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Well. I did watch the Steve McQueen documentory, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that all the 16 XKSS's have gone up in value, and the 15 "ordinary" ones are now worth 3 million pounds each, and Steve McQueens particular one is valued at, wait for it...
6 million pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where do they dream up these figures?
So if I get it right, mine may look like 6 MILLION quids worth!
Like most people, I tend to put off crappy jobs, and one of those was finalising the quarter lights. But it had occurred to me that I have to do those, and get them in place on the car BEFORE I can attempt to fit the windows to the doors.
So today I got grip of myself and sorted them out. I had to cut the bits I needed out of stainless sheet, so while I was doing jobs I did'nt like, I cut
out the gear lever and hand brake trim, and finished those off too.
My next job logically, is to bolt the quarter lights to the car and then refit the doors and try to line up my new windows to match the quarter lights in a
neat line.
I too was there and took some pictures for you but they are more or less the same so if you want to take a look I can PM you a link to my skydrive rather than posting more.
Before I can fit the quarter lights to the car, I have to drill the three bolt holes in each one.
This was a job I dreaded, as drilling holes is one of my weak points.
Even with a punched mark, the drill still seems to skitter all over the place wrecking the surface.
It took me so long to actually make the quarter lights, so I did not want to have to do it again.
Also the they have a back, a front and the lexan in the middle, so I had three bits to line up and hold still before drilling the holes.
My answer was to drill a guide hole in a bit of spare steel, and clamp that over the marker-pen dot, that way, I would not have to risk distortion by punching the metal, and the drill bit had less chance of wandering off target.
It all worked well and I had my neat holes with no drama.
I will use 6mm stainless bolts at the bottom, and 5mm at the top, as 6mm look too butch at the top!
Well they are now on the car, and its gone 3 pm, so that little jobbie has taken me most of the day, and now I've had enough, not to mention only just had my lunch!
... I have to drill the three bolt holes in each one.
This was a job I dreaded, as drilling holes is one of my weak points.
Even with a punched mark, the drill still seems to skitter all over the place wrecking the surface....
For the best drilling experience, may I suggest a set of cobalt steel drill bits rather than HSS. Reasonably priced sets of re-sharpened ones are available on eBay. The difference is amazing. You can get spiral swarf at low speed on many materials up to cast and mild steel.
Yes you'll still need to centre punch accurately but a small guide hole followed by one of the desired size is easy.
I still use HSS for some larger requirements but for anything up to 8mm, it's cobalt steel bits every time. They don't seem to blunt easily and the cutting power is super
are amazing, they don't wander and stay sharp for years with a lot of use. Expensive but worth it in the long run, I have a set at home and at work. The set at home I have had about 8 years and had to replace only 3 or 4 bits in that time.
