April 2018
Shots of the engine and the surplus fuel tank. A real shame I can't use the tank, its massive at around 37 gallons and built to Ferrari specifications, all hand crafted in aluminium. Its listed on ebay if anyone wants it but I've put a silly ( imo ) asking price just in case a genuine TR owner might want it as a spare !
Thanks for posting the photo up Paul !
As builds go this is straight forward, you can put that down to the "7" being the right size and shape and planning everything in advance. The body has fitted in all the right places. The car will have a "short" driving position, the "7" has a laid back driving position, the TR is very upright. But having studied the original Testarossa that is what they were like back in the day.
May 2018
Just got back from a trip to Italy so I'll be back on this week with any luck.
The plan is to get the front end off the chassis and start work on the scuttle and bonnet. That will be a few days work but once that is done I can fit it to the chassis with the required brackets and fixings as per the completed rear end assembly.
June 2018
A bit of progress over the last few days. I've managed to remove the front end and make a start on the inner arches. These are quite complex as they form the inner and outer wings/arches and blend into one seamless section.
Also picked up an engine better suited than the Ford Kent engine. It might be missing a few cylinders but the Cologne V6 I found was supplied new by Ford and still in its crate! Its not a V12 but with the original ones changing hands at £75k plus for rebuild I was never going to get one.
The Cologne V6 can be made to sound right, that's the main aim and having fitted one once to a Cobra 289 replica I know they can go well too.
Updates and photos to follow !
You wouldn't be the first person to ask that question. I've had several pm's on the subject. I have no plans to do that.
The "7" has proved to be the ideal base car and there is no better alternative.
Some more progress with the mechanical bits. The Ford X Flow engine is out to make way for the Cologne V6. I've also had some laser cut flanges made for the exhaust boxes. A set of eight so I can make up four boxes the same size and shape as the original car.
The aluminium bodywork is on going.
I was hoping to be nearing completion by now but I've had a few set backs, work and home related ( non car related ). But, the old 1700 X Flow is sold. I've got the 4 exhaust silencer boxes made up ready to fit. The front body work is getting close but still needs more work ! Its all moving forward, slowly !
August 2018
At last it looks like I can carry on with this project, I should have a clear run at it now right through to completion !
Progress over the summer has been really slow so I need to catch up, I'll be posting updates and photos every week, I hope.
I have fitted the Cologne V6 engine to the existing type 9 gearbox and fabricated new engine mounts. The thermostat housing clashed with a chassis member so I had to make up a 20mm spacer, other than that it went in ok.
September 2018
A little progress to report at last ! I've made a start on the scuttle panel which was missing from the body when I purchased it. A little involved as I've had to make a wooden former to get the double curved profile correct on the bonnet return edge/lip. This former has allowed me to shape and profile the aluminium panel, its worked out quite well.
I've also removed the original wiring loom. On inspection it was a bit of a compromised birds nest. It was going to need extending, chopping and modifying a fair bit anyway so I decided to start from scratch. The new loom is going to be very simple, even compared to the "7". There are no wipers, no washer bottle, no electric fuel pumps etc, this will be an ultra basic loom with just lights and a couple of instruments to worry about. The Ford column stalk controls are gone and simple switches will be fitted on the dash as per the original TR.
A few photos of the work I've done over the last week or so.
The curved box formers have made easy work of the bonnet return edges.
The scuttle panel along with the roughly formed bonnet edges sitting in place. A bit more work needed on these parts before final fit !
The engine has been in and out a few times, next time it goes in should be the last.
The interior is stripped back to bare bones and cleaned up. Also welded up all the holes along the top chassis rail where the old Locost body was rivetted on.
In the case of the scuttle panel it is a fairy simple shape so the aluminium will easily form and stretch over the former around the bonnet return edge. Its easy to work as its quite soft and malleable. I use a domed plastic mallet so you can form the internal radius's . Luckily I had the screen and frame which allowed me to get the correct profile, it would have been guesswork without it !
Made another former tonight, a concave one this time. I want to get the front end ready this week so it can go back on the car at the weekend, that's the plan anyway !
A few more jobs done. I needed to make up several curved steel tube sections to support the front end so I looked at buying a tube roller. Most of the ones I looked at that would cope with 5/8" diameter tube were too much money at £300 +. There's plenty of scrap bits of steel lying around in the garage so I've knocked up a simple one for free ! I made a couple of sets of dies so it will do flat section and tube.The first section made will go under the front edge of the scuttle, the ali being formed around it. Here are a couple of photo's...…….
All the return edges around the bonnet are done now. The front end is ready to go back on the chassis and the bracketry made up to support it. Another week and the front end should be just about done ( minus the bonnet itself ! ). Next jobs include a new wiring loom, exhaust manifolds and system ……..
I found a supplier who has "short" aluminium bell housings available to allow the Type 9's with the shorter input shaft to fit. Well that was what the seller told me but I found out after that he also supplies a spigot bearing adaptor that I needed too ! What I've gained is a light weight bell housing that needed adapting anyway.
Yes the ratios are slightly different but that shouldn't be an issue. With the 80 profile tyres rather than the 50 series fitted to the "7" the ratios in the box and the diff will complement the V6.
I'll have to see once I've got it on the road. I only intend to use it on the road anyway so normal driving, mostly in 3rd, 4th and 5th will be ok, as long as my calculations are correct.
I've been working on getting the front end bolted up to chassis over the last few days. It's quite involved getting it all supported correctly, I don't want to have any part of it under any stress loads so I'm having to brace it all up. I'm doing it in such a way that none of the supporting structure will be visible.
I've also sent off the log book V5 to be updated with the new body. Should all be ok with what I've asked for under make and model. They have before and after photos, receipts, the old V5 and a covering letter. Wait and see what they come up with.
A bit of a change for this weekend, I'm going to make a start on the seats. When I bought the body panels there were lots of other bits that came with it including the seats. However, they won't fit into the chassis without chopping them around for width and height. I did some measuring up and I ordered some leather in black.
October 2018
I little more progress, the front bodywork is now largely supported and fixed in place. Time to start looking at the door hinges. I want a little adjustment, up, down and left and right so the door can be squared up. Still some work to do on the seats, the backs are done and look ok. The bases are taking a bit more effort, I might yet let the pro's do the job if I can't get it right !
I've not seen that blue car before and I can't find any other photos online. This is a slightly later variation as it hasn't got the full pontoon wing arrangement. There were a lot of ideas being tried out around this era, the Testarossa design changed many times.