THE
CONCEPT
This
project was an attempt to make a model car work like the real car! It is
very difficult to complete a fully workable model, since the modeller must
have a large variety of Mechanical Engineering knowledge and clever
choices to achieve a good result.
The
model was constructed 20 years ago with no computer help at all; nor any
other information was available to make life easier those years!
So,
everything was designed using paper, a calculator, ruler, bow compass and
great patience!!!!
The
scale is 1/12, which was the most suitable for this idea, as far as the
materials already at hand in the laboratory are concerned. The materials
used are metal sheet, aluminium sheet, rubber, a large mount of broken
watches' mechanisms, leather, and many small items suitable for the
construction. The paint colour is an authentic car one, taken from a
Ford Cortina m.y. 1973.
Click on
images below to see larger images
CONSTRUCTION
I
will not tire you, analyzing the way of building, because it is very
difficult (as I have told you before) to explain all the mechanical design
and appliance. So I will make a short reference on how it works.
For
the record, the building process took more than 9 months of continual
work, with great disappointments and great pleasures. The Rolls Royce mark
over the refrigerator was made of pure silver by my father.
Everything
else is hand made since in 1987 we didn’t have the technological
solutions we enjoy these days. It’s powered with a battery and an
electric motor. The fluxion and the gearbox are constructed from pieces of
old watches, based on the basic theory of their real mechanical
function.
HOW
IT WORKS
At
first imagine your self 12 times smaller!!! Congratulations!!! You own a brand
new 1923 Rolls!!!
Please
open the door!!!!
Enjoy
the convenience of the soft real leather seat!!!
Turn
on the ignition on your left
If
its dark, just switch on the lights on your right
Release
the hand break
Press
the clutch and push the gear lever one step front
Release
the clutch and start pressing the accelerator
That’s
it, you start moving!!!
Press the clutch
again and choose the second gear
Beware
of the wall in front of you!!!!
Press
immediately the brake!!!
You
stopped already?
Nice.
Now press the clutch again and press the gear lever two times for the reverse.
Now you must be moving backwards.
Ok.
Stop. End of the ride!
Switch
off everything and get out of the car. Take a breath!!!
Did
you enjoy your ride???
Everything
works like a real car. Only a nano-driver is missing, anyway!!!
Alex
Click on
images below to see larger images
My next scratch built concept concerns an
Hellenic F4F 3A Martlet in 1/18 scale full metal and full workable
including smoke and noise. I'm in PC design construction
parts yet
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