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Well it might have shifted in a millisecond to a parallel universe and we just carried on as usual, perhaps with one or two slightly different event outcomes.. but in any case I guess it means I'll be spending next year up to my armpits in glass fibre..
My little Sammio is still sitting in The Glade: Conclusive proof that my world hasn't come to an end. OK, it's come to a temporary halt, but not an end.
Merry Christmas one and all. I hope that 2013 brings plenty of skinned knuckles and swearing, i.e. progress.
RE THE PHOTO ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS THREAD, Do you know, I used the same sort of system for the repair of a 1970 Dodge Coronet 440 with engine and box still in it. Not quite so high though. Yep I'm still here too! Don't try this at home kids.
1958 Rocker
Sorry nothing to relate at present. The Scimitar is still in deepest Dorset where it has been resting since 9 February 2012, now in the care of the nice guys at Tribute Automotive.
Obligatory ridiculous image of newly delivered G46 from Dorset.
Now the fun begins -- after I stop sobbing over what they've done to my Scimitar...
Thanks to Lancelot Link and Mikmiglia for concept and basic body.
Huge thanks to Chris Welch at Tribute Automotive for recovery of vehicle to their base last November and for arranging the VOSA inspection yesterday and the same day recovery of the vehicle to Watford by Andy and Jordan.
I bought the Scimitar in August 2011 to take part in the Guild of Motor Endurance 'London to Athens commemorative run' in September 2012.
Shortly thereafter I saw the Sammio advert for re-bodying the Scimitar and I visited the Exeter Kit Car show in October 2011 and paid a deposit for a kit.
I had the Scim extensively checked over by Queensberry Road Garage and all faults listed (worn track road ends - welding to the passenger seat belt bracket) and drove the Scimitar to Sammio Cars in Poole.
I hoped that once the body had been removed and welding done I would visit then recover the reusable parts from the donor.
As the build progressed I made stage payments (I'm not THAT stupid) with someone hired to rewire, paint etc as my funds allowed.
My mentor (Peter Herbert of Fairthorpe Club fame) had died a few years previously and I wanted this car to honour his memory. My father had passed away in early 2011 and I used much of the small inheritance he left to fund the project. Both he, my late mother and Peter would have been thrilled if I had been able to complete the road trip in the G46.
Unfortunately, for reasons explained elsewhere, the order was not fulfilled and the incomplete G46 was moved from Poole to the workshop of Tribute Automotive for completion of the minimum order.
The car had been left unprotected and is in a worse state than expected I do not apportion any blame to Tribute Automotive for this.
While at Poole someone removed the carb air cleaner, smashed the oil filler cap and took out the spark plugs. If it got them out of a hole, fair enough.
I do not know if the engine is ok but there is a lot of fibre glass dust around the carb. I did not have the opportunity to source the donor parts which were disposed of.
With the benefit of hindsight I made a mistake - however we move on.
Styling - my view is that the back of the car looks ok, but a little deep at the rear. The front needs some styling work - the bonnet hump is too pronounced, the wings a little too deep and the radiator intake too narrow - just a few tweaks then....
That's it for now - will be busy emptying my workshop of rubbish before installation of what my partner calls the new 'Garden Ornament' or the 'White Elephant' depending how kind she is feeling..
Well!!! I do hope you can pick yourself up from this and prove your partner wrong. It would appear you have had more than your fair share of bad luck with this project but rest assured you will get plenty of encouragement from members of this forum.
Ref those gauges, from looking at that pic they look to be in the same exterior state as my old Triumph ones. i.e. All exterior surface rust and no real problems.
I'd say give them a go and see what happens.
Apart from that, i feel for you, but I'm glad that you are now where you are and look forward to seeing the progress
I had to reign in my real feelings (anger, frustration, bitterness) since the car was not in my possession, but the feelings pass and we must make the best out of it. I could have sued people and got close to it but I don't believe in the 'claim culture' and people did try their best to resolve issues rather than just walking away..
Could be worse.
I've not made up my mind over the dash design - so I may seek alternative gauges any way. I just haven't got a feeling of the style I'm going for yet..
Need to move it to the workshop and have a real good walk round /think /mock up a few ideas - next weekend maybe.
Well, Nike, it looks like you have displayed the patience of a saint so far; a trait that will come in very handy during the build! I wish you the best of luck. From reading between the lines, I think you are due some.
Charman.tech, many thanks for your kind comments - I hope now to be able to contribute to the site more meaningfully, although most G46 builders are ahead.
I'm thinking of taking the body off the chassis for inspection and repair (as I don't know what's under it). While the body is off I plan to re design the attachment areas, certainly the 1" square 'goalposts' have not been rounded off and I'm thinking of detaching these and using 2" dia cds tubing at the front and behind the occupants.
On the following shot you'll note the rear bulkhead centre support seems a little far back compared to the glassed in ply area, I'm thinking of cutting it all out and starting again here too with 2" cds, following the contours of the hump and suitably braced - probably running back to the rear fuel tank.
I'm not too sure about the tank as it sits in the chassis rails at the rear see here:
I've got an XJ6 in the workshop and I might just fit the twin tanks..I was hoping to keep things simple and the stainless tank is in good nick, just needs the filler moving elsewhere maybe...
Oxford1360 - Thanks, its been a freaking nightmare - now looking forward to 'getting at it'.
I quit my job in November 2011 really in preparation for 2012 and building the car - time got away from me, so its now going to be a two year sabbatical!
Charman.tech, many thanks for your kind comments - I hope now to be able to contribute to the site more meaningfully, although most G46 builders are ahead.
I'm thinking of taking the body off the chassis for inspection and repair (as I don't know what's under it). While the body is off I plan to re design the attachment areas, certainly the 1" square 'goalposts' have not been rounded off and I'm thinking of detaching these and using 2" dia cds tubing at the front and behind the occupants.
On the following shot you'll note the rear bulkhead centre support seems a little far back compared to the glassed in ply area, I'm thinking of cutting it all out and starting again here too with 2" cds, following the contours of the hump and suitably braced - probably running back to the rear fuel tank.
I'm not too sure about the tank as it sits in the chassis rails at the rear see here:
I've got an XJ6 in the workshop and I might just fit the twin tanks..I was hoping to keep things simple and the stainless tank is in good nick, just needs the filler moving elsewhere...
Oxford1360 - Thanks, its been a freaking nightmare - now looking forward to 'getting at it'.
I quit my job in November 2011 really in preparation for 2012 and building the car - time got away from me, so its now going to be a two year sabbatical!
Nike55
We ended up getting rid of the 1" square tubing (to sharp) built ply bulkheads back and front shaped tight to to body profiles and then cut the tubing out. Having said that we will have a proper roll cage fitted as per "Hawk 289 FIA"
Because we never had a tank (original rusted out) and the fact we could not get a spare wheel into the boot area especial our 6J wire wheels on 185's we have decided to use a aluminium rectangular fuel tank up against the rear bulkhead bulk head possibly a safer place for it, being forward of the rear axle
and use the area of the original tank to suspend the spare wheel externally. The tank wont be large 40 Litres or so but have never found that an issue on this type of car as it is not exactly your daily commute.
Quitting the job seems to be a bit dramatic to get the build done luckily fr me I think I will be retired before ours is finished.
I was getting ahead of myself in quitting but I needed a break. I've been volunteering at a local hospital and have occasional casual work which is fine, I just got hacked off working for soulless multinationals and my work / life balance just wasn't.
Getting back on thread; I like where your going with yours. The spare mounted low where the tank used to sit will give a bit of useful trunk space above.
A bit unhappy about throwing out my nearly new stainless steel tank though...quite handy for long distance trips..and good for balancing out the big lump up front (me)
I need to make critical weight/space decisions..and minor redesign decisions and etc...
just found an old pic:
