long way from being finished, but if I'm honest it's probably more complete than I thought it would be...

Continuing with the exhaust system, here's both set of primaries in place, ready for filling and shaping:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby700_zps611d9abc.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby700_zps611d9abc.jpg.html)

Here's a quick detail of how I created the internal structure for the collector section - the clear plastic hose is a nice tight fit inside the styrene once the copper wire is pushed in too:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby701_zps781a1fa6.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby701_zps781a1fa6.jpg.html)

The gaps were filled with greenstuff, as usual, then the whole lot given a once-over with a file, emery cloth and fine wet-and-dry paper to take the corners off. I'll spend more time on this later, but for now this is enough! You can also see where I've added the flanges where the primaries attach to the heads - these will eventually be glued to each pipe and detailed with hex bolts, etc. They also go a good job of disguising any gaps between the two parts...

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby702_zps3f423ba2.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby702_zps3f423ba2.jpg.html)

Back to the turbo units, the next job was to make the two tailpipes:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby703_zpsd6ac5711.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby703_zpsd6ac5711.jpg.html)

...and here's everything mounted on the back of the engine:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby704_zps9e11d8fd.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby704_zps9e11d8fd.jpg.html)

It's not obvious from this photo, but I've also spent some time bulking-up the outside of the turbo units (similar to what I did with the compressors earlier) and added various flanges, etc. These were all created by gluing lengths of half-round section to appropriate sizes of tube, then cutting slices to length as required. Much easier than cutting the half-round into small pieces first...

At this stage you can also see that the main mounting plates for the turbo units have been refined and shaped to match the flanges.

Before going much further with the turbo installation I wanted to prove whether the fibreglass engine mounting plate would work. First step, use the original styrene version as a template and mark it up:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby705_zpsb89f5ab6.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby705_zpsb89f5ab6.jpg.html)

Although the fibreglass version is about 0.75mm thick (same as the styrene) I felt that it needed some reinforcement. So, I've added a single layer of 0.25mm styrene sheet to the back face - the tricky part here was bending it to match the shape of the fibreglass:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby706_zpsadd6d3c1.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby706_zpsadd6d3c1.jpg.html)

I left the styrene version oversize whilst it was CA'd in place, then trimmed it to size afterwards. The end result seems noticeably stiffer than before, despite it only being 0.25mm sheet - I'm pleased with the result.

To continue assembling the turbos I've added brackets to the main mounting plates, then drilled and pinned these to the engine plate. I've pushed a tube through both to allow me to mount both sets of turbo units onto a common shaft - this should make it easier to get both sides in line and at the correct angle. The outermost compressor units also have mounting plates attached - these are not obvious on the real car, but close inspection of the Freisinger photos shows them in place. Here's my version:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby707_zps8bdc098f.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby707_zps8bdc098f.jpg.html)

This is still work-in progress - I'll probably refine the shape of the brackets slightly, add some lightening holes, bolt details, etc. For now I'm just trying to get it all to hang together and make sure everything is pointing in the right direction. In this final photo you can see how the 'joggle' in the engine plate gives extra clearance on the end of the right-hand cam cover - there'll be a need for this eventually. I'll add the tubes for the connection to the chassis later, too.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby708_zps7f7e3f04.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby708_zps7f7e3f04.jpg.html)

...and that's it for today. For the next few days it's time with the family and Christmas-type stuff, so the modelling will be on hold until the weekend. I'm planning a final post before the end of the year which will hopefully show what I've been doing since the start of the project.

So, wherever you are and whatever you're going to be doing this week, have a good time and a Happy Christmas.

All the best,

SB

Still speechless SB

John

All the best to you too for Christmas, and look forward to the continuation of this amazing story in 2015!

Anthony

Hello again,

It's mainly been little detailing jobs for the last few days, trying to get the turbo parts closer to completion:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby709_zpsbb838b27.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby709_zpsbb838b27.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby710_zps95467b99.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby710_zps95467b99.jpg.html)

The tailpipes have been greenstuffed and fettled smooth, with extra detailing added to the mounting plates. I've made the small tab washers for both the turbo and compressor units and started adding some hex-heads. There's also two connecting sections which fit in between, complete with the small filter (?) units you can see at the bottom of the photo. Getting all this together has allowed me to start fixing the positions of the mounting brackets to the engine plate, too.

So, not outstanding progress but they've all been fiddly little jobs!

As it's the end of another year I wanted to get everything together for a 'progress so far' photo. Here's what nearly three years of work looks like:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby711_zps0af15079.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby711_zps0af15079.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby712_zpsdaae0e2c.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby712_zpsdaae0e2c.jpg.html)

Plans for 2015? Finish the core engine components. Get the interior looking more like it should - gear shift, steering wheel, dashboard, etc. Sort out the fuel tank, oil tank, etc. Bodywork jobs - doors, nose section detailing, engine cover, rear wing etc...plus anything else that comes to mind. I keep thinking I should write a full job-list, but it would be so long that I don't think it would help!

So, that's it for today - and this year. All the best for 2015.

SB

One of the best work ever seen on AF...! :naughty:
so much impressive. :iceslolan

Another year of great updates, happy new year SB.

happy new year sb! that pic of all the completed stuff so far is just so amazing and shows your awesome skills.

Not a massive update tonight, as will hopefully become clear...

To be honest, I was a little disappointed when I laid out all the components for those last two photos - I was thinking that there would be more! However, I know that most of my effort in 2014 was focussed on the engine and gearbox, but each of these parts was in turn a collection of smaller sub-projects.

So, the last thing I wanted to get done on the engine before having a change of scene was to sort out the two turbo wastegates. I started making components for the first unit, and as this progressed I decided that rather than build both together, I would keep the second kit of bits as a contrast - and to convince myself that even a small single part such as this requires a large number of individual pieces!

Here's the first wastegate - not completely assembled, but ready for the second one to play catch-up:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby713_zps4f0bace3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby713_zps4f0bace3.jpg.html)

...and here's where it will fit on the engine:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby715_zps944fe0e4.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby715_zps944fe0e4.jpg.html)

So - how many pieces have to be cut, trimmed, filed and glued to get this far? Here's 88 of them:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby716_zpsdcb33702.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby716_zpsdcb33702.jpg.html)

No doubt there will be a few more added once I get both units to the same stage, but you can see what I'm getting at! I dread to think how many pieces like this went into the engine or the gearbox...but it shows where the time goes. None of the pieces are particularly complicated, it's just working out how to achieve the shape you want and - hopefully - finding a simple way to do it.

I'll spend the next few evenings assembling this lot into the second wastegate, then add a little greenstuff, etc. I won't connect them to the exhaust system just yet - I'll only do that when the engine is glued together and there is less chance of things shifting position.

All the best,

SB

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby711_zps0af15079.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby711_zps0af15079.jpg.html)


Love this photo and your progress. I think is more than impressive.
Do you plan to finish it, within 2015?

Keep modelling...

You could package that wastegate up and sell it as a model itself!

ianc

Trying to view the thread but my eyes keep popping out of their holes... Stunning work. And patience...
/Joel

Your having extraordinary abilities.
Awesome work.

Greets Michael

Thanks, everyone!

Will it be finished this year? I don't think so. There's still so much to make, and then it all has to be painted and assembled - and there's lots of jobs that I probably won't be able to do until the final build is underway. The 908-03 was a full year to paint and assemble, for example. I'm hoping that by the end of this year it will be looking more like a complete car, even if the main colours will be 'styrene white' and 'fibreglass clear'!

My big worry is how I'm going to handle the closed bodywork and the fact that some of it is integral to the structure of the car - it's not like the other Porsche's I've made where the bodywork can be fitted to the chassis at the last moment. Big worry number two is the windscreen, headlight covers, etc. Getting the Martini stripes right will also be fun, and I'll have to start researching appropriate logos and text for the decals. Maybe I need to write a full job-list after all...

SB

I am just curious to see what kind of best of the show (and how quickly) you can take with this jewel when complete at Telford...

btw SB how much does it weight a beast like this when completed?

Hi Paolo - assuming this project is eventually completed, I don't think it will ever see a proper 'competition career' - I said a long time ago that I wouldn't enter it in a future AFMOTY, and I've never been to Telford...! I appreciate the compliment, though - thank you.

Weight is interesting. These are the figures for some of my other projects -

VD RF82 FF2000 0.4kg
Porsche 917-10 1kg
Porsche 908-03 0.95kg

I would expect the complete Moby to be comfortably over the 1kg mark - there's more bodywork, bigger wheels, tyres and calipers, more ali and brass in the chassis frame, extra interior detailing, etc. Right now the chassis as shown in the recent photo is about 0.3kg, and the engine and gearbox about 0.15kg.

Remind me to put it on the scales when it's finished!

SB

I wonder how much you consume polystyrene to build this model.

Hello everyone,

Hi M.Boy - I have no idea how much styrene goes into these models, but I suspect that I keep buying more new packets than I use! It's always good to have plenty available, so that you've got it when you need it.

So, what have I been up to? Firstly, the second turbo wastegate has been assembled to match the original:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby717_zpse6dc5c42.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby717_zpse6dc5c42.jpg.html)

Then for a change of scene I decided to start working on the gear linkage. The main rod is 1/8" ali tube, with 3/32" styrene tube telescoping in at each end. There's a small universal joint on the rear end just ahead of the gearbox, with a pinch-block arrangement - you can just see where I've drilled through the ali to create the appearance of a slot:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby718_zpsadf40713.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby718_zpsadf40713.jpg.html)

Here you can see the linkage fitted in place, together with the early stages of the gear-lever support. I've glued a piece of thin fibreglass into the front of the support to hopefully reduce the chances of the styrene distorting over time.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby719_zpse4c02042.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby719_zpse4c02042.jpg.html)

The front end of the linkage will connect to the bottom of the gear-lever as shown here. I wanted to use another 'pearl' as the pivot balljoint in the centre (as well as for the gearknob on top) but struggled to drill one without cracking! Styrene detailing does the job okay, though. The top half of the lever will be trimmed to the right length eventually, and there's a small slice of hex-section to sit below the knob.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby720_zps0a9a64bb.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby720_zps0a9a64bb.jpg.html)

Finally, on the front of the gear-lever support tower there will be a small extension to mount the turbo boost control :

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby721_zps7f6a49c4.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby721_zps7f6a49c4.jpg.html)

I hope to have all this finished by the weekend so I can move on to the next job...

SB

understood Sb about contest. Like all the MASTER I know, also you prefer to skip theme. For too many point of views suspect you are definitely right.
Just sad cause such incredible work seen for real should be only breathetaking.

I hope, better, I pray, if someone skilled with pc stuff can help you in prepare a PDF file with the complete build up process of this art in scale you are able to create with your hands.Both for this and the 908 you showed before.

they are simply incredible,and in a giant scale.
I just thank you for any step you show us.

Continuing with the gear linkage and other controls, I've added some detailing to the underside of the boost knob, and the small triangular sideplates which support it. The front end of the gear linkage has a small 'reaction rod' which allows it to rotate, and this attaches to a small bracket on the left-hand side. I made some small rod-end joint details from 3.2mm round styrene with punched discs and hex slices, and the ali rod is 1.5mm diameter - there are locknuts on each end, 1.6mm across flats...!

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby723_zps6d4e5ef4.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby723_zps6d4e5ef4.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby724_zpsd768a53f.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby724_zpsd768a53f.jpg.html)

The gear lever is still in-progress - needs a little more greenstuff on the top half and some subtle shaping to take the hard corners off. Here's a slightly out-of-focus shot of the complete linkage:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby722_zps56341efa.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby722_zps56341efa.jpg.html)

Next job was to add some small tubes to the chassis to support the anti-roll bar adjuster lever. These are pinned together and also pinned into the chassis tubes for strength:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby725_zps15913e83.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby725_zps15913e83.jpg.html)

The lever connects via two cables to rotating blades on the front roll-bar (or 'sway bar', if you like!), allowing the blades to rotate from a vertical position (fully stiff) to a horizontal position (fully soft). I've seen no evidence to confirm they used a similar arrangement on the rear - unfortunately the Freisinger photos don't show the rear bar at all, but the lack of a second control suggests it's a conventional bar with manual adjustment. I'm assuming that with all the fuel in the nose of the car it made sense to be able to play with the shifting handling balance by adjusting the front, rather than the rear.

Anyway, the lever rotates on a toothed quadrant, and a spring mechanism allows it to move from one position to another. I've used two lengths of half-round section to create the two sides of the lever, with different widths of 0.5mm strip in the middle to represent the detail:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby726_zpsfca851a3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby726_zpsfca851a3.jpg.html)

The two halves will eventually be sandwiched around the quadrant, like this:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby727_zps43cc4662.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby727_zps43cc4662.jpg.html)

I'll trim the lever to length once I've got the mounting sorted out, then add the release button to the top. Add some small joint detailing to the bottom, and it's ready to connect to the cables.

That's it for tonight - more next week.

SB

What is there to say but gorgeous work as usual!

ianc

I know of one thing to say, Thank you!

Thanks for taking the time and effort to share your builds and explain your techniques.

I have been following along for years and I am constantly inspired by your way of breaking down an object and then building it from scratch.

Bravo!

Yours in deep admiration,
Dan

Cheers, Dan, Ian - still plenty more to do!

First up, the roll-bar adjuster lever has been cut to length, glued in place around the central quadrant, and had the small button detail added to the top. Down below I've drilled through and added another couple of rod-end details which will eventually connect to the cables. The lozenge-shaped mounting plates were cut from 0.75mm sheet, and a thin groove cut up the middle to allow the quadrant plate to locate properly. Hex-head and washer detailing to finish them off:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby728_zps3753e405.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby728_zps3753e405.jpg.html)

Just ahead of the lever mechanism I've added the bracket which will provide the anchor for the adjuster cables - the locknuts and sleeves are in place, ready for the wires to be attached on final assembly. There's a limit to how much of this I can fix in place now without making it impossible to paint later - the adjuster mechanism, for example, will be kept separate .

Moving on, I decided to start tackling the fire extinguisher bottles. Not a big deal, but I'm trying to continue bringing the cockpit area to life before I return to the dashboard and instrument pod again! Photos show two bottles mounted in the passenger footwell, of different sizes, but in some of the Freisinger photos there is also a third black bottle lurking under the dashboard. I'll leave this mystery bottle for now, and focus on the main pair.

Starting point was a couple of lengths of my trusty 'till-roll' tubes from work - the smaller approx. 14.8mm diameter, the other approx. 15.8mm. The ends were capped with a combination of smaller sizes of styrene tube and punched discs, providing a firm base for the domed ends to follow:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby729_zpsc9d56e0e.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby729_zpsc9d56e0e.jpg.html)

One end of the smaller bottle was plugged internally to create a recessed appearance. The larger bottle was wrapped with a layer of 0.4mm sheet styrene to increase the diameter further, and then sections of tube were added the ends to give a foundation for the greenstuff to follow. This was shaped largely by rotating the bottle into the cup of the palm of my hand, with only a little fettling with wet-n-dry paper afterwards. Here's the two bottles in position on the chassis (having added the two extra tubes, of course!)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby730_zps605d24de.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby730_zps605d24de.jpg.html)

This just leaves the firing-head detailing to be sorted out - the larger one will have a boss added to the top of the tank, and the smaller one has a conventional connection at the far end - I've left a socket in the greenstuff ready to accept this later on.

The mountings for the bottles are clearly shown in photos as being two pairs of 'UU'-shaped straps. My first thought was to make these in brass - before remembering that I had a small sheet of 0.4mm ali too. This would probably be easier to drill than the brass, and would - hopefully - be easier to bend into shape (without springing open too much). The extra obvious benefit was that it would also be the correct colour...!

I cut four 3mm strips from the end of the ali sheet - each one curled up as per the photo, but easily straightened out afterwards. I bent the strip around the smaller of the two bottles first, but used this section to cradle the larger bottle; I then bent it around an even smaller piece of styrene tube to create the cradle for the 'small' bottle. Sounds odd, but once they're placed around the two bottles it all works out.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby731_zpsc3606f40.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby731_zpsc3606f40.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby732_zpsa88a6a62.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby732_zpsa88a6a62.jpg.html)

The tricky part was adding the two folded ends to each strap - making sure that the two pairs met in the middle afterwards! This seems to have worked okay. The ends will eventually be drilled and pinned together (with hex-detailing), as well as being trimmed to length and rounded-off - but I'll leave this until I've got the bottles painted and ready to fit...just in case. I'll also drill and pin through the underside of each bottle, through the bottom strap and into the chassis tubes to that it can all be temporarily assembled - you should see this next time. Now all I have to do is to find a suitable fire-bottle label I can turn into a couple of decals for these!

That's all for tonight. Have a good week!

SB

Crikey SB, please tell me you didn't cut those ally sheet strips with regular tin snips? I use them all day long and can't cut that straight!!! Nice work as usual! :)

Hello everyone,

Yes, Cinqster - just a steady hand and a pair of snips! I suppose I could have used our big guillotine at work, but that would have been overkill for this job. It was annoying that each strip curled-up so much, but they straightened out surprisingly well. I've used the offcuts from the strips to make some small curved pieces to stop the bottles moving forward or backwards, so these will be glued beneath the two lower supports.

Staying in the footwell area, I wanted to start working on the brake pedal assembly. On the Moby the whole pedal and master cylinder arrangement is mounted onto an I-shaped frame, which bolts onto the floor rails - this is good for me as I can leave it off the car during manufacture, then fix it in place later when it's all painted. I've taken basic measurements from the 917's pedal set-up and combined this with the Freisinger reference photos to get a feel for where everything should be - you can see a basic layout positioned under the frame in this photo:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby733_zps8126daa8.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby733_zps8126daa8.jpg.html)

However, once I'd done this it was clear that there was a problem with the fibreglass mouldings for the front inner wing panels - the wheelarch section protruded into the footwell too much, and would compromise the pedal layout. After much re-checking of several photos, I decided the only way to continue was to cut-and-shut the wing panels - you can see in the photo above how the bottom edge of the curved section of panel now follows the line of the diagonal chassis tube. The next photo shows the comparison between the revised panel (left) and the original (right):

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby734_zpsded85cb3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby734_zpsded85cb3.jpg.html)

For now the two parts are only glued together, but I'll add some filler or greenstuff later to reinforce and camouflage the joint.

Cutting the panels like this means I've now lost the forward part of each one - no problem, as they couldn't have been re-used anyway. I spent most of Sunday morning fiddling around with thin cardboard trying to get a good fit for the template:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby735_zpsdc6048c3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby735_zpsdc6048c3.jpg.html)

Filling the gap between the front strut tower and the wing panel will still be a fun job, but it should be possible. It HAS to be possible!

So, once I was happy the front inner wings weren't going to get in the way, I could return to the pedals - or at least, the mountings. I used 1/8" x 1/4" box-section to create the two triangular brackets, then a length of 3/16" x 5/16" for the main channel. I'll attach the pedal pivots to the front of this, then add the master cylinder support behind. The two brackets need some extra detailing and filling, but should work for now:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby736_zps240553ec.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby736_zps240553ec.jpg.html)

That's it for tonight. I'll continue with the pedals this week and hope to have something to show next Monday - plus a bunch of photos from Race Retro...

SB

Nice one SB! Enjoy Race Retro...unfortunately, I can't make this year, but please make sure you photograph the astounding 1/1 alloy replica of my RS60 model - you'll will love it! :smokin:

Well, I will say it again......SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT AND TRULY SPECTACULAR!!!.....sorry for the bold "screaming" text.......but this Porsche model project is REALLY that good!

Fantastic improvements on the buiild SB.
I love the craftmansship in your building skills...

Mark

Hello again,

I've been making slow progress with the pedal assembly recently, but it's nearly there. First, here's a shot with the master cylinder bracket in the early stages, and the brake pedal mounted onto the front of the bracket you saw last time:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby737_zpse8133726.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby737_zpse8133726.jpg.html)

The master cylinders have been built onto the back of the bracket and will connect to remote reservoirs later:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby738_zpsb9cd6072.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby738_zpsb9cd6072.jpg.html)

Fast-forward a few days and here's the whole lot - all three pedals, pushrods, hex-nut detailing, etc, and both brackets connected together:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby739_zps9472cd00.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby739_zps9472cd00.jpg.html)

All three pedals sit on the one pivot shaft - there will be a support for the clutch end, but you can just see where the ali tube has been drilled and a very small split-pin has been added to prevent the throttle pedal falling off! I've still got to do some work on the brake cylinder pushrods and the throttle return spring, and the short ali tube part-way up the pedal will be trimmed once I've got the throttle cable sorted out. Here's the assembly in place on the chassis:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby740_zpsb8cb8630.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby740_zpsb8cb8630.jpg.html)

So, a few small jobs still to do, but the hard work is all done. It's taken longer than I thought, but the last couple of weeks have been disrupted with work, weekend activities, etc...

As promised, here's a few shots taken at RaceRetro at Stoneleigh on Feb 20th:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2673_zps41be1ff3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2673_zps41be1ff3.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2687_zpsb8064506.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2687_zpsb8064506.jpg.html)

Two extremes of Fiat - the little Abarth, and a recreation of the 1905 Isotta-Fraschini...16.5 litres, 820lbs/ft of torque....

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2692_zps2058e806.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2692_zps2058e806.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2700_zps4a2266ef.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2700_zps4a2266ef.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2725_zpsca010fab.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2725_zpsca010fab.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2726_zps284239e1.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2726_zps284239e1.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2702_zpsee7e58ab.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2702_zpsee7e58ab.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2657_zps39c40fd3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2657_zps39c40fd3.jpg.html)

Now, this was a surprise! Not a 935-78, but it was the closest I was going to get - needless to say I spent quite a bit of time crawling around, taking detail photos that might come in useful one day...

Finally, this one's for Cinqster:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2693_zpsd1177e91.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2693_zpsd1177e91.jpg.html)

Just a small selection - there was so much more, with bikes, rally cars, etc, plus plenty of books, models, tools and so on to browse through. If you're in the UK and haven't been, it's definitely worth a visit - there's always something that surprises: this year for me it was the K3, two years ago it was the pair of 908-03's, so anything is possible!

Have a good week,

SB

Well I thought you had a real Moby Dick in your garage as reference ? :D
So close to the real thing, it's just beyond my understanding ;)

your work is mnd boggling, where did you get your reference work from ?

Evening all,

I promise that this is the last you'll see of the pedals for a while - I spent most of last week making the clevis' for the clutch pedal, re-making the master cylinder pushrods and balance bar parts, adding a few more bits of hex-detail, etc. After all that I applied some Liquid Greenstuff to start filling the cracks and creating some welds. Here's the sub-assembly:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby741_zpsb35e802b.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby741_zpsb35e802b.jpg.html)

...and on the car:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby742_zps2d825f7f.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby742_zps2d825f7f.jpg.html)

It's not totally finished, but it's finished enough for now! After three weeks fiddling with this I felt it was time to move on to something else for a while; staying at the front of the car, I turned my attention to the oil tank.

I'd already made a foam prototype for this some time ago, so after a little final trimming using the hot-wire, I started adding 0.5mm styrene sheet panels to the exterior. I used plenty of double-sided tape, then glued the panels together along the edges - with very little damage to the foam core:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby743_zps82a1d297.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby743_zps82a1d297.jpg.html)

This process was actually quite satisfying - it was much quicker (and easier) than trying to create the tank from scratch as an internal frame. None of the panels are 'square', so it would have taken ages to mark everything out, and very difficult to maintain the correct shape. Instead, the foam core provided the templates and it was easy enough to leave the panels oversize then sand them to shape once glued.

The bottom of the oil tank sits in a small vaguely-triangular-shaped cradle which is attached to one of the lower frame tubes. I added this extension to the foam core using 1/8" x 1/4" box section:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby744_zps5c3f8b41.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby744_zps5c3f8b41.jpg.html)

By the end of last night the whole tank was covered, with all the seams glued and filed flat. Later I'll add greenstuff to provide the welding seams. Here's how it sits in the front of the chassis:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby745_zps3bd2cbff.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby745_zps3bd2cbff.jpg.html)

So, that's the relatively easy bit. Now I have to add an extension to the top which will fit either side of the X-frame, and gives me somewhere to attach the pipes. I'll be working on this during the week and hope to have it ready for the next update. On the 908-03 I used sections of round frame sprue from old model kits to create right-angle pipe elbows, etc - I need to start digging out some more before I start working on the plumbing for the oil, water, and fuel systems, so that's a job for this week, too.

Hi Chris, Rgriffs - the simple answer is, there is very little accurate reference material for the 935-78. The chassis frame has been designed to fit inside the bodywork, but I have not seen any official drawings or measurements for it - I just keep hoping that everything will fit in the end!

There are various drawings around for the 911 engine, but not necessarily the same engine as in this car - I've taken information from drawings of the basic 911 crankcase and combined this with the water-cooled heads from the later 956/962. Maybe not 100% accurate, but so far it's all working out. Everything else has come from photos in books, online, etc, all of which makes accurate measurement virtually impossible. This lack of hard information is the main reason why this project is taking so long - I'm having to design so much of it as I go along!

All the best,

SB

Great solution on the tank!

ianc

I-N-S-A-N-E-!-!-!:screwy::screwy::screwy:

Absolutely amazing!

Art

Great job!

Hello again,

Continuing with the tanks again tonight. First up, I made the extension for the top of the oil tank which will allow the X-brace to pass through it. It's all 5/16 x 3/16 section, with an outer skin of 0.75mm sheet:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby746_zps9fcb807e.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby746_zps9fcb807e.jpg.html)

With the top panels fitted and some greenstuff added, it ends up like this:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby747_zpsc115fdda.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby747_zpsc115fdda.jpg.html)

The fuel tank created a problem; in reality it's almost certainly an ali tank with a fibreglass covering, but the practicalities of recreating this in miniature were...challenging. If I just laid-up onto the foam it would be very tricky - so many corners and angles - and it would probably start to lose the 'crispness'. Even if I used the flat-sheet fibreglass as a substitute for styrene, I'd still have gaps to fill, and flanges and details to add later.

The main drawback with using styrene sheet instead was the lack of texture, and the need to paint it afterwards. Both these issues can be overcome - it just requires a little work! So, I started panelling the tank:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby748_zps5e7ea769.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby748_zps5e7ea769.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby749_zps2e39e846.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby749_zps2e39e846.jpg.html)

I took a thin slice off one or two of the faces before adding the styrene - I didn't want the tank growing unexpectedly and clashing with something I'd already made - the battery tray, for example, or the rad ducts. Most of the panels are 0.5mm think, but where there will be fittings and connections I'll be using two layers of thinner sheet - one to be the tank, and the top layer to be cut-away as the fibreglass 'skin'.

With the main fuel tank progressing, I could also start on the smaller collector tank which sits in the front-right corner of the nose. Same story as for the main tank - a little trimming beforehand to make sure it sits where I want it. I'm also very aware that there's not a huge amount of clearance between the top of the chassis and the inside of the bonnet, and there will be some pipework to thread through the gap - so I'd rather the tanks be a little short and pack them up into place, than to have them too tall! Here's all three tanks in position:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby750_zpsf360c435.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby750_zpsf360c435.jpg.html)

So, that's where I've got to. Still plenty to do, including the small extension section which connects to the back of the main tank. There's lots of detailing required where all the connections are, too, so that's not going to be a five-minute job.

Have a good week,

SB

Hello again,

The fuel tank created a problem; in reality it's almost certainly an ali tank with a fibreglass covering......

Have a good week,

SB

Nice work Simon!! Keep on going!!

The tank more then likely is only made up of a fiberglass shell. I have been working on 935-001 from 1976 and this is how the tank is for the 001 chassis. Really quite crude, in fact, I am surprised at how crude overall the 935-001 chassis is in the modifications made by the factory to convert it from an assembly line 930 chassis to a 935 chassis. After working on so many 550's and RSK's I would have hoped for better from a 935 but in fact the early cars (550's and RSK's) were not built by the factory but contracted out to coach builders and ex areospace fabricators. The factory in the 70's still had a long way to go to raise their level of fabrication to what other car companies were able to achieve when it came to one off race cars.

:):):)

I have really nothing useful to say.

Just restart thinking our sb is a cnc machine,with a typical british hand :)

jesus christ man, your art is something not human.

Evening, all.

Apologies for the slow update - the new racing season has begun and the last few weeks have been...busy...around the workshop! I spent the Easter weekend down at Thruxton for our first meeting - 6 hours driving to get there on Good Friday, but only 3 hours to get back on Sunday night - funny how that works!

Anyway, in between all this I have been making progress. I continued panelling the main fuel tank, then started to add the detailing around the filler-neck cut-outs:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby751_zpsbf75f381.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby751_zpsbf75f381.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby752_zps0462cabd.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby752_zps0462cabd.jpg.html)

To make it easier to fit the tank into place each time, I added an X-frame to the base which fits over the chassis tubes:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby753_zpsbfbfc23a.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby753_zpsbfbfc23a.jpg.html)

Having spent more time working on the tanks than I expected, I wanted a change of scene for a while. So, pipework. The 935-78 uses a mixture of external piping and the chassis tubes to route all the fluids around the car - I worked out what went where some time ago by checking all the Freisinger photos, so now I have to make the parts.

Previous experience with bending tube has not made me a fan. Yes, styrene tube can be heated and shaped, but it can be a hit-and-miss affair and very easy to get it wrong. Similarly, ali or brass tube is not straight-forward either - too easy to crush it rather than curve it, and you don't always get the bends exactly where you want them!

So, I used the same method as used for the exhaust pipes - a wire core, then build up the shape with different-sized slices of styrene tube, with greenstuff to smooth out afterwards:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby757_zpsa1bce705.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby757_zpsa1bce705.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby758_zps3829fdfd.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby758_zps3829fdfd.jpg.html)

In addition to the 'metal' pipe bends, I would also need various sections of flexible hose. In the photo above you can see one of the intercooler hoses - 3mm diameter o-ring cord, with M2.5 nuts and ali tube detailing.

In this photo you can see the plumbing at an early stage - the section I'm holding is one of the external pipes for the intercooler rad, with the hose piece on the end. The oil cooler has a slightly larger diameter pipe connecting it to the chassis tube - there will be a conventional hose with clips added later on:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby754_zps0bef0ba8.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby754_zps0bef0ba8.jpg.html)

On the other side of the car, here's the feed out of the oil tank into the chassis:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby755_zps4073b6b8.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby755_zps4073b6b8.jpg.html)

Finally, here's the connection from the intercooler rad on the other side, and the feed into the top of the oil tank - this will have to pass through the fibreglass exit duct when everything is assembled.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby756_zps7d7e2aa0.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby756_zps7d7e2aa0.jpg.html)

With the pipework at the front of the car under control, it was time to return to the engine bay. A couple of the bends you saw earlier will end up here - to connect to the intercooler system - and I'll have to add some extra detailing to the engine for the oil lines. I fitted three tubes missing from the frame - one over the gearbox, and the two small diagonals you can see next to the triangular fibreglass panels. Tidying these with greenstuff is a job for later this week.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby759_zpsa4f01751.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby759_zpsa4f01751.jpg.html)

So, the immediate plan is to work on the intercooler water pump and the pipework across the front of the engine. There's a little guesswork required here, as the photos don't give a clear view of how it's all arranged - as long as it all fits, I'll be happy. After that it's time to start on the pipework for the two side-mounted head-cooling rads - so that's more bends, two extra water pumps, the four 'rails' which feed the heads, etc. Should keep me busy for a while...

Paolo - thanks, much appreciated. You've got me worrying about my hands, though...!

More next time.

SB

Where have the last two weeks gone?

Tonight's update is very much work-in-progress. Everything recently has been very fiddly and time-consuming, so there's not necessarily a lot to see, but I wanted to show that I haven't been neglecting my work!

The layout of the 935-78's engine requires that both sides have their own individual cooling system for the heads (the rads behind the doors). There's also a separate water system for the intercoolers, running to the rad at the front of the car. So, that's three water pumps to be made and plumbed-in...

First up, here's the pump for the intercooler system:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby760_zps31c2713c.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby760_zps31c2713c.jpg.html)

It still needs some tidying and cleaning-up, but right now it's more a question of making sure the basic components can fit and work together. The drive pulley and belt will follow later, of course. The mounting bracket has been drilled to pin it to the top of the engine's cam cover:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby761_zps4e1e3284.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby761_zps4e1e3284.jpg.html)

Next, it's the two pumps for the head cooling. In this early photo you can see the basic construction is similar to the two turbo units made during the winter - varying sizes of styrene tube slid over a wire core, with greenstuff applied to smooth out the shape:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby762_zps345014c2.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby762_zps345014c2.jpg.html)

You'll see shortly how I've added a second layer of greenstuff, and pinned the two pumps in position. There's some extra detailing to be applied around the outside of the central core, as the curved outlet pipe is designed to be rotated to suit different installations.

The next stage was to work on the two water rails which connect to the heads, top and bottom. In reality these are slightly tapered from end to end, so I'm starting with a length of 1/8" tube, then will add greentuff later to create the transition to the larger diameter. Here's the upper rail in an early stage:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby763_zps9b91af29.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby763_zps9b91af29.jpg.html)

It's not much to look at, but it took so long to get to this stage! The fibreglass fan shroud made earlier will need a little extra trimming to fit, too - it all gets a little tight for space. The outlet end of this pipe will eventually run to the right-hand radiator, with the return coming back to the centre of the pump.

Something similar on the underside, but this one has a curved end to allow the oil feed to the engine to pass through it:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby764_zps1423791a.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby764_zps1423791a.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby765_zpscf85a59b.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby765_zpscf85a59b.jpg.html)

The opposite side will be somewhat simpler. You can see here how the water pump has been 'bulked-up' a bit, too. The exhaust system still fits in place - I did remember to check this as I was making the pipe!

A small confession: I nearly ended up trying to connect the pump directly to the top rail without allowing for the runs to the radiator - I just couldn't work out where I was trying to route the pipes, and the one photo that (vaguely) showed what was going on was only adding to the confusion. It wasn't until I re-checked the photo (after making another pipe bend) that I remembered that the pipes had to go the rad, and suddenly it all made sense. Better to correct the mistake now, than in a few weeks' time...!

So, that's where I've got to. Clearly, I'm going to be working on these bits for a while, so don't be surprised if it's another fortnight before the next significant update. Hopefully I can make good progress next weekend - three days at home, no racing - but probably not enough to see this all finished. Once I've got the engine sorted out I can offer it to the chassis and start working on the pipework connections to the radiators - again, the small number of photos available doesn't exactly help.

Have a good week,

SB

another awesome update! the quality and attention to detail never fails to amaze.

Back again,

More pipework and plumbing this time - although I'm convinced making the pipes this way has plenty of advantages, 'speed' is not one of them! It doesn't help when you can't glue everything together, so it all falls apart every time you try to offer it to the car...

Anyway, here's what I've been doing. Having fixed the positions of the two water pumps, and the two top water rails on the engine, I could start working out the main pipework to the two side rads. Stage one was to put some holes through the fibreglass body panels, then to attach some stubs to the rads, then to add some bends and the main pipes. Here's the right-hand side:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby766_zps99611f2d.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby766_zps99611f2d.jpg.html)

Once the main pipes pass into the engine bay, there's more bends to meet up with the pump and the water rail:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby767_zpsbb8d6398.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby767_zpsbb8d6398.jpg.html)

I'm basing the layout on the Freisinger build, rather than the actual works car. Photos of the original car show the main pipes turning towards the centre of the car before passing through the back bulkhead, whereas the Freisinger build has them running straight into the engine bay. There are very few photos showing the exact arrangement, so some of the plumbing will be...creative! Again, the main concerns will be making everything fit, and having a realistic (if not necessarily accurate) set-up.

I've not added separate rubber hose 'joiners' to the pipework - this will be handled later with heatshrink (hopefully) and some small styrene hoseclip detailing.

There's another set of pipes similar to this on the left-hand side of the car - it's all still in-progress, so I'll post photos when they're assembled and green-stuffed.

Next up is a possible solution to a problem that has been bothering me for a while. By making the cockpit section of the tube frame removable, the engine bay won't be as solid as it should be until the car is assembled. To reinforce the joint between the two sections, I've added two small 'strap' plates which will eventually be glued and pinned over the joints. The outer bodywork will cover them, and they should be able to stop the chassis drooping when the engine is hanging off the back!

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby768_zps602e430a.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby768_zps602e430a.jpg.html)

Last bits for tonight are the four pipe connections for the oil system - the two in the middle will emerge from the sills, and the outer two will be fitted to the engine. The nuts are a mixture of M2.5 and M3, with various small sizes of styrene tubing, punched discs, plastic-coated wire, etc.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby769_zps6e66903b.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby769_zps6e66903b.jpg.html)

Here's the two on the engine. The left-hand pipe includes a small stub which will - I think - connect to the turbo lubrication system, and you can see how the right-hand feed-pipe has to pass through the loop of the lower water rail. I've been doing odd bits of greenstuff as I've gone along, so some of the pipework parts will change from photo to photo.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby770_zps244067e2.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby770_zps244067e2.jpg.html)

...and so it continues. As well as these jobs I've been working out how to locate the rear firewall bulkhead in position by pinning it to the frame - sounds easy, but becomes complicated when all the tubes are pointing in different directions! More on this next time. I also need to make a small gearbox oil cooler to add to one of the side rads, so I'll save that for when I need a change of scene.

Have a good week,

SB

Hello again,

All sorts of things going on in this update - I just felt like getting on with a few 'small' jobs, rather than something major. So, given that I'll be having another fibreglass session during the summer I decided to start making some new patterns. Firstly, here's the gearbox cover panel which effectively covers most of where the back seats should be:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby771_zps81e4c242.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby771_zps81e4c242.jpg.html)

Next, I needed to make a section of the 911's rear bumper, to incorporate into the 935's extended rear wing panels. This caused a lot of head-scratching and was nearly thrown aside in favour of doing something more productive - but I stuck at it, and came up with what you see here:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby778_zpsaba97e76.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby778_zpsaba97e76.jpg.html)

It needs more work, but once it's laid-up and then trimmed to shape, I think it will do the job - you can clearly see the main bumper section in the middle. I need to get a bit more curvature into the upper section, but most of this will be cut-away, or buried inside the main bodywork.

The final mould pattern (for now) was the rear wing mainplane. Again, a simple part but so frustrating to work out the best way to approach. My first thought was to hotwire the wing in three sections, or as upper and lower halves - but this was bound to be inaccurate and time-consuming. Plan B was to use styrene tube to create a curved wing core - but this would still require some sort of outer skin, and there was a risk of the styrene deforming over time. Plan C was to shape the wing length-wise, starting with the lower surface:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby776_zpsb498dee1.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby776_zpsb498dee1.jpg.html)

The two lengths of cardboard you can see here were guides for the next part - to hotwire the (relatively flat) top surface, before adding the final shaping by hand. End result, one thin wing main plane, ready to be covered in fibreglass:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby777_zps12e30fbe.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby777_zps12e30fbe.jpg.html)

In amongst the mould-making, I've also been working on some of the many pipe-fittings and connections that will be required. Starting with the gearbox, I created the various banjo fittings and pipe unions from small hex-nuts, plastic-coated wire, punched styrene discs, etc:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby772_zps309b8b1b.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby772_zps309b8b1b.jpg.html)

Here's one of the gearbox lines in position:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby773_zps7ea26402.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby773_zps7ea26402.jpg.html)

The gearbox oil cooler will piggy-back onto the left-hand water radiator, and was made in the same way as its bigger brothers - thin strips to create the fins, top and bottom capping, plus end tanks.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby774_zps6b897799.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby774_zps6b897799.jpg.html)

Next, here's the early stages of the rear anti-roll bar. Annoyingly, none of the Freisinger photos show what's required, so I'm basing this on the older Carrera RSR Turbo (from photos taken at last years Le Mans display). It's a conventional spanner-adjustable arrangement, whereas the front bar will be cockpit-adjustable. The mounting blocks are pinned onto the tubular frames on the back of the cockpit, and it all sits just below the bottom of the gearbox - I have checked! The core of the bar is a length of thin plastic-coated wire, with 1/8" styrene tube slid over the top. The wire allows the whole lot to twist (it's a roll bar, that's what it does...) but the outer tube is split in the middle so the styrene doesn't break:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby779_zps9ddb379e.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby779_zps9ddb379e.jpg.html)

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby780_zps43a23f9c.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby780_zps43a23f9c.jpg.html)

Again, it still needs some work - plus adjusters and droplinks, etc, but the basic arrangement is sound.

Finally for tonight, I was at Silverstone a couple of weekends ago for one of the Historic Sports Car Club meetings on the GP circuit. Amongst all the rather impressive machinery I spotted these three of interest. First, here's the back end of the (infamous?) March 2-4-0 6-wheel F1 car - it was racing in the Derek Bell Trophy, and seemed as quick as any of the front-running cars:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2922_zpsc53b6ad8.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2922_zpsc53b6ad8.jpg.html)

Speaking to the guy looking after the car, it seems one of the big problems in period was oil feed to the gearbox bearings - most of the pipework you can see over the top of the casing has been added to deal with this problem. Interesting to see how the trailing links for the rearmost pair of wheels are attached to the back of the middle pair, rather than connecting directly to the chassis. I can't help thinking this must play havoc with suspension geometry calculations, but it obviously works!

Next, a rather nice 934/5...

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2930_zps2bd956be.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2930_zps2bd956be.jpg.html)

...and if that wasn't good enough, here's my second Kremer 935 of 2015:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2928_zps81f765a8.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/IMG_2928_zps81f765a8.jpg.html)

Just a shame they felt it was necessary to put the barriers around it like that - there wasn't a horde of people crowding around it all day, and to be honest there was probably only a handful of obsessives like me who recognised it for what it was! Still, I took a few photos under the back end - always useful - and took it all in...then had to get back to work with our FF2000's. Tough day!

That's all for tonight.

SB

Looks like another masterpiece in the making with a great start to it.
http://aaswall.cf/22/o.png

SB, I have to say I've been a member here for a number of years but have remained a "lurker" until now. I watched your 908 build with fascination and have been closely following Moby since its inception - no words due it justice.

I have only one question: Why not use an airbrush in your painting program? Your scratchbuilding techniques, your engineering of the models and your attention to detail are OUTSTANDING! However, your reliance on brush painting (especially in this scale) makes brush strokes inevitable, and it breaks my heart!!

The application of Alclad products, for example (which can only be applied by airbrush), would make such a significant difference in the metallic appearance of the final product, coupled with the reduction of effort required to cover the mass of welded aluminum (aluminium - sorry I'm from Canada) frames or the detailed webbing of the engines and transmissions that you spend such effort to reproduce, to say nothing of the possibilities of "weathering" on these items with "washes" and "filters" - is really only possible with an airbrush. It needn't be a sophisticated unit - a simple, inexpensive, single action brush would be ideal at this scale, and would make a world of difference.

Please, please, don't take this as a critical comment - as I am in awe of your talent. If there is a reason you don't use an airbrush - I'd really like to know why.

Just askin'

Norm.

Hello Norm,

Thanks for lurking and following the thread - still some way to go, though!

Why am I reluctant to use an airbrush? To be honest, the main reason is probably inexperience. I invested in a single-action brush, compressor, etc, when I was making the 917-10 - used it for spraying the bodywork, and that was that. When it came to the 908-03 I was able to get the blue and orange I wanted mixed up as cans, so the airbrush kit remained unused. On the Moby Dick I have a feeling I'll be trying to apply the Martini stripes with the airbrush, so watch this space. The big problem with projects like this that take so long, is that the painting stage only comes around every few years! Going for a more airbrushed finish always feels like taking too much of a risk.

For the rest of the car, I guess I've always found it more convenient to paint by hand, rather than airbrush. My bedroom is my workshop, so any spraying (and fibreglassing) has to be done in a more suitable location! Before getting into scratchbuilding cars my main experience was 25mm figures, so much of my painting style - such as it is - has developed from there. Although I've bought several car kits in recent years, I've yet to actually build one...!

Right now, the painting stage is still some way off - although there will come a point where I have to start painting something in order to continue making progress. Yes, there is certainly scope for using the airbrush more; it might just be a case of spending some time practising and trying out different things, rather than going straight in. We'll see.

Got to go - early alarm tomorrow as it's off to Le Mans again! Just thought I'd better reply before I went, though. Hopefully I'll have something interesting to post when I return after the weekend.

SB

Thanks for taking the time to respond SB.

Yeah, I hear ya - my introduction to airbrushing was a bit of a traumatic experience as well! But, you're absolutely correct - mastering the skill is simply a matter of practice - and it's really not as difficult as it first appears. The rewards are well worth the effort.

Le Mans!! What a wonderful experience that must be. I hope one day to be able to attend that historic event, alas, at the advanced age of 71 my chances of making that dream come true are rapidly diminishing each year that passes. I'll have to resort to catching as much as will be available on Television here in Canada. (Usually the first few hours and the last hour or so - better than nothing, but it means there is little coverage of the over-night activities)

Are you participating this year or is this a spectator event for you?

Hello Norm,

Arrived home from LM about 11.00pm last night...

No - unfortunately (or perhaps to be honest, fortunately) my visits to le Mans are purely as a fan, not as race-team crew. This year was the 20th time in a row for dad and I - it's surprising how much has changed there since we first went in 1996. A great result for Porsche, although it would have been an epic race if at least one of the Audis had been able to avoid the niggling problems that affected all three - I'm sure we could have had two if not three cars all on the lead lap at the end of the race, which would have been something. Still, maybe that's for next year.

Don't forget, the Radio Le Mans website has podcasts of the whole race, plus qualifying, warm-up, support races, pitwalk, etc - if you want to listen to the bits between the TV coverage, that's the place to go. I'll be catching up with the coverage over the next few weeks myself - staying awake through the night is a challenge too far!

I'll post a few photos shortly - various displays, etc, around the track during the weekend, plus pitwalk on Friday. Then I'll have to get back to the 935!

SB

it would have been an epic race if at least one of the Audis had been able to avoid the niggling problems that affected all three

Ha! I was hoping for another 1982 myself, now that would have been truly epic!

Will be looking forward to your pics and more updates on the 935!

ianc

Back again...

Some tidying-up tonight - lots of little bits and pieces have been taking shape during the last couple of weeks, some of which is continued from the last pre-LM update. First, here's the rear roll-bar again, but with detailed mounting blocks, adjuster collars, droplinks, etc:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby781_zps1e341ad3.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby781_zps1e341ad3.jpg.html)

Next, the fuel filter and mounting bracket, in the right-hand corner of the engine bay:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby782_zps7bcfd107.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby782_zps7bcfd107.jpg.html)

In the opposite corner, the ignition coil with ali strap (still needs some work):

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby783_zps7d652a6f.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby783_zps7d652a6f.jpg.html)

Staying in the engine bay, there are two brackets which hang down and provide the mounting for the rear air-jacks, and also help to support the rear bodywork. Rather than make these from styrene sheet I used flat fibreglass instead - usually less prone to warping over time. Here's the part-finished LH bracket, plus the main components for the RH:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby784_zpscdcfb266.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby784_zpscdcfb266.jpg.html)

By this stage I've glued the bracket in place, and added the tubular frame which will support the bodywork - it's all pinned in place for now. I used ali tube for this rather than styrene - harder to work with, but I wanted the strength and stiffness. You can just see through the holes in the bracket where I've added short lengths of 0.64mm styrene rod into the corners between the three plates:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby785_zpsaca81011.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby785_zpsaca81011.jpg.html)

Given how long it took to make this single frame, I won't be in a hurry to make the second! The other side is pre-drilled and ready for the pins, so I can just swap the Lego jig over and continue.

Looking ahead, I've just made a start on final trimming of the main rear engine mounting plate - the end tubes will be added, and I can then stabilise the engine within the chassis frame. I still want to add some extra supports for the engine / gearbox assembly, but until I get more of the detailing done I don't know how visible they might be - if I can bury something deep in the back of the engine bay, all the better!

Meanwhile, back at Le Mans, here's a few shots from the weekend. The on-track display on Friday wasn't quite as good as in previous years (for me, anyway - I prefer the later 70's-onwards cars), but there's always plenty to see...

Audi R8

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_2996_zps1c7c4c66.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_2996_zps1c7c4c66.jpg.html)

Half-Lego Porsche!

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_2998_zpsb707fd5f.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_2998_zpsb707fd5f.jpg.html)

GT40

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3007_zpse0ed0704.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3007_zpse0ed0704.jpg.html)

Mercedes gullwing - love the staining by the exhausts!

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3013_zps11a286ad.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3013_zps11a286ad.jpg.html)

Maserati

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3021_zps3cf96bd4.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3021_zps3cf96bd4.jpg.html)

Connaught - I thought the way the wheels bolt onto the hubs was interesting:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3028_zps7e5e0868.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3028_zps7e5e0868.jpg.html)

Nissan pits

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3033_zpsa83a831b.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3033_zpsa83a831b.jpg.html)

Nissan front end

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3041_zps18b7c31a.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3041_zps18b7c31a.jpg.html)

Aston Martin - cleaning up the gravel from the night before

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3046_zps78ef0931.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3046_zps78ef0931.jpg.html)

Rear bodywork from the 'Rolling Stone' magazine-sponsored LMP2 Ligier

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3057_zpsa447925e.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Le%20Mans%202015/IMG_3057_zpsa447925e.jpg.html)

...and that's it for tonight. Hopefully by next weekend I'll have some air-jacks made, and the engine mounting sorted out. I also want to make a few more fibreglass moulds soon, so that I can get parts laid-up before my summer break in August - I'm very aware that there's a big gap in the middle of the car where there should be a dashboard!

SB

Fantastic as always SB.

So much information and inspiration in your builds.

I hope that you have some time to show just how you lay up your fibre glassing. I have been reading your post for a long time and I've always wondered just how you got your neat, thin panels. Any guidance you could offer in this area would be wonderful.

Look forward to what you have next to offer, because I know it will be super.
Thanks for taking the time to share.

Dan

Thanks, Dan - funny you should mention fibreglassing, as that's part of the plan for next week! I'll try to document the process with a bit more detail this time; usually the problem is that I'm so busy trying to get the cloth in place before the resin goes off, that I don't think too much about taking photos.

So, having started making the airjack mounts at the rear, the next job was to make the jacks themselves. Main body is 9/32" tube, with the internal detailing added with more tube and solid rod. The gap in the outer collar will be filled with greenstuff later:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby786_zps78fca132.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby786_zps78fca132.jpg.html)

Here you can see a couple of the internal detailing inserts - it's unlikely they'll ever be seen once the model is assembled, but I thought they should still be there! The four mounting brackets are made from two pieces of 1/4" angle, with two layers of 0.4mm sheet added to strengthen the joint. I first tried using a single piece of my largest channel-section but the proportions just weren't right; however, this mk2 version is okay:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby787_zps0e4dd4c4.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby787_zps0e4dd4c4.jpg.html)

You can't see it on this photo, but there is a small slice of round tube on the back of the mounting which locates into the hole in the fibreglass bracket. It'll help to strengthen the joint, and makes positioning the airjack easier:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby788_zps06ab7937.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby788_zps06ab7937.jpg.html)

At the front I've added some styrene mounting plates to the fibreglass inner wings:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby789_zps9f476778.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby789_zps9f476778.jpg.html)

A small length of angle was added to close-off the front of the mounting, conventional greenstuff was used to fill in the back, and liquid greenstuff was added around the edge for weld detailing:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby790_zpse9a7257c.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby790_zpse9a7257c.jpg.html)

In addition, the main styrene plate is drilled and pinned through the fibreglass in two places, and the airjack itself is also pinned in position.

The last jobs for this week have been preparing some more moulds. I've already made two versions of the front cockpit bulkhead, but neither have been satisfactory...hopefully this will be the one! I'm trying to simplify the lay-up process by breaking the panel into three parts - as a one-piece part, there are just too many changes of angle. Here's the main part of the revised bulkhead mould, with the previous version of the panel for comparison:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby791_zpsf7a2cc03.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/moby791_zpsf7a2cc03.jpg.html)

I've re-used the detailing from the original mould (with a few alterations) and extended the mould at the sides. Most of this will be trimmed afterwards, but it's better to have plenty of margin. The filler needs a little work, but that's a job for later tonight.

The front vertical portion of the bulkhead has been made as a simple cardboard mould (not shown), but the other part required was the recess for the steering column. This will be made separately and added to the main structure:

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt121/ScratchBuilt917/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/c1fe9642-34dd-4dab-a2d6-2a4bb4aa9796_zpsax8wpoou.jpg (http://s604.photobucket.com/user/ScratchBuilt917/media/Scratchbuilt%20Porsche%20Moby%20Dick/c1fe9642-34dd-4dab-a2d6-2a4bb4aa9796_zpsax8wpoou.jpg.html)

I've also done some work tidying up the filler on some of the other moulds, so my plan is to start cutting the first layers of cloth tonight and tomorrow night, and then start fibreglassing. If I can get four good layers on during the week, plus another on Saturday, the finished panels can be removed from the moulds either Sunday or Monday. In this warm weather we're currently having in the UK, I don't think it will be a problem getting the resin mixture to go off - it could be that it actually wants to go off too quickly! We'll find out in a day or so...

Thanks for following,

SB