Many thanks, Paul.
I tried to be as faithful as possible to the images that I found of the various details.
If you need some pictures of Leopard and its details let me know that I will send them as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, you have absolutely right.
I became mad to find aftermarket needed to improve my model.
I indicate to you this link which helped me greatly to find everything that is produced for the Leopard. But many of these aftermarket are no longer manufactured, unfortunately.
http://www.onepointed.com/dan/model/Leopard_Lists/1-kit/
I hope to have been of help.

Very useful link indeed, both Leopard 1 and 2..

So...why don't you make a master from your engine bay and don't you produce a resin extra set?
I think that lots of modellers would be interested in a product such this one

Cheers

Any measurement on how much the space underneath the hull is affected by lifting the engine?

Paul

Mario, you're not the first to tell me this. Even the friends who frequent the hobby store where we gather to work together on our models, they suggested to me this.
I'm still thinking about this, and is not yet said that I do not do this.
Best regards

I do not know exactly, but I can assure you that the hull of the tank is lifted from behind by at least 15/20 centimeters, once extracted the engine.
When the engine was lifted, it seemed that the tank did a little bow.
The "Operation and Maintenance Handbook" shows that the weight of the engine, ready for use, is 4540 kg.

Hi!
Are you really sure about 15-20cm? I would agree if you think of the ARV when it has the powerpack hooked on the crane jib and the stabilizer blade is up. But I have photographed a lot of Leopard 1 with the powerpack being taken off. I do not have the pictures at hand, but from my memory it is less than 5cm. To be honest, I never realized more than a slight lifting of the back. And if you look here:

http://www.panzerbaer.de/types/bw_bpz_2_a1-a.htm

it seems not to lift from normal at all.

I would guess this phenomenon is also a question of the tanks being full or empty and the ammunition stowed or not?

Andreas

Andreas,
I'm sure of this. Perhaps will not have been 20 centimeters, but at least 15 centimeters for sure (all the tank is lifted for 4/5 centimeters, while the rear part of it is lifted by about one span to the tracks that were not extended to the maximum).
One thing is to see a photograph, and another thing to see the action live.
When the engine is detached from the supports, the tank seemed to follow the lifting for a while.
Then it stopped when the tracks were stretched at all, and this seemed as if the tank would send a sigh of relief.
I agree with you that even a full shells of fuel can contribute or not to a great movement.
You takes account that, when we brought the tanks in the workshop, it was imperative us to make "the empty shells" for safety.
The Bergepanzer also had to be careful when lifted the engine, because it sloped very much far forward.
To prevent this, they pitched the grab on the ground to better distribute the weight and don't overload the suspension.
I'm therefore sure that a great movement is caused by tension, more or less, of the tracks. More are stretched, lower is the movement.

great job so far

Many thanks, but the real work begins now ...

Uoww, fantastic work on engine man, very nice detail, I Can't wait to see more!

Have a nice build

Hello Fernando,
many thanks but, as I have already said, the hard work starts now ...
I must first finish the exhausts and then I have to make the fuel tanks, then I will complete with all the details.
To do all this, I have only partial pictures of, so it I have to do many measurements while I build details.
And this is a method of working very long.
As soon as I'll finish the details, I will post them here for your opinion.
Best regards

Hello Gianfranco,
I'm following your post, I like so much this kind of details and I've never seen this engine details before, I'm impressed and wainting anxiously for more pictures my friend. Great work.
Have a nice build.

Ciao Gianfranco,
superb detailing, means great knowledge of the steel cat...!

Fernando Thanks for the compliments.
I just completed the construction of fuel tanks in scratch ... a very challenging job because I have done this without building plans or sketches, but only using a lot of photographs and more tests on the engine compartment.
As soon as I finish photographing various details, I will post them here, so those interested can comment them and give me some suggestions, which will be very welcome.
This design is becoming more and more challenging ...

Ciao Giuseppe,
over 11 years of commanding a company of "Cats of Steel" will certainly say something, don't you think?
As soon as I arrived from Lieutenant to my old company, the my first commander gave me the "Operation and Maintenance Manual" (two very big books), and sent me to the parking lots of tanks with orders to study them, to follow carefully all of the mechanical NCOs who worked on the tanks, and not to speak absolutely.
And this he ordered me and told me to do every day for a month ...
... at the end, I learn those manuals almost by heart, the NCOs not even noticed me, they worked without interruption and they were happy to show me everything because they were not irked by my useless questions and, finally, I also earned a reputation of Officer very reserved and very prepared!

Finally I managed to complete the fuel tanks. These are the latest images of my works.



This is a picture that I found of the interior of the engine compartment.
From this photograph, and other images, I had to calculate the sizes and shapes of the various components and then reproduce them in the best way in scale.
This method of working is very long and imprecise, but it is the only method that I had on hand, although I have the "Operation and Maintenance Manual" and many publications on Leopard.



Side view of two fuel tanks in scratch.
To obtain them, I glued together some profiles of plasticard of various shapes and sizes, up to create the shape of the tank.
Later, with rasps and sandpaper, I brought the pieces to size and shape right.



Another side view of two fuel tanks in scratch.
To cover the imperfections of the various sections of Evergreen and Plastruct used, I coated the surfaces with a unique part of a sheet of plasticard very thin (0.125 mm.) on which I cutted some slits to simulate the stiffening ribs in negative.



Top view of two fuel tanks self-built.
Finally, I completed the two tanks with all the details that I have identified on the photographs.
Most of them are in scratch, while some (like the rubber funnels of the filler caps) come from the set of the engine compartment of the Leopard, of "REAL MODELS" Factory ( No. RMA3504 of the catalog).



Top view of the engine compartment "almost" complete (without top armor).
The engine compartment is slowly completing with the details that compose it.
Finally I can see the end of the tunnel ... (maybe!).



Another top view of the engine compartment, with no top armor.
The tubes that you see in the foreground, and which are fixed to the side walls of the fuel tanks are the lances who spray off the fireproof liquid, while the thin cable that surrounds the engine compartment is the sensor of fire protection system.



Top view of the engine compartment with top armor.
Test to check the dimensions of the various details with the top armor plate in place.
The feeling who I have now, is satisfaction for the work done so far.
Are there some imperfections and minor mistakes, but overall I managed to be quite accurate in the production of the various details.



Left side view of the engine compartment with the top armor.
I have yet to coat the two compartments of the discharges with a piece of aluminum tape to simulate the thermal insulation material (very hard to clearly see if this thing is not known ... but well I know there is!) which prevents the overheat of the lower part of the hull of the tank produced by the exhaust gases.
This operation is still something that I will do at the last minute, because it is very easy and quick to do.



Right side view of the engine compartment with the top armor.
The bar bolted that is seen in the foreground is a tie rod which locks in place the support of the accelerator control of the regulator and the idling of the engine which, normally, are arranged on it.
When the engine is disassembled, first it is unhooked to remove even the command, and then is folded on the tank to which it is fixed.



The work on the engine compartment is almost finished.
There are only a few other small details for to complete the order.
Now I will concentrate to the realization of the interior of the hull (the pilot's seat) and the turret (the commander's seat), but only what is visible from the open hatches.
However, so far I am very pleased with the work I did.
At next time ...

Gianfranco "Il Colonnello"

Fantastico!!!

For creating this all from scratch and using simple techniques and lots of attention to detail you have created a one of a kind conversion.

Well done Signore! Ti saluto!

Jason,
thanks for the compliments but you, who you were a commander of Leopard like me, you may have noticed the many imperfections that exist.
Unfortunately, the lack of quoted plans or images clearer, or at least orthogonals, prevented me from being more precise.
Furthermore, I must run absolutely if I want to be ready for September. Keep in mind that I have to get my hands also on the Bergepanzer ... and here there will be panic ...
Ti saluto anche io.
Gianfranco

Looking really good! I wish I had the ability to sit down with plastic card and scratch out an interior.

Matt,
I assure you that all modelers who are passionate can achieve good results (... and then I'm very sure that you are an excellent model maker).
I am therefore convinced that it is only necessary to have patience, enthusiasm and a bit of manual ability and, after many errors, each can acquire the necessary experience to realize always better works.
Furthermore, it is not necessary that your work can like to others, while it is indispensable that it likes to you.
And that is why I and the friends of my club don't we participate in competitions, because we want to show our works only where there are no prizes.

Il_Colonnello,

Wow, you are an inspiration. Extraordinary work! The first of Tamiya's R/C tanks I built waaaayyyy back in 1970 or so was the Leo I. I still have the screen-covered engine deck somewhere

I concur that the Leo I is under represented in models.

The greatest reward is the satisfaction gained from a job well done.