Citroen 15-Six "Traction Avant" - 1952 - Heller - 1/8

[DominiqueBeerts]

While waiting to collect the model again from a exhibit in Jabbeke (Belgium), I tackled the "problem" of the storage netting, which is right above the front seats. I weaved 0,6mm wire to create the net. Don't mind the different colors between the surrounding and middle wire, all will be sprayed in a grey-brown color after all.
I also managed to replicate the little clips to attach the netting to the ceiling of the car in alu sheet. I might make some narrower ones, I need to see the result in the car. But as said, I will need to collect it first...

[DominiqueBeerts]

This week's works:

The storage net which I made earlier this week has been mounted using eight attachments in alusheet. I sprayed the netting with some mist coats Tamiya grey primer, Red Brown and German Grey. This gives you a sort of grey-brownish mix that seems to sort out just fine.



Also the storage boards under the dashboard which need to be mounted between the sidewalls and the battery casing. These are extra storage boards, but they also visualy separate the dashboard from the footspace. The boards are covered with the same fabric (Tenco Proto) as the rest of the interior. See earlier posts in this thread for details on this fabric.

I then glued the dashboard in place. I don't seem to get the rear view mirror mounted and positioned correctly for some reason. I don't know what the problem is, but it does not align properly. Ah well, it will have to do.
The extra storage pockets (vacuumformed as provided with the kit) have also been glued to the sidewalls.

Next up was the steering column. I see now why the kit's version was made in nylon: when following the instructions you will be in trouble when you try to mount the steering casing underneath the car, unless the steering column can be bent ...
But as I tend to deviate from instructions when it suits me, I got away with it. The upper casing inside the car went on smoothly, the mounting which is to be glued against the dashboard needed a little bit of attention to get it aligned properly, but caused no problem besides that.

I added an extra mounting ring for the light controls and then the dashboard is done.








However, there is still one part missing: the clamp which allows you to tilt the front windshield to let fresh driding wind come into the car on warm days. The kit part is incorrect in shape and hideous in casting. So I soldered something together which will be more correct in shape and size. With some washers from the watch maker's leftovers it will be OK. It still needs to be cleaned and sprayed but this is what it should look like:



Last but not least: the model did not survive an exhibition in Jabbeke (Belgium) without being damaged. The crank mounting case was broken off the model and went missing. A colleague who has built a 15-Six previously was kind enough to provide the measurements of the part, so I can reproduce it. It needs to be cleaned and sprayed yet, but this is what I made from it:




With explicit thanks to this pathetic person who damaged the model by breaking off the part, including the enforcement rod which was glued inside. So don't come tell me this was an accident.

[corvettekid_7684]

If I didn't know better, I'd think think was an actual car under restoration...great work! Bummer about the broken part!!

[DominiqueBeerts]

Thanks guys.

Small report on this week's works: cabling. Because the kit's cables are made in nylon, and are badly shaped I have made my own wire looms.

There are several ways to make a wire loom, but I opted to wrap them in Tamiya masking tape. this way I can control whether the result will be a flat cable or a rounded one.

To reduce the thickness of the cables I chose to work with only 2 cables going the full length of the loom, and only have more short ones sticking out of the extremities. It's just easier to control the thickness and shape of the loom that way.

Attaching the extremities to the connectors is a little bit fiddly, because you need two cables coming into each side of the same hole. So you need to make everything is trimmed exactly as needed before gluing it all together.

Once the tamiya tape was sprayed mat black, misted with some brown, grey and further dry-brushed, it looks like this:

[GirchyGirchy]

Great work on the wiring and weathering!

[DominiqueBeerts]

Update.

I finished cabling in the engine compartment. There will still be need for a occasional cable or wire, but nothing major anymore. Everything will be connected to the engine in the next step.
I added hoses for brake fluid: connection to the reservoir, brake pump and the brake distributor. The hoses towards the drums (front and rear) have been added, but obviously they cannot be cut to length yet.
I also added the water drainage pipes on both sides of the top of the firewall, the tachometer cable, and dashboard electric connector.

It is starting to look busy in the Citroën's front:









Then the fuel filter. It is not provided in the kit, so I made one. I turned the filter in aluminum (2 separate parts for easier painting afterwards), bored in with 1.2mm and shifted a brass rod through both parts. I just needed to add some shrink hose and 2 Sakatsu connectors and PE hose clamps from Acustion, and done.



All you need to do is take it all apart again, detail paint it and assemble again:



This still needs to be installed into the car. According the build plan it needs to be added before the engine goes in, but you risk to make mistakes in measuring the distances, ending up with a fuel line that does not reach to the carburetor ... So I prefer to wait unti lthe next step where the engine will need to be mounted.

So far I used Sakatsu connectors for all cabling and plumbing, but in fact there is no need for that since I have a lathe in my workshop. I could easily make my own connectors using Propeller's techniques as he explained doing his Talbot Lago.
So I will take oppurtunity to give him all credit for this technique: Merci beaucoup, Dan!

In short it comes to this: take a hex rod, bore it in on the lathe and then cut of a piece, et voilà. You could even thread the bolt if you want to do so.

What can you do with these self-made bolts. Check out yourself. I used a hexrod of 1.5mm, bored it with 1.2 mm and then made two. I removed the waste on of them, I let it set on the second one, which gives you these possibilities (much more and better to be found in Propellor's thread on Talbot ).









Thanks for following this thread!

[ianc911]

Gorgeous work!

ianc

[DominiqueBeerts]

Originally Posted by ianc911

Gorgeous work!

ianc

Thanks mate!

[DominiqueBeerts]

Major update, this time: the engine has been built in and all cabling has been connected.

What I have done:
- the battery has been attached to it's casing and the battery cables have been scratch-built. I have re-used the clamps and I connected them to home made cables,
- I made a connecting rod between the carburetor and the gas pedal lever,
- all cables which have been added in the previous steps were connected,
- the ignition has been fully wired, according the electric scheme of the actual car (this scheme is indicated in the plan),
- those reading and following this thread very closely have already remarked that the engine, firewall and cabling got some more weathering. Unfortunately this is not always well visible in the pictures, I need to make some new pictures in daylight.










After taking the previous series of photo's I noticed that I forgot to add the fuel filter. This issue has now been met:



Next up: completing the front suspension.
Enjoy!

[ianc911]

Looks simply marvelous! Your weathering is probably among the very best I've seen anywhere on this board and I'm very interested in how you do it exactly.

Just for example, the green engine block and valve cover in pictures 3 & 4 of this last update are utterly convincing with their subtle tone variations, rough textures, what looks to be chipping, and streaking.

Can you elaborate a bit on how you get these effects? Are you airbrushing a base coat, then overcoating with a lighter color? Brush painting? Dry-brushing? All of the above? Please comment if you have the time, and thanks for posting!

ianc

[DominiqueBeerts]

Originally Posted by ianc911

Can you elaborate a bit on how you get these effects? Are you airbrushing a base coat, then overcoating with a lighter color? Brush painting? Dry-brushing? All of the above? Please comment if you have the time, and thanks for posting!
ianc

Hello ianc, the weathering is basically built up in two layers.
1. On top of the base color I start to shade. Usually I tend to use oil paints for this. The advantage for oil paints is that you can take away paint again when you see you have overdone something. That might be handy when you know that you are basically working on recessed areas.
2. To add some color, streaks, dirt etc I always use acrylics which are added by drybrushing. Most of the time they are just the standard Tamiya colors, but recently I also bought some of the LifeColor sets. These are very convenient when it comes to shades of black, rust etc. Highlighting is also done with acrylics, mostly flat alu or some shades of grey.

I must say that this engine is one of my best results so far. I am extremely happy with it myself.

Thanks for following.

[CrateCruncher]

I must say that is a thoroughly convincing engine compartment. I can almost smell the grease. Have you tried starting it, lol?

P.S. Who do you get brass hex rod from?

[dino246gt]

I must say this is an incredibly detailed and realistic build, you are da man!

[DominiqueBeerts]

Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by CrateCruncher

P.S. Who do you get brass hex rod from?

I buy it from webstores in Belgium and/or Germany, but I think you can find a good American store here: Special Shapes

[ianc911]

On top of the base color I start to shade. Usually I tend to use oil paints for this.

So if I understand you correctly, you first spray a base color in acrylic, then add some tone variations using oils with a brush, then drybrush highlights afterwards, and follow everything up with a wash?

Really looks superb...

ianc