MadaboutKitcars

Love the exposed tubing in the 'doors'. It's going to be a very nicely detailed example.

+1

Definitely the most impressive example of the marque so far. I look forward to seeing it in paint.

looking forward to seeing this when it arrives too.

Hi there you all,

This week-end I had the doors sorted out. They work now. It was a hell of a job and I still have to work on some details. I made a mistake with the frame. The corner in front near the window was wrong. I had to cut this piece out. And re-bond the door shell.
But they work now and that is the important thing. I used a alignment plate and pin, a slam latch and a small slam plate. I still have to fabricate some cord to pull the latch.
The high door sill worked out nice. It's all very metal like. It even sounds solid if you slam the door. I have some side impact protection now considering the amount of metal that went in this construction.

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Michiel

Wow, great work. Those awesome hinges look worthy of Brunel!

It really will be a 'special'.

Great job on the doors.

Have you got something special lined up for the edges of the bonnet?

Good luck, Paul.

Hmm, been having a think. Do you reckon you could switch to suicide doors which would improve access? Just a small matter of swapping the hinges over to the other ends of the doors...

No need for suicide doors. It doesn't show on the pictures but the doors can open at about 100 degrees. The gap can't be any bigger.

And for the bonnet, yes I went for a different approach. I have cut the pointed pieces behind the front wheels. These should be bonded to the body. It gives better clearance to the engine bay without them points sticking in your back. It gives better control of the long gap between bonnet and body. And it looks better in my opinion.

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Before that, I first had to build the bonnet hinge. First I welded 8 nuts to the hoop that should go into the nose. I could put screws through them and screw the hoop in the nose. I put the bonnet in place and welded a hinge construction to the hoop. Then I had the hoop removed and had it galvanised and coated. I think that is important because I don't want a rusty mess bonded in the GRP bonnet after a few years.
While bonding the hoop into place, the welded nuts work as ankers for the bonding paste or whatever you are using.

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Then I have made two pull bars, which gives the bonnet more rigidty and control. I positioned them in a way that I can easyly bolt inner wings to them.

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Michiel

Nice work, good call regarding the galvanised bonnet hoop. Oh, and I was joking about the suicide doors.

very nice work some great bits and bob's in this build. ...its going to be a top motor is this..

Nice approach with the flip front . Pretty sure Sammio 1 , The prototype was done in a similar way to avoid the bottom of the wing fouling the body as it tips forward. The first Spitfire based example was done in the same way as well.
If you go to the very first thread on this forum . Feedback please . You will see the 2 cars I am referring to on the first page.

Yes indeed. The Sammio prototype seems to have a simmilar kind solution. A bit in the middle perhaps. Didn't know. Out of curiousity; why was it changed back the way we know it today then? Didn't it work out for some reason?

Michiel

It seems we had the same idea here.

Nav TK002 which is now in paint has a split bonnet too. We took a horizontal line from the apex of the arch, fixed the bottom part to the body tub and put a flange return on both top and bottom joins. We intend putting a couple of locating pegs on the bottom to locate into holes in the top. The thinking is that when the bonnet is flipped, access is still impeded by the rear of the arch.

Also, after having driven my own car with straps at the bottom of the arch as usual, whenever it got to 40mph or more, the flapping was noticeable. This way, all should be tight and the only retention required will be at the top.

Michiel & Andy - Lots of interesting ideas for the bonnet.

El Primer - Are you actually Gary J. with a new user name?

Good luck, Paul.

Some very useful ideas for my scrap book...



Funny you should mention that Paul, I had the same feeling. Too much inside knowledge.

I was hoping it was as he was a key person on the site who had seen (and done) it all before and the lack of his presence has been very noticeable.

Anyway if not GJ then not to worry as EP seems just as knowledgeable and his/her future posts will be watched by me with interest!

Hi EP and Andy,

How about that. Well if it was done before I guess it should give me confidence that this bonnet solution works. In any case, I like it.

Michiel

I'm Gary J!

I'm Gary J!

No, I'm Gary J!

Etc., etc...

No i'm Gary J.... .and so's my wife!




(sorry, couldn't resist)

Ha Ha! Nice one, I did wonder if anyone would get the connection.

He's not GJ - he's a very naughty boy.

Back to the point. Michel, I like your version of this vehicle - its the best executed example I have seen so far.

Thanks for all the kind remarks.

Today I got the prop shaft tunnel finished and got the hand brake working. Together wirh the transmission cover, it forms the backbone of the interior so to say.

I bought a grp tansmission cover. I decided to pimp it. How much I like a good coin tray, I don't think it suits a 50's racing car very much. The coin tray had to go. I covered it up with a plate and used plenty of small bolts to fix it. It looks more like an inspection panel now.
For the surround of the gear lever I did something similar. I used an alu ring that came with my steering wheel. I bonded it to the cover. Then I crossed an alu strip over the cover to visually break it's proportion somewhat.

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For the tunnel over the prop shaft, I bought a 2mm thick heat stove pipe, which I cut in two. I cut out the piece in the original tunnel that had the hand brake mountings on it. I cut a hole in the pipe and welded the piece in. For the sides of the tunnel I had a metal strip angled 90 degrees. I welded them to the pipe as well.

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I still have to finish the gaps and connections here and there.

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It doesn't show very well on this photo, but I have drilled a few holes into the brake lever which look rather well if I may say so. And perhaps more important, I got it working!

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Michiel

That's looking very impressive Michiel.

I do like your seat shell with loose cover, do you have another one for the passenger side, or will you go with the racing car style of a non-matching basic cushion on the floor for the mechanic to perch on?

Michiel - Your gearbox cover is a real work of art.

I'd be happy if my own cover looked half as good when I have finished with it.

Good luck, Paul.