10 Feb 2017, 5:21pm
Lots of Triumph Spitfires available in the US, would imagine it would be a much cheaper starting place.
New project - formosa spyder
10 Feb 2017, 8:07pm
Lots of Triumph Spitfires available in the US, would imagine it would be a much cheaper starting place.
It would be if the Spitfire wasn't 8'' too short on its wheelbase ....
Today we have been mostly sweeping down the floors and walls and hoovering the remains of 38 tins of filler dust from in and around the plug ...
We have sheeted down the benches etc. and created a polythene 'spray booth'
Primer is going on the shell on Sunday afternoon .
As a side note ...further to a chat with my engineer friend , as well as suggesting the engine and gearbox can be moved 8'' backwards to improve seating position and driveability etc. I am now going to be offering 8'' extended remote shifters for a builder not wanting to disturb the original layout.
These will be exchange only and price to follow , when he's done one !!
As well as extending the shift tube , the aluminium casing will have a 8'' milled extender section inserted which will be fully welded and a plate fitted underneath that will be welded and bolted using countersunk machine screws ...the intention being that they won't break !!
10 Feb 2017, 8:34pm
Sorry must have misread, what chassis is it based on?
11 Feb 2017, 11:40am
Sorry must have misread, what chassis is it based on?
Triumph Herald or Vitesse ... 91'' wheelbase
11 Feb 2017, 12:07pm
Think this is going to be a cracker Gary 
Can't wait to see the finished article.
John
Can't wait to see the finished article.John
12 Feb 2017, 11:51am
12 Feb 2017, 12:36pm
Looking good Gary,
Looking forward to seeing this in colour.
Looking forward to seeing this in colour.
12 Feb 2017, 5:00pm
That's the high build primer on ....It's brilliant to see the car all in one colour , now I can't wait to see the curves highlighted with a shine .... (I'm using an alternative image hosting site at the moment , if you click on thumbnail , it will enlarge it )
Tomorrow young Glanville will be sanding that back ..then we will make a decision on putting extra primer on or putting the top coat on ....Depending upon 'breakthrough's' in the primer and the availability of the gloss top coat Durabuild , which is imported from the States and doesn't appear to be available from any of the suppliers at the moment ...Our best option is ''about 3 weeks'' for the black top coat , so plan B may be to either add extra primer and/or polish that to a gloss ......
Should have an answer by lunchtime tomorrow ....
Tomorrow young Glanville will be sanding that back ..then we will make a decision on putting extra primer on or putting the top coat on ....Depending upon 'breakthrough's' in the primer and the availability of the gloss top coat Durabuild , which is imported from the States and doesn't appear to be available from any of the suppliers at the moment ...Our best option is ''about 3 weeks'' for the black top coat , so plan B may be to either add extra primer and/or polish that to a gloss ......
Should have an answer by lunchtime tomorrow ....
12 Feb 2017, 5:05pm
Are you going to be posting about making the mold?
Would be very interesting and helpful.
Would be very interesting and helpful.
12 Feb 2017, 5:16pm
Are you going to be posting about making the mold?
Would be very interesting and helpful.
Would be very interesting and helpful.
That's up to Glanville ...whether he wants to share his secrets !!
Mould making is fairly straightforward if you have made anything in fibreglass before , in principle ..if you understand the release properties of various materials etc...and working out flanging is mostly common sense , when it comes to working out how to seperate a mould without trapping ....Having said that though , I'm no expert , I have laboured on a few jobs and picked up an understanding of it by glassing bodies on to floorpans , glassing wood in etc. and making items , but I still leave it to the experts as I still feel I need guidance .......Gearbox tunnels , dashboards , battery boxes etc etc. is the level I feel comfortable at ....
The best way to learn it , isn't really on the internet , it's by working alongside someone who knows what they are doing ...
Saturday morning workshop classes Glan ??
12 Feb 2017, 6:52pm
Fantastic!
12 Feb 2017, 9:08pm
Looks great Gary ,
You must be well pleased ?
What chassis is it designed for again ?
You must be well pleased ?
What chassis is it designed for again ?
15 Feb 2017, 4:51pm
NOT MUCH TO REPORT...Paint delivery has been held up , so black will be going on tomorrow late afternoon ...
Car is all sanded and ready to go ...the 8 coats of high build we ended up putting on has meant breakthroughs are at an absolute minimum , Glan did go round and deal with a few pin holes as well ...
I took the opportunity , whilst Glan was sanding the front and sides , to make a paper pattern of the bootlid shape I want , transferring it to some MDF and Glan scribed around it , so we have an indication of where the boot aperture will be going ...The bootlid will be moulded first alongside the bonnet ...
The pictures aren't great , but you can just about see the scribed perimeter of the intended boot shape ...It will be large enough to get a 15'' wire wheel or similar in the back of the car .
Car is all sanded and ready to go ...the 8 coats of high build we ended up putting on has meant breakthroughs are at an absolute minimum , Glan did go round and deal with a few pin holes as well ...
I took the opportunity , whilst Glan was sanding the front and sides , to make a paper pattern of the bootlid shape I want , transferring it to some MDF and Glan scribed around it , so we have an indication of where the boot aperture will be going ...The bootlid will be moulded first alongside the bonnet ...
The pictures aren't great , but you can just about see the scribed perimeter of the intended boot shape ...It will be large enough to get a 15'' wire wheel or similar in the back of the car .
15 Feb 2017, 8:35pm
boot
Hi Gary, have you considered a rear hinging boot lid with the fairing ala 500/625TR?
sorry i tried to copy an image but unable too. Sure you know the image.
also are you adding any details to the bonnet like rear vents or brake cooling ducts?
Hi Gary, have you considered a rear hinging boot lid with the fairing ala 500/625TR?
sorry i tried to copy an image but unable too. Sure you know the image.
also are you adding any details to the bonnet like rear vents or brake cooling ducts?
15 Feb 2017, 10:48pm
I did look into doing the bootlid in that fashion in the early stages ..Glan talked me out of it , he said it would be quite difficult to create successfully in f/glass ...We didn't want to over complicate the body as it is to be offered .
Similarly , with vents and ducts and scoops etc... everyone has their own ideas on those features ...I very much want the ethos of this package to be similar to its sibling , the S*mmio , by that I mean , people can put their own touches to the body / running gear etc.
As a Hot Rod and Special builder , primarily , and not really a full on kit car type ..I love the diversity of these vehicles and the opportunity to personalise them or mimic similar cars ...
I intend to build a 'demo' car for myself and put a few together for re-sale ...I have various little features in mind for different cars to keep them fresh and keep the builds interesting ...
Similarly , with vents and ducts and scoops etc... everyone has their own ideas on those features ...I very much want the ethos of this package to be similar to its sibling , the S*mmio , by that I mean , people can put their own touches to the body / running gear etc.
As a Hot Rod and Special builder , primarily , and not really a full on kit car type ..I love the diversity of these vehicles and the opportunity to personalise them or mimic similar cars ...
I intend to build a 'demo' car for myself and put a few together for re-sale ...I have various little features in mind for different cars to keep them fresh and keep the builds interesting ...
15 Feb 2017, 11:39pm
I was thinking that the bonnet was very "E-Type" looking and that a set of vents would finish it off very nicely. However GRP vents always look very heavy and are a bugger to get right because of the openings. Far better to let in some metal vents cut out from a metal clothes locker. You could always lay that section of the bonnet up a little thicker to let the vents be flush mounted. It also lets the customer have the final choice and most importantly, saves you a ton of work.
Other vents will always be to a customers taste so could be supplied loose as an optional extra.
Bonnet opening could be a problem on the trailing edge, could see the lower rear corner catching the bulkhead. Could perhaps do with an old BMW 3 or 5 series bonnet hinge, when they unlatch they push the bonnet forward 3 inches before you lift them. On the E-Type you have the hinge at the front but also have locking catches at the rear as well, bit fiddly but it worked. Also you need some way of adjusting the hinges. I had my E-tpe painted and removed the bonnet. All the shims were carefully packed so they would go back exactly the same. No modifications were made to the bonnet but it took days to get it sitting and gapped properly.
Looking good, love the lines of the boot, give plenty of room for the spare as it will probably be fitted on a dark,cold and very wet night so will be done in a hurry. You wouldn't want to damage the paint.
Other vents will always be to a customers taste so could be supplied loose as an optional extra.
Bonnet opening could be a problem on the trailing edge, could see the lower rear corner catching the bulkhead. Could perhaps do with an old BMW 3 or 5 series bonnet hinge, when they unlatch they push the bonnet forward 3 inches before you lift them. On the E-Type you have the hinge at the front but also have locking catches at the rear as well, bit fiddly but it worked. Also you need some way of adjusting the hinges. I had my E-tpe painted and removed the bonnet. All the shims were carefully packed so they would go back exactly the same. No modifications were made to the bonnet but it took days to get it sitting and gapped properly.
Looking good, love the lines of the boot, give plenty of room for the spare as it will probably be fitted on a dark,cold and very wet night so will be done in a hurry. You wouldn't want to damage the paint.
16 Feb 2017, 2:27pm
I was thinking that the bonnet was very "E-Type" looking and that a set of vents would finish it off very nicely. However GRP vents always look very heavy and are a bugger to get right because of the openings. Far better to let in some metal vents cut out from a metal clothes locker. You could always lay that section of the bonnet up a little thicker to let the vents be flush mounted. It also lets the customer have the final choice and most importantly, saves you a ton of work.
Other vents will always be to a customers taste so could be supplied loose as an optional extra.
Other vents will always be to a customers taste so could be supplied loose as an optional extra.
The similarity to a Jag bonnet is exactly why I didn't want to fit louvres ....
The Formosa , in exactly the same way as a S*mmio , takes its looks from a variety of different cars ...If you paint one red , its a Ferrari , green it's a Jag , pale green it's an Aston , silver its a Porsche .....
I think the Formosa with its size and attitude bears the same presence that a 300 SLR must have done in a field of , generally , smaller cars...so , paint it silver its a Mercedes !
There's an issue with fitting metal panels into a glass bonnet as well ..if you want to blend and loose the join , more often than not , it will crack out again , regardless of how you bond it ..the fibreglass bonnet will flex differently to the metal insert ...I fitted some to the A352 going to Denmark , but they have a gap around them and are not blended ..I'm still not convinced they won't crack in the future either ...
Bonnet opening could be a problem on the trailing edge, could see the lower rear corner catching the bulkhead. Could perhaps do with an old BMW 3 or 5 series bonnet hinge, when they unlatch they push the bonnet forward 3 inches before you lift them. On the E-Type you have the hinge at the front but also have locking catches at the rear as well, bit fiddly but it worked. Also you need some way of adjusting the hinges. I had my E-type painted and removed the bonnet. All the shims were carefully packed so they would go back exactly the same. No modifications were made to the bonnet but it took days to get it sitting and gapped properly.
Or ........we could put in an angled cut line ...I agree , a 90 degree upright rear shut would be an issue ...The Formosa is probably about 80 degrees , the bottom edge being slightly further forward than the top ...not clear in the pics ..
Looking good, love the lines of the boot, give plenty of room for the spare as it will probably be fitted on a dark,cold and very wet night so will be done in a hurry. You wouldn't want to damage the paint.
Thank you ...I like the bootline too and a 15'' wire will clear easily , some people may even choose to carry a 14'' or even 13'' as a 'get me home' spare to free up more room ...
16 Feb 2017, 4:19pm
nice coming now ...like to see it in colour.....
16 Feb 2017, 7:38pm
When your buck is black ...there's no going back ....
way too many fumes to get a decent pic tonight and I wasn't going to chance getting too close whilst it was still wet ....so pics tomorrow ...
way too many fumes to get a decent pic tonight and I wasn't going to chance getting too close whilst it was still wet ....so pics tomorrow ...
17 Feb 2017, 5:49pm
When your buck is black ...there's no going back ....
way too many fumes to get a decent pic tonight and I wasn't going to chance getting too close whilst it was still wet ....so pics tomorrow ...
way too many fumes to get a decent pic tonight and I wasn't going to chance getting too close whilst it was still wet ....so pics tomorrow ...
Here are my photos from a visit to Gary and Glan today:
https://goo.gl/photos/euK37XDf8VXcNNkr6
https://goo.gl/photos/QJg9mvFYpENM3EZ46
https://goo.gl/photos/Xvm5FPmJyeMztHM49
https://goo.gl/photos/Qi7XBoJeTMY2tMWu8
https://goo.gl/photos/2F16E3spWruUmrfH6
Lots of design cues as Gary suggests - Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar. You name it!
Looking forward to placing an order soon!
17 Feb 2017, 6:12pm
Hugo - Thanks for posting the photos and good luck with your own order/build.
Much easier to see the curves with some colour on.
Love this close up.
Cheers, Paul.
Much easier to see the curves with some colour on.
Love this close up.
Cheers, Paul.
17 Feb 2017, 6:24pm
Ooops.
Finally got the photos to appear and they are HUGE!
Finally got the photos to appear and they are HUGE!
17 Feb 2017, 7:00pm
very nice now i see it .....
17 Feb 2017, 8:05pm
Hugo , good to meet you today and run through the car with you ...
Thank you for putting the pics up ...Glan has continued to sand it back after you left and has done the first pass with 180 grit ...
We reckon there's about 6-8 coats of topcoat on there , Glan lost count ! but plenty to get the surface smooth again...
The polyester topcoat is pretty hard wearing , designed specifically for preparing bucks for moulding and Glan will go around it now with 400 , then 800 , then 1200 to lose the orange peel and slight sinkage in a few places.....finally , a mop and polish to get her gleaming and we can start putting some flanges on ...The 'chin spoiler' in the pictures is the bottom flange already fitted ...
Here's a picture I took earlier before Hugo arrived and before Glan started sanding it back ....
Thank you for putting the pics up ...Glan has continued to sand it back after you left and has done the first pass with 180 grit ...
We reckon there's about 6-8 coats of topcoat on there , Glan lost count ! but plenty to get the surface smooth again...
The polyester topcoat is pretty hard wearing , designed specifically for preparing bucks for moulding and Glan will go around it now with 400 , then 800 , then 1200 to lose the orange peel and slight sinkage in a few places.....finally , a mop and polish to get her gleaming and we can start putting some flanges on ...The 'chin spoiler' in the pictures is the bottom flange already fitted ...
Here's a picture I took earlier before Hugo arrived and before Glan started sanding it back ....
17 Feb 2017, 8:55pm
Me again ....
Glan has finally sent me some pics he took last night before he left ..whilst the paint was still wet ...this is the shine we need to get back to ...or better... :-)
Thank God you can throw filler about and swing a sander around a lot better than you can email , mate !!!
Glan has finally sent me some pics he took last night before he left ..whilst the paint was still wet ...this is the shine we need to get back to ...or better... :-)
Thank God you can throw filler about and swing a sander around a lot better than you can email , mate !!!