MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Models in progress... including non-F1 models.
Post Reply
User avatar

Topic author
VR2
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:22 pm
Your Name: VR2
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Gilles Villeneuve
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by VR2 »

Hello,

it took a while since my last update. The reason is that I've started to build a second (stand-alone) engine, which I will place beside the car once completed.

This separate engine (shown on the left side) will also get a modified oil distribution casting, which is according to the original engine.
Blog_Part12_1.jpg
For mounting/assembly reasons, MFH had to design the oil distribution part a bit different. No problem as this will be hidden later anyway in the car. However with a stand-alone engine, the difference to the real engine will get visible, hence I've decided to modify the MFH part accordingly.

MFH part on the milling machine
Blog_part12_3.jpg
Comparison modified part vs. original part
Blog_part12_2.jpg
On the gearbox of the real engine, there are 2 mounting plates fixed with Allen Bolts (one each on left/right side), where the drive shafts to the wheels are attached. I've scratch built this plates for the stand-alone engine

Plate added on left side
Blog_part12_4.jpg
On the right side, a plate has been added as well. In the real car, there is also a copper strap for earthening the gear box to the chassis frame. This copper strap can be perfectly replicated with a strip of solder sucking wick (1.5mm width), which is used to desolder electronic parts from e.g. printed circuit boards
Blog_part12_5.jpg
Next was to start with the ignition distributors and the alternators. In my previous builds of 917 engines, I've used the MFH original parts. For this build, I've decided to turn new parts for the transmission belt wheels for both alternators and for the fuel pump
Blog_part12_7.jpg
Blog_part12_8.jpg
User avatar

Topic author
VR2
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:22 pm
Your Name: VR2
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Gilles Villeneuve
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by VR2 »

View of the engine front with plenty of new/modified parts.

It's a mystery to me, why MFH did not include the 2 prominent oil hoses between the oil distribution casting and the camshaft covers in their instruction sheet. All of MFH's 1:24 Porsche 917 kits do include this. No complain but an observation. I've replicated this missing parts with scratch built fittings and the excellent braided lines from PRO TECH

On rear top of the engine, there is a tube, which connects (later in the assembly process) the oil breather output to the oil tank via a hose. This part is missing in the MFH kit and was made on the lathe.
Blog_part12_6.jpg
Thanks for your interest. The work on the engine will go on in my next update
User avatar

gtziaf
Major Constructor
Major Constructor
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:05 am
Your Name: George
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari - Gilles Villeneuve
Location: Greece
Contact:
Status: Offline
Greece

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by gtziaf »

Wow so perfect. Thanks for the detailing lessons!!!
User avatar

capri-schorsch
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 2247
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 10:36 am
Your Name: Christian
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Carlos Sainz
Location: Germany
Contact:
Status: Offline
Jamaica

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by capri-schorsch »

Oh wow, that's outstanding modeling.
Resin Kits and Parts for Sale
Porsche 962 in 1/8 Scale IMSA & Shorttail New!

http://mezzo-mix-models.jimdo.com

jaydar
Constructors Champion
Constructors Champion
Posts: 1242
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 12:09 pm
Status: Offline

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by jaydar »

I have followed along in absolute amazement of the added detail.
The part I have missed is the colors/finishes you chose for the engine/transaxle cases and valve covers.

The several reference photos I have seen are all different colors. I am not sure but they may be from different years.

Could you share the colors you used?

Thanks,

Joe.
User avatar

Topic author
VR2
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:22 pm
Your Name: VR2
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Gilles Villeneuve
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by VR2 »

Thanks for asking, Joe. This is my "way" for the color finish of the P917 engine parts (engine body, transaxle cases, valve covers, etc.):

step 1: Alclad grey primer on resin as well as on WM casted parts. Using the grey primer is key. The black primer won't do the job for my technique
step 2: a very light glaze of Alclad steel (sometimes blended with other Alclad metallizers). This glaze coat over the grey primer (which still need to shine through), gives a subtile shade of metallic look typical for casted parts
step 3: a subtile wash with highly thinned Tamiya semi gloss black (less is more) and after the wash, applying a very, very light coat of Tamiya flat black with the air-gun on selected areas of the parts
step 4: final weathering with pastel chalks, using a brush and different colors to "simulate" oil leakage, dust, scratches, etc. This final step also adds a final very subtile "dust" layer of reddish/brownish color to the parts

As a basic rule, I avoid a heavy metallic look and shine of the finished engine parts to avoid running the risk of a "toys" appearance. Within some bounds, you can control/shift the final color of the metal casted parts with the thickness of the Alclad coat over the grey primer and the "dust" layer of pastel chalks.

I'm sure, there are many other ways to get also to the desired result.

To get the real appearance of the finished parts across with my pictures on F1M is almost impossible due to the ambient light conditions when taking the pictures and the high jpg-compression factor I need to match the 256k Byte picture size rule. What basically counts is the real look of the finished parts at daylight and I'm pretty happy with that.
User avatar

fooesboy
F2
F2
Posts: 67
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 10:46 pm
Status: Offline

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by fooesboy »

Hi Uli,

Here is a link to the lens cleaning cloth that we talked about for simulating chopped matt fiberglass.

https://www.amazon.de/BlauBeach%C2%AE-Q ... ens+tissue

It seams that Kodak no longer sell it but Tiffin were the company that was making it all along.
For the price I suggest that you get a pack and do some testing.

As always, I'm looking forward to the next up-date.

Cheers,
Chris
User avatar

Topic author
VR2
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:22 pm
Your Name: VR2
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Gilles Villeneuve
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by VR2 »

Hello,

hope you could enjoy a peaceful and merry Xmas and thanks for your continuous interest in this WIP.

@ Chris, thank you very much for your tip regarding the cleaning paper to simulate a glass fiber texture. I've ordered this straight away.

Today, there is only a minor update on the engine, which is about the throttle linkage system, which controls the left/right bank Throttle Sliders as well as the Fuel Pump via a system of connected rods and levers.
MFH provides the necessary parts as WM casted parts, two clear plastic parts (C6) and two Springs.

The first adjustment is on the Springs, which are too short in length. They need to be pulled longer to 17.5mm correct length !

WM part M107 has been replaced by a Brass rod, which required to rework all other parts as well to fit this rod (see picture below). Also the Throttle Linkage Rod was completely scratch built.
Blog_part13_4.jpg
And here some pics with the complete Throttle Linkage System assembled.
Blog_part13_2.jpg
Blog_part13_3.jpg
Blog_part13_1.jpg
Guess, that's my last update for this year. Wish you all a happy new year and see you again in 2018.

Best regards,
Uli
User avatar

Topic author
VR2
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:22 pm
Your Name: VR2
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Gilles Villeneuve
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by VR2 »

Hello again,

my last update was about the throttle linkages/levers system of the engine. A clearly visible part of this system is the control rod which connects the main operating lever at the fuel pump with the left throttle slide. In the original MFH part (M108), the (very simplified) control rod and the left throttle slide are casted in one piece. I'm going to show a way, on how a much more realistically looking control rod can be build from scratch with some basic materials and w/o any sophisticated tools.

The control rod basically consists of a brass tube and two rod ends. The rod end can be made of a crimp, a stainless steel tube (or silver painted brass tube) and a M0.8mm nut (step by step sequence see pics below)
Parts needed to scratch build the control rod
Parts needed to scratch build the control rod
Crimp pearls from e.g. Rayher (available in hobby stores). Available in different sizes
Crimp pearls from e.g. Rayher (available in hobby stores). Available in different sizes
Drilling hole 0.7mm into crimp pearl
Drilling hole 0.7mm into crimp pearl
Finished control rod
Finished control rod
Next is to scratch build the guide rails for the fuel pipes which run from the fuel pump to the intake trumpets. These rails are not included in the MHF kit but are required for a faithful routing of the fuel lines later in the building process. The rails can be easily made of a Evergreen strip (cross-section 1mm x 0.5mm). Holes for guiding the fuel pipes are 0.6mm.
Scratch buit guide rails
Scratch buit guide rails
MFH did provide the guide rails (part M238) which are attached to the cooling fan. However, this parts are out-of-scale and do not represent the real thing, hence this parts have been scratch built as well.
New guide rails on cooling fan
New guide rails on cooling fan
Next update will be about building/detailing the oil filter casting and getting the engine ready for adding the ignition wiring and fuel pipes.
User avatar

Topic author
VR2
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:22 pm
Your Name: VR2
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Gilles Villeneuve
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: MFH Porsche 917 Le Mans Winner 1971 in 1:12 Scale

Post by VR2 »

Next is to build and detail the Oil Filter Case (MFH parts M103 and M120). What is missing in the kit are some key features of the original. Especially when building a stand-alone engine, these parts will make a great difference in a realistic appearance.

The Oil Filter Case of the original contains an adjustable pressure relief valve, which maintains a constant oil pressure for the crankshaft assembly. This missing part has been made on the lathe. The return fuel line from the metering unit (included in the fuel pump) runs to a union on the Oil Filter Case and from there back to the main tank. The required fittings have been built from scratch and the complete assembly was attached on top of the Oil Filter Casting.
detailing the Oil Filter Case
detailing the Oil Filter Case
Oil Filter Case attached to the engine
Oil Filter Case attached to the engine
With all Ancillaries installed, the engine is ready now for the ignition wiring and fuel lines. This will be the subject of my next update.
Blog_part14_10.jpg
Blog_part14_11.jpg
Blog_part14_12.jpg


BR,
Uli
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post