MadaboutKitcars

I done the same with my boot.

Jones - Nice work on the lights.

And I know what you mean about how photos make things look different to reality.

Good luck, Paul.

+1 from me.

I've just spent the afternoon (amongst other bodywork filling/sanding etc.) moving a rear indicator 6mm to the right !!!

Thanks Paul and Ian A I appreciate that a lot.

So today back to making no real progress that people can see on the car, mainly because I spent the day practising welds on scrap. I did however make the boot lid frame that the hinges and boot will be fixed to. Before I started my day I pushed the car back to take some pics without the cover on. I also attached all the conversion wiring loom I had soldered for the rear lights last night.



Oh and although the light was fading I needed a pick me up after what was quite a frustrating day setting up the welder that I had never used before. To be honest I can only blame myself for not getting to grips with it sooner certainly not the machines fault. So I fitted a rear wheel just to see...

So due to a flat battery I wasn't able to test the wiring I had done over the weekend. Shamefully I have to admit I didn't own a set of jump leads so on my way home from the office tonight I stopped off and picked some up. Good news after not being run since November its started first time didn't even have to rev it! Although since I ripped off the tail pipe it's definitely ummm a little louder and blowing but ah well

Unfortunately it is freakin' difficult to to take a picture of the lights working, this is the best I could do...

I wanted to give an update: unfortunately the build is not progressing at the pace it should be or I want it to be. I should at least of had it all bonded on, in primer and MOT'd by now. The bad news is that my father has been on a losing battle with the dreaded prostate cancer for a couple of years now and is coming to the end of his battle so for the last few months I have basically been in Norfolk where my parents live to support my mother and obviously him too.

So for now I will have to suffice with living my Kit Car dream vicariously through others build threads Scottie, Paul L, Viatron and many others until a time where I can devote some kind of attention on the car.

I will say however it has not stopped me in purchasing much needed items for the finishing stretch! Viatron mentioned a website on his thread so I checked it out and a few days later and I have a package delivered today containing a (functioning) wing mirror and some chrome washer jets. Good quality GREAT price I felt - http://www.classic-car-accessories.co.uk

Jones - I'm sorry to hear about your dad.

I don't think you will never regret spending this time with your parents.

Take care, Paul.

Nothing wrong with projects taking a back seat for the real world.

I think silver, but gold would be a head turner.

I like your wheels. Maybe Gold bodywork would suit them......

Paul, Seanick - thanks for the kind words, obviously you are both right. I wish I could just get the car in my garage and then when I pull up to the house after being away over the weekend or at the office during the week that I didn't have to see it awaiting some love and attention.

Having said that - I hope to do some work on the car this weekend my parents have insisted that I stay home and go to Stoneleigh and to be honest I think they are sick of the sight of me but I will play it by ear. If I do stay home then the weekend will consist of painting the roll cage its all prepped just needs to be primed and topcoat. thinking satin black? get the rails bonded on for the headlining panel to screw onto and to create a void for the wiring. Then bond the rear on!

I am hoping I can at least get the car on the road so my dad can see it, he has helped out and stood in disbelief sometimes on my numerous car projects.

So unfortunately the only time I got that bank holiday weekend was for a cheeky Stoneleigh day visit and then my father was rushed into a hospice that night. He then passed after an agonising two and a half year battle that didn't give him a break even at the end, he passed on Friday 15th. Everyone was right and I wouldn't have changed my choice in spending all but 3 Weekends this year with him and my mother. This does mean my planned week off for un-inturrupted car building has been used up as the last two weeks was spent by his side at the hospice.

This did on a positive note allow for some planning and final vision to be solidified. Both interior and exterior plans are now laid out and just awaiting my time to complete. I have no excuses as all parts are in the garage just awaiting assembly. My build may have taken a detour and parked up for a bit but it will be back in gear soon. Famous last words... It will be on the road by end of summer!

Sorry to read that,
At least this way you may very well have fond memories of your father each time you use the car, which will no doubt be better due to all the planning. I would take that any day over a completed car and feelings of guilt. Can't wait to see a picture of it finished when you take your mother for a run out, kind regards and respect Ed.

I am sorry for you Jones, I lost my mum last year, so I understand the feeling, but as is always said, time is a good healer, and life goes on for the rest of us.

Thank you both Ed and Scottie very kind words.

Hopefully some updates will follow over the coming weeks

Jones - Sorry to hear about your dad.

It was good you could spend time with him and I'm sure your mum will still need a bit of support as she comes to terms with it too.

When the time comes, I'm sure the car will be a welcome distraction.

Take care, Paul.

Sorry for your loss , regards Gary

Thank you Ned & Paul for your kind words.

I have now moved back to my own house last weekend and back to work after 4 weeks of temporary relocation back my homeland of Norfolk.

This weekend I am having to replace my shocks on Jag XF, doing it myself as I have fallen out with my local dealerships whom kept blaming my front bushes and then worn out tyres (3mm left them) for my poor handling over the last few months despite me protesting that its definitely in my opinion shocks were to blame. I thought I am merely a novice and shall bow to what should be their almighty knowledge working with these cars day in day out so first I agreed to having the bushes replaced... no that wasn't it but a few hundred quid lighter. They then assured it me it could only be the tyres now, so again depsite my gut telling me otherwise i duly spent the best part of a grand on 4 new tyres and tracking.... no that wasn't it either and to make things worse the handling was in my opinion deteriorating!

with the down time I had in Norfolk I was able to take full use of my old tools stored at my parents and get the car up on jacks, having checked everything that moved and even somethings that don't I proved to myself and obviously the very bouncy and soft offside front corner kind of helped confirm it was in fact the shock that had gone.

Oh well rant over but it will be another weekend away from what I wanted to do this weekend... But I still might get a chance on at least marking out the rear C pillar vents similar to Neds.

So a good day was had, got up nice and early, OK not quite as early as some (Scottie) but outside by 9:30 is good enough.

New shocks on the Jag, tick job done oh and how nice it is to be right. I even took it to Jag on my road test to make my point.

Back home and I thought to myself lawn and garden or car, hmmmm lawn or car....? Winner is Car

With my neighbours away I duly took them up on their offer for us to use their drive, so moved both our cars over. Whooped off the tarp and their she was, battery flat but not unsurprisingly so after her neglect. Next up was job number 1 remove roll cage ready for prep and paint (thinking just plain black to be honest).

Onto job no.2 removal of the rear lights and reflectors, I need to neaten up two holes as well before refitting them.

Job no.3, tidy up boot extender panel - this now sits square ready for bonding.

This left me with this mess on my driveway:



Well a spot of lunch later and on to the next job, no.4. Making a template/mock up of the side vents...



Transfered that onto the car:



Then voila some grinding later and we have holes... I mean vents:





Job no.5, actually turning them into vents, two done but my belly was crying out for dinner and I wanted to watch the F1 qualifying so tools away and car put roughly back together, the tarp on. In my hurry I didn't take any pictures of my first bit of fibre glassing.

Thats all...

...will tomorrow's weather be as good?

You can't break to watch qualifying when there is a car to build man? It was a snooze fest anyway. Get yourself a TiVo TV box mine records any form of racing it sees without even asking it just knows that's all I watch. Glad your build is back on the go. Ed

There won't be much progress next week with LeMans 24hr on TV. Coverage on Quest this year as well as live on internet !

Not going this time , waiting for the classic next year !

WOW, two days straight on the car and I feel it will ramp up from here now.

The plus side is all the planning and contemplating has played off and it's coming together.

Today was continue as per yesterday, unfortunately the two sides are not as symmetrical as one might hope for so adjustments had to be made.

So in case anyone is wandering what the messy stuff is in the pictures I used a glue gun to hold the pieces together from the font so that I could glass them in from the rear. It's a bit like spot welding it together and then its easy to check and make any adjustments before glassing them in. the interior shot is the two vents I had done yesterday that I had started to rough up for more glassing today.



I also started some sanding today on the nearside, mainly the flash lines. I then couldn't resist as I went through the gel coat in places to give it a touch of etch primer... that wasn't enough I wanted to check the provisional colour choice too.



Well I have to say I am binning that colour its just not right for the car, back to the drawing board and the next one will be much much darker I think.

Again I was conscious that the F1 was on at 7pm and I certainly need to freshen up and even though I was spoiled for the second day running by my wife - providing drinks and even an Italian platter of meats and breads for lunch both, I was certainly in need of dinner too. However, I was distracted upon putting the tools away and as I had the etch out I thought the roll cage was looking rather bare so put a coat on that then turned into a couple of coats of satin black. It's not bad but will need a gentle sand in a few places and another coat but quite please with the look. (Apologies no pictures due to my haste)

There were also some other jobs or research jobs completed including mock up of headling panels, plus the bonnet hinges...

Sorry to hear about your Father (mine has been gone for 15 years now and I still wish he could see every car that drives out of my workshop). Keep up the progress and make him proud.

Hi your cracking on now, the vents are looking good

I bought some headlining foam last week to use for something else but I liked the look of it it was from acre-outlet on eBay they also have a good spray gkue and lots of nice leather cloth I go into there shop its not far from me but they post out most stuff, ring them and they send samples for £1. Ed.

jones - Looks like you are making good progress.

And it is always nice when you are able to work in the sunshine.

Good luck, Paul.