tlrtone's Miglia Speedster build... - Page 3

tlrtone · #41 12th March 2013, 21:20

thanks. It is good to be here.... again

Mr T, funnily enough I went to Mike's on Saturday to pick up my frame, but while I was there, I asked if I could 'borrow' his welder to make some mods to it. If you remember from my Sammio build, my little mig welder kept cutting out and as my mum alwasy said - if you don't ask, you don't get!

I wanted to move the tank to the rear and put in a luggage space as that was really useful in the Sammio. The end result was that I left my frame there and Mike said he will use that to be the 'standard build' now

I quite like the idea of being the guinea pig if I can help influence the design to make it better for others in the longer run!

This is the "modified" frame...

2013-03-09 16.35.52a.jpg

When I got home I started putting the engine together....

New valves ground in....

2013-03-11 18.31.07a.jpg
2013-03-11 21.48.20a.jpg

Pistons in with new rings....

2013-03-11 21.48.05a.jpg

I am just waiting on the new thrust washers from Rimmers (i'm tightening up the end float from the standard 8-14 thou to around 3-4 thou) and then the crank can get put in and the engine closed up and built.

garyh · #42 13th March 2013, 08:00

You make it look so easy, are you reading how to put engine together or do you just know?

Mister Towed · #43 13th March 2013, 08:01

Looks like good progress so far. Like the fuel tank position, after all, that's where I've put mine.

Engine's also coming along nicely, you do appear to be missing a couple of cylinders though. I'm sure I could only count four, is that right?

A more serious question now - what's the access going to be like to the engine with a fixed front end?

One of the nice things about Gary's original design imho is the retention of the tilting/removeable front end. This gives superb access for in situ maintenance and future engine/gearbox changes.

I've already taken the engine and gearbox out of mine with the body bonded on (to fix a leaky oil seal) and it was a piece of cake with no bonnet fitted. With the weight of the Vitesse engine and box swinging around I wouldn't be confident about posting it in through an oblong hole between the wings once it's painted.

Speaking of which, I'd better get out into the garage while there's still some daylight left...

tlrtone · #44 13th March 2013, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by garyh

You make it look so easy, are you reading how to put engine together or do you just know?

Gary, I have put together quite a few engines (car & bike) over the years, so they are all a similar process. I have the Triumph Workshop manual and Google to check up on tolerance, guidance and best practice!

I just love the internet and forums for that sort of thing. Like it is advised by some credible engine builders to reduce the crank endfloat from the standard 8-14 thou to around 3-4 thou.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

Engine's also coming along nicely, you do appear to be missing a couple of cylinders though. I'm sure I could only count four, is that right?

A more serious question now - what's the access going to be like to the engine with a fixed front end?

Yes, Mr T it is only a 4-pot this time - but it is the 1500 MG Midget engine (same as the Spitfire 1500 one), so should go nicely. Although a standard Herald 13/60 gearbox with no overdrive for now. I am considering in future a 5 speed conversion using a Ford Type 9 gearbox and adapter kit from jigsaw racing.....

Regarding access, this was a key area I was worried about. I even asked Mike about the possibility of converting it to a flip front!

However, when I was there on Saturday, we had the body on to make sure that the frame mods worked, and actually the bonnet opening is HUGE so there is absolutely no problem with access! the engine will come out with the gearbox attached and not touch the sides! Even a 6-pot will be okay.

One of the things that i didn't appreciate is that the bulkhead is sat about 8-10 inches back and so you get more space around the engine. This does mean that the gear stick needs to be adapted to shift backward - Mike is doing an exchange kit for this!

Hopefully in about 3-4 weeks I will have the rolling chassis and body on so I will take pictures to show you how it all looks in the engine bay.

I think Mike is building a customers car as well at the moment, so he may beat me to it!

tlrtone · #45 15th March 2013, 11:21

small pictorial update as I built up some of the engine last night...

checked the endfloat and ordered the new thrust washers accordingly.

2013-03-13 09.01.12a.jpg

then the bottom end got fitted up and pistons in...

20130314_172903a.jpg

mikmiglia · #46 15th March 2013, 17:38

Hi guys its the weekend again

Well i thought id put up a couple of pics .

I ve been asked for me to build a Miglia speedster for a nice german customer Thomas , i thought before i left work tonight id show how easy it is to fit the body, I had taken me less than an hour from bolting frame down and placing body on .

The other thing that was asked about , i think mr Towed was how much engine space you had, well this should help. No extra bulges or blisters . This is a 1500 spitfire with the twin carb. Plenty of room for six pot and v8 too.

tlrtone · #47 15th March 2013, 18:54

Ooh. Nice. Another twin humper.

Don't think I'm racing you Mike as I'm only doing mine in the evenings

I might come down for a nosey then soon to get some ideas.

davecymru · #48 15th March 2013, 19:07

Nice! Do say hello to the mad German from me the next time you see him

tlrtone · #49 15th March 2013, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecymru

Nice! Do say hello to the mad German from me the next time you see him

Do they call him Micha?

mikmiglia · #50 15th March 2013, 19:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecymru

Nice! Do say hello to the mad German from me the next time you see him

He loves your old sammio by the way dave

mikmiglia · #51 17th March 2013, 06:22

This is the styling of roof that i am developing, nice and low . .Also a removable hardtop .. Tony that s the colour your looking for mate.

tlrtone · #52 17th March 2013, 06:44

Spot on mike

What colour/car is that?

Nice roof by the way, put me down for one!

mikmiglia · #53 17th March 2013, 09:47

I will look into colour tommorow. Alloy screen fitted now and fits perfect

Just think you could drive your car in the rain too

tlrtone · #54 17th March 2013, 18:29

Mike the car is a Maserati Berlinetta 1954 so I will check on the colour! Nice blue and probably the one I will go for. Very period looking.

Anyway, small update as I managed to get some time in between the rain showers this weekend to strip the chassis down, clean it up and get a first coat of chassis black on it in the back garden!

The bits stripped off the chassis were dunked in the parts washer, dried off, and then given a coat of chassis black too. A feeling of deja vu as it was about this time last year I had the same picture for the chassis of my sammio spyder!

So a productive weekend and I am going to to try and get a rolling chassis back together next weekend, with the engine and gearbox in.

more pics on my build site... www.mymigliaspeedster.co.uk

mikmiglia · #55 17th March 2013, 18:51

No pics me old mate ?

tlrtone · #56 17th March 2013, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikmiglia

No pics me old mate ?

sorry, I renamed the folders on my website an dit lost the links!

doh!

tlrtone · #57 23rd March 2013, 15:13

Not a lot to update this week.

The weather has been rubbish as we all know,

and so i have been painting all the chassis bits'n'bobs inside this week.

Just the swing spring left now, which I will do tomorrow, and then that's everything pretty much painted and ready to reassemble next weekend.

I will need to order some bits and pieces like brake pads & shoes and the fitting kits this week so I will have them for next weekend. As it is easter, I am aiming to get the chassis rolling, the frame attached and the wiring in. Oh and the pedal assembly/servo mounted.

I did pick up my wheels today. I bought six 15" wires off ebay for £100, and sent four away for blasting and powder coating.

This is the before...

2013-03-23 15.59.05a.jpg

I went for the standard silver wheels this time - my last Sammio had black wires. So this is what they are like now... At £35 per wheel, I thought that was a good deal.

2013-03-23 15.59.35a.jpg

Mister Towed · #58 23rd March 2013, 16:03

wheels look fab. Do they fit the MG splined hubs?

tlrtone · #59 23rd March 2013, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

wheels look fab. Do they fit the MG splined hubs?

Yep, they fit the longer adaptors.

I will get them from MWS in Slough as they are just round the corner from my office.

mikmiglia · #60 23rd March 2013, 18:34

What about this colour , yummy