Oxford build

[garyh]

Any open door is vulnerable, O. It would be different to have these and i think easier to align and fit.

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by slartibartfast

Go for it Piano hinge & a couple of slide bolts ... Robert is your mother's brother
Keep up the good work
Slarti

Yep, I like those drop down doors too. Wouldn't be any more vulnerable to damage than a conventional kit car door either imho. Not keen on the hump though...

[micky1mo]

I belive these are called "Spitfire doors" as used on the original Supermarine Spitfire.
I thought about a similar fit to my G-46 but was unsure how they would look, but now I'v seen them fitted to a body

[oxford1360]

Thanks for positive comments. I just imagine some mug (me most likely) snapping the bloody thing off with a clumsy foot.

I agree that the hump is fugly.

I am sure I can sort out the hinge. I just need an elegant method to prevent the open door rubbing the body....or do I. How often is a door open, and how will it rub? And, I am not going for concourse. I want it to look old. Hmmm, looks like the decision is made.

I can line the door with ally and put a tube frame around them to give a bit of rigidity. A plan is coming together. That's the value of this forum.

One question.......from the photo, I cannot see where the driver's legs can go. The gap between tunnel and side looks about 20cm wide. Must be the picture. I quite like the big backbone down the middle.

Just realised - the door opens the length of the cabin and the front bulkhead is vertical. Pedals will be at the foot of this! Doh!

[garyh]

You can rest your arm on the tunnel.

[oxford1360]

Nothing much too add on my build for the last three months due to work and home commitments, but I am back on it now. I'm making the frame and, as I have seen discussions on this subject, and I have shared Paul's pain as he battles with his bulkhead, I thought I would suggest these as alternatives to (the fiddly and time consuming task of) welding up the ends of box section.

They are cheap and neat. Squirt in some Waxoyl and pop them on. Lovely.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2712033140...84.m1497.l2649

I hope to be back soon!

[garyh]

I'm sure you could muster up some photos... whatever you are upto at the moment will be interesting. Hows the dog?

[oxford1360]

I shall get the photo-mill rolling again soon. The three months haven't been wasted as I have put a lot of thought into how to integrate the Spitfire (Supermarine, for those not keeping up) doors and bulkheads as elegantly as possible within the frame, e.g. if I am going to run box section along the side, it might as well be at exactly (ha ha) the right height for the door hinging, rather than adding packing etc.. I've also bought lots of nice bits with Air Ministry markings - hinges and more switches.

Dog is brilliant, but rubbish with a spanner and a welder.

[Paul L]

Oxford - Funny you should post that link to the plastic end caps.

My "To Do" list includes measuring and counting all the end caps I need for my kit frame work.

It definitely looks a much easier job that welding small bits of metal on.

I look forward to your build update.

Good luck, Paul.

[phil9]

skoda made a car like that in 1958 see if i can find a pic

[phil9]

here it is................

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sk...25%3B640%3B426

[phil9]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sk...54%3B640%3B426

nice little car but not your one .....like it in red better then gold it was a very little car ...have a look at osca...siata...cisitalia ....giaur ... they are all small italian racing cars from 50s

[oxford1360]

I am restarting work on the green machine as time is becoming available again.

It's strange, yesterday at 4pm I had no intention of owning a Morris Minor, and now I do. Sometimes, a deal is too good to ignore.

It won't interfere with the real build.

[Paul L]

Oxford - I'm looking forward to some updates from "the woods".

Although I think I would be a dead man if I came home with another car, no matter what a good deal it was!!

Good luck, Paul.

[slartibartfast]

Welcome to the mad house of Morris Minor Owners

Meet Muriel .. she takes up some of my time when I could be working on the Sammio. Just seems such a long time since I was out in the carport tinkering.
Have fun
Slarti

[oxford1360]

At ******** last, I have managed a morning down at The Glade. I hope it is the return to normal service.

For those of you new to this forum, I am using a full steel floor and am incorporating removable roll hoops.

Also, I didn't want to alter the geometry of the suspension too much, hence I have kept it simple with a 1" lowering block and slightly shorter front Spitfire springs. This means that the only way to get the correct stance is to sit the body much lower than most other builders have. The mid crossbeam looks very low, and the negative knock-on effect with bonnet (not) clearing the engine will become apparent in the coming months.

So, first job was to set the height of the mid-bulkhead frame.

The dark block in the middle is a bit of railway sleeper that I should have removed for the pic.

Then, I inserted my first crush tube......

This beam goes sits across the top of the two shocker mounts.

Now I need to cut some box to link this beam to the back of the roll hoop support.

Incidentally, I bought my chop saw on eBay and assumed that its cutting power was "normal", i.e. hard work. Well, I changed the blade and it goes through 2.5mm wall box section like a knife through butter and almost silently. Result.

One upshot of the lower body is that I really can't see the point of doors......and this is somebody who really wants to confront the challenge.

[garyh]

Snap, i've managed to get some bits done too, O. Looking forward to seeing more...

[swifty]

Nice work Oxford1360 with the nights getting lighter and warmer the opertunity is there.
I do remember reading some where in your thread that you used products from the oil industry on the chassis but you didn't name them, what were they as i will be starting my chassis soon and are doing a bit of home work on what's out there.

[oxford1360]

Search for Vactan rust converter on eBay. I rate it.

I am also using Rustoleum Alkythane products from Promain. They will mix any BS colour for you. There is flex in this product and they recommend it for GRP as well. However, I might just go cellulose for the body.

http://www.promain.co.uk/product/rus...e-gloss-id3110

[Paul L]

Oxford - Good to see a report from the woods.

Can I ask did you weld the crush tube in, or just friction fit it?

I am just thinking about how easy it would be to weld underneath my chassis.

Finally, I think there are more people abandoning doors, than keeping them.

Good luck, Paul.