1907 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, 1/24 Finecast metal kit

Matt Bacon · February 5, 2021

Thanks, Geoff... time to start assembling the main parts...

best,

M.

Matt Bacon · February 6, 2021

So, as it's getting heavier it's time to experiment with the stand...

Not too obvious, I think...

Handily, the column height at the lowest point of the saddle needs to be 10mm. The blue is sticky backed velvet I bought as carpet for the Jag Mk2. You need something with a bit of "give" so the car can sink onto its tyres, and make sure you don't end up with a wheel or two in the air. I tried craft foam, but that was too thick.

The steering box is one of those parts where the instructions and exploded diagram are not much help so I've put these pix in to show how and where it fits clearly. One thing to know if you are building one of these is that rather counterintuitively, the only way to get it into place is to thread the column up through the chassis from the bottom. There's no way to get the lower lever through the gap between the engine and chassis rail from the top (voice of frustrated experience).

Before the epoxy was fully set, I used the body as a jig to make sure the column would come through the firewall in the right place. You can see there is a cutout between the pedal slots to take it.

Next job is to attache the scuttle, and then the body.

best,

M.

absmiami · February 6, 2021

Man. The engine looks so great in that chassis .... this kit is calling me ....

Matt Bacon · February 6, 2021

Thank you, Andrew... made the final turn onto the home straight now, I reckon:

And some detail shots of the steering lever. There is a small hole at the base of the offside kingpin, but the beautifully moulded nut in front of it gets slightly in the way. Still, the design is very precise, so you can get the nubbin on the end of the "scythe" of the steering lever into it and spring the far end of the rod that attaches to the steering box over the pin on it, and then flow superglue into the joints.

And that's it for the main body assembly. Quite a few details and accessories to go, including those piano wire stays and braces, but I no longer worry that it's going to go disastrously pear-shaped!

best,

M.

lordairgtar · February 7, 2021

On 2/2/2021 at 3:59 PM, Matt Bacon said:

This is now the official end of "Stage 4: the Bodywork"

but her lower half is rather more complicated!

best,

M.

In more ways then one, I believe

Matt Bacon · February 17, 2021

Well, that was fun.... not!

This was definitely a process of trial and (many) errors. I'll document how I eventually did it with the other side, but adding the three sections (front and rear mudguards and running boards) separately, using brass tube to socket the wire stays into under those parts, and superglue instead of epoxy were all critical...

best,

M.

Bainford · February 18, 2021

Man, that thing is looking great!

Matt Bacon · February 18, 2021

Thanks, Trevor! So, we begin the second running board:

I thought I'd try to get away with two subassemblies on this side. The balsa strip is cut to match the height of a similar piece which was shaped to fit under the far side running board, and the body squared up in its foam "nest". Six 1.3mm OD (1.1mm ID) pieces of brass tube will snugly fit the piano wire of the stays, which are in order front to back in the foreground.

Five of the six brass tubes are glued in place in the stay locations (One is in the front mudguard/fender, and the forward, shorter stay under the rear mudguard is left off at this stage).The three main stays are placed in the tubes, and test fitted, supported by the balsa block get the inboard/outboard placement right. Taking them out of the body brackets carefully, they can then be tacked with superglue and rapidly rotated so they are perpendicular to running board. The longer rear stay is placed in the brass tube, but NOT fixed in position. Using gel superglue, the three central stays are refitted to the centre brackets, still supporting the whole thing on the balsa block.If you start at the front, and put them in one at a time, you can rotate the rear mudguard stay to guide it into the body last. Then it can be glued by applying thinner glue to the socket and brass tube.

With the rear mudguard in position, the brass tube can be slipped onto the short rear stay, which is glued into the body socket with gel superglue.The mudguard end will drop into place and can be tacked with thinner superglue.

I should have taken a picture of this bit in progress, but it was a bit fraught. The front mudguard is also done with the car the right way up. I left the stay free to move in the brass tube, and applied gel superglue to the socket on the body (which runs up/down, not INTO the chassis like the others) and the lower rear edge of the mudguard. This edge sits on top of the ridge on the running board (you can just about see it here). It needs to be held in place for a minute or so before the glue cures, but focus on getting the rear of the mudguard attached to the running board square, and flush at the outer edge (it's wider at the inside edge). You can catch the bottom end of the stay in the slot, where its height will be fixed when the other end of the mudguard is aligned "on the shelf," and the loose fit in the brass tube will allow it to slide in and out until the mudguard is square.

I backed up the mudguard to running board joints with 90-second cure epoxy, and added more thin superglue to the brass tubes and stays at every accessible joint. And yes, the whole thing is heavy!

And turned the right way up, we get to here:

And this is where we are at close of play today:

I had a horrible worry that the (shiny) acetylene generator would be the last straw, and putting it place would start the running boards drooping, But it seems OK so far...

best,

M.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Matt Bacon

Modelbuilder Mark · February 18, 2021

This is really looking great. I really like your work on this kit.

absmiami · February 19, 2021

Running board hell. ...

I knew there was reason that I stick with race cars ... no fenders and no running boards ...

Matt Bacon · February 20, 2021

Thanks, guys... I think this is probably the last update before Under Glass:

A bunch of small parts that fit beautifully. I've been able to put most of them in place mechanically, and then fix them by applying thinnish superglue to the joints.

The crew continue to progress. Madame is wrapped in cling film because there's a Milliput cushion between her and the seat, which (I hope) will come away neatly when it's cured...

Windscreen "glass" is in and curing solidly overnight.

best,

M.

charlie8575 · February 21, 2021

Stunning.

Charlie Larkin

Matt Bacon · February 21, 2021

Thanks, Charlie... didn't get as much done as I would have liked this weekend, so now I'm ready to sort out the lights as the last job. One thing I've learned is that the order of assembly described in the instructions needs to be followed precisely...

As I hoped, given the precision and quality of the design and tooling to this point,, the windscreen supports "spring" nicely to accommodate the "glass" and its frames, so the two panes could be popped in and then fixed in place with superglue afterwards.

NB: if you're here because you plan to build one of these, or have just embarked on a build, DO NOT FIX THE OUTBOARD SPEEDO AND REV COUNTER UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE PLACED THE WINDSCREEN SUPPORTS. The bracket for the speedo fits between the vertical windscreen rail and the firewall, not on the driver's side of the tube...

best,

M.

peteski · February 22, 2021

This kit is amazing, and so is your build.

I always wondered about the strange arrangement of the windscreen. Why is the bottom pane angled that way. Not as if the driver would ever look out from that vantage point. Maybe it is there so the birds flying overhead can look at the driver's feet? It makes no sense to me.

Beamerman · February 22, 2021

Great work! Very exciting to follow the process...

Matt Bacon · February 24, 2021

Thanks, guys!

The lights had to be painted because the casting is just a bit rough (enough to appear "speckled" if you just polish). Some Mr Surfacer 1000 primer, TS17 Gloss Black, and finally TS-83 Metallic Silver, and this is the result. I'm impressed...

best,

M.