My take on the DB5 build

[Jo.Mora]

Hi all, I decided to start my own thread to show "my take on the DB5 build".

I don't consider myself as a pro but I enjoyed the hobby for many decades now.

I aim at making my models look as realistic as possible without being over zealous...

In this thread, I will share my progress on the build. You are welcomed to comment, suggest or even criticize (in a kind way 😉).

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Best regards.

[Jo.Mora]

Pack 1

[Jo.Mora]

Pack 2 - Engine (part 1)

[Mark A]

Looking great! The little detail add-ons to the motor make it really pop.

 

Best,

Mark

[Christopher Christou]

Some great detail added on,nice work!,the weathering of the engine is  👌 *chefs kiss.

Those little touches really make a difference 👍

[CraigThePlague]

Loving the ""seasoned" exhaust manifolds" it really makes it look like it's got a few miles on the clock rather than a pristine straight off the production line model.  

I saw that someone had done similar with the chrome exhaust pipes on the Shelby Cobra and have always wished that I could have the requisite painting skills to copy it.

[Jo.Mora]

19 minutes ago, CraigThePlague said:

Loving the ""seasoned" exhaust manifolds" it really makes it look like it's got a few miles on the clock rather than a pristine straight off the production line model.  

I saw that someone had done similar with the chrome exhaust pipes on the Shelby Cobra and have always wished that I could have the requisite painting skills to copy it.

Yes saw it too (the Cobra exhaust)... Very impressive!🤩

[Mark A]

Looking great! The exhausts look fantastic.

[Jo.Mora]

[CraigThePlague]

OMG!! That looks a 1000% better 👏👏

[Wtshark]

That looks amazing! 

[Jo.Mora]

Yesterday, I almost had a catastrophe while assembling the first row of spokes on my second wheel. When I grabbed one of the spokes with the tweezers, it flew off in an unknown direction! After a few minutes of fruitless searching, I had to resign myself to the fact that I'd never find it again... I had to find a way of making a replacement.  

Fortunately, my wife sews and I found pins that were the same diameter to within a thousandth or two.

Using one of the spokes as a template, I was able to make a replacement and once it was installed, I couldn't tell which spoke was the "fake"...

Maybe Agora should include some spare spokes like they do with screws?

[Jo.Mora]

Some progress today after receiving Pack 4. Completed front suspension, brakes and steering.

Front dampers (shocks) painted red (just because they should not be orange 😉) with silver lower spring support.

"Cadmium plated" calipers and "weathered" Discs... The rest is pretty much "out of the box".

Notice that I didn't connect the valve cover breather pipe to the starter motor (Identified as "oil pump" in the instructions)... Instead, I extended the pipe straight down as it should be.

[Wtshark]

On 3/16/2024 at 8:40 AM, Jo.Mora said:

Yesterday, I almost had a catastrophe while assembling the first row of spokes on my second wheel. When I grabbed one of the spokes with the tweezers, it flew off in an unknown direction! After a few minutes of fruitless searching, I had to resign myself to the fact that I'd never find it again... I had to find a way of making a replacement.  

Fortunately, my wife sews and I found pins that were the same diameter to within a thousandth or two.

Using one of the spokes as a template, I was able to make a replacement and once it was installed, I couldn't tell which spoke was the "fake"...

Maybe Agora should include some spare spokes like they do with screws?

That is my biggest fear, for the size and tendency of those spokes to "ping" off in any direction when held by tweezers, losing one almost seems to be a forgone conclusion. I had that happen during my first wheel build, but the white t-shirt I had surrounded my workspace happened to catch it. An extra spoke (or two) per wheel would help alleviate some of the pressure. 

I lost not one, but two of the small pins for affixing the A-arms and shocks for build #3, I searched, used a magnet for an hour and finally resigned to being unable to finish, (I may be able to finish with the next pack of pins from Pack 4), but I asked for some extra from Agora, which they were happy to send to me, for 15 USD. I don't mind, it's my mistake, but a few extra spokes would be very helpful. Using a sewing needle is a great idea, one I hope not to need, but it's good to know- 😉

Thanks!

Edited March 17 by Wtshark
typo

[Jo.Mora]

22 minutes ago, Wtshark said:

That is my biggest fear, for the size and tendency of those spokes to "ping" off in any direction when held by tweezers, losing one almost seems to be a forgone conclusion. I had that happen during my first wheel build, but the white t-shirt I had surrounded my workspace happened to catch it. An extra spoke (or two) per wheel would help alleviate some of the pressure. 

I lost not one, but two of the small pins for affixing the A-arms and shocks for build #3, I searched, used a magnet for an hour and finally resigned to being unable to finish, (I may be able to finish with the next pack of pins from Pack 4), but I asked for some extra from Agora, which they were happy to send to me, for 15 USD. I don't mind, it's my mistake, but a few extra spokes would be very helpful. Using a sewing needle is a great idea, one I hope not to need, but it's good to know- 😉

Thanks!

Yeh, those A-arm pins are really small! And expensive for what you're saying... 😶

For the spokes, I learned my lesson... I will never use the tweezers to pick them up again! Just to "massage" them in place once they are threaded through the holes... 😉

[Jo.Mora]

Hi all!

If like me you have lost a spoke (pinging off your tweezers to another space-time continuum) while building your wheels, here I share my solution.

I used a sewing pin that was the same diameter to within a thousandth or two of an inch and using one of the original spokes as a template, I was able to make a replacement.

I used a pair forceps (but you can use a pair of long-nose pliers if the tip is thin enough) to gently match the bends and then just cut the excess with some cutters.

Once it was installed, I couldn't tell which spoke was the "fake" one...

Hope this helps.

[Wtshark]

Looks like a near perfect match.

[Jo.Mora]

In parallel to the Agora DB5, I am currently building the IXO Bugatti 57SC (which came in ONE package and cost like 3 time less than the DB5... but I understand that Agora as a different business approach) and I thought it would be interesting to compare the wire wheels from both kits.

The Bugatti wheels are quite larger than the DB5's but they share the same number of spokes. Assembly is done in a similar way (including all the issues I encountered with the DB5 wheels...).

The main difference is that the DB5 wheels have 4 rows of spokes and the 57SC has 5. Where things got crunchy is when building the 57SC wheels is that the spokes for the third row are definitely too short and I had to unbend the tip super glue all of them in place to make them fit.

Despite this, the wheels look very very good! IXO has even thought of the inflation valve stem (circled in red in the picture) which I think is very cool... (@Agora, take note of this detail! 😉).

Also, notice the amount of spokes I'm left with after building five wheels! IXO included 2 or 3 Spokes for each stage of each wheel just in case you loose some during the assembly! (@Agora, take note of this too! 😁).

[Jo.Mora]

I just received Pack 6 two days ago so I figured that today was the perfect day to start building the two rear wheels (since it is raining here in Montreal).

Well, It didn't go as planed. On my first wheel, on the second row of spokes, one of the spokes was damaged and unusable... Had to make a spare using a sewing pin. @AGORA, would it be possible to have a few spare spokes with each step?! Can't imagine they are so expensive that you can't toss a few more in the package. I just finished the IXO Bugatti and I have like 20 spare spokes left...

On my third row, one spoke flew off my tweezers... 😶

After several minutes looking for it... Found it! it was just there. 😒

During the rest of the assembly, spokes kept falling out of place. Not a good day I guess. So even if my expectations where high, I kinda stopped after that one wheel.

On the bright side, only one wheel to go! 😄

[Wtshark]

It's funny you mention the bad spoke, on Pack 5, during the 3rd wheel assembly, I found a short spoke, like you have, although mine was even shorter. It must've been an extra, as I had the suitable amount of spokes. 

I agree, as we have discussed previously, a few extra spokes would be incredibly helpful, sooth some of the stress of a loss, and more importantly, solve some quality control issues. Your skill at fabricating the spokes is far better than mine, but the point stands and you shouldn't have to. Is it cost? How many extra screws do we have at this point? I don't think I've ever lost a single screw and have multiple of them all. 

I hope your next assembly goes as smooth as mine did, and I'm glad there aren't any more wheels to assemble, though by number 4 it went well and I wouldn't mind doing a few more. 

A head's up, I really struggled with laying the faux carper along the side of the transmission tunnel. Aligning it with all of the edges and angles was difficult and I had to use to extra from the left over to hide some of my mistakes. You may not have the issues I did, but taking Craigs advice and waiting to affix the gear shift until after mounting the center console will avoid breaking it. Best of luck. 

[Jo.Mora]

Is it just me? Why there's a gap in the shifter boot?

Decided to 3D print a replacement.

[Wtshark]

12 hours ago, Jo.Mora said:

Is it just me? Why there's a gap in the shifter boot?

Decided to 3D print a replacement.

Yes, there is a gap, I have no idea why. You seemed to get your carpet pads in very well, (looking at the seam in the shifter photo), and the printed shift boot seems to fit the car much better. I have no idea why the part fits this way, I am hoping it's by design, but we'll see I suppose.