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.
Hopefully restores some of my credibility. I know I man a keyboard for a job and am learning everything as I go but I was pleased of the results.
I took a car parked under a tree in 1985 as a non runner and got it working. Engine stripped down and rebuilt and fired up with petrol in one end and exhaust smoke out the other.
It was bloody mot passed a month after I sold it!
I spent a lot of time aand learned a lot during that build. If I hadn't snapped my foot off that would be what I am driving now.
Morning Scottie as an alternative to a fixed quarter light had you considered a hinged quarter light as per AC Cobra and turning the quarter light into a feature? Geoff .
Hi Geoff, yes I had actually, but it would not be able to go inward due to the body shape, and if it opened outward, we would be back to the " I must remember to shut the quarter light before I open the door, or it will snap off syndrome"
When the door opens, the front edge of the window "shaves" forward missing the windscreen by around 1 to 2 inches, which is why I shelved that idea.
It is difficult for all the people out there who have not seen the door open and close, to imagine the tight tolerances that I am faced with, which really limits my scope in design!
Paul, thanks for the link, I will check it out later.
Gary Are you making me an offer to be a movie star?
Could you star in some of these? It would fill up the time while you plotted your next move..
Mind the Gap
Sliding Doors
2014 A Space Odessy
The Good, the Bad and the Windscreen
1 Angry Man
Lock, Stock and the gap between the windscreen and the door
back to the problem, because the tolerances involved in the door glass missing the windscreen edge are so fine.
And we are talking one or two mm making the difference between opening correctly or jamming and causing damage.
Messing about like I am at present with bits of cardboard and ally clamped to the door, is not enough to provide a definite answer.
So the only way to be sure if what I am planning to do will work, will be to have the door set up properly with the window cut to size and bolted to it (as it will be on the finished car)
Then and only then, can I be sure it will either open correctly or not, and I can act accordingly.
To that end, I have ordered the lexan sheet with express delivery, so I can go ahead.
It might be worth knocking up the windows in (relatively cheap) Perspex so if you make a mistake the (relatively expensive) Lexan will not be wasted.
Guessing there may have to be a bit of trial and error...
I understand what you are saying, but each window will only cost about twenty quid anyway, and it wont be wasted either.
I will cut the window to its final shape, bolt it to the door and
make it open correctly. That will be done by manipulating the shape of the quarter light, which will only have a very small piece of lexan in it.
So hopefully, nothing will be wasted, and the worst case scenario is £20 lost , but I could always use the "wasted" bit to make the quarter lights, so I don't really see much of a problem.
Well, really a repeat of this morning, I now have the passengers quarter light finished/done, and placed on the car.
If I am brutally honest with myself, it is not as perfect as the drivers one, but to a good enough standard that I won't make another bugger!
That is all the brainwork, cutting, sawing, filing, grinding and polishing done and dusted, and another day I will cut and fit the lexan into the quarter light frames and make the side windows.
The good news is that it IS going to work, and the doors WILL (do) open without fouling, so the problem is done for, deceased, do-doed, morted, dead, lifeless, soulless, finitoed, endexed and very similar to Monty Pythons parrot, so is finally over.
And it cost bugger all and didn't take long either, praise be to the lowered!
I was looking through Oxfords thread, and he said: "I got my ideas and techniques from Seanick"
That encapsulates perfectly the essence of this forum.
Basically to "nick" other peoples ideas!
Seriously, when I decided to make my own seats, I looked through the forum to see if anyone else had done their own, and I found some seats in red that a very clever fellah had made himself.
Although I wanted a different style, his seats looked so perfect and simple that it inspired me to make a start on my own.
Of course when I had finished my seats, they looked nothing like his, but it was looking at his seats which provided the driving force behind my efforts.
(I spent ages looking for where I got these pictures, but to no avail)
Pay attention Viatron!
So a big thank you to the unknown seat-maker out there!
Would be nice to see them in your finished car!
