Swifty's Navigator - Page 24

swifty · #**461** 13th June 2015, 19:23

Made a few more parts to tie up a couple of loose ends.

I am fitting an oil pressure gauge so require a T fitting so the oil feed to the mechanical gauge and electric pressure switch can be fitted together.

IMG_5390.jpg

Turned on the lathe first then four flats machined on the miller with a dividing head, the threads are 1/4 BSP, the small turned end on the thread is used to locate the fiber washer for the pipe nut to seal against.

IMG_5392.jpg IMG_5394.jpg

T piece fitted to block with pipe and pressure switch fitted.

Have been debating if i should fit a flexi or solid pipe to the clutch for a number of weeks and decided to make a solid pipe with three coils to take up any vibration and help prevent work hardening, if it's good enough for the original spitfire then it's ok for me.

IMG_5397.jpg

Made a small bracket out of 1.5mm steel plate for two power supply plug's that will be hidden behind the dashboard so as to not spoil the period look.

IMG_5395.jpg

The standard cigarette lighter socket and a usb for phone charging.

Tomorrow i hope to have the wiring finished and for the lights etc to work.

Well that's it for now see you all soon.

swifty · #**462** 14th June 2015, 20:36

Progressed the electrics today, connected up the switches etc.

IMG_5398.jpg IMG_5399.jpg

Let there be light!!

IMG_5404.jpg

Still have a way to go but most of the main components are connected and working.

Well that's it for now see you all soon.

Paul L · #**463** 16th June 2015, 05:36

Swifty - It looks like things are really coming together now.

Are you planning to get the car MOT'd before paint, or wait until it is all done?

Good luck, Paul.

swifty · #**464** 22nd June 2015, 06:31

Paul Will more than likely wait until the paint's done before the Mot.

Progressed the wiring over the last week and worked out what's required to mount the seats to the floor, just need to bend the ally sheet and do a little tig welding, will post pictures once complete.

Also made a fan cowling template to mount the twin electric fans, will post pictures when finished.

For the air box iv'e decided to fabricate a removable box with mount plate mounted to the twin carbs and piped up with an induction tube fitted with a cone filter.

Removed all the components from the bulkhead to paint before finally bleeding the brakes and clutch, this will make life a little easier as it's a lot easier to remove the parts dry than after the bake fluid has been added.

IMG_5405.jpg

Parts removed and surface keyed before undercoat applied.

IMG_5406.jpg IMG_5409.jpg

Undercoat and final mat black paint applied. It now looks a lot more tidier, the bonnet shut line on the bulkhead will have a strip of foam to hide the paint transition line between the mat black and body colour.

I am now looking around for quotes to have all the ally parts I've made anodized to protect from the elements.

Well that's it for now see you all soon.

jones · #**465** 22nd June 2015, 15:25

Hi Swifty, I like the matt black - what paint did you use? was it rattle can?

swifty · #**466** 22nd June 2015, 19:28

Jones I used rattle cans from Halfords for ease of use, chose matt as its more forgiving than gloss.

reneanglia · #**467** 22nd June 2015, 20:50

Beware of matt,it is a open paint and does not protect the metal iunderneath,also dirt will get into the paint and can't be removed,
Gloss has a laquer to protect the base colour,
On my Hotrod and trailer i used a satin black,almost matt but with a laquer and this cleans easy.

Paul L · #**468** 23rd June 2015, 21:09

Swifty – Your bulkhead looks very good.

swifty · #**469** 24th June 2015, 07:08

Cheers Paul.

Fabricated the air box from 1mm ally sheet and 10 x 10 ally angle, also machined a back plate to mount the box to the carbs.

IMG_5413.jpg IMG_5415.jpg

A small issue raised its head after the air box was fitted to the carbs, the bonnet would not close fully by about 10mm's, doooo so after various solutions were bandied about like chopping the air box, cutting a hole in the bonnet and fitting another tear drop bulge i've gone with lifting the bonnet at the front by 30mm this will also give the front valance a little more ground clearance for any speed humps and also gives more clearance around the engine so all in all more than one issue fixed.

IMG_5417.jpg IMG_5398.jpg

The first image shows the lifted front end while the second is before, the valance bottom edge is now in line with the front anti roll bar which is the lowest point under the car.

Also made a start on the radiator fan cowling.

IMG_5410.jpg

3mm ally sheet with two large holes for the fans.

Well that's it for now see you all soon.

phil9 · #**470** 24th June 2015, 07:26

very nice work swifty .....

swifty · #**471** 28th June 2015, 09:33

Phil9 Cheers.

IMG_5420.jpg

Radiator fan mount plate painted.

IMG_5421.jpg

Twin fans mounted to new plate, I've left a 10mm gap between the radiator face and the fan mount plate, sealed around the edges with foam to help the fans draw air through the radiator rather than from the sides.

IMG_5422.jpg IMG_5423.jpg

Seat mount folded with webs etc welded in place. Used 3mm ally sheet and will bolt through the floor section which has 3mm wall box section below, will also use stainless plate on top of the 3mm ally sheet where the bolts pass through. The seat is roughly in place for now, need to work out how to fill the gaps to each side of the seat between the ally sheet as the seat sides curve in over so there is about 20mm to fill.

Well that's it for now see you all soon.

Paul L · #**472** 28th June 2015, 12:50

Swifty - Lifting the height of the bonnet was a proper KISS solution.

As always, everything else you have done looks first class too.

Good luck, Paul.

Scottie22 · #**473** 28th June 2015, 17:23

Twin fans look good Swifty!

swifty · #**474** 30th June 2015, 20:02

Scottie Cheers

After reading scotties thread about a year related tax disc i decided to see what could be done in photoshop. Used this image found on the web.

large-1955-tax-disc.jpg

Then did a little work in photoshop removing hand written text etc and ended up with this, resized to print out at 75mm dia.

1955taxsharp copy.jpg

Well that's it for now see you all soon.

swifty · #**475** 7th July 2015, 06:28

Here's a guy from Sweden who knows how to fabricate an ally body replica alfa by hand with a superb sounding straight six https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0XLtuJIDgg

Mister Towed · #**476** 7th July 2015, 07:07

Fantastic mechanical symphony from that Alfa 2600 motor. The little Abarth sounded pretty good too. Great find that video.

swifty · #**477** 18th July 2015, 19:49

After leaving the build for a couple of weeks i though it was time to make a start again.

First all the ally parts have been removed ready to send off to be anodized, then spent most of today filling, rubbing down and filling again hopefully to end up with a good finish.

IMG_5458.jpg IMG_5459.jpg

Final guide coat applied which should be rubbed off tomorrow.

After talking to a local paint supplier he suggested i spray the car with a plastic bond coat before applying the undercoat to give a good key and seal the fiberglass surface.

Has anybody tried this with their build?

phil9 · #**478** 19th July 2015, 06:05

yes i did that to mine and barrys ...going to look very nice

swifty · #**479** 19th July 2015, 09:32

Cheers Phil, did you by any chance use a spray filler for example Upol Reface, if so was the plastic bond applied before the reface?

davecymru · #**480** 19th July 2015, 09:58

I would say it depends on what finish you have. I had a filler gelcoat with the Sammio (if that makes sense?) and I never had any problems.
I have a glossy white gelcoat with the Miglia and a few areas where I haven't used plastic primer I have had..... issues.