MadaboutKitcars

Any of you real experts out there think this will be enough, or should I pile on more??

Big Scary Monster, check your PM's, I sent you one.

Today

I sorted out the face of the bonnet today, and although the paste had let me down, I still think its stronger than filler, so I used that to repair the surface
of the crack.

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Also today

One reason my build has dragged on a bit, is that I always seem to have multiple projects on the go, here is one of them:

I have always had a hankering for a VW camper-van, but have never bought one, mainly for two reasons,

1. It would not fit under my hedge archway

2. I have never been lucky with the Nat lottery.

They seem to cost anywhere from 6 grand up to 40 grand.

So I bought a Japanese micro-van instead (two years ago)

It comes with tiny toy 12 inch wheels with a PCD of 110mm, the only vehicle in the world to have this PCD, apart from quad-bikes and prams that is.

I sent away to Canada for adapters (they were half the price of UK ones)

It is now 4 X 100.

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You are 100 percent correct!

We need mind bending exercises to keep ahead of the game I think.

I seem to thrive on them!

Not sure where I would put that Jaguar tread plate though??

Where would you put it?

Sunday

Regardless of all my other projects, the XK does take priority, so I spent the day finalising the bonnet ready (almost) for painting.

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I'm sure you are right Paul, I've just left you a pep message on your page!
Stick at it!

Thanks Paul!

It did put a smile on my face too!

Monday

Today I worked on the horn and fan as well as other fiddly jobs.

At the end I of the day I now have a working air horn set, and a working fan.
I have not yet fitted the temp sensor in the rad hose, but the setup still works, as I can dial up any temperature for it to kick in between zero and 120 Centigrade.

There is a chap called Mick O'Mally who is also building an A 352, and some time ago I went to see it.

He is making a really good job of it too, and I was impressed.

While I was looking at the dash, I noticed a small black button, and enquired
as to what it was, and was told to press it and find out.
So I did, and the ensuing air-horn blast almost blew me out of his build shed!

I WANT ONE!

He told me the button was a Lucas Land rover one, so now I do have one, and at the moment it sits on the dash top. (As I don't yet have a dash)

A friend of mine came round and asked the same stupid question I had asked,
and I gave him the same answer Mick had given me, he pushed the button
with the same result I had! He also crapped himself.

Good job all round. Thanks Mick!

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Talking about getting the car nice and low, I'm glad I did, but like everything else one does, it has a knock-on effect.
I looked into trial-fitting the doors yesterday, and when Chris designed the neat door hinges, they were at right angles to the body-curve of the side of the car.

Because I have lowered mine so much ( I cut two inches off the lower sides) this has had the effect of putting the hinges out of line, and they are now NOT at right angles to the car.
I can re-design and re-weld, or the option which I am hoping will work is to drill more holes in the hinge and shim them up to get the doors correct.

I have no pictures of the hinges yet, but here are two pictures of something else, can anyone spot the difference?

One car is an XKSS looking as it should, the other one is modified and looks like mine will. There are no prizes so don't ask!

(WCA) :-)

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Just about Gary, because my windscreen does not come all the way round the sides, my side window will go forward a couple of inches to compensate, although the door will stay the same size if you see what I mean! (That was the best I could do in Paintshop Pro)

Well spotted !

Today

The last couple of days, I have been busy with some of my other projects, also, cutting hedges, mowing lawns and admin tasks.

But today I really wanted to get more car done.

Although the windscreen surround is "finished" and virtually ready for painting,
there is one finishing touch I will do to it before it's painted.

On the Spitfire screen-top, Triumph saw fit to put a strip of aluminium, which would take all the hammer and battering putting the roof on and off would give it.

My screen surround is made of mild steel, and if I did not do something similar,
the paint would soon scratch off, and it would start to go rusty.

Of course, a big no-no.

For weeks now, I have been searching for an off-cut to cap the screen top

with. But instead of alloy, I will use stainless steel.

This should polish up like chrome, and the more hammer and scratches it collects, the better it will look.

I finally found what I was looking for today, and started to fit it.

It is ideal, as its only 0.65mm thick, so it should be easy to work it to shape.


(Famous last words!) A quick pic, then back to the workshop.

More later.

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Later today

Well I went back and cut the strip to shape, and have shaped the rear of it which was straightforward enough, but by tea time I felt like I'd had enough
of it.

I will have to figure out the best way to shape the front over at 45 degrees.
I know it will be difficult as the steel has stretched slightly, making more problems, but I will get it right eventually.

( He said with not too much conviction!!)

If I can do it, it really will finish the screen off a treat.

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Somehow this pic fell off the end

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You are too kind Paul!

Your skill level is such now, that you only have to think of what you want, and presto, it IS. You can create it.

You are limited only by your imagination, you are in a higher gear now, and your car is thundering along. I am so pleased for you.

Believe me, your car will look so unique, no one will see any imperfection there may be.

Did a bit more to the stainless screen top today, and think its improved it somewhat.
I was going to rivet it to the screen frame, but think I will bolt it on
using stainless nuts and bolts to give a more professional look to it.


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Finished off the stainless screen top today.

The front bending process was not as bad as I thought.

I polished it up a bit afterwards, I will drill the holes and fix it to the screen before removing it for screen painting.

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Hiya Retro,

Glad you are impressed!

In a word, "Yes" I do have a buffing wheel, or rather, I have three, rough, medium and fine (for the shine!)

I stick them in and old drill held in a vice, and polish things that way.

I also have some of that stuff that looks like grey soap, which you must have to get the finish.


Well today I finished off the stainless strip on top of the windscreen frame. At least, I hope I have.

In the event I did not rivet it on, or use nuts and bolts, instead I drilled and tapped out the holes, so I could screw the bolt directly into the screen top.

Even this operation was not without its inherant hassle, somehow
I managed to snap off the tap in one of the holes!

The swearing could be heard from afar............

I ruined two drill bits and a side cutter tool totally trying to get the bloody thing out.

In the end I ground down a 4mm screw flat on the end, and with much anger and violence, smashed the broken tap end out that way.

Thankfully, there was enough of the hole left intact too re-tap,

(after a trip to buy a new one) so I got around it that way, but all this extra work does not get the build done any faster.

I bolted the thing on with dome headed hex stainless bolts.

I need to rub down the screen frame and chuck some silver paint at it now!

One more step closer...........

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Today

A mechanic friend of mine came to see how I was getting on with the build,

and when he noticed I had lowered the radiator, ( because I lowered the body so much, the rad HAD to come down, or the bonnet would not shut)
he pointed out the now, as the rad was lower than the thermostat housing, unless I fitted some way of bleeding the system, I would have an air lock in the top hose which would not help the cooling.

I realised that he was right, and asked him what he suggested.

He said that a diesel bleed valve from a Land Rover fuel pump would be ideal.

I was pleased with this, as 25 years ago, I put a Land Rover fuel pump under my bench, and knew it was still there.

Off came the valve, and I drilled and tapped a 1/4 BSF thread in the housing,
fitted the valve, and I can now bleed the air out of the system, thus curing a problem I did not know I had!


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Froggyman, you are correct, after I had taken a look at the system, I realised I needed to get the water in somehow!

One solution seems to create another problem.

It will have to be a header tank, or an entry screw cap at the highest point I think. I'll study it further......

Oxford, whether your take off point would be useful or not would depend on the radiator height compared to the thermostat housing, if you see what I mean.

Will I ever finish this build!!