Sd Kfz 7 Sprocket question and partial model rebuild..

[Jerry Carducci]

I haven't been making leaps of progress primarily because I'm just slow and I want to do things just once.

I spent quite a bit of time on the rear doors. This area had needed some attention from the time I received the model as neither the doors nor hinges were attached. I was first going to make my own, smaller hinges or use a pre-made piano hinge from Micro mark although I'm sure there are others around even more suitable. What influenced me most was the existence of all those holes on both the doors (steel), hinges (brass) and rear aluminium body casting. What I decided was to fill the holes on the doors and the hinges but only on the side that engaged the doors. The holes in the body I decided to drill out and tap with SAE 1-72 threads so I could use small_ish hex head screws. I like the ability to take things apart if needed and at least so far as the hinge/door assembly is concerned this does it. I made new holes on the hinges and doors so I could rivet the two together with functional 1/16 (~1.5mm) copper rivets. These two choices seemed to work ok and are similar to what I could see in photos of the full size machines albeit not quite scale in size.

I've decided that my goal is what may have been termed -semi 'standoff' scale when applied to aircraft. I want any of the detal parts I add or make to
look appropriate if not exacting in scale or construction to the original. I like things to be functional where possible which is why I tend to use steel and brass so much. This is the approach I took with regards to the latching mechanism for the doors.

I could see what these latches looked like and how they worked from the books I have. Their function seemed somewhat integral and dependent on how the full sized doors were constructed. I knew I wasn't going to nor could I with the constraints of what was there already -duplicate the door structures. However I wanted latches that would work rather that gluing, using magnets (although I considered this) so I sketched out what I thought I could do.
Using some of my favorite materials, construction nails, scrap sheet steel and some thin steel rods I had rescued from the roadway some years ago while walking I set about making these. Basically I did what amounts to miniature forging of these steels to make everything for these latches with just minimal drilling and lathe work. They seem to work pretty well. I recognize that the originals are flat- again an artifact of the overall construction; still mine are actually a hair over 5mm deep. I needed to make thin slots on the inside edges of the cast body parts to give the latching mechanism something to latch onto... I spent a few days making these. The latch mechanisms are held in place by 1,2mm hex head screws. The brass angles are held in place by a row tiny ( 0.0250" /0.6350mm) brass rivets for which I made a tool to maintain the integrity of the round heads. Drilling the tiny holes in steel was fun. No drills were harmed during the making of this scene... I need to make covers for the latch mechanisms so that only the 'arms' stick out.

I'm working on the tail lights which will be functional. They are cast of pewter.

Next on my radar is the dashboard. I've roughed out a replacement dash in steel, I still need to trim it down to the right length and cut out the holes for the instruments and such. I've attempted to see if the diameter of these dashboard instruments has been documented but I have yet to find it. Does anyone on the forum have these measurements they could share? I have a copy of the dial faces that someone kindly posed elsewhere on the forum - if these are the right size if I remove the outlines I can work from these. My plan is to illuminate these instruments and whatever else needs illumination... I haven't cut the holes in the dash as I search for the right dimensions.

I have lenses now for my headlights but I'm thinking I want to cast new headlight bodies in brass.

I've reached out to several fellow forum members regarding parts, hoping to encourage my inclination to be lazy and not make all the parts myself...

[Jeffrey Goff]

Hi Jerry, when I built mine, I cut a slot below the doors to fit the spare wheel, easy to do while the back is not attached

Regards Jeff

[Jerry Carducci]

Hi Jerry, when I built mine, I cut a slot below the doors to fit the spare wheel, easy to do while the back is not attached
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Regards Jeff

Hmmmm nice. Then I s'pose I'll need a spare tire also! I might do that and worry about the actual spare later....

Jerry

[Derek Attree]

Hi Jerry
The spare tire was in the kit when I bought mine a few years ago from Armortek.

Regards

Derek

[Jerry Carducci]

Hi Jerry
The spare tire was in the kit when I bought mine a few years ago from Armortek.

Regards

Derek

There was no spare when I bought this model, remember I purchased this as a previously owned model...

j

[Christoffer Ahlfors]

If it's just a spare, maybe you can print it?
//

[Jerry Carducci]

Moving right along with changes albeit slowly. Making myself ill from eating too many apricots from my tree out back didn't help... but they're
soo good! Apricots for breakfast, apricots for lunch, apricot pie. Even after offering even more to friends.....

Anyway....

I made the tire stowage locker door and latch and begun work on the dash, cleaned up the plate and made the 4 major instruments from
aluminium with plastic lenses and dial faces found in another thread on the forum. The plan is to illuminate them. Not certain what else lights up on the dash but I see at least on lamp or indicator on the large rotary switch assembly on the left. I have a number of details left to do and the vent controls as well as the tachograph. It seems according to the (reproduction) SdKfz7 support manual the original tachograph had a range of 0-60km/h but I see mostly 0-70km/h versions used. I was fortunate for find a full sized tachograph (it still keeps good time) and I must find a way to shrink it! It may not be the exact type but it appears close to me.

This week if all goes to plan I hope to meet with a friend who was a paint chemist by profession who says he can make me up a batch of high quality paint in the appropriate German sand yellow /tan yellow. I'm not going to wait until I finish every last detail to begin to reassemble this. The windscreen needs to be upgraded and that tachograph needs to be made - I plan to allow for it but make and install it later- I also need one for my Famo.

Jerry

[Jerry Carducci]

More work done, repainting parts I've touched and modified. Used the paint my friend made and it works very well so far. I use a Devilbiss EGA series 502 to spray which is an oldie but it works very well; I keep the pressure at around 45psi (~311kPa) and get a nice satin -like finish.

Did a bit more work on the dash but there's still a good bit to do. Tried out the lighting of the dash. Debating with myself if I want to use two of the soft white leds in the tachometer which is a large instrument. I like the way it looks illuuminated so far.. Going to make the entire dash panel so I can remove it and work on it if need be although besides delaying making the tachograph until later I don't see much need to work on it once installed. I have to paint the back side of the leds to light doesn't 'spill' out through the led's body base as seen in the reflection from under the dash. I made caps for each instrument case that completely and tightly seal the instrument body with the led a press fit in the center- the leds being clear allows light to escape through the led base...and I don't want that..

Hope to begin reassembly soon.

Jerry

[Robert E Morey]

Good progress! Love those lighted gages!
Bob

[Jerry Carducci]

I'm nearing the point where I want to be with the halftrack. The changes I wanted to make are mostly done and the paint prepared by my friend seems to have really come through.

I need to make a number of parts and fittings yet but the end is in sight. When I look over the threads such as Simon's and several others I shudder to think how my efforts appear but I'm mostly happy with the results. That said I could see myself spending several fold more time putting even more work, detail and accuracy but as I said previously my intent was not a museum quality model but one that I like. My constraint is that I have a severe aversion to putting anything other than a metal ( read brass, aluminium or steel) part on an all metal model if I can possibly avoid it. This half track and the Lee before it will be as a 'warm up' for diving into the pile of other Armortek kits that have made a pharaoh's pyramid in my garage ( I know my lady can tell the pile is larger than a year ago even though I sneak things in there...).

Even though this was a nearly complete disassembly and refresh of a previously built model, reassembly was NOT straight forward at least with regards to those side panels. I can see where the previous owner struggled with various alignments and I fully understand it. The thing fought every millimeter of the way! I was originally going to hide all the flat head hex screws along the sides to give a cleaner look but as I fought with it all I thought better of that; if ever there's a need to disassemble for repairs having to uncover those screws wouldn't be fun at all.

Here 's a question for you seasoned Armortek veterans: Has anyone actually implemented the original Armortek canopy? I have the original, never used set of bits however, and I mean zero disrespect, I am not certain how well it can or will work. I believe I have the frame assembled correctly however the canopy just doesn't have enough points at which it can be secured to the frame as it comes, does it? I'm nearly ready to give up on this as I can't sew well enough to modify it; at least not in a way I'd want anyone to see... So if anyone has hints, tricks or suggested modifications I'm open. I know Michal Matata has a beautiful frame and canopy but I doubt it would work on a largely 'stock' model as mine; perhaps I'm wrong in that. I'd love to use his and windscreen as well...

As I mentioned there are some other parts I need to make and I'll be waiting on a few things from Tim Catton and then it's final touch up painting, some light weathering and markings. I must change the windscreen( I have the OEM one mounted just to test the canopy /frame). I'm investigating upgrading the electronics; the originals seem to work well but take up an enormous amount of the limited space in the model.

So there it is.

Jerry

[simon_manning]

All very acceptable and understandable jerry, These 7s do suck you in to a Rabbit hole of improvements, it's all visible and frustrating to ignore knowing that you can make it better, a great kit and i enjoyed the challenge, well done and thanks for posting on this build, regards simon.

[John Clarke]

The wifi slow here

[John Clarke]

I had a second hand Sd Kfz 7 and brought the Armortek canopy to add some detail.
I waited a long time for it as they were made to order.
It was, I felt expensive, (not very experienced at the time) but it was custom made.
I'm not sure what vehicle it was custom made for, but it certainly didn't fit the Sd Kfz 7.
For some stupid reason I thought I was getting something that I'd seen on those special Sd Kfz 7 models that adorn the forum. I'd even asked for a picture of the canopy before buying, but was told to look at the models on the forum.
I never found what I was sent on the forum and there was a certain silence when I asked about it after it arrived.

So I can only say, I hope you got instructions, like how does it attach to the windsceen frame.
Hopefully you do have a canopy that fits. But between the lines it seems you may not.

I had to cut a substantial amount off mine and restitich (better too big than too short though) The frame is not quite there either. Actually it was a long way off. Detail wise forget it, it wont fold correctly and the materials (2.5 - 3mm welding wire) just didn't do it for me.

Personally I should have filed it in the round receptical on the floor. But I'm too mean. I made something of it. But never happy with it.

I've looked at the famo canopy, and thought now that's what I should have got , but it wasn't to be.

Search out for one of those special canopy's by the special guys that make these things
Pay an arm and a leg for it. Worth it.

Otherwise I dont think you'll ever be be happy with it. Good luck.

You still have the best bit to come, shame you have a Lee, that's a peach to drive the Lee

[Jeffrey Goff]

Hi Jerry, the canopy frame is not that difficult to make once you know where each of the section joins onto the frame, make the rear one first with the side attachments to the body, this will set out the length that will fold into the space, it will also give you the width of each section, just add each section working forward testing that it fold back flush, the last but one has posts that sit in sockets each side of the front seat, and the last one clips to posts at each end of the top of the windscreen

Regards Jeff

[John Clarke]

Nice, better than that, excellent Jeffrey, that's the special canopy frame I was on about.
I'd certainly would have been happy with that.
If memory serves there was no rear window or roll up on the canopy either on the Amortek version. With a bit of work it could be...ok
The main problem is if the detail bug bites, your doomed.
(doomed I say Mr Mainwaring)