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“In this assembly session, you will prepare the second wheel and attach the front section of the chassis to your model car.”

This quote is wrong in the magazine. In reality, we will be adding the water pump and ignition system to the engine in this stage.

Contents

Parts

Materials: All parts in this stage are plastic with the exception of the Timing Cover which is metal.

Build

Assembling the Engine Block Part IV

The Distributor

Stage 16.1

Carefully detach eight Spark Plug Wire Connectors (Boots) from the sprue, making sure you do not cut off the post at the bottom of each one.

Whenever we remove parts from sprues, we always use sprue cutters, hobby knife, or other sharp tool to create clean edges. Also, there may be more than eight Spark Plug Wire Connectors on your sprue; these extras are spare parts:

Then, insert eight (8) of the Spark Plug Wire Connectors into the matching holes on top of the Distributor Cap, as shown.

We don’t know how DeAgostini could get this Distributor Cap so wrong. On a V8 engine like this, there should be eight holes around the perimeter (one for each spark plug) and one in the middle (for the ignition coil). Sadly, this is what it is.

UPDATE: In Stage 74 (when the Ignition Coil arrives), a replacement Distributor Cap is included with the correct number of ports (nine). It will be replaced at that time.

Stage 16.2

Press the pin on the bottom of the Distributor Cap into the matching hole on top of the Rotor:

Stage 16.3

Align the mounting hole of the Rotor to the corresponding hole of the Water Pump as shown. Secure with one (1) AP screw:

The Engine Front

Stage 16.4

Slide the two Bushings onto the smooth end of the Fan Sprocket, as shown:

Stage 16.5

Fit this assembly to the front of the Water Pump, as shown:

Secure these parts together from behind with one (1) AP screw:

Stage 16.6

Retrieve the Engine Block assembly from the previous stage. Secure the Timing Cover to the front of the block with two (2) CM screws.

This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

Stage 16.7

Fit the Water Pump assembly to Timing Cover as shown, and secure with two (2) CM screws:

The Spark Plug Wires

Stage 16.8

We decided to try to improve the look of these Spark Plug Wires by trimming them down to fit better and inserting a length of 22 gauge Craft Wire into each to stiffen them. This allowed us to mold the wires into the shape we liked and keep them tidy.

Slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16I (5 cm long) over the center Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the pin on the Cylinder Head Cover closest to the distributor.

Next, slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16H (6 cm long) over the bottom left Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the next pin on the Cylinder Head Cover away from the distributor:

Stage 16.9

Slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16G (7 cm long) over the left Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the third pin on the Cylinder Head Cover away from the distributor.

Next, slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16F (8 cm long) over the top left Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the farthest pin on the Cylinder Head Cover away from the distributor:

Here is another view of these wires:

Stage 16.10

Turn the Engine Block assembly around. Slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16M (15 cm long) over the top left Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the rear pin on the left Cylinder Head Cover farthest from the distributor. Route these wires under the Supercharger pulley.

Next, slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16J (10 cm long) over the bottom right Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the first pin on the left Cylinder Head Cover closest to the distributor:

Stage 16.11

Slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16L (14 cm long) over the top Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the third pin on the left Cylinder Head Cover away from the distributor.

Finally, slide one end of Spark Plug Wire 16K (12 cm long) over the remaining Spark Plug Wire Connector of the Distributor Cap. Fit the other end over the second pin on the left Cylinder Head Cover away from the distributor:

Thoughts

MOM: It was a fun little adventure to attach the Spark Plug Wires! Adding the craft wire was a huge improvement, rather than allowing for the ‘big loop’ look in the original instructions. I like how clean and snug the wires are now.

SON: The spark plug wires were annoying after we put the wire in because it was less flexible and without it was easy, but definitely worth the work because it looks so much nicer with wire than without. Also we cut the tubes a little so that they won’t bow out and look very unorganized.

Next Up

 Stage 17 – Alternator/Bracket/Pulley/Cable, Crankshaft Pulley, Belts, Cooling Fan