MadaboutKitcars

Hi, It's time to introduce myself and my project.
I've been a serial classic/kit car/hot rod/motorbike owner for the last 40 years owning cars such as V8 Austin A30, Chopped Ford Pop, replica Ford Model A roadster, B roadster, A pickup, Ford model A pickup on a Beetle floorpan, Lowered tuned Renault 4, Triumph Renown with V6 and until earlier this year a !956 International Harvester with Jaguar running gear.
I've never had any mechanical ability but it never stopped me as I can visualise a look I'm trying to achieve and find the parts to get there. I see myself more as a project manager.






IMG]http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=20&pictureid=80[/IMG]







Time for a new project and a new direction. So I looked on this site and bought a 2.8 Z3, nicknamed by our car club as 'The Kebab' as it's only a Doner… yes, I know, daft but we are a pretty daft little group.




It looks good in the pictures but is a '10 yard' car, the paint is not great and the hood has small holes. Perfect as they'll be going anyway.

A trip to see Chris has ended with me being booked for a 250 swb conversion in the Spring.

Another web site I go on has several members who are good at photoshop so I put in a few of my paint & detail ideas up to see if they could do a likeness to help me pick a plan. It's not produced anything sensible yet, but I do love this idea. The number of purists you could really offend would make all the work worthwhile.


Now the fun starts, I can make a shopping list of lights, mirrors etc to take down at conversion time. I'd still like someone who can do photoshop to picture my colour and wheel choice ideas if anyone here can.

All the best for Christmas and the New Year. I'll write more when things start to happen. (I did buy a service kit and a tyre today. Not exciting but best to get the basics sorted first.

Cheers, Bob.

I'm thinking old english white although that may change when I get the car with it's white gel coat shell.
Wheels, subject very much to cost, preferably 17" Salt Flats style alloys or perhaps banded 17" steels.

Once the kit is on, I'll sort the wheels and they will decide on the rest of the style I go for.

Most of my other cars have been stuck in a workshop until finished. It will be nice for me (and my wallet) to be able to do this in stages and drive it in between.

Cheers, Bob.

Hi Mr Towed,
Thanks for your comments. I love your lowrider idea, but perhaps I'll leave it for the next one!
I did by the running gear from a Gordini Turbo but it was an unknown quantity and as the car already ran a 5TS 1300cc engine which was quick and very economical, I didn't use it.

Cheers, Bob.

Hi all and a happy and peaceful New Year to you.

Sorted my deposit check today to reserve an early kit and workshop slot.

Bought the new number plates MIG1807 which should look much better, especially when on 'show only' black and silver plates.

Just waiting the confirmation from Chris on a couple of parts questions, then I can order all the parts needed for phase 1.

Car is in a friend's workshop next week for a full service and a good check through to make sure all is ok before we start.

More updates when things get going.

Cheers, Bob.

Under the standard body was a box section frame with Granada suspension so it stopped well and handled reasonably. The chap I bought it from would tow a large caravan to the hot rod nationals, do the burnout competition until the (spare) tyres burst then at the end of the weekend, hook up the caravan again in drive home. It was certainly reliable and enormous fun.

Thanks, I like that, they're certainly going in the box to come down with me.
Bob.

Hi Al, They are from a Sunbeam Rapier and some early 'series' Minx and Gazelle.
Lucas L572

Cheers, Bob.

Bits are starting to arrive now ready for the big change.
So far as well as the rear lights, I have the rear window, door and boot handles, boot catch and washer jets. Front and other lights will come from Newark Autojumble in a couple of weeks.

Chris…if you get the chance could you measure the roof vent size so I can look for a suitable brake light. Also please let me know if I need to sort a fuel cap.

I've also bought this wheel from a mate who, as if so often the case, bought it for a project which he moved on without fitting it. He's since bought the wheel back from me as it's too modern for my plans.

Bob.

Yes, it's MGB GT. Mines here ready.

Bob.

I've been buying more parts today.
In spite of deciding that I was going to use the Rapier rear lights, the more I've looked at photos of the Stirling Moss car the more I fancy his dark blue colour and a more original style (hard to admit for a hot rodder), but final decision will be made by holding them up to the car when I go down to Chris.




I've bought-
Headlight units,
White front indicators, red and orange rear lights, all Lucas L539.
Round rear reflectors because the rectangular originals always jar with the rest of the lights.
Round side flashers and round number plate light.

I'll buy another pair of clear L539 lights later to be reverse and rear fog (with red bulb), when I've decided where to fit them.

I was going to buy headlight rims but need to know if I need the splayed Morris Minor type of the straight type to fit with the body lines.

Cheers, Bob.

Thanks Chris, I'll get some this weekend.

A couple more questions are.
I assume I need a Monza type fuel cap. If so should I get a 2" or 2 1/2" neck fitting.

What is the size of the roof vent. I'd like to find a high level brake light to fit in there.

Cheers, Bob.

Also Chris, Am I best to get a cap with a mounting that screws to the bodywork (not sure how this will work on curved panels) or something that has a rubber seal where the neck domes through the body (like a Mini)

Thanks Bob.

Not much different at this stage obviously, but the number plate change went smoothly.
Sorting out the fuel neck parts next.
Bob.

Hi Steve,
There will be black background plates to follow later. For shows only, of course.

The lights were all bought from a stall at Newark Autojumble (Lincolnshire)
I will be going again on March 8th as I need to get a couple more and some Morris 1000 type headlight rims. I think they were £25-£30 pair but I got a bit off as I bought all the lights together.I paid £150 for all the lights in the picture. I can get you his number or get some on your behalf and post them on if you like.

Cheers, Bob.

Had a delivery of parts today from Car Builder Solutions.
They've sorted the parts to connect the BMW petrol filler neck to a new cap.
I'll list the part numbers as they may be useful to others.

The cap I chose was AST100, an Aston style locking flip top.

Other parts were
FFF51- ULTRA FLEXIBLE FUEL FILLER HOSE 51mm (2 feet)
POLY - BLACK POLYURETHANE ADHESIVE/SEALANT
ALIT50 - 50mm OD ALUMINIUM TUBE 0.19metre. beaded at one end
H45ZN - 2x HOSE CLIP 45-60mm

Cheers, Bob.

I've gone back to plan A of many when it comes to the wheels.
I've just bought a set of BMW 7.5" x 17" steels which will be finished off in D Type Jaguar racing alloys style but using false knock ons.
If it looks ok it will also mean that I can use the good types I already have and the speedo will read right.




Cheers, Bob.

Andy...The body is currently resting on one of Chris' cars, mine is the standard one behind it. The wheels are Chris' 15" wires, mine are going to be steels but the standard alloys are still on until the body is done so I can see if there's room under the arches to have the steels banded slightly. If everyone keeps telling you to put wires on, that sounds like the perfect reason to do something else!


Redratbike...The body will be fitted up to a drivable state and I'll sort the flash lines when it's painted. The reason I wanted it blue gelcoat was so that any chips in my blue paint won't show through white.

Chris… your worship. Should that be workshop or worship, or perhaps it's both!

Can you or someone on here just run me through the registering procedure again, I've looked on DVLA and am not sure which forms I need.

The contact details for the very nice people that I got my lights from (including rear fog and reverse lights that I forgot to photograph before I left them with Chris) is----

A STAFFORD, LANCASTER HOUSE, 48 ASHBY ROAD, TAMWORTH, STAFFS. B79 8AD
01827 64992
[email]stafford48@hotmail.co.uk[/email]

Cheers, Bob.

Thanks for that Ian, just the thing I need.

Ollie, I'll get a copy of that as well.

Cheers, Bob.

Thanks Chris, Registration was one off the things I thought of yesterday but had forgotten by the time I stopped and found a pen!

I'd like a picture of the car car stripped if you could do one.

Cheers, Bob.

Hi Mr T, I'd be pleased to see when when it's back home (should be a couple of weeks).
All those odd bits that weve been think about, wheel space under the arches, exhaust endings, interior bits etc are much easier to get clear in the mind if you've seen an example of the car.

Cheers, Bob.