Thread: 1930s Jaguar Sports Coupe WIP

If the wheels look this good I cant wait to see the rest of the car!

Bret

http://public.fotki.com/bj383ss/

Looking great ..... good to see that the spare is full sized and not space saving.

Our little production company does not skimp on anything, so naturally full sized spares are included. Also five mag wheels of course, none of your el cheapo steel wheels for us lol

But then, would you buy a car from THIS man? He looks shifty to me!!!

Looks way too clean and wow, so much room to spare !!!!!

The workshop was virgin territory when this pic was taken, having just been finished. It's now knee deep in sawdust, cobwebs, timber offcuts etc. The benchtop is covered in junk, glue spills bits of sandpaper, boxes of assorted offcuts etc. And the mice and spiders have moved in. We've had a mouse plague, which followed the locust plague earlier this year.It was like something out of the old testament!!!

We used to say at work, 'Beware of a man with a clean desk. Probably means he does no work'. Same goes for the workshop. It gets tidied up a couple of times a year, whether it's needed or not!!!

Wheels are looking good. I think one of the pet hates of most model makers is the making of the wheels, they are so challenging and frustrating but when you see results like that, the frustration is worth the effort.Well done.

Must say I was a bit concerned when I saw the pic of the workshop being so "clean and tidy" was relieved to hear that it now resembles a proper workplace.

Would I buy a car from that guy? mmmm trying to imagine the suit and tie. Nah! you are right. too shifty.

Nice work,look forward to seeing this one take shape.

This afternoon we ratted through the timber rack to try to find something to make the body out of. Our local timber yard is getting mighty light on good pieces of Tassie Oak.

I'm going to have to get a supply of planks for future projects. I hate having a project decided by what is available in our timber stack, rather than what makes a suitable job.

We found a plank of Tasmanian myrtle which David resawed and thicknessed into thin pieces. (Now that sounds strange doesn't it - should I say he thinnednessed?)

The beauty of getting slices from a plank is that you can match the pieces left and right, and effectively book match the job. He has cut out the rough chassis, and has prepared some pieces for the bonnet. The chassis is out of some mystery, south east Asian (I think) timber that came in a set of timber drawers that we cannibalised to build a TV unit. It's lovely light coloured wood, quite soft, but with some interesting pinkish heart wood.

As soon as the SS begins to take shape, pics will follow. I've decided that the timber in the rack should be used, if it's suitable. We've got some lovely Tassie timber that we picked up last year whilst on holiday. Don't know what we're saving it for. Can't afford to have timber having birthdays at our place. Everything will be used.

Now, what do you all think about using black hearted sassafrass. Lovely stuff, but would it make a suitable timber for a car? I'm not so sure. I bought two or three planks, as well as some lovely camphor laurel. But I'm not certain of how such distinctively grained or figured timber would look like on a model car.

Opinions welcome.

Cheers
LiliB

Hi everyone
The little Jag is coming along slowly. The chassis was cut out of some kind of light wood, which I cannot identify. It is fine and light, and looks lovely worked.

The bonnet, which was made from three pieces of Tassie Myrtle with some silver quandong as the inlay. The Myrtle is a gorgeous wood, silky looking and very fine. I am really looking forward to finishing this, because it's a cut above anything I've ever worked on before.

Yesterday was taken up making a grille, and setting 22 pieces of fine bamboo onto the side of the engine bay to simulate the air vents. David also made the lights, also from silver quandong.

The plan is fairly ordinary. It lacks directions for the grille, the lights, the dash, the bumpers. It would have been a nightmare for anyone who wasn't experienced to work on.

We compromised with the grille, which is a fine wire honeycomb on the 'original' vehicles. After a couple of failures at trying to replicate the pattern, I said to hell with it. Let's just do a bar grille and be done with it.

I have an idea on how it could be done properly, but this will take time, and David isn't in the mood to fiddle too long, so perhaps our next car will come closer.

Cheers for now
LiliB

G'Day Lilli,
I am in awe of David's work, the detail,
and all without plans.
Thank you for the detailed WIP photos & commentary.
Cheers, crowie

To set the record straight, Crowie, the plans are only for the body, the other bits don't crack a mention. I think Joys and Toys simply forgot to print an additional page. But because the plans are shown as 1of 2 and 2 of 2, they haven't woken up to it yet. Might drop them a line sometime.

Well, progress has been better this arvo. David has begun finalising the body. He created the side panels, as well as the back. He's done a dry fit. There's still plenty of shaping to do. I really like the look of the back with the spare wheel mounted on an angle. Makes for a change from having it fitted on the mudguards. Actually the body looks pretty naked without its mudguards which are next on the production line.

We've just noticed that these cars don't actually have bumper bars, so you can't blame the plan makers if they don't include it. This is where having real photos of the car come in handy, to see what details are necessary.

Cheers for now
LiliB

I like the wheels and spinners. I think the mesh grille as I see it there would have looked nice also.

Originally Posted by LiliB

Hi everyone

The wheels are finished, but still on their little holders, waiting for several more coats of clear. This finishing is David's job, and he has opted to use oil based, not water based like I use. So he'll have to be patient in between coats.

The knock-on hubs have been done, and although the wheels will probably look good, I would like to see David perhaps try a lighter coloured timber like tassie oak for the next set.

Red gum is very variable in colour and can be pinky red or very dark reddish brown. This lot took up a very dark hue once the clear went on.

Awesome, as usual.

Originally Posted by LiliB

I would 'kill' to get some decent quality toothpicks (or finished thin wood) for the spokes. The American ones that you can buy are made from such lovely wood. I think it might be something like beech, and that's something I will have to pursue. The Chinese toothpicks are made from some particularly foul material.

Perhaps I can make contact with an American who can send me some better quality ones from USA. I live in hope here.!!! These are the little things that drive my perfectionist's heart to distraction. The wheels are so time-consuming to make, that they deserve to be made of top notch material.

Anyhow Cheers for now
LiliB

My research says it's Birch.

Be nice to a stockist here, but probably expensive. I wonder if some of our American Model makers here on WWF have a source...??

White Birch toothpicks, here in Oz...

INDIVIDUALLY-WRAPPED TOOTHPICKS WOODEN 1000/PK BRANDNEW (eBay item 160507091475 end time 14-Jul-11 08:38:36 AEST) : Home


Do reckon a Thousand would be enough...

hi looking good especially the wheels looking forward to when its finished bob