MadaboutKitcars

I wouldn't worry about how long it takes to build, I had as much (probably more) fun building my old Spyder than I did driving it after completion. To be honest I wish that I hadn't aimed for a quick build and had taken my time with it which is what I will be doing with all of my future builds, of which I'm sure there will be many.

Got to agree with Gaz - even though I'm taking my time building this one there are a few things I'd spend more time on if I ever did another one:

I wish I'd had my chassis and front bulkhead/floorpans galvanised so I'd know they'd never rust, and I wish I'd put a bit more effort into tidying up the wiring loom. The other thing I wish I'd done would be to coat the whole of the inside of the bodyshell with Tetroseal before bonding it in place.

Should be some progress on the painting front next week. Well, first coat of etch primer is the target...

There are numerous chaps on the Lambo forums with 20+ build years behind them and counting!

And seeing how bl00dy awkward it is to do just about any job on my Countach, i can fully understand why it takes so long! but then again, i am enjoying every bl00dy awkward minute

Yes, complicated bit of kit your Lambo-alike.

If nothing else that really highlights what a simple concept the fifties rebody, as reinvented by Gary J, is. I'm rather prone to procrastination - I'll explain what that means some other time - so if I can finish one in only two years, and that looks likely, it must be pretty darn straightforward. So, that gives me until early May...

Well T, you always seem to be online! Is your computer in your garage????

Things are slow for me as there is no room at the inn for my project, as this has taken its place:

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Some info here..
http://www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/register/Mikado.htm

Just to get your minds off cars for a few seconds

Gorgeous....

It might seem like that.

Truth is, I work some pretty odd shifts so I'm often kicking around the house at strange times, awake, but too knackered to do anything constructive on my car.

Oh well, tomorrow's another day.

Nice yacht btw. I get a bit seasick though myself.

The previous builder of my part built kit worked on it for 10 years, then stored it for 8.

I will have had it 2 years in July and hope to be on the road sooooooon!!

Another top tip, thanks.

And +1 for the 'let's get back to building cars on the forum' request.

Also I know what you mean about having time available but not for working on the car.
I tend to type up what I am planning to do in advance, as a sort of detailed project plan.
Then I just need to tweak it and add photos before I post it.
( Although my work is currently several A4 sheets behind my text at the moment. )

Hope you can sneak in just under the 2 year build mark, Paul.

PS
SeaNick - Nice boat.
Although I can't imagine the bike rack at the back is much use.

Is the bike for throwing at the shark when it bites a hole in the hull in a 'jaws' stylee?

I just love deadlines... I think the best bit is the Whooshing sound as they speed past

If anyone does go with the Tetroseal coating on the inside of their shell, I'd mark the points where the bonding paste is going to go, rough sand them for adhesion and leave them free of Tetroseal so the body sticks to the frame properly.

I'd think that should be obvious, but I thought I'd best put in in writing after I had a horrible vision of someone coming to me in a year or two's time with a 'where there's blame, there's a claim' lawyer after their car body did an unexpected funny car flip on the bypass.

Deadlines, shmeadlines.

Spent today tackling another of those annoying little jobs that eat up the time, in this case fitting bits 'n' bobs to the dash.

These included the hazard lights switch, the 12v socket, the heater fan switch and the heater control knob.

With the heater control the original plan was to re-use the Vitesse ratchet stop heater cable, but that proved to be a bit too stiff for my liking, even after lathering it in grease.

So, the broken choke cable that came with my donor was dug out, shortened and adapted to do the job instead. It doesn't have the right logo on the knob, but you can't see it anyway as it's angled downwards quite a bit.

The reason for that is that I've tucked all these extraneous switches under the curve of the dash so they're almost out of view from outside the car.

The idea is to keep the interior as minimalistic as possible and avoid the 'kit car that crashed through Halfords Chav department' look (no offence meant to anyone who actually likes loads and loads of gauges and switches, but I just think less is more).

Like everything else Sammio it wasn't exactly a straightforward job to fit. It looked like it should be - cut holes in dash and bulkhead, push cable through, connect to the London taxi heater valve and the job's done in ten minutes - which was fine until I pulled the knob and the dashboard flexed enough for it to crack.

Solution was to make a stabilising bracket out of one of the Vitesse bonnet stays and bolt it to the inner frame. It took three hours just to drill and tap a suitable hole in the frame due to having to do everything through the hole for the tachometer, sort of Sammio keyhole surgery.

Here's the pitiful result of nigh on a full day's work (the two push fit items aren't fully in yet as they have plastic 'barbs' that're likely to break off if I keep pulling the in and out) -









Should be able to get a bit more done tomorrow, weather permitting...

Shame the dash cracked, you would have thought it would be strong enough with that wood laminated into it?

Oops, didn't explain that too well, the dash didn't actually crack, it just flexed enough so that it probably would eventually. It feels much more solid now that it's braced properly.

Looking good Mr towed , Be nice to see some paint on this oneray2:

Cheers Mike, won't be too long until the paint goes on now. Should be able to start the masking, degreasing and keying the body ready for etch primer this week.

Good stuff, plenty of guide coats between filler , and also when wet flatting.
I am only trying to help, but after blocking down the high build, If you really want to make sure of a great finish prior top coat i would re prime in high build again and repeat wet block. Silver will show every sanding mark and imperfection...
If you get the prep correct silver will be a great colour choice for your car , but a brave one for your first go at painting..

Good luck mate

Thanks Mike, all advice gratefully received.

I will be putting on a black guide coat after the etch primer, then at least two coats of high build primer after initial flatting and more flatting between coats. I'm aiming for around six to eight top coats so there's plenty of depth of paint to flat and cut back with Farecla G3.

If I acheive a depth of shine half as good as that on your dragon green V8 I'll be a happy newbie sprayer. ray2:

Cheers mate, just dont panic if you get a couple of runs. What paint are you using ?

Old fashioned cellulose in bright silver metallic. Should be able to sand out the runs and drips, hence the number of coats I'm aiming for.

Be honest , you should work that paint fine. good luck look forward to the pics

Mr T if I can blast on 5litres of cellulose under a circus tent then I am sure yours will look ace when it is done.

Patience and a good tube of stopper or fine filler is best. Go round with a knif blade and fine filler between every rub down. You will keep ffinding spots you have missed!

Mr T - Hope you get the chance to keep ticking those last few things off your list.

Good luck, Paul.