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Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Sammio Builds and discussions

Sammio Builds and discussions Sammio bodied car builds and specials

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  #81  
Old 4th September 2012, 20:22
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Thank you gentlemen, this is why this forum is so good.

Quote:
Originally Posted by WorldClassAccident View Post
... In the Scimitar there was a wire between the reverse switch and the overdrive switch. This prevented you switching on the overdrive when in reverse ...
:lightbulb:

And slowly, but surely, the penny drops.

A quick check of my modified Haynes manual wiring diagram gives me the following:



14 = Reversing light switch
19 = Gearbox inhibitor switch.
It was the GN (Green Brown) wire with one end marked "gearbox" that made me panic.
But it was correct to cut it and I can now safely remove it completely as planned.
The G (Green) wire is the important one and that is thankfully untouched.
If everything works the way it looks on paper...
Switch 14 would connect to Switch 19 even if no lights were connected.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Towed View Post
... as soon as I listed the first few Vitesse parts I started to get messages asking what other bits I'd got...
I had the same thing, with 4 people lined up to buy the body shell.
But the rain delays meant by the time I was ready to sell they had found alternatives.
Still, as you say, it is finally sold and that is a big milestone for me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by davecymru View Post
... i also found Spitfire Graveyard to be brilliant as they always made sure i had what i needed rather than what i asked for...
They could easily have sold me the wrong thing as I kept insisting it was what I wanted.
I first spoke to them on Friday and had go back and double check what I was talking about.
Sure enough, I ordered something completely different on Monday!

Cheers, Paul.

Last edited by Paul L; 4th September 2012 at 20:27.. Reason: Typos
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  #82  
Old 5th September 2012, 07:11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul L View Post
...If everything works the way it looks on paper...
Switch 14 would connect to Switch 19 even if no lights were connected...
Sorry, I've been dreaming about wiring again.

If I remove the reversing lights, should the other end of switch 14 be connected directly to earth?

Or is it OK to simply leave the GN wire end unconnected?
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  #83  
Old 9th September 2012, 18:41
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Whilst I'm waiting for my Spitfire body shell to be collected, I've got on with a few other small jobs...

Headlights:
Before cutting holes in my bonnet, I wanted to make sure everything I had would work together.
I'm using a mixture of Spitfire donor parts, brand new headlights & 2nd hand cowls for my Cordite.

I'd already given the outer headlight shells a coat of Hammerite. but the inner shells were also a mess.
( A spring holds the inner shell, which is attached to the headlight itself, to the outer headlight shell )



But they needed a little bit of modification work before I could start painting them.
My new headlights have a side/parking light built in, unlike my donor with its separate side lights.
So the inner shells needed a hole in them so they could be fitted over this extra bulb.
I simply drilled lots of holes & made them bigger until the metal came out, then filed the edges.
A quick test fit showed the hole was is the right place, so they were ready for painting.





I'd made a school boy error when I was in a rush to paint the outer headlight shells.
I'd simply unclipped the wires from the 3 point headlight connector without noting what went where.
I'm sure there was a good reason why I didn't just pull the wires through the front of the shell???
After a quick test I think the connections at the back of the headlight are wired as follows:
Left = Blue/White (High Beam) Top = Black (Earth) Right = Blue/Red (Low Beam)



That wasn't the only headlight wiring issue to resolve as the side light needed wiring too.
The problem was the outer shell grommet was already a bit of a tight squeeze with 3 wires.



I wanted to reuse this if possible rather than drill another hole in the headlight shell.
So I warmed the grommet in hot water in an attempt to pull the wires out (they were jammed in).
This was almost a good idea until my gentle encouragement pulled a male connector off.
Still the other wires came out intact and this allowed me to drill a bigger hole in the grommet.
( I applied a little bit more patience on the other headlight's grommet and it worked a treat.)



I just need to run one extra wire through, as earth can be linked to the main light within the shell.
I used surplus Red/Blue wire from my loom as the side light feed & will update the wiring diagram.
All 4 wires went back through the enlarged grommet hole with no problems.
I then spliced a Black wire (again loom left overs) into the existing headlight earth connection.
Then it was a case of wrapping everything up so that it looked like I knew what I was doing!



Next up were the original chrome headlight retaining rings that attach to the inner shells.
Whisper it, but I had to remove some over spray left by the previous owner.
A quick rub with paint cleaner & a bit of a polish with some Autosol, job done, simples.





The two 2nd hand headlight cowls from Spitfire Graveyard are not identical, but both fit.
One has a hole in the bottom, although I'm still not 100% what keeps these in place.
I gave them a rub down with steel wool & sand paper, before a couple of coats of primer.
Then a light sand, before a couple of coats of Halfords 'Gadget Blue' enamel paint.







So far, so good, but there is a slight technical hitch, this is the wrong colour.
It not is easy to see in the photos, but the paint is definitely significantly darker.





I used the colour AndyP57 suggested, so something has gone amiss somewhere.
Its not a big deal, I'll just do a bit of research to find a better match in a light shade.
( Perhaps I shouldn't have used enamel paint? I was rushing & that the only can of "Gadget Blue" they had. )

On the bright side, the Hammerite on the inner shells came out the right shade of black.



With all the pieces now finally ready I was able to put them all together.
I just needed to bend the connectors for the side light so they didn't foul the other shell.
I know it isn't much, but it is still nice to see a part of the finished car.
( And it is simply a case of "tucking in" the rubber gasket to hold the cowls on? )



I will need to dismantle everything again to drill the matching holes in the bonnet.
Although I will wait until I've fitted the 'beer crate' grill before I finally fit them.

I think I've reached the limit of photos, etc. I can put in one post.
It has been quite a hectic weekend as I tried to make the most of the weather.
So I will leave it at that for now and cover the other stuff in a day or so.
And with a bit of luck, the body shell is being collected tomorrow evening.

Take care, Paul.

Last edited by Paul L; 10th September 2019 at 09:17..
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  #84  
Old 11th September 2012, 19:03
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Spares:
My donor came with various boxes of small bits I keep forgetting about (I shoved them in the shed).
So it was good to discover the spare wheel mounting bracket before the body shell was collected.
I also found a spare for this split gearbox cover bracket I removed from the car (& already painted ).



More Painting:
While the Hammerite was out for the headlight shells, I also painted a few other things too.
- The rear radius arm brackets that will bolt to the Cordite Frame.
- The spare gearbox bracket I found above.
- The mounting bracket for the expansion bottle I got from Spitfire Graveyard.





Waxoyl:
Also in that box of bits were 2 spray cans of Waxoyl which was just what my internal frame needed.
I went around spraying inside all the open box section tubes to give them a protective coating.
As the frame was on the lawn, I didn't bother to put down a 'dust sheet' before I started, a minor error.
I quickly realised some sections of the framework are open at both ends & this stuff is very messy.
So now I have a random collection of black Waxoyl patches on my lawn, oops.

Storage Space:
I spent a couple of hours on Sunday just rearranging the Spitfire / Cordite parts in the Summer House.
I am simply running out of places to put things at the moment & it is very frustrating to say the least.
I know things will improve as the build progresses and these parts find a new home fitted to my Cordite.
But at least for now the tidy up exercise has given me a little more room to manoeuvre in.

Hand Brake Mounting Body Panel:
I started the process of cleaning the 2nd hand body shell panel I got from Spitfire Graveyard.
Another messy job that didn't do another part of my lawn any favours either (I'm a slow learner ).
There is a very small section of rust that appears to have eaten through which I will need to sort out.
I will also need to cut off some of the excess metal, but that can wait until I have test fitted it.
Here is the 'Before' photo and I'd include the 'After' ones when I've finished sorting this out.



Ebay Update:
My next items for sale will be the leather seat covers (a re-list), 2 door sill plates & the car heater.
I managed to get to the Post Office to weight the covers & sills, so I can now offer UK postage this time.
But the heater + all its associated bits & pieces will initially be a collection only item.
If I can get half decent prices for these, I will list my remaining parts as a job lot starting at 99p to clear.
I've already recovered 75% of my donor car's cost and will post details of all my sales when complete.

I think that brings me up to date for everything that was going on over the weekend.
But a major project milestone was reached last night when the body shell was collected.

Body Shell:
Yes, 42 days after I removed the last bolt holding the body shell to the chassis, it is finally gone.
In the absence of any lifting gear, it was a case of all hands on deck for a manual lift & manoeuvre.
There was the buyer, his dad & two friends + me & the recovery truck driver, which made 6 in total.
Thankfully we didn't have to carry it far and in the end it only took a few minutes to get it loaded.
Sorry the photos aren't great due to the fact it is getting dark so early these days.





Rolling Chassis:
At last, the backbone of my Cordite build is revealed, again apologies for the lack of a decent photo.



But on first impressions, it all looks pretty good to me, although clearly it needs a major clean!
I was expecting that, given the fact it had been languishing in a barn for years before I got it.

As a temporary measure, I've rested the front half of the frame in place to support the master cylinders.
( I had left them both connected as they were all working fine before I removed the pedals. )
Whilst it was too dark to see clearly, it appears the frame & chassis holes are in the right ball park.

General Sammio Body Shell Question:
I know a key part of the Sammio re-body inspection process is that the new body must be removable.
But has anyone actually removed their Sammio body after it was bonded to the frame & floors?

If the frame needed some "encouragement" to fit, would the bonding & fibre glassing hold it in place?
Or would the frame spring back into its original shape if unbolted, breaking the bodywork as it did so?

I actually have the photo below from Mister Towed's framework "encouragement" in mind.
Clearly it would be much easier to paint / seal the underside of the body shell if it was off the chassis.
But I wouldn't even consider doing this if I was putting the whole body shell structure at risk.



Next Steps:
We have loads of our friends & their children coming round for a BBQ / lunch on the 22nd Sept.
So I have a long list of chores to get the house & garden looking ship shape before everyone arrives.
Part of my tidying up will involve moving the rear half of the frame from back garden to front drive.
So I should get a chance to do a very basic test fit of the frame & then throw the Cordite body on top.
Then I can pull my Spitfire car cover over the top and instantly achieve a "tidied up" look.

So whilst I am unlikely to make much real progress in the next two weeks, I'm still pretty happy.
I feel I've finally reached the point where I'm not dismantling a Spitfire, but building a Cordite.

Until next time, take care, Paul.

Last edited by Paul L; 10th September 2019 at 10:00..
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  #85  
Old 11th September 2012, 19:17
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Well done Paul, remember, even slow progress is progress.

I remember that picture of my frame. Good Lord it was a ba$tard to fit!

I think the point with the removeable body is that that's one of the requirements to avoid the dreaded IVA test - that you must be able to remove the body from the chassis in future if necessary. Nobody says you ever actually have to do that though! The trick is to get your chassis fully sorted before you bond the body onto the frame, then it'll never be an issue. Anyway, carry on with your build as and when you can and keep posting the pictures.
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  #86  
Old 11th September 2012, 20:18
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Quote:
If the frame needed some "encouragement" to fit, would the bonding & fibre glassing hold it in place?
Or would the frame spring back into its original shape if unbolted, breaking the bodywork as it did so?
Metals have an elastic limit or yield point below which they just spring back.

Go beyond this point and they'll not spring back to the original position, they will still spring back though.
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  #87  
Old 11th September 2012, 23:13
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But the heater + all its associated bits & pieces will initially be a collection only item

see below ,list a courier for p+p should help shift it better



Up to 10kg: for £7.14 (3-5 days)

Offering delivery in 3-5 days, MyHermes costs £7.14 for items between 5-10kg.

.

Up to 30kg: from £8.99 (1-2 days)

If you've a bigger parcel, weighing in at up to 30kg, ParcelsPlease* charges £8.99 via UPS standard service in 1-2 days. Note that it'll cost more if the parcel's bigger than about 53cm x 53cm x 53cm
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  #88  
Old 14th September 2012, 19:33
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MoriniMan & Mister Towed: - Thanks for the replies gentlemen.
I'll form a plan when I know how well my frame lines up with the chassis.
It all else fails I will just have to paint/seal around the prop. shaft, etc.

Redratbike - Thanks for the courier info.
Although I hope collecting the heater might help me sell other small bits.

Hopefully I'll get a large chuck of my domestic chores done this weekend.
And with a bit of luck still have time to test fit the frame.

Have a good one, Paul.
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  #89  
Old 15th September 2012, 12:28
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No worries..... I use couriers al the time now with the bits I sell,none of this..it didn't arrive can I have a refund .

It's a cut throat business,a friend managed to send an old mini gearbox to Greece on a half pallet for £8.50!!!!!!M!M
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  #90  
Old 16th September 2012, 17:21
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I've spent the bulk of the weekend working in the garden & general house tidying.
Part of that involved moving Cordite parts from the back garden to the front drive.
So I have a little bit of progress to report...

Cleaning:
I gave the Rolling Chassis a quick "wash & brush up" to get the bulk of the dust & dirt off.
But I need to get some more 'Gunk' to sort out the engine, clutch housing, gearbox, etc.
I also hope going round these with a torque wrench will stop the various 'weeping' points.
At some point I will need to clean the drive itself as that has become a big drip trap. : (

However, cleaning & daylight gives a much better impression of what remains of my donor.
Don't tell you know who that there is some over spray to deal with on the chassis too. ; )





Internal Framework & Body Work:
This was all done in a bit of a rush just to tidy up & will be done properly another day.
But it was still a good chance to get a better idea of what I need to do in the future.

Before I tried to fit the rear frame I needed to remove the cross brace added for transportation.
After years of borrowing angle grinders from my mate, I finally bought a small one of my own.
So whilst not strictly a true cost of the build, it is something very useful to have around.
I will keep the "off cut" as I'm sure it will come in handy later on in the build somewhere.



Now I had rested the front frame on the chassis when the body shell was removed.
In daylight it is clear that all the holes do not line up, but I think this should be an easy fix.
The rear frame only has two fixing points pre-drilled for the raised rear mounting points.
Again, I don't think it will take much work to get them bolted into place either.
Based on other builds I think you drill holes to bolt the frame to the main chassis rail.

Here is DonnySoutherner's frame with bolts through it at the front.
( There are a matching pair at the back end of the frame on his build too. )



In the mean time, here are both my frames just resting in place:



The first question I have is does the frame re-use the original Spitfire rubber mountings?
There were a mixture of plain rubber & rubber with metal "caps" on my donor.
Whilst one was missing (probably stuck to body shell), I've found a new one in a box of bits.



The answer to this question will help me with my next issue, which is the fuel line.
If the rear frame sits directly on the chassis, the fuel line will need to be lowered.
The line currently sits on the side of the main chassis rail & the rear frame just hits it.



As we were in a rush I simply used zip ties to hold the front & back roughly in place.



I assume the two parts of the frame should be joined together before final fitting.
Because my rough & ready fixing meant that I couldn't line up the top & bottom brackets.
( Something that I am sure will not be a problem when I have time to look at it. )
Although it does appear that AndyP57 has a different bracket on his frame??

Here are my top and bottom brackets:





And here are the only photos I could find of the frames joined together.





I just need to make sure I get the two frame parts on the correct side of each other.
Even though the frame wasn't quite right, it was time to put the body on.
Unfortunately it quickly became clear the frame had a knock on impact on this.
I couldn't get the dash or the bottom of the front bulk head in place.
But wasn't going to force, or start cutting, anything at this stage.







That was as much as I had time for yesterday, but I did some more this morning.
I moved the front foot wells, gearbox cover & hand brake mount to rest in place.



As there is no where to mount the rear exhaust pipes (yet) I just left them on the ground.
This was to give me a rough idea how far they would stick out beyond the bodywork.
They are not too bad, although I still might shorten the single mid section pipe a tad.



Finally I put the bonnet on, but quickly remembered the front chassis rails are in the way.
But it couldn't stay in the garden, so I held it in place with some 'tie down' straps.



Which was good enough for me to be able to pull the cover over the top.
Even though it is only temporary, this has been a big help in 'tidying up'.

[Rolf Harris] Can you tell what it is yet? [/Rolf Harris]



I've been updating these words & photos as I've been going along.
But I still have more domestic chores to finish today, so I'll leave it at that for now.
I'm not going to touch the car now until after our big bash next Saturday.

Until then, take care, Paul.

Last edited by Paul L; 10th September 2019 at 09:25..
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  #91  
Old 16th September 2012, 18:17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul L View Post
<out of context>... I simply used zip ties to hold the front & back roughly in place. < /out of context>

That'll be fine like that, just put a smidge of tigerseal on it for added security and what can possibly go wrong!

Note for people without a sense of humour: the above is a joke!!


Apart from that, it's looking good matey and it won't be long now before the "big" steps are done and it'll really start taking shape!
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  #92  
Old 16th September 2012, 19:27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davecymru View Post
That'll be fine like that, just put a smidge of tigerseal on it for added security and what can possibly go wrong!

Note for people without a sense of humour: the above is a joke!!


Apart from that, it's looking good matey and it won't be long now before the "big" steps are done and it'll really start taking shape!
Tigerseal? Bit excessive, that. There's no point in over-engineering something that Pritt'll stick...

Nice to see a Cordite coming together, and don't worry about the little things that don't line up - after a bit of beard scratching there's always a straightforward way to fettle and fit them in the end
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  #93  
Old 23rd September 2012, 15:49
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Progress Report:
No real progress to report as I spent the week tidying the house & garden.
Yesterday was perfect day for our BBQ with friends and given today's rain, very lucky too.
My 'thrown together to tidy up' Cordite made it easier for them to understand the project.
I made the mistake of rashly promising it would be on the road by this time next year.
At which point one of my mates opened a "book" on when it would actually be done.
Hopefully the money laid against a 2014 finish will not be collected!!

So the following is more about me 'thinking out loud' and planning my next steps...

Marine Ply Panels Required:
Whilst the body is still on temporarily, I will think about the plywood panels I need to make.
AndyP57 has provided a good example of what is required around the front foot wells.



And most build threads show how the internal cockpit walls are constructed, e.g. Mr T.



But I have struggled to find clear information on what goes behind the rear cockpit.
I know DonnySoutherner has reused an old section of Spitfire bodywork for his Cordite.



But I get the impression that many builders simply leave this rear section "empty" so to speak.
Although I haven't fitted the petrol tank yet, instinctively I think this needs some protection.
Others have storage built in behind the seats, but I wasn't planning to based on KISS principles.
However, some form of rear wheel arch seems like a good idea, but what do I know?

So I'll have a think & play around with some cardboard templates to see what will fit where.
Then I can work out how much marine ply I need to buy and start the process of making the panels.
I will also steal DonnySoutherner's idea of a sunken battery box made out of ply while I'm at it.

Brakes:
Unbeknown to me, the Cordite was not designed for brake master cylinders from late 1500 Spitfires.
My twin pipe master cylinder is both too tall & too long when compared to the space available.



AndyP57 has resolved this by switching back to the single line system on earlier models.
However, I just can't bring myself to downgrade the braking system of a car that is already 32 years old.
So I need to find a solution that will allow me to retain the existing master cylinder.

One option would be to lower the pedal mounting plate a little & adjust the bulkhead to match.
Interestingly, my Spitfire donor had a recess built into the bulk head for the master cylinder.



So my Cordite bulkhead would need to go "down & back" if that makes sense.
Pros - Leaves the bonnet line as originally intended.
Cons - Some major re-working of parts required.

Another option would be to add some sort of "Wembley Bubble" to raise the bonnet & bulkhead.
Pros - Leaves the internal framework as originally intended.
Cons - May look major league ugly!

I need to get this "right first time" so I will give it more thought before trying to fix it.

Rear Spring Lowering Block:
This is another one of those areas where I am not 100% sure what I am supposed to be doing.
I thought a lowering block was required as a Cordite will weigh a lot less than the donor Spitfire.
However, I see that AndyP57 is leaving the rear suspension untouched in his demonstrator.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyP57 View Post
... I've not put any lowering blocks in mine (And may not do yet) as I want to experiment with wheel sizes to fill the arch, leaving the geometry of the swing spring as it was designed ...
I was never looking for a "low to the ground" racing car stance & had hoped to avoid cutting springs.
As given all the speed bumps around here, I'd run the risk of being "beached" while driving.
Even though I have just thrown the body on, it does look to be riding too high at the moment.
Although I still have to add the petrol tank, seats, wood panel, etc. + driver which will lower it a bit.
So I'll keep an eye on Andy's build and see if his approach works which would make my build easier.

DonnySoutherner's top tip was to sort out the rear suspension before fixing the frame & body.
So in the short term I will just get on with other parts of my "To Do" list and come back to this later on.

So lots to do and think about, so I'll leave it at that for now.

Cheers, Paul.

Replies:
Dave Cymru -
I now have a 'Wallace & Grommit' sidecar image of my Cordite taking its first sharp turn...
With me & my zip tied frame & body going one way, whilst the engine & rolling chassis goes another!

Mister Towed - "Beard scratching"?
I need to grow a beard to build a Cordite?
Wow, there really is a lot about this car building process that I just simply didn't know.

Jokes aside, I'm sure the framework will not take too long to sort out, as it seems pretty close already.
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  #94  
Old 23rd September 2012, 17:38
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I'd leave the master cylinder where it is and put a scoop or bulge over it. I was planning to use the plastic packaging from an Easter egg as a template to make a blister if my servo had been too high. It won't look odd, all the old racing cars had them.

As for lowering the suspension. In the words of a well known sports clothing manufacturer's advertising department, Just Do It! Mine's very low and it sailed over a bunch of speed bumps on the way to the DVLA office in Peterborough without any grounding issues. Take a look at the clearance under a modern car - the Saab 9-3 I recently parted with only had 100mm ground clearance, which is about the same as I have in the Spyder.

Looking forward to seeing your car progress, I'll put a fiver on Easter 2013 as a finish date. Oh, but I want odds of 500,000 to one...

Last edited by Mister Towed; 23rd September 2012 at 17:40..
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  #95  
Old 23rd September 2012, 18:24
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One solution to the brakes would be to fit a pair of the standard pattern cylinders and brackets along with a balance bar.

You don't need a fancy adjustable bar, a bit of flat plate can do the job. Adjustable bars actually have to be drilled and locked with pins for IVA compliance.

You could also remove the integral reservoir and use a remote one to shave off some height.
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  #96  
Old 23rd September 2012, 20:58
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The g46 has the same issue with the brake servo being mounted so it fouls the front wing. Fortunately it is a remote servo so easy to re-locate
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  #97  
Old 25th September 2012, 19:03
donnysoutherner donnysoutherner is offline
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....But I have struggled to find clear information on what goes behind the rear cockpit.
I know DonnySoutherner has reused an old section of Spitfire bodywork for his Cordite.....


Not updated my page for a while but watch this space. The big advantage of puitting floor in place (apart from rigidity) is that i am now planning to have boot on my Cordite. More on that soon, when I eventually find my camera (yes, seriously)
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  #98  
Old 27th September 2012, 22:08
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Paul L Paul L is offline
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Mister Towed - I'm following the work you are doing on your own bonnet for 'bulge building' ideas.
Good point on ground clearance, I'll make a decision on the lowering block ASAP to avoid any delays.

MoriniMan - Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into remote reservoirs (I've used bikes with them).

WorldClassAccident - Finding suitable homes for everything does seem to be part of the fun.

DonnySoutherner - I look forward to your build update, with hopefully some photos.
I saw your posts about the re-body inspection, so figured you were making progress.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Quick Question:
I hope to re-route the existing hard fuel line to the petrol tank's new home in the Cordite framework.
( The previous owner fitted a brand new line and it seems a shame to waste it. )
I will need to change some existing bends, add some new bends & shorten the pipe length.
I've seen this 'cheap & cheerful' tool set on Ebay & wondered if it would be up to the job?

Tube Cutter 1/8-1.1/8in (3-28mm)
3 Flexible Tube Benders 1/4 5/16 And 3/8in
Tube Flaring Tool Fits 3/16 1/4 5/16 3/8 1/2 And 5/8in.




- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The current mini monsoon season reminds me why an outdoor build was a dumb idea.
But it should be dry at the weekend which will allow me to keep chipping away.

Cheers, Paul.
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  #99  
Old 28th September 2012, 00:28
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davecymru davecymru is offline
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That pipe cutter and bender will be fine, but tbh I bought one of those cheap flaring tools and it was nothing but trouble! In the end I bought a nice (yet still fairly cheap) one from car builder solutions and i'm really glad I did as it was superb and saved a massive amount of faffing!

This is the one i've got,
http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/B...ring_Kit_FLARE
it's a very nice bit of kit and should last many years!

Last edited by davecymru; 28th September 2012 at 07:42.. Reason: adding link
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  #100  
Old 29th September 2012, 21:05
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Paul L Paul L is offline
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Pedal Mounting Plate:
Although I still don't know what I'm doing with my brakes yet (see update below)...
I'd looked at this plate when I was painting the tops of the pedals & knew there was an issue.
There was one hole missing and two of the existing holes didn't quite line up properly.



Even I am capable of drilling a new hole and enlarging the other ones, so another job done.
I am just grateful I remembered to fix it before fitting the body.



Internal Framework Fitting - Take 2:
Initially I just zip wired the frame to the chassis to temporarily hold it in place to "tidy up".
This time I removed all the bodywork resting on top to have a proper look at what was required.

First job was finding a way of locating the seat belt mounting points on the chassis with the frame on.
Unfortunately, the frame covers these holes completely, so you can't tell where to drill the frame.
This needed nothing more than tape on the edges of the chassis & a simple cardboard template.
( Sorry the photo is a bit blurred )



These seat belt mounting points will also fix the location of my hand brake mounting panel too.
But I will not start drilling the holes in the frame until I have got all the other fixing points sorted.
So the next job was comparing my chassis bolts to the holes in the frame & enlarging where required.



I started with the rear frame and managed to get both the rear chassis bolts in place.
I am re-using the rubber washers from my donor during this test fitting, still don't know if I should.
Next it was time to join the two halves of the framework together and this was a little confusing.
The bottom sections of frame work seemed to join up OK (this is the passenger side)...



Where the tops of the two frames should align and be joined together is less clear.
On the passenger side I assume the two edges line up and a hole is drilled in the rear frame.



But on the driver's side there is an additional bracket that is not on the other side.
So is this where the two halves should be bolted together instead?
As it currently stands the hole in this extra bracket doesn't line up with any other hole.
Obviously I could simply line up the two edges (as per passenger side) & drill a hole.



Rather than do something wrong, I moved on to bolting down the front half of the frame.
I got both the bolts at the cockpit end of the frame in place which was a good start.
But I came up a little short when I tried to fit the front end of the frame in place.



This is why knowing how the top halves of the two frames join together would help.
I could make the front frame close to the chassis hole if I "hinge" it forward a bit.
But I don't want to get the bottom of the frame work in if this messes up the middle.
Despite following Misted Towed's advice of 'beard scratching' I am a little lost.
I know getting the frame in square (ish) is important, but square to what?

It is not that I don't like jigsaw puzzles...
Its just that is would be nice if I could actually see the photo on the box now & again.

As my time was limited that is as far as I got with fitting the frame today.

Brake Master Cylinder:
I knew I had some issues with fitting this in the fibre glass bulkhead.
But today it became clear that I'd missed another problem which is the frame itself.
If the pedal mounting plate stays where it is the back of the M/C will hit the frame.



Internal Panelling:
I did take some approximate measurements for the initial panels I need to make.
- Front foot well surrounds x 2
- Cockpit sides with door cut outs x 2
- Cockpit rear wall x 1

I will do some rough sketches to scale to give me an idea of how much ply I need.
Unfortunately the best value sheets (2440x1220mm) don't fit in the back of my car.
And the local store doesn't cut them on site, so I might have to go to one that does.
But I would need to know the sizes to cut it down to before I do.

So I think it might be 'Blue Peter' time again to layout scale paper templates.
These would give me a 'tailor's pattern' on the scale equivalent of the big sheets.

Project Timing:
In a few weeks time my project will pass the 6 months mark.
I still feel that I have made good progress given the limited time I've had available.
However, what is clear is that progress will continue to be slow in the months to come.
I have now simply accepted this and will not get frustrated by it.
I will keep chipping away and see how what happens.

Off for a family lunch with "granny" tomorrow, so not sure I'll get anything done.

So until next time, take care, Paul.

Replies:
Dave Cymru - Thanks for the feedback & the link.

Last edited by Paul L; 8th September 2019 at 08:15..
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