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This is a read-only archive of the old Madabout Kitcars forum. New posts and replies are no longer possible, but every thread is still here to browse and read.

G46 No.6 Blackbird

9 Jul 2013, 3:43pm
Interesting to see how different each G46 is.

Numbers of dials and whether to keep servo or not, and orig heater etc is just one part of the individual nature of the build.

The screen is out of my budget but it is an interesting shape.

Will watch developments with interest!
9 Jul 2013, 5:27pm
The original screen from my scimitar is in the back of my truck and due for the dump this weekend.

Free if Anyone wants to collect it from Southampton. Rear side glass and tailgate glass too.
23 Aug 2013, 9:05am
August update

Guys,

I have swapped a holiday in Greece for a week at home on th G46.
Like mike I have had starter problems so it has been stripped and all the rust and corrosion removed and reassembled so it works on the bench.
I will fit it today, so hopefully can get the motor going and move it out into the sun.
However, I managed to get the bonnet to hinge on the headlight pods, but not sure if the gatehinge is strong enough quality.
I worry about a flutering bonnet at 70mph. Before I glass over it should I get a more robust item?
The final plan is a lift off bonnet with a pin through the headlight pod, but this will give me access and make moving the car a lots easier.





I was not happy with the proved frame simple bolting to fibreglass with no actual contact to the main chasis.
So I have managed to weld the old roll over bars to the supplied frame.
I will do simiar with the A posts. I am also thinking of a race to the rear chasis. is think over kill?




I now need to think about seat belt mounts.

I do like the solution used by Mr Towed where the passenger and driver inertia belts are swapped and mounted centrally.
This stops them getting stuck in doors and requires only 1 strengthened point high up in the frame.
Do you have any photos or that area?

I have manged to make use of the old a frames and scimitar hinges.
However I need to find a way to mount the door to the hinge.



Ideally I want a steel beam through the door to the door catch, similar to the TVR.
I hope to use the old scimitar door lock/catches.
However I believe special burst free catches are required on open top cars.
Aa a pot hole on a high speed corner could cause the door to open and the body twists.
Has anyone experience this?

Cheers HM
23 Aug 2013, 9:28am
I made a small sub frame to hold my belts and mount them centrally. I wanted to make it IVA compliant, even though I didn't need one as I took my sons out in the car! Here's some pics of how I did it on a Spyder in case they can provide inspiration?



23 Aug 2013, 1:13pm
seatbelts

Dave,

Thank you very much a photo explains so much.

I like the way you have introduced stand off on the top bar to raise the hight of the shoulder straps.
It apears there is no need to trianglate the point where they attach in the middle.
I presume this is because the square frame has enough strength and that if the forces are strong enough
to bend the frame you internal organs would not survive anyway.

I was getting carried away with lots of cross braces compromising my luggage space.
when a couple of piece of flat bar from the floor to the anchor point will survice to mount the reel.

Cheers

HM
23 Aug 2013, 3:52pm
Glad to be of help, there is a bit more waffle about the weld-on mounting points on my old Spyder build thread. They are what the 7 and lo-cost types use and I mounted mine in the same way as they have to for the IVA. I can see where you were coming from with the cross bracing etc. as I'd originally started off thinking the same as you. But the strength of correct thickness steel box with those threaded mounted points welded on and the then forces being spread over the four points is more than adequate. As you say, more than that and its metal squishing time!
24 Aug 2013, 2:42pm
seat belt

Job done.
I have still added a brace bar to take the forward backward loads from the top sqare section frame.
There was about 1/2 of flex in the middle before I added the brace bar.
Totally solid now, although it would strengthen up when the top bar is bonded to body.
16 Mar 2014, 9:14pm
door hinges

Work to date has been fabricating the doot hinges for the passenger side, which is a full 2 inches different in position to the Drivers side.
I would have liked to have had the skill to produce something like this:

Archived forum photo


However my skills and tooling are limited so I have only been able to produce this:

Passenger

Archived forum photo
Archived forum photo


Drivers

Archived forum photo


The reinforcing plates for the door catch have now been welded in place.
I am planning to use the old scimitar catches, but it will remain to see if they are anti bust catches, when i finally get on the road and hit a few potholes on a sharp bend.

Archived forum photo
Archived forum photo


I have not yet figured out how I am going to fit a beam in the door and mount fasten it to the hinges, door and lock/catch.

HM
16 Mar 2014, 9:44pm
Thermostat

The expansion bottle from the standard scimitar needsto be higher than the thermostat housing, but the shape of the bonnet does not permit this easily.

Archived forum photo


Having seen Mr towed arangement with the modern 2 stage pressure cap.
I considered an addition of a length of piping with a cap.



However, ford provided a more elegant solution in the form of a modified thermostat housing.
The expansion bottle can now be fitted low behind the front wheel arch.

Archived forum photo


onto the nex problem, relocating the battery.

HM
16 Mar 2014, 10:05pm
HouseMartin - Good to see some updates from your build, as it looks like you are making progress. :cool:

Good luck with the doors, as I know they are a real pain.

Take care, Paul. :)
16 Mar 2014, 10:09pm
Rear lights

Following on from Micky Jaguar rear lights, i was hoping to kep a relian theme, with units similar to the early sabre

Archived forum photo


However, I ended up with these sunbeam units as they seemed to fir the body profile better.

Archived forum photo


However, I had to cut the rear of the old scimitar body even more to give clearance for the bulb holders and wiring

Archived forum photo


But it did enable me to finish the rear of the boot area and have somewhere to attach a catch.

Archived forum photo


I am going for the use lots of the old body theme in this build

HM
23 Mar 2014, 6:40pm
Looking good :rockon: :rockon:
I'v been thinking of rear lights for my Pilot and have been looing at what I believe is Austin 1800 rear lights. :icon_question:
25 Mar 2014, 10:35pm
Rear lights

QUOTE=micky1mo;53601]Looking good :rockon: :rockon:
I'v been thinking of rear lights for my Pilot and have been looing at what I believe is Austin 1800 rear lights. :icon_question:[/QUOTE]

Micky,

Austin 1800 horizontal or vertical?

I think horizontal rear lights gives the rear of a car a sportier look.
They seem to give a low and wide look.

The alternative vertical lights seem to made the rear look tall and thin.
I see lots on modern estste and high roof cars.

So my preference is always for horizontal.
However the G46 does not allow it as it has curved rear haunches like the cobra.
So we end up with No1 twin lights, your Jag clusters and my sunbeam units all vertical.
Chairman has remodelled his rear end to get the horizontal look.

I wonder what Andrew Hush, and Nike have in mind

The Pilot rear seems a little flatter giving you more options.

Have you taken bluewhale out for a spin yet? :party:


The temp has plumitted again here in my car port, so my planned weekend with the fibreglass and resin has been cancelled. :eusa_wall:
Lets hope the new lighter nights will emable some progress when I get home from work.

Cheers

HM
26 Mar 2014, 10:28am
Just add more catalyst when the weather's cold, you'll be fine...
26 Mar 2014, 6:14pm
HouseMartin wrote:
QUOTE=micky1mo;53601]

Micky,

Austin 1800 horizontal or vertical?

I think horizontal rear lights gives the rear of a car a sportier look.
They seem to give a low and wide look.





I agree so I will go for the horizontal.
I am hoping the lights will follow the curve of the wings so look like they "belong"
All I have to do now is find a pair to try which is proving to be harder than I first thought :doubt:
4 Jan 2015, 8:12pm
2015 Jan update

New years resolution to update the thread at least once this year.

The car has become a cat home.
My mistake by only fiting 1 door before giving up in frustration.
Archived forum photo
Archived forum photo

However, the battery has a nice new location behind the passenger seat and is earthed to the rear chasis.

The fuse boxes have moved to the back of passenger foot well.
Archived forum photo
Archived forum photo

All the lights, horn, heater, wipers, wahers, guages work
However, the windscreen has wipers, but no washer jets yet and the fuel sender is not wrking.

And Finally here is a picture from the summer when my nephew started her up. It really needs a video as it does sound good.
Archived forum photo

HM :smile:
4 Jan 2015, 10:39pm
The taillights look great!
5 Jan 2015, 7:55am
Don't give up HM, all of the Sammio bodies - G46, Cordite and the Spyder need a considerable amount of builder ingenuity to make them fit, work and look good, with the payback being the unbelievable affordability compared to mainstream(!) alternative kits.

Most of us who've successfully built them seem to have embraced that ethos, but, at risk of offending some builders, we also seem to be creative eccentrics, often with an engineering background, who see the little idiosyncrasies as challenges to overcome instead of headaches.

Those nicely integrated tail lights and the progress you've made so far on what appears to be Sammio's second least developed car (after the banana shaped Cordite) suggest that you might just fit the mould too.

Keep tackling those little jobs, inject some individuality and passion into that fibreglass body and it'll be finished before you know it.

See you on the road soon. :)
5 Jan 2015, 2:05pm
HouseMartin - Thanks for the update, as I often how wonder what the G-46 builders are doing.

It looks like you have ticked off some of the small, but time consuming jobs. :cool:

Apart from the other door, what are the major hurdles that remain on your build?

Good luck, Paul. :)
5 Jan 2015, 6:42pm
Hello,

Welcome back!As Mr.T said:what are the G-46 builders doing?
I really like those build reports.
Go on,it's already a good looking car!

Gr.Rob
5 Jan 2015, 6:57pm
I know just how you feel regarding the doors :frusty::frusty::frusty:
5 Jan 2015, 11:05pm
Outstanding

Paul L wrote:


Apart from the other door, what are the major hurdles that remain on your build?

Good luck, Paul. :)


Guys thanks for the encouragement. It means a lot to me
I do like problem solving, but find I end up thinking tooo much and not doing anything...

The to do list goes like this: (from the front)

Get an MOT and V5 updated
Headlight aim
Front indicators location and size (currently hanging in the bonnet mouth)
Bonnet fastners
secure expansion bottle in engine bay
make and fit a heater inlet cover between bonnet and windcreen :fear::fear:
connect speedo cable
secure dash
mount rear view mirror
Glass hole in floor and tunnel
fasten both seats to floor
fit both doors
strap to secure battery
means to locate and fasten boot lid.
(all this assumes no windscreen for MOT so no wipers or washers tested.)
the good new is that the chasis, engine, suspension, brakes, tyres are all fine as they passed the MOT before I started cutting it up.

Make the mods I really want
headlight covers
air inlet mesh
Change bonnet mounting so it can be lifted off
cut out an Air Inlet in the bonnet ferrari 550 style
Refit the inner wheel arch liners to protect the engine from road dirt.
Seal front bulkhead to channel water away
Fit washer jets and plumbing
Fit wiper arms and blades
Fit the windcreen to the correct height so eyesight not level with top of frame.
upholster dash, door cards, footwell, behind seats and seats in grey
fit side windows to doors
modify body behind seats so drivers seat can be moved backwards.
Fit Audi TT roll hoops to body support behind seats
fibreglass metal frame to body behind top of seats
cut access panel in top of body above old rear position to give access to battery and storage space
Cut out a bigger boot opening to enable it to hold spare wheel
French in rear lights
Bigger exhaust pipes.
wirewheels
nice britsh racing green paint job :drum:

and to finish it all off an electric hard top roof for rainy days!

I have accommadation in italy booked for the august bank holiday so may target is to drive there.

However it may well be in the Scimitar GTE and not the G46!

HM
7 Jan 2015, 2:36pm
Whilst it is scary seeing all the "To Do" stuff written down, it is good to be able to tick the jobs off.

You mentioned the headlight covers and that reminded me of this recent post.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5249

Not a cheap option by any means, but thought it was worth mentioning.

Good luck, Paul. :)
8 Jan 2015, 1:27pm
Hi
Glad to hear about one of the g46 builds. Know it will be a while before there is a new shell for me to buy but would love the chance to see a build if you ever fell you want to show off,,
Cheers t
Tony
8 Jan 2015, 2:21pm
TBH, looking at your to-do list, there doesn't seem to be a _massive_ amount left! Although i know where you're coming from as i got into that state of mind with the Lambo as I wrote down everything that needed doing and in retrospect i wish i hadn't as i kept looking at it and over thinking things and getting depressed at how much was left.

With the Miglia i've kept everything in my head and always had at least 3 or 4 current things that need doing so that i can swap and change to keep my morale up and that approach seems to have worked wonders for me.

Fingers crossed that you've now got the motivation to finish this off as when i saw the big Red Orca down at Exeter with Gaz i couldn't help but be intimated by the sheer size of the G46 in the flesh and I'd dearly love to see one on the road!

Best of luck matey!