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Got a bit more done yesterday and today ....namely some dropped floorpans.
I have made these out of 3mm plate , really strong and they are fitted front and rear at present and seat pan and foot pan are welded together on top of the outrigger to the existing framework ...everything drops in from above so still fully removable.
The seat pans are sloping back for seat angle , but , sitting in it , I think I may fit the seats with a more acute angle ...
As the pans are only fabricated with front and rear attached so far , I made up some angled sections that will cater for the sides ...The very long foot pans will enable me to create lots of legroom as we are not governed by a Triumph bulkhead on this one and I can scratch build to suit.
The bodyshell is being delivered tomorrow , so I should be able to start fabricating a bit of framework and mapping out new bulkhead etc...
Are you going to make patterns from the frame and offer this “long nose” version as a kit for the Scimitar?
Not sure at the moment ...I am still feeling my way with this one and the kit is offered , at present, as a Triumph based car that could be adapted to fit alternatives including a Scimitar ...
It's a lot of time and money developing a kit , even subtle changes can be costly ....the framework is going to be significantly different and its looking like body tub changes are necessary as well as the obvious bonnet stretch ...
I need to draw back some investment ....It owes me more than many may realise , so the Triumph angle is my main focus for kit sales , but I'm happy to do full or part build alternative chassis'd cars for builders ...
Any builders who have tackled a previous build on a kit car or Hot Rod , specifically previous S*mmio /Miglia builders who have had challenges to overcome in the process would all be very capable of tackling the mods required to go down the Scimitar route ...
Bodyshell arrived today , bonnet and other panels will be ready by Monday ...
I only need the body at present , so was happy to see it turn up ...
This is the colour they will be supplied in as standard , unless otherwise requested ..its Traffic Red and really suits the bodyshells ...
This one hasn't been flow coated as I know I am going to do some mods ...
I started putting a frame together , just enough to support the bodyshell for now and the beginnings of a bulkhead .....
I had two 2'' roll hoops in stock and I have used these for the front and rear bulkhead main hoops ...
I started to frame up the bulkhead using a combination of 25x25 and 20x20 mm box sections , this will have some plate added to support the pedals and will all be clad with aluminium later on ...
I was losing my light by the time I could take any pictures but these give you an idea ...
The car is going to be lowered slightly as she sits a bit high , and I am going to radius the rear arches to give her round arches to match the front on this one and the much needed tyre clearance ...
The wheels are just about inside the arches but the track is a little wide for my tastes and will not balance the front as they will be slightly tucked in ..so a relief cut is going to be put into the top of the rear arches and they will be pulled out about an inch either side , it will barely notice but will just tuck them in a bit ...
Looking at the last picture, it looks as if the rear wheel is sticking out quite a bit at the top. Worth putting some weight in the boot area to simulate petrol tanks and some fuel to see if it brings the top of the wheel back in.
Could save you an awful lot of hard work, seems a shame to start cutting such a well finished panel.
Looking at the last picture, it looks as if the rear wheel is sticking out quite a bit at the top. Worth putting some weight in the boot area to simulate petrol tanks and some fuel to see if it brings the top of the wheel back in.
Could save you an awful lot of hard work, seems a shame to start cutting such a well finished panel.
The photo does distort that a bit ...both wheels on the rear have the sidewalls poking out of the arch . The tread is covered - just. The addition of adaptors and wires has pushed them out .....The wheels are upright as its a live rear axle on coilovers and 4 bars ...
Scimitars are really good cars underneath . I think its basically TR6/GT6 type front suspension with a coilover shock , a version of a MK2 Jag rear axle , 4 bars , coilovers and a watts linkage .
Loading the rear will push the wheel upward but won't tuck it in anymore ...I am going to lower the rear which will achieve the same but , as you rightly say , once it has tank fitted etc... its looking like the Spitfire tank is going to be the tank of choice again looking at the space I am working with .
I am happy cutting the rear arches , the plan was always to radius them from the start - Eric and I discussed that at the beginning as we are pretty sure the bulge on the bonnet will end up as a scoop , so the rounded rear arches and scoop will give the car quite a different feel ....a bit more like the more musclely looking 500 TRC's etc.
So , stretching bonnet , stretching lower wing section , adding a scoop , radiusing arches and a slight banding of rear arches is going to create some scars anyway ...
Its just about tucked in ...so this is what an SE5 axle , wire adaptors and 15x5 wires look like .
I think a subtle 1'' band in the top of the arch will be just enough to get the wheel in to where I would rather see it ...but if another builder chose to use an SE5 then it shows it does fit !
SE6 is a few inches wider , so they wont work in my opinion as the banding would have to be too much and affect the lines of the car ..a stretch to 103.5'' wheelbase is a stretch to far , possibly too ...
You wouldn't want the tyre damaging the bodywork or paint after you have put all the effort into the build.
Shame the SE6 is wider, I think a Scimitar with the better chassis, suspension and engine would be an ideal donor.
I think the radiused rear arches will be a big improvement, the ones at the moment aren't quite square or radiused.
Shame the SE6 is wider, I think a Scimitar with the better chassis, suspension and engine would be an ideal donor.
I agree , the Scimitar is a great car underneath for a project build ...Lots of Hot Rods have been built using them for several years now ...its a shame that the much desired wide track and long wheelbase of the SE6 that the Rodbuilders crave , isn't suitable for a 50's race car styling as it just gets too wide and long ...( JUST MY OPINION) ..But it does mean they won't want 5's so much , and we don't want 6's ..so we can all live harmoniously in the world of Donor purchasing !!
I think the radiused rear arches will be a big improvement, the ones at the moment aren't quite square or radiused.
It will certainly slim down the hips a bit ...I don't think improvement , just different .... You can blame Dr. Porsche for the rear arch shape , they are Porsche 356 rear arches that were grafted in using some panels from a Chesil pirate body that was cut up ...
Are you fitting new or second hand wire wheels? If new you could have them set up so that the rim is brought in a bit. Could save you a awful lot of work. Even if you were going to fit second hand, you could find that fitting new wheels that don't need body modifications could pay for themselves.
MWS are very helpful.
running with second hand refurbed wires ...I can get them blasted and powder coated for £40 a wheel locally..
The inset rim , sticky out spokes look isn't going to work for me ...I have a definite look in mind...
Got quite a bit done today but totally ran out of light and didn't want to take pics of unfinished bits ..so I will update tomorrow night ..
For now though , I collected the bonnet today and put it roughluy in place , the stretch is no surprise , but the amount of room under the bonnet was ...I was convinced she was going to have to have a scoop to clear that lump ..but it clears with plenty of room ...getting the engine low was helpful and setting it back , but its no where near an issue ...so now I need to discuss with E. what we do ..whether to leave it or go with the musclely scoop anyway ...
I tried the radiator and it can be mounted upright too ...so thats cool as well ..
so todays pics are just the re-instated steering rack mounts as the chassis had a cobbled on , non-standard rack that didn't work properly ...a section of chassis and rack from a scrap SE5 gave me the bits I needed ..
I also welded a couple of little mounts on to accept the new radiator ...
I started the tubework frame to support the rad ..working out pedal placement and steering column line ..its working out well ...
It was getting dark again before I got a chance to take some pictures ..but managed a few ...
Space frame augment nearly done ...need to work out shifter , handbrake and do some ally cladding etc....but tubework shaping up quite nicely ..
I have framed up the engine bay too ..taking framework from the front main hoop , across the bulkheads attaching itself to the suspension towers and forming a frame to support the radiator before locating itself on the front chassis rails which will also be utilized in the fabrication of the tilt front mechanism ...this will be added to the front of what I have done so far ..it needs to go quite a bit forward from this point into the pout area as the hinges need to be low and forward to allow the front valance to clear any obstacles as it opens ...
Apologies for crappy pictures ..but this shows the steering and pedal layout.
I am using Triumph pedals and master cylinders as I have mimicked a Vitesse / Herald bulkhead , so I know the pedals will workout out at the correct height etc.
M/cylinders shown ..pedals to come and not sure what accelerator to use yet...
The steering column is the stock Scimitar one , mounted virtually horizontal which I am really pleased about as the Maserati is the same ...
Its mounted on its original mount bolted to a box section frame under the dash , a benneli clamp welded to a bracket on the bulkhead thats attached to the tubular framework as well , and changes direction using a stock u/j and is mounted to an extended stock Scimitar lower shaft with a sleeved joint supported by a pillow block bearing ...
Final picture shows the bonnet in place at the right height but slid forward to give an idea of the stretch involved ...when its mounted , I will roll it outside to take better pictures .....
Thanks ...I have borrowed one , it is a cheaper MachineMart type and it is good for gentle bends but does flatten a bit on the more adventurous bends ...even a pro shop will fill with sand or resin for extreme bends , so its not all the benders fault ...
A couple of better pics showing the bonnet line up issue ...I'm going to mount the bonnet and then we will layup another back section of bonnet to do the extension ..
Do you have a pipe bender in your workshop? If so, what type and is it any good?
I'd like to fabricate my own tube framework at some stage but I've heard that the cheap pipe benders on ebay tend to squash the tubing.
I found plans on the net for a diy type of Hossfeld bender. I used it for bending 10mm stainless rod into a semicircle to use as hinges for my Dino bonnet by placing a solid metal disc (from a bearing puller set) onto the middle (pivot) pin.
I'm not doing the stretch ...A professional laminator I use is going to do the modification ..we discussed it last night and it will be a kind of diagonal cut travelling along the most horizontal planes we can to minimize line up and blending issues as much as possible ..stretching a tapering panel is never straight forward ... The intention is to take a mould from it once it is done ...
