Prudenzio Contest - Rolls Royce by Boose

**Don Boose** · #1 06-04-2011, 06:40 PM

This is actually a place holder, since the model shown in the images is one that I started more than a year ago. Since then, I lost the original file, along with my other Zio models, in a computer crash. I have since downloaded it afresh, made a donation, and will build the newly-downloaded one, along with the two little trucks, soon.

Meanwhile, here are images of the old, unfinished, model, with a little person (whom I have named "Sophie") looking on at the construction.

Don

**cjwalas** · #2 06-04-2011, 09:50 PM

I hope Sophie is still around to supervise construction?
Chris

**Don Boose** · #3 06-04-2011, 09:54 PM

Sophie is still around, Chris. I intend to finish up this previously-started model, and then build another one either to qualify for the contest (if Old Toddlea will allow two builds of the same model) or just for the fun of it.

**pahorace** · #4 06-05-2011, 02:24 AM

Model delicious! Don.
It is hoped that Mrs. Sophie could take a ride with this car soon.

Orazio

**rockpaperscissor** · #5 06-05-2011, 07:12 AM

Looks very nice. I was thinking of building this one myself. Does anyone know if this is just a generic landaulette, or is it a model of a specific car?

**Don Boose** · #6 06-05-2011, 08:06 AM

Don - I am no expert on vintage and veteran automobiles, but I believe the open driver's compartment makes this a "brougham," rather than a landaulette (although perhaps the fold-down cover over the back of the passenger compartment qualifies it as a "landaulette" regardless of the open driver's seat).

Zio calls it a Rolls-Royce, but it may be intended to give an impression, rather than being a specific mark of the automobile. Except for the missing silver lady radiator cap ornament, it certainly has the characteristics of a 1920 - 1925 Rolls Royce. Based on the shape of the passenger compartment, I would say closer to 1920 than to 1925.

Don

**Don Boose** · #7 06-05-2011, 01:11 PM

Many thanks for your kind comments, Chris, Don, and Orazio. This work is definitely not in the same league as that of you three, but it I can see some improvement in my hand skills.

It seems to me that the wheels as designed for the kit are too narrow (two thickness of whatever paper the model is printed on). So today, I took a break from grading papers and fabricated some new wheels. First, I cut out the wheels with a circle cutter, then cut out disks of double thickness paper and glued the front and back of the wheels to those disks.

Images 1 and 2: I used the spokes to strike the center point of the rear face of the wheels and cut them out with the circle cutter.

I wanted to add an additional thickness for the tires, so I printed a black square and taped it to a segment of paper that was itself taped to my cutting board.

Images 3 and 4: I set the circle cutter to the radius of the inside of the tire and carefully cut out a series of disks, being sure not to cut through the underlying paper. This left the center point that I could use to cut the outer circle of the tires.

Then I cut out the rear center disks (p2); punched out the hubcaps (p3); and glued the tires, rear center disks, and hubcaps to the previously glued up wheels. Finally, I rubbed Caran D’Ache Neocolor II 7500.008 (Greyish Black) all over the tires.

Image 5 shows the thicker new tires and the skinny old tires. The new tires are a little ragged and may now be too wide (about 1mm, which would be 8.7cm full size, assuming the car is about 1/87 scale). I don’t know how wide a 1920 Rolls Royce tire was. I think a Model T Ford tire was about 3 inches wide. If that was also the width of the Rolls tires, then my tires are about a centimeter too wide, which I can live with, given the standoff scale nature of the model.

Back to grading papers.

**cjwalas** · #8 06-05-2011, 01:20 PM

A vast improvement! The wheels as supplied are most definitely too thin. Not only that but the fold over design is too exact. One slight misalignment and the wheels are way off center. This happened on two of the four on mine.
The added dimension in the wheels will really make a difference in the appearance of this one. I see I need to purchase a circle cutter and learn how to use it. Which model are you using and are you happy with it? The results look perfect.
Chris

**Don Boose** · #9 06-05-2011, 01:46 PM

Chris –

I use an Olfa compass circle cutter (http://olfa.com/CircleCutters.aspx), which I find works well for disks between 5mm and 60mm radius, so long as I use sharp blades.

For disks smaller than 5mm radius, I use a drafting compass with a blade, which is temperamental and not entirely satisfactory.

Billy Leliveld (http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/aviation/4974-1-32-b-58-hustler-design-build-39.html#post101387) made us aware of the NT circle citter C1500P (http://www.lion-office.com/nt/circle.html) and Mike Scalingi showed how to improve that cutter for small disks (http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/tips-tricks/9597-improve-your-circle-cutter.html).

Some day I intend to get one of those NTs and have Mike help me make the modification. But for now, I am doing okay with the Olfa for my small and not so precise projects.

Don

**rockpaperscissor** · #10 06-05-2011, 03:22 PM

The thicker tires make a big difference. Looks really nice.

Since I'm not an expert on antique autos either, I looked up the landau(lette) and brougham body styles to see what the difference is. The landaulette features a passenger compartment with a roof that can be opened; either accordioned back like a sunroof, or with a soft roof section that could fold down. The driver compartment could be either roofed or not. Sometimes the driver's roof was removable. The brougham had an enclosed section for passengers, and the driver sat out in the open.