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I put a whole days work in today, and was pleased with the result.
At the same time as sorting out the screen, I am trying to do the hood as well.
I fabricated the new hood brackets, and put them in the car.
I have stripped the Spitfire hood down and used some of the bits to make two hood hoops, which I also have bolted into the car.
I cut the rear part of the hood material in half as its easier to work with that way. Hopefully I will restitch it back together later if it goes all to plan.
At the moment, I think I can make a good hood out of what is left of the original one, which is in remarkably good condition.
The most difficult bit will be trying to mate up the Spit font hood frame
with the moggie screen.
I'm dreading it, it may not be do-able, but I'll either completely wreck it or make it fit!
If the curves don't match, it will be wrecked, right now I'm not sure about it and that is a bad sign!
Oh, I almost forgot, I did more welding on the screen at the passengers side, I AM getting there.
is it possible to bend 2 pieces of steel to the correct shape and just transfer the actual fixing parts (locator and locks) accross, suspect it may be simpler that way.
If I cannot somehow make the two curves match, that will be my final attempt I think Ozzie!
It won't look so neat, but if it works I may end up doing that.
Like most people, I like to do my welding outside, but it can only be done in good weather. Well, that's not strictly true, but its more fun in the sun.
Today was a good day, so I went for it. Windscreen back off the car and more welding to it.
It is stronger now, and will need much less filler, both good plus points.
When I fitted the hood brackets, it was more to see if that was a viable solution to fitting the hood.
As it turned out, it will work, so I set about refining them a bit.
They needed to be more precisely engineered to fit, so they did not
protrude into the (tiny) cabin space, or dig into my shoulder.
I took them out, heated them with the welding torch, and shaped them to fit more snugly, and cut a small slot in the body to make them even more neat.
unfortunately, even if I could make the Spitfire front hood fastening fit, which I am thinking is NOT do-able, it would not look right.
The screen when the hood is down, must look elegant, and with the Spit front on it won't.
I will make it look elegant, but I will be looking for some other, more simple way of attaching the hood I think.
I really would like to use the car the whole year round and a tonneau
cover is not really what I want.
I once had a 7 type car with no roof at all, and I've done the
rain-in- your- face bit, and kind of moved in since then.
I will eventually make what I want, but my priority is to try to finish the build
with everything done perhaps except the roof, then that will follow on later.
I appreciate your input though!
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