[gordonzz]

is the old girl going to have an interior?

 

[carver]

Yes, she will! I'll keep it simple, the head and shoulders version. You won't be able to see much trough those tiny little windows anyway.
As this build seemes to have turned into some kind of "Ultra Scratch" (jay-bl writes: "this is as scratch as scratch-building gets") and I don't have figures to suite, I give it a try to do some small-size carving (No, no I'm not desparately trying to live up to my forum name

).
I have already started.

Good idea to take photos, on a big screen I can see what I am doing... That brownish is shell lacquer, very good for sealing wood, I use it a lot.

If this car is to enter the Monte Carlo Ralley -49; does anybody out there know if they would were helmets or just a cap in those days?

Cheers Carver

 

[gordonzz]

don't know about headwear but looking at the roof on the 1:1 car I would say they must have had brown trousers for sure! I think you are taking the "scratch" element to the letter with that driver!!

 

[carver]

Two good laughs in one short post, not bad gordonzz!

Carver

 

[gordonzz]

aim to please sir , aim to please!

 

[carver]

I had some time for the driver today. Turned out very nicely!

Doing this was great fun! I have done this before, but only 1:24 scale. For that dark cockpit this detailing level would be more than enough.
Now it's time for the co-driver.

cheers
Carver

 

[carver]

Rushing slowly! I have begun building the chassis with a standard Mabuchi. I want her to roll steady but not too fast, better keep to the road!

By the way, was it me saying "just an old family car" about the 444? Forget about that!
Here are a few pics of competition cars found when I was researching.

Ice-racing on frozen lake, far north of Sweden -51

Roskilde Ring in Denmark.

Monte Carlo Rally -55. The PV might be a -53

This is my favourite! If you not yet realized the 444's racing ability this may convince you.

The text says only "Gran Prix Valencia somewhere in the Caribbeans".
Where ever it was there must have been a successful Volvo dealer not far away.
I like challenges but I would not try to build this complete startgrid!

The Volvo "liverys" are quite strict allover, except for the breathtaking (?) white stripes on the Caribbean car.
Seems I can drive my slot-car-to-be in most any kind of racing!

Cheers. Carver

 

[carver]

This may be the last stop before reaching the destination.

Got the chassis rolling now, ready to screw to the body, it runs fine.

Interior parts are completed, the dashboard will be glued to the body. Couldn't resist doing some details after all.

Those carved figures were on the fiddly and tricky side to do but turned out allright... Next time I do figures for a covered car I'll try waxmodelling, may be easier to work with.
It is a bit unfair to those handsome blokes to show them blowed up like this, it's like looking at an impressionist painting with magnifyer! Their acne problems is far from evident seen with the naked eye .
Besides the shell-laquer that forms a shell (of cours!) and make it easier to cut whit knife, I use thick woodprimer. Whith a small brush, tothpick or needle you can apply drops to build up surfaces.
Finishpaint is artist's acrylic.

Steering wheel is made of bent stealwire and for drivers arms I experimented with some "false clay". Not sure of the English word, plasticine possibly? Had to cover whith that laquer again to get a suface possible to paint.
It is soft and fragille but dose not matter much, they are sitting safe surrounded by that solid platework...

So what remains is to add details and final touch to the body and then getting it all together . If I don't find a reason to stretch out this project even more, that is! I'm starting to fear the emptyness that will come when it is all ready!
Anyhow, will be done whithin a couple of weeks/months/years!

Cheers, Carver

 

[SplitRim]

The figures look ok even blown up way more than their actual size.
I'm looking forward to seeing it completed
Simon

 

[carver]

Thanks, SplitRim!
Sitting in the car with a little steamy windows they will look just fine!

This is the not too sophisticated equipment I've used.
To really see what I have done I have to take a photo and look at the 'putor widescreen...

With this car it has become a sport to do as much as possible out of nothing.

Cheers, Carver

 

[David Lawson]

QUOTE (carver @ 3 Mar 2015, 21:22) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>With this car it has become a sport to do as much as possible out of nothing.

You could say this is the very definition of scratchbuilding.

I also love your figures they have a lovely vintage look to them, putting a perfect new plastic driver figure in your great slot car just wouldn't look right.

David

 

[gordonzz]

charming , absolutely charming!

 

[carver]

Thanks David,
It means of course a lot coming from you!
What once made me go out getting some balsa, was when I found this thread :Lotus 12 a couple of years ago. Very well worth revisiting, a good tutorial.
If you could make a car in 8 days I thought I could make one in 8 months! But it has taken longer...

With the methods I use things get to look vintage and charming whether you want it or not

!

And Gordonzz: You see, in Sweden we don't have any poundland shops! This is the only way to keep the budget tight

!

 

[gordonzz]

and with an admirable outcome carver , your talent is beyond price!

 

[Retro Racer 44]

I remember seeing my first old Volvo, I think a PV544, at the first live race I ever attended. It was at Harewood Acres in Ontario, Canada on an old WWII training base airfield. I was 12 years old, but I can still remember the announcer talking about the Volvo and a Saab that were in the race. He said, "In Sweden these are family cars, but in North America we race them". From the pics above, he was wrong, they race them in Sweden also.

Great job on your old Volvo. You should make a mould of it and cast some resin bodies. I'm sure others would buy some.

 

[carver]

What a nice little story! Some of those early memories stay in mind for ever, don't they?

That speaker was not all wrong after all! In the mid 50's the North American export version was powered by a 85 hp engine.
The home market got only 60! That "sport" motor was not availible here untill -57.
This fact may very well has lived on as a rumour for some years. Most likely more seriouse racing first took place abroad,
but that was to be changed: Between -58-66 there was a Volvo factory team.

This is obviously the 85hp!

The 544 got in -61 the B18 engine from which they could squeeze out some 160 hp! Not bad for 1800cc in those days.

Here's the PV-history short course:
The 444 was produced -47-58. Always had devided windscreen and rear split window up to -55.
The 544 was a very much reworked car produced -58-66. It has the wide windscreen and large taillights but the same platework.

I am considering making some copies, would be good to have a back-up if I crash this one! Can't keep it just for sunday driving....
But I have never been into resin casting! We'll see what the future brings....

Cheers, Carver

 

[Slot-Mod]

Hi there Carver..
I have just read this thread and must congratulate you on your excellent scratch built Volvo.
For your first attempt at a wood/plastic/filler scratch built body and brass chassis, you have done an amazing job.

The car and the drivers look very period and once the rally decals are in place and running around the track, it will look awesome. You should be very proud of yourself..
Again, well done, an excellent one off scratchbuild..Looking forward to seeing some photos of it on the track.

All the best.. Martin

 

[carver]

Glad you like it Slot-mod, and thanks for the kind words!

I see this project a little as a self education. I am putting in perhaps a little too much struggle in this but I am learning quite a lot! Future builds will hopefully run on more easily (?).

The decals for this one are not a big problem, not even one sponsor in sight! I have allready got the two small decals needed for the Monte Rally -48 or -49..
And I have not made them myself! Goes to show I'm not a scratch fundamentalist!

Cheers, Carver

 

[gordonzz]

QUOTE (carver @ 7 Mar 2015, 09:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The decals for this one are not a big problem..........
And I have not made them myself! Goes to show I'm not a scratch fundamentalist!

well , that's it then...never following another build now!

 

[carver]

Finished!

The driver has opened up the window a little, despite the cold. Perhaps to avoid steamy windows? Or for waving to girls along the road?
I really do hope it has nothing to do with gordonzz's brown trousers in post#43, but if it has that would explain why they let some fresh air in.

It's really hard to discribe the feeling when having finished a build like this, I haven't been close to put down this much time in any car. A lot of work and a whole lot of fun!
Very satisfying in the end, to say the least. This is far from a perfect modeI but I must say it came out much better than I ever expected.

Thanks again for the fantastic response I received here, it gave me the needed push to finally get myself together and get it ready.
The impressing line-up of building masters following this topic really encouriged me.
I owe a lot to those who have shared their skills and experiences earlier on this forum, MAF, David Lawson, Jaak and others. Hat's off!

Got to start thinking of the next...
-

GO GO GO! Full Throttle! Turn loose all those..hrm...well..erh.....45 horsepowers.

Thanks for looking!

Cheers, Carver