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The front indicators I intended to use have now been changed. They did look too modern and as I'm going with a patinaed, aged look on the car I've found some older style examples. These are Fiat X19 side repeaters, simple circular design with a black bezel. All the better for being of Italian design origins as well ! I'll probably go with these at the rear end too, mounted inside the two vents in the rear body.
Big thanks also to Molleur for the donation of a very nice period Aston filler cap ! I should get that mounted up this week, another item to tick off the list.
Its not quite at paint yet ..its partly prepped and still having a few bits done ...It has been built using original parts over new parts in a lot of instances , the wire wheels are a bit freckly , second hand steering wheel , seats , slightly weathered aluminium , genuine 1950's 2CV door latches ..that sort of thing ..nothing too tatty , just pre-loved ..the paint is going to be cellulose rather than 2 pack and its going to be weathered only a bit , so it looks like an older restoration or a carefully stored survivor , rather than a full on 'Barn find' , a few nicks , scratches , chips etc ..bit of wear on drivers door , around fuel cap , bonnet edge etc but nothing too major ..
Whilst the body is off and access is good I've done some interior ali panel work. The donor car had a flat tunnel top which is fine when covered with carpet but no good when the ali is the final finish. I've remade it with a radiused top which looks loads better. The bulkhead isn't finished yet, there are fillets to add to the top and sides to meet up with the scuttle panel and body sides. Some of the bulk head is visible when the body is on, especially on the passenger side because there is no dash board. One reason why I wanted a neat job.
I'm going to be using a set of old Smiths gauges in the car. I want to go with the same layout as the original but I might yet swop the rev counter in the centre for a speedo. The original cars were pure racing cars so they only had a rev counter. I could fit both side by side but that will change the look of the dash. Not sure at the moment.....
Thanks again to Molleur for the donation of his Aston fuel cap assembly. That is fitted now other than a short length of fuel hose to connect to the tank.
I've just about finished the aluminium panel work under the bonnet. I want to lift out the engine one last time to do a couple of tidying up jobs then it can go in for the final time, probably a days work.
Get the front end back on and a few little jobs to seal the bulk head to the outer body. Should be straight forward after that. The exhaust is complete on both sides. Still got to do the dash panel but there isn't much work really.
Engine is out and I'm half way through my short list of tidy up jobs. I should have it all done and the engine re fitted by the end of the week. The plan is to connect everything up and run the engine, drive it back and forth etc before I refit the front end. Just want to check everything whilst access is easy.
* Side vents in aluminium. You can't really see the curved nature of these in the photo but they have worked out quite well.
* The engine again with the tiny alternator fitted, the only space available !
* The spacer adaptor I carved out of a big lump of alloy by hand. This was to give clearance for the thermostat housing otherwise it was clashing with the chassis . ( Sorry the photo won't load at the mo )
* The fuel filler mounted under the tear drop fairing behind the driver. A simple bracket and some flexi fuel hose going to the tank.
I've ticked off my list now so the engine can go back in and be connected up. Simply add petrol and it will start first time !
They do but in my case I'm going for a period, weathered look, painted finish. Not too extreme but something to give it some character and keep them guessing at the shows ! I haven't ruled out a bare aluminium finish......
Got the engine back in this evening. A bit of an arse getting the input shaft to go in the clutch but it went in, in the end. I'll start connecting everything up over the weekend and see if it will run ! If that all goes to plan and I've finished the turkey I'll get some helpers to refit the front end Christmas day afternoon !
Now Lucky - are you really sure you don't want to buy a Tribute?
Looks fab -weathered look will be perfect - I'd be tempted to go weather racing graphics over the raw alloy but either way you've got a stunning vehicle. Merry Xmas
Soon as the front end is back on I'll be taking the rear off again for final tidy up jobs and some ali panel work. There isn't too much in that area but it needs to be done. Refit the rear end and the doors.
Smash, thanks for the kind words and yes, I would still consider a
Tribute / Old No7 kit but they still don't offer the car I want, ie the convertible 275.
I will be thinking of a new project in the spring and the Formosa body over a space frame chassis is my first choice at the moment.
I'll post more photo's when the car is all together.
Regards the filler cap area, I need to make the cover which goes on the tear drop / hump as that wasn't with the body when I picked it up. Several cars, the real ones included didn't always have them fitted, but I think they look better with than without.
I'll make a start connecting things up in the morning. I think I might be short of one or two parts so there might be a delay getting it running !
Really frustrating as I'm still waiting on a hand full of parts that will, I hope all be here by the end of next week. It really will be close to a drivable, completed car in as little as a couple of weeks after that. It won't be painted but I'm having thoughts now to go with the aluminium finish for the time being. Having watched the youtube videos of the famous home built Testarossa I can see the attraction of the no paint option ! So my target is to have it on the road, mot'd etc by the end of January !
I'm going to be using a set of old Smiths gauges in the car. I want to go with the same layout as the original but I might yet swop the rev counter in the centre for a speedo. The original cars were pure racing cars so they only had a rev counter. I could fit both side by side but that will change the look of the dash. Not sure at the moment.....
* Side vents in aluminium. You can't really see the curved nature of these in the photo but they have worked out quite well.
* The engine again with the tiny alternator fitted, the only space available !
* The spacer adaptor I carved out of a big lump of alloy by hand. This was to give clearance for the thermostat housing otherwise it was clashing with the chassis . ( Sorry the photo won't load at the mo )
* The fuel filler mounted under the tear drop fairing behind the driver. A simple bracket and some flexi fuel hose going to the tank.
I've ticked off my list now so the engine can go back in and be connected up. Simply add petrol and it will start first time !
Any way to paint the valve covers in black crinkle finish and add a long oval air cleaner, so the engine looks something like this: https://goo.gl/images/uoWmsV
By the way, it was pure genius matching the track and wheelbase of the Lotus 7 replica chassis to the 250TR and bringing this body back to life. Excellent work! My vote is for leaving it in raw aluminum - any car can have paint but only a real alloy body can go bare.
By the way, it was pure genius matching the track and wheelbase of the Lotus 7 replica chassis to the 250TR and bringing this body back to life. Excellent work!
Agreed , it has made the build a lot easier .... Sorry for hijacking , but just wanted to say if this conversion appeals to any potential builders ..right at the beginning of the Formosa development , we put a Miglia body on a Locost chassis and it nearly fits , so I tried a Formosa body as well and again , its feasible , you will end up with a deep door stepped look , like a D type , but it does open up donor options ....
The bare ally look could be cool ... even if you ran with it temporarily ...
