MadaboutKitcars

Those 3m tapes are very secure

Happy to help out with the supply of these badges. My laser cutter has invested a fortune in new equipment recently and the whole process has moved forward a long way in recent years. No more rough sharp edges with the process , the finished profile is clean and crisp. Just need a final polish with wet n dry and a polishing mop.

They're a bugger to polish on the buff, the stainless is so hard.
So far I've bent two S's and 1 P has disappeared somewhere! The buff catches them and throws them into the darkest corners of the garage. The longer script is ok as you have something to hold onto but the single letters are hard. Thank your cutter for me, he did a great job.

next time I need a batch of alloy cut for my motorcycle parts I'll give you a shout.

I wonder if some small studs could be silver soldered (or glued?) on, and then it could be fixed in the traditional way?

Is the S the right way up? I bet it is but it does make my ocd flare up

Dave

Like this

It was a test to see how long it took you all to spot it!

Jag – I think those badges will look good.

I know you have already bought a rear plate for your new B reg.

But I can recommend these guys to get a more retro looking one:

http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/tippers?opendocument&part=5

They did a great job on my new C reg.



Good luck, Paul.

I have some embossed alloy black and silver plates, very well made and a 2 day turnaround and they were only about £18 for the pair. I haven't fitted the rear plate yet as I am working on the boot still, or will be as soon as I have got my head around the electric window wiring so that I can instal an emergency window opening circuit.

Seems to me that this could be a meeting point for burglars.

To get to the emergency switch you will need the key to open the boot and disconnect the battery. This will set the alarm off and you still need to find the hidden wires to attach to the battery.
If you really wanted to nick it you be in through the rear window in under a minute, or if they were just after my collection of Abba tapes they would most likely use that old favourite....The Brick.

Is your boot done, photos?

When you get the paint job, will you flat back and polish yourself?

If I have to flat and polish the paint, my painter will be getting a boot up the bum!

Haven't done any more on the boot as the central locking is holding me up. I need to sort out a way to be able to lower the window from the boot. I've misplaced my Haynes manual and electrics aren't my strong point. If anyone knows how to wire it up, please let me know, it's doing my head in!

If all else fails, keep one of these in the boot.LOL
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIFE-SAVING-EMERGENCY-HAMMER-Window-Glass-Breaker-Seat-Belt-Cutter-Safety-Tool-/191961377955?hash=item2cb1ca2ca3:g:RsQAAOSwyjBW3arg

Probably cheaper than a new roof, I don't think it will take another window removal!

Finally managed to get back on the car. December and january were just too cold and wet, hopefully it will now start to improve. The problem with a forced stoppage is you lose momentum and I've now got to find out where all my tools and parts have disappeared to in the garage. The other problem is finding a new starting point.

I decided that the bonnet gap next to the windscreen pillar/door skin should be the next area for attention.
This is the N/S which I haven't yet started, you can see the gaps.



This is the other side, I have already built up the top of the door skin and now want to blend it into the bonnet curvature. I going about it slightly differently, I don't want the alloy strip at the top of the door but am going with a rubber window seal.


Have just used a plastic L section then filled it with GRP paste




Not pretty but you get the idea, here it is after a quick sand but obviously not finished, job for tomorrow.



I will reinforce it underneath with some GRP tape when I next have the bonnet off.
Now Top Tip!

I bought a set of different shaped velcro sanding blocks including a concave one for finishing the top of the wings



Very good it is too but it's handrolick and I'm lazy so came up with a cunning plan.
The top of the block is also hook and loop so it will attach to my detail sanders flat bed.



Makes sanding much easier and quicker!

Good progress jag.... Keep going keep going!

Glad to see you're back on it. I'll be following progress again.

Bob.

No pictures today because some numpty put his camera in the boot before fibreglassing it closed. Doh!

My boot lid hangs over the rear panel by about a cm. I had put a slice previously and re glassed it when it was clamped with a couple of ratchet straps but it didn't make much difference.
I came to the conclusion that it may be down to the fact that I have opted for the far superior and better looking internal boot hinges! Nobody else has reported any problems in this area. I took the belt sander to the lip on the top of the boot and levelled it all up plus a bit more so I could try and move the boot lid back to try and make it sit flush at the back. Again a small improvement but no enough.
I then covered the bottom of the boot ld with duct tape to prevent GRP paste sticking to the lid including the return. I then did the same to the closing section (where the striker plate sits). trimmed it of fish to the bodywork. I then built up the rear body section with GRP paste using the lower section of the boot as my guide. Just before it went hard I ran a stanly knife along the join.
It has worked pretty well and now the rear body has exactly the same profile as the boot lid and it has also given me a much better closure gap.

I also built up the passenger door skin to close the gap at the top to allow the fitment of s window rubber.

This gave me plenty of time to continue sanding the rest of the body shell because the GRP took ages to go off due to the cold even though I had put extra hardener in the mix to help it go off.

Lucas L539 lights
Just ordered a set of 6 lights from Tim Hodgekiss for £165 inc post. A pair each of clear, amber and red.

Now that I have them I have found that the clear lens light that was going to be used as a front indicator has a double filament bulb so it can be used as a sidelight and indicator. I'm going to fit this to the rear with the amber lens and will wire up the "brake" filament to the reversing lights, ok they will be amber but better than nothing. I have also wired up a couple of white bulbs into the rear reflectors as reversing lights but wouldn't have bothered if I had know the light had a double filament.

So for anyone else

L539 lights
Amber single filament bulb
clear double filament bulb
red double filament bulb

Slow progress, lots of filling and rubbing down. I have built up the area under the boot lid and it looks much better. I have also given the boot and bonnet 2 coats of reface and rubbed it all down. Very pleased with the result but am not going to say too much in case it all goes tits up when the final coat goes on. Took 1/2 litre to do both panels, 2 coats, doesn't go very far. Almost finished the rear and front sections ready for the polyester coat. Just the bloody doorskins to do which are going to be the hardest. Thought I would leave them to last, if I started with them I might sell it and buy a Nissan Micra!
Boot gaps are better than in the picture but not worth lining it all up and it's going to be on and off more times than a whore's knickers!

Not sure

I bought some aluminium slots to fit the brake ducts when I was at Stoneleigh last year. I have been toying what to do with them. When I opened them up they turned out to be chrome. I had decide to fit the same stainless mesh behind them as is in the front bonnet aperture, I was going to route out a recess at the back to fit the mesh but can't now do that as the are chromed steel.
Plan B
I carefully trimmed the mesh to size and then stuck a 1.5mm gasket around the edge so it would all sit flush and was very pleased with the result



However I'm not sure if I like them on the car



Do they look a bit like a boy racer add on bought from Ebay?
I'm not keen on the bare slots as I think they make it look a bit unfinished

If you could route them out so more of the black grill showed?

I think they look fine.
The problem now is you are just focused on that one tiny bit of the car. When it's finished and painted they will look a small, nicely finished off part of an overall picture.
I took my front ones off for paintwork then panicked that I'd riveted them back on upside down as they are handed. I've not looked again or given it any thought.

Bob.

The black behind the grill is my trusty black felt pen!
These fit the same either way round so I can't cock them up. The front duct is larger than the rear and both fit just about perfectly.
Sometimes less is more so was a bit worried that I might be overdoing it.
Getting very close to painting so I need to nail down some details.