MadaboutKitcars

Thanks for the pic of the bar - I'll bend up the hoop and see how stiff it is.

With it being stainless, I'd assume that it'll be less susceptible to flexing than mild steel?

IVA soonish. Not booked, as I still don't have any bumpers.

seat belt plates

Just bought 2 chrome mgf seat belt escutcheon plates off ebay.They are perfect fit for top of scuttle.Others still for sale.

Personally I would think twice about making your own. If you ever need the seatbelts to work in anger the forces on them will be huge. Tons in fact. I was not even convinced that the Marlin one is up to the job so I bought a piece of seamless tube (40mm I recall) and, using some computer derived templates, cut it to fit between the uprights of the roll bar. I then just got a jobbing welder to come and weld it into position. It looks neat and should do the job if I ever need it to.

Robin

Well, here's what I've been labouring over for the past week or so:





The boot hatch and frame is made of 3mm Aluminium plate. The latch plate and door jambs are 6mm plate. The side panel is 1.5mm plate. It's all attached with stainless button heads. The hinges are stainless and attached with countersunk stainless screws. The seatbelt escutcheons (from Europa) are attached with M3 countersunk screws.

Also, my seats from Interior seating arrived. They're very nice!




They're not bolted in yet, as they forgot to send my seat rails.

That looks great

You've been busy in the garage!
That will look very smart when covered and carpeted.

Are you pleased with the quality of those seat?

...peter

Very. The craftsmanship is very good, and they are very sturdy without being heavy. Comfortable as well, and the side bolsters / bucket should stop too much lateral movement. That'll come in handy.

Very Nice. I like the wood floor in the boot. Is it genuine wood or laminate ?

Looking brill. Looking forward to some more pictures once you have trimmed everything. Did you manage to get some leathercloth that matches the seats?

Robin

Yes - I got the seating manufacturer to send me oodles of the stuff.

Chris - technically it's both - it's real plywood!

I just completed the last "mechanical" job (windscreen washers) so now I will (re) start the trim.

Now I have seen your panels using aly I think I may do the same.

Do you have any tips? I was wondering how you managed to get the bend correct for the rear quarters. I have Peter's mould which I could use but I wondered how you did it freehand.



Cheers

Robin

Lots of swearing helps.

I tried to do it all in 3mm sheet, but it's just too thick to form the curves on the side panels, so the mostly flat hatch & frame are done in that. The side panels are thinner, so more easily formed.

The bottom of the frame has a 15ish degree bend in it - this was done over a section of box steel I had with a plastic mallet.

The top of frame has slight curls on the top to either side. I did these by tapping them over a round former (an off cut from the exhaust) until they looked about right when offered up. Then it was just wash, rinse and repeat until they fitted the curve. It was left to run above the tub.

The side panels where the same, but you can form that with your hands. I cut the bottom half to fit the shape of the chassis, and left the top over long. I then gave it a gentle bend in approx the right place with my knee, and then finessed it by hand until it almost fit. The final curve is held by the fixings. Again, these where left over long in height, and length around the curve where it met the boot panel. With the boot panel in place, I could then mark and trim to an exact length.

Once they where all fixed in place, I scribed around the back of them along the top of the tub, took them all off and trimmed it with a jigsaw. I then took a further 5 - 6mm off them all to drop them slightly below the top of the tub.

The hatch is cut directly from the boot panel. A couple of 2 /3mm holes where drilled on the line I wanted, and then it was jig-sawed out. Cutting fluid helps, as it does make the blade cut smoother. Just take your time.

I filed both the frame and the hatch to give a little more clearance.

The lock plate and side 'jambs' that stop the hatch from falling in are 6mm plate I had left over from the driving lamp brackets. These are held on with a couple of M4 counter sunk set screws held in place with nuts so they act as studs. The jambs and lock plate have 8mm holes cut in them to slip over the nuts, and then a washer and a further nut keeps it in place. I did think I was going to have to lock tight them (the screws) in place to stop them rotating once the panel is covered, but there's so much friction there's no need.

As you're only down Bedford way, I suggest you give ASC Metals a ring

A S C Metals Ltd
3 Jackdaw Close
Crow Lane Industrial Estate, Northampton

01604 415036‎


http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?li=d&hl=en&f=d&iwstate1=dir:to&daddr=3+Jackdaw+Close,+Crow+Lane+Industrial+Estate,+Northampton,+NN3+(A+S+C+Metals+Ltd)&geocode=CX0XINV8gyTNFec4HQMdEp3z_w&iwloc=1&dq=asc+metals&cid=13628933248538081620&ei=ovPJSrrxLcrTjAfX8ISZAg

They have been absolutely brilliant - they have loads of offcuts, and they're dirt cheap compared to B&Q or the other DIY sheds. All the Ally I've had for the boot & the driving lamp brackets came to under £40 iirc.

Thanks Jason

That's very helpful. I shall take your word for it about the Jigsaw. I have an expensive one that I bought years ago when building a boat. It was great for cutting the long curves for the boat's planks but I think it must remember that's what it was bought for 'cause I haven't managed a straight line with it since lol.

Robin

Hi, its looking very good!
With regards your seat belt bar, I didn't have one fitted for my IVA and it passed the seat belt anchorages with no prob. Maybe you need to book your IVA in Taunton
Tim

That'd be a long first run!

My seat runners arrived this morning. Guess what I'll be doing when I get in from work.

Robin - where did you get your 40mm seamless tube from for your seatbelt bar? ASC don't carry it.

Would this be suitable?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9283919&fh_view_size=150&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fspecificationsSpecificProductType%3dsteel_round_tube&fh_search=steel+tubing&fh_refview=search&ts=1254909160018&isSearch=false

30mm, Cold Pressed, 1.5mm wall thickness.

How about this stuff? http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p4330/1-1/2%22-(38MM)-12G-ROLL-CAGE-TUBE/product_info.html

They can bend it too if you need it.

Thanks for lookiong chris.

I guess it'd be OK... But its a bit expensive, as the min. qty for delivery is 2meters - I only need a meter, if that. Then there's postage on top... :/

I'll keep it in mind in case I can't find anything locally.

I think I got mine from e-bay - seamless tubing is not so easy to find locally. It wasn't particularly expensive but of course there is also the delivery cost. I can't remember where it came from off hand - I will look at my receipts tonight and see if I can find it.

Wherever it was I bought a 1M length and I think it was 38mm diameter and 2mm thick.

Robin

I found these guys online:

http://www.elmdonmetals.co.uk/Products_Clubman_500_Stock.htm

No prices though, so I'll have to call. I guess I can trawl fleabay as well.

Called Elmdon - they're doing me 1.5 meters of T45 for £30. I'll pick it up next week as they're just on the other side of town.

Now all I need to do is find a welder, and work out how far up it needs to be. (it's 450mm from a reference block on the seat base, isn't it?)

I wonder what the sportster nose cone would look like, chromed? I know they can chrome fibreglass - they just paint on a copper based paint as a base before they dip it....

Too Much?



Can you tell I'm bored at work again?

I fitted mine so that it is just below the top of the rear tub - which coincidentally is also 450mm above the reference block. You can then fit a tonneau without any problem and the seatbelts (just) clear the spare wheel well.

I know Patrick had problems with his seatbelts and the spare wheel well so I was particularly careful about this. I spent a lot of time with a broom handle and a couple of clamps making sure it was right! There wan't much leeway in my case because my seats have a lot of padding in the base.

I found my welder in the yellow pages. He was an old boy (seems to be a dying skill) but knew his onions (and welding).

Robin

Could look pretty cool with a blower sticking out the front...