"Barber - You're not the messiah, you're a very naughty boy."

Hard for me to deny that. Having retired, I resolved one of life's imponderables, and no longer fret about what I am going to do when I grow up.

I'm 75 and still wonder what it's like to be "grown up"!

The difference between men and boys are the size of their toys!!!!

Yes, but this kit car stuff is a sickness that won't go away!
Built my first at age 16.

Barber, Molleur & Micky1Mo - Heres to a happy and healthy retirement for all. :cool:

With a bit of luck, I might even be allowed a new project when I'm old and grey.
( OK, older and greyer. :icon_wink: )

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Thursday Night Sewing Circle:
The cardboard circle allowed me to check the size of the top edge of the gaiter.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PU...=w1151-h863-no

Note: I will trim the bottom edges of the leather to size once I have finished stitching it together.

Which meant this was the shape I started off with.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yk...=w1151-h863-no

For now, I am just using some string as a guide for where the cable tie will eventually go.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zL...=w1151-h863-no

On the headlight grille covers, this 'overlap' of material is on the 'inside' and therefore not seen.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Pk...=w1143-h857-no

But on the gear lever, it will be 'on show' so it needed a much neater solution.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/A2...=w1151-h863-no

So I folded the edges of the leather back inside itself like so.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Gq...=w1151-h863-no

Which meant trying to line up holes and sew through four layers of leather in one go! :eek:

Unfortunately, I only realised this work was needed after I cut the material out. :rolleyes:

This meant a bit of extra trimming and some difficult sewing to join the two sides together like so.
( As before, this is sewn together inside out. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FI...=w1151-h863-no

I then trimmed off the excess material on either side of this join.

After that, I was able to pull the gaiter inside out to give me this. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Uc...Y=w647-h863-no

Obviously, I still need to trim the excess material below the bottom edge of the 'sunny side' up face.

But I want to do that in the cockpit of the car and it looks like it will be raining all day. :icon_sad:

So until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Your talents never cease to amaze me!!
I am sure if you had the facilities to work in you would have done the oil leaks yourself as well.

Froggyman - I think my only talent is not letting the fact I don't know what I am doing stop me! :icon_wink:

Although, following on from my previous comments above...

I really hope I get the chance to do a 'retirement project' where I would be tempted to give engine rebuilding a go.

After all, what could possibly go wrong? :rolleyes:

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Frustrating Friday:
I fitted the 'fir trees' to both headrest panels, making sure they were all straight.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ne...=w1151-h863-no

Then I had a play with a couple of strips of aluminium to see how I might hold the gear lever gaiter in place.

As there are currently only 4 bolts holding the rubber gaiter in place and that doesn't seem enough for the leather.

So my plan is to create a gaiter base made of two layers of alloy, with the leather in between.

Then this base will be fixed into position with the four bolts.

So I set up a test piece with three different sized rivets.
( Obviously the real leather would be trimmed to be hidden under one edge. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uz...=w1151-h863-no

The two smaller ones have the same size head, but different depths (if that makes sense).

I really like the big head rivets, but there is a lot of material left on the inside.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nv...=w1151-h863-no

After a liberal application of some hammers on either side, I was left with this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ww...=w1151-h863-no

So I just need to check if I can get away with the extra thickness of the big rivet.

As the outside edges of 'top' layer of alloy would be bent over both the leather and 'bottom' layer to hide the join.

Note:
Regardless of the final rivet choice, this 'sandwich' approach really does hold the leather solidly. :cool:

Finally I spent ages trying to work out hold to fold the leather over the back of the headrests' plywood panels.

Something along these lines, but with everything pulled tighter.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ee...=w1151-h863-no

That was proving tricky enough, especially with the thickness of the joins along the bottom edge. :icon_sad:

But the real problems was I just couldn't hammer a single tack into place, as the foam was acting as a shock absorber. :doh:

I abandoned the headrests last night, but, thankfully, I've just had an idea while typing this up.

So I am off now to see if I can finish off these headrests, or at least make a start on the gear lever gaiter base.

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Paul L You need a staple gun like this one.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nail-Stap...UAAOSwwZxb6YDd

Just press it over the material and pull the trigger.

Mike - Thanks for the link. :cool:

I am sure the staple gun would have done a better job than my hammer and tacks approach (see below).

But as I already had the hammer and nails lying around, I wanted to see if that would work.

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Saturday Struggles:
In between domestic chores, and the Scotland vs Ireland match, I managed to make progress on two jobs…

Hobnail Headrest
My initial brain wave was to hold the edges of the plywood in a work mate and then hammer the nails in.

But after dragging it out from the back of the shed it didn't open wide enough. :frusty:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DB...=w1151-h863-no

At which point I was thinking about giving up and buying a staple gun (without having read Mike's reply).

But as that would take a few days to arrive, I decided to have one last go, adopting a brute force and ignorance approach…

I put a towel on the paving slabs around the Summerhouse to protect the face.

Then I held the leather in position and squeezed the foam, which allowed the tacks to be hammered in like this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dA...=w1151-h863-no

And when the foam was released, the 'excess' leather went back into position.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rw...=w1151-h863-no

There was a lot of trial and error and, thankfully, just one hammer vs. thumb incident. :eek:

Eventually, I finished the driver's side and it looked pretty good on the sunny side. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SW...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zM...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oq...=w1151-h863-no

Not perfect by any means, but for my first attempt at head rest making, I'd call that a solid pass.

But the really good news is that no one, apart from those of you reading this, will see this dog's dinner on the back. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GM...=w1151-h863-no

At least some tape tidied it up a bit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4v...=w1151-h863-no

Given the lessons learned, I should be able to do a better, and quicker, job on the passenger side.
( The fact it is a smaller area will also help. )

Then I just need to drill some holes in the aero humps and fit them.

Unfortunately, the 'Yin & Yang' nature of my build meant that if this job was going well…

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Gear Lever Gaiter
This is where I plan to fix the gaiter in place.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/S5...=w1151-h863-no

So I made a cardboard template to help.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xf...G=w647-h863-no

End of Part 1…

Saturday - Part 2:
The first problem I had was too much leather at the top of the gaiter.

It slipped over the widest part of the gear knob with ease, but wouldn't gather tight. :icon_sad:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/X4...S=w647-h863-no

So I knew that I needed to make some changes, or switch to a MkII version.

But the overall design principle is sound:
- Hold the top tightly in place where the string is located.
- Hold the bottom in place by fixing the leather to the base.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2t...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vf...=w1151-h863-no

I am sure I have a spare (broken) fixing plate for the gear level rubber gaiter 'somewhere', but I couldn't find it.

Actually, I stopped looking when I found a spare rubber gaiter.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/I-...=w1151-h863-no

Which, together with the cardboard template, let me cut this out of aluminium.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vN...W=w647-h863-no

Not easy to see in the photo, but this alloy panel is/needs to be curved.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8-...=w1151-h863-no

There is still some tidying up to do around the edges, but this was good enough for more testing.

I also butchered the original leather gaiter to shorten the top edge and open the sides.
( As there needs to be a 'gap' to allow the gaiter to slip over the gear knob. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5F...=w1151-h863-no

This allowed me to get one step closer to the final shape required.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cg...m=w647-h863-no

But it was actually getting very dark outside and the street lights had just come on.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/77...Y=w647-h863-no

In the end it was going to be quicker to start again, and this is the MkII design.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cu...=w1151-h863-no

Where the two sides would only be joined from the bottom up to the 'arrows' and then left open to the top.

The second line above the arrows is where I plan to fix an extra layer for a second fixing point in the middle of the 'open' gap.

By the end of the night I had sewn up the top edge, but was getting confused about this 'new' second fixing.

So I decided to wait and have another trial fit around the gear lever before I do any more sewing.

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Sunday Sewing:
There was a bit of drizzle as I nipped out to check the gear lever gaiter, so I had to be quick.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pp...=w1151-h863-no

The good news is the top of the gaiter will slip over the gear knob as required.

The bad news is that the shape/design of neck below the top join could have been better.

Still, this check allowed me to add a second 'slot' for another zip tie around the neck.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wW...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zz...=w1151-h863-no

Then I could join the two sides together below this opening.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PP...T=w647-h863-no

To give me gaiter MkII.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/En...l=w647-h863-no

By now, the rain had stopped, so I started the engine while I did the next round of test fitting.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/av...=w1151-h863-no

Slowly, but surely, I was finally getting there.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/u5...x=w648-h863-no

But I realised the alloy plate needed to be opened up a bit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IU...M=w647-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/17...c=w647-h863-no

But the real beard scratching came as I tried to work out how to join the bottom of the gaiter to this base.

As the cone shaped leather did not want to pull neatly into a square shape at the bottom.
( I'm sure there is a square peg and round hole joke in here somewhere. :rolleyes: )

In the end, I went back to how I used to make witches' hats for my daughters.

As these would start out as a cone on top, with flaps, that was then joined to the separate brim.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XE...q=w647-h863-no

So I needed a leather 'brim' for the bottom of my gaiter.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Kd...=w1151-h863-no

End of Part 1…

Sunday - Part 2:
Which would fix to the bottom of the alloy plate like so.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a7...=w1151-h863-no

Then the cut 'tabs' could be pushed through and join the main cone on the sunny side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eu...=w1151-h863-no

Then I went around each tab and punched sewing holes between each tab and the corresponding line in the cone.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/J6...=w1151-h863-no

So far, so good.

Unfortunately, shortly after this, it all went horribly wrong. :icon_sad:

Even though I pinned the tabs to the cone on the outside, I was planning to join them on the inside.

Therefore, I removed all the pins, separated the two pieces and set about sewing them together.

At which point I realised I had not left any alignment marks to put the two pieces back in the same position. :doh:

After three failed attempts to line up the holes by loosely sewing them together I had to admit defeat. :icon_sad:

So after wasting a LOT of time, I decided I would have to join the tabs on the outside and trim them back with finished.

It then took ages to sew everything together making sure that I kept an even join all the way around.

By the time I was finished, it was getting late and I was pretty tired, but rather than stop I carried on.

Which inevitably lead to Mistake No.2...

I cut the tabs short with no problems, so I thought I would cut them shorter still…

At which point I accidentally cut through some of the stitches, which then started to unravel. :frusty:

By now I was raging at my own incompetence and set about fixing my mistakes.

This involved punching more sewing holes, pulling the cut stitches out and knotting them off and restitching sections.

I also cut tabs out of the bottom of the cone and joined them to the flat base too.

Given the mess I made of the tabs, I will add one final extra row of stitching for safety.

But for now, this is where I've got to.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dp...9=w647-h863-no

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Slow Progress:
Finished the extra layer of stitching joining the two pieces of leather for the gear lever gaitor.
( Note: The big stitches on the outside were just to hold the flaps in place. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/U_...=w1151-h863-no

Cut out the inner layer of alloy that will sandwich the leather into place.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4r...=w1151-h863-no

Used my original cardboard template to roughly lay out where the rivets would go.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M3...=w1151-h863-no

Removed the fixing bracket that currently holds the rubber gear lever gaiter in place.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ii...=w1151-h863-no

So I could use that to drill holes in both alloy panels.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Oj...=w1151-h863-no

I then double checked that the holes aligned across both layers in the car.
( This was 'after', just to show the two layers. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dG...=w1151-h863-no

I then fine tuned the holes and started scuffing up the alloy with sandpaper.
( Done on the right, to be done on the left. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TM...=w1151-h863-no

I then trimmed the edges of the 'brim' after comparing the two layers.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0B...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uK...=w1151-h863-no

End of Part 1…

Part 2:
I then used my four clamps to keep all four fixing holes aligned.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0D...=w1151-h863-no

Before working my way around one rivet at a time.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5l...=w1151-h863-no

With each hole drilled needing to be filed down and then sanded before the rivet went it.
( Hence the whole scuffed alloy look, as there was a lot of filing marks. )

Eventually, I had 12 rivets in place.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7z...=w1151-h863-no

Note: I may need to grind back the rivet that is currently overhanging. :doh:

Note also that my original design was for just two rivets a side, but I decided to add an extra one at the last minute.

Unfortunately, this resulted in me making a bit of a mess of the spacing on the driver's side. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Z3...=w1150-h863-no

Normally, I would have started on the passenger side, so that any mistakes wouldn't be seen from my seat. :icon_wink:

But there is no way I am spending any more time on this.

All that remains to do now, is a final test fit and a hammering of the outside edge of the top alloy layer.

However, that will have to wait until I have some daylight to play with.

So until then, take care, Paul. :)

Frustrating times...
I did a very quick test fit of the gear lever gaiter base.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_7...f=w647-h863-no

Before grinding off the edge of this rivet.
( Old white towel protecting the leather from sparks. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OT...=w1151-h863-no

The string was replaced by a couple of cable ties.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mE...=w1151-h863-no

Unfortunately, the inside of one fell out when I tried to use it. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AM...=w1151-h863-no

So it was a long trip from the front driveway to the bottom of the garden to get another one.

Apologies, but by now the sun was setting and as the light faded, the photos got worse.

The next problem was that the second zip tie was too high to properly grip the wider part of the lever.
( So would slip off above it. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sB...=w1151-h863-no

This left me with two ties around the thinnest part of the lever and a big hole.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cg...=w1151-h863-no

So I went back inside and returned with a needle and thread.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bI...=w1151-h863-no

Which has now closed the big gap and would be simple enough to remove if required.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nD...=w1151-h863-no

After bolting the alloy base into place and hammering the edges, I was left with this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aL...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1L...k=w647-h863-no

Overall, I am a little frustrated with the final design, as I made a few mistakes along the way.

It is certainly better than no gaiter, but I think there may well be a MkIII version arriving in the Summer. :rolleyes:

But adding alloy panels to the cockpit wall will be a higher priority than re-doing this job.

Plus I still need to make another leather gaiter, with alloy base, for the hand brake lever.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Gs...=w1151-h863-no

End of Part 1…

Part 2:
Thankfully, I had better luck with the passenger headrest. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PS...=w1151-h863-no

The reflections in the photo make it look like there is a 'step' in the face of the foam, but there isn't.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VU...=w1151-h863-no

I was left with just one slight winkle in the bottom edge that wouldn't go away.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jT...=w1151-h863-no

I used less tacks this time, which makes the rear side look a bit better.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ge...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ee...=w1151-h863-no

So now I have both headrests ready to go.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/51...=w1151-h863-no

I just had time to double check that all the fir trees lined up with the markings on the aero humps.

Thankfully they all did.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bn...=w1151-h863-no

While I was looking at where the headrests were going to go, it dawned on me that there was something else to align with.

As, rather than keep looking at the body shell angles, I could use the top of the seat that the headrest is meant to match. :doh:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xH...y=w647-h863-no

By now, the light was gone and I needed the flash, but the head rest position I settled on does align with the seat. :cool:

So when I get the chance I will drill the holes and fix the headrests into position.

But until then, take care, Paul. :)

Sunshine helps…
Before I get on to yesterday's jobs, I found two scrapes on the rear passenger wheel arch. :icon_sad:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d5...=w1151-h863-no

I have no idea when this happened, but I can only assume it was while I had left the car in a car park somewhere.

Anyway, I took some better photos of the gear lever gaiter.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/RM...4=w647-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TM...A=w647-h863-no

I think I'll reserve final judgement on this until after I have added alloy panels to the cockpit walls.

In order to reduce the mess from drilling the holes in the aero humps I covered the seats and used a hoover for the 'swarf'.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SH...G=w647-h863-no

No problems with the holes, or fitting the headrests.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/v0...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O6...B=w647-h863-no

The problems came with the optical illusion that putting a straight edge near a curve causes. :rolleyes:

If you are looking completely square on, the bottom edge looks pretty horizontal.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JP...=w1151-h863-no

But as soon as you move to one side, the green of the body shell makes the headrest look really tilted.
( There is a slight tilt going on, but nothing like as big as it looks. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/We...=w1151-h863-no

The further back you stand, the worse the angles appear to get.
( Note: I'd moved the car to a flat surface for the photo, as my sloping drive doesn't help. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JC...=w1151-h863-no

The difficulty I had pulling the leather tight in one corner of the passenger headrest isn't helping either.

Deep down, I know this is an issue I was always going to struggle to resolve, as the alternative was an 'odd' shaped headrest.

Which, in turn, would still have highlighted the different heights of the body shell lip along the rear cockpit wall.
( Plus, the bottom edge would have been too low and fouled against my shoulders/neck. )

Therefore, I really have to ignore the urge to obsess about this and just accept it for what it is.

Which leads me back to the reference to sunshine in the title of this post…

As yesterday, was the first chance I had to go for a decent drive since the engine was fixed.

Thankfully, there is something about driving a car like this when the sun is shining that is really special.

The sunshine also seemed to lift the mood of both other drivers and pedestrians too.
( As I got a lot of positive comments, waves, thumbs up, hooting of horns, etc. )

Which just confirms that whilst I see every detailed fault, most people only see the overall picture. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bh...=w1151-h863-no

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

PS
At some point I really must clean the car, as there is a layer of white 'crud' everywhere. :rolleyes:

Looks good Paul. Most will never notice small details, but simply the overall appearance of the car.
No worries! Well done.

Well done Paul. The "Do as much as possible yourself" approach is very satisfying, as well as frustrating. I can see why some cars have round head pads though. I have been learning welding, and so far have been lucky enough that my work so far has little visibility. "Robust but ugly" would sum it up. But I am getting better, and moving along the curve, so have just bought a used MIG welder off fleabay so I can improve on thinner material. I have just found a further use for the leather I bought for the failed moccasin project - I have bought some of those super strong mini magnets, and together with an old steel ruler, will make a wall mounted kitchen knife rack that does not risk dropping super sharp knives on you - no stitching, no welding required, haha.

Molleur - Thanks Jack. :cool:

Sometimes it is hard to see the wood from the trees, see post below.

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It's all relative…
Earlier I posted this photo of my scuttle under construction on CJ's Build thread.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-X...o/DSCF3114.JPG

And previously, I've posted this photo of McLaren's workshop.

http://www.cars-show.org/wp-content/...-garage-09.jpg

Which is a simple reminder that I am not a professional car builder and don't have professional facilities.

Therefore I should not be surprised/upset/frustrated when my DIY efforts fall below professional standards. :rolleyes:

I was also watching something about the 1966 Ford vs Ferrari LeMans race recently.

While the final race prep area for the beautiful Ferrari P3s was not quite up to McLaren standards…

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nk...z=w790-h473-no

These cars were still build by professionals.

Although they were still happy to simply tape up the headlights. :icon_wink:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ID...H=w595-h417-no

Which leads me to this little video clip I also watched the other day.

The whole home built / steam punk look of the car is what makes it special for me. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9QMa7AUD-4

Although I am not convinced that the metal point at the rear would be considered a safety feature! :eek:

Anyway, that is a long winded way of saying that my whole Hillbilly Frankenstein build was always going to be rough and ready.

So I will still have a go at making the following:
- Side mirror plinths
- Handbrake gaiter
- Cockpit wall alloy panels

With the hope that the overall impression will be that of an old race car still on the road, despite its hard life.

Cheers, Paul. :)