RENAULT 12
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REPLICA OF THE RALLY CAR IN 1977 LONDON-SYDNEY RALLY, TEAM TURKEY.
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Started: 29 October 2005
Finished: 03 May 2009

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15 December 2005:
I cut the "top covers of the U-profile chassis arms" from styrene sheet and glued in place.


I continued with manufacturing the traverse behind the engine and above the gearbox.

16 December 2005:
I manufactured the front traverse and glued the front chassis assembly together.

I cut the separating panel between the passenger compartment and the boot.
Since the boot should be separated fully by a plate in real, I glued a plate to the back of the previous panel. However, the panel assembly are not glued in place yet.
I cut and glued the inners of the rocker panels.

17 December 2005:
I manufactured the lower front parts of the chassis arms from 3 mm square tubing styrene, and imitated the lower cover of the original U-profile steel by glueing a styrene strip underneath.



A mockup of the front chassis assembly.



18 December 2005:
I constructed the rear trailing arm and rear axle wishbone brackets. I also drilled holes in the floorpan and the front chassis arms, and inserted locator pins in the floorpan for correct positioning of the front chassis during assembly.

20 December 2005:
The engine bay shape was a bit complex for sheet styrene working, so I decided to cast the inner panels from resin. I began with the right side and first carved out a master block from a non-setting putty.

Next I placed the block in a tailored cardboard box to put the automotive polyester putty in.

After curing of the automotive putty, I took (or wiped) the master putty away to have the first hard female mold.

Then I made a silicon male mold from the hard female.


But to cast a resin part, both molds should be flexible for releasing, so I made a second female by injecting plastic over the male from a glue gun.

And here the first resin cast inner panel is temporarily in place... I manufactured the left side in the same manner.

25 December 2005:
I tailored the full side panels from styrene sheet, engraving the door parting lines. I gave a rough overall shape.

27 December 2005:
I manufactured the drip rails from 1.5 mm angle styrene profiles, tailoring the edges to fit the body.

The drip rail in place...


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