250 SWB Bumpers fabricated by Bonville Panelcraft - Page 3

Mitchelkitman · #41 16th April 2016, 18:40

I see they are 01702 code - are they on Canvey Island?

Roadster · #42 20th April 2016, 18:51

Unit 57, Magees Industrial Estate, Rectory Road, Hockley, Essex, SS5 4LH
01702 543473 / 07977 887512
bonvillepanelcraft@gmail.com

Any update on the grille surround Smash?

smash · #43 20th April 2016, 19:35

In one word troublesome! Pretty sure this will be a one off when finished.

The problem has been the relief angles round the mouth and getting a tight fit in the aperture. But the real issue comes when it's highly polished it highlights how none symetrical the mouth is - one side has much more curve (offside) vs the straighter nearside. A highly reflective finish just draws your eye straight to it. The beauty of the GRP mouth is it's thin and flexible so you can just pull it to shape when it's screwed in - you can't do that with 3mm alloy that has a wire rolled edge!!

I think ultimately we may reshape the mouth aperture completely to get some straighter lines in but for now the car will be at Stoneleigh with standard GRP mouth.

Roadster · #44 20th April 2016, 19:50

I think ultimately we may reshape the mouth aperture completely to get some straighter lines in but for now the car will be at Stoneleigh with standard GRP mouth.[/QUOTE]

Ouch - reshaping the aperture isn't hard but since its painted I wouldn't look forward to the job

Paul L · #45 20th April 2016, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by smash

...But the real issue comes when it's highly polished it highlights how none symetrical the mouth is - one side has much more curve (offside) vs the straighter nearside...

Smash - I know nothing, but...

I thought that was a feature of the original car?
( I'm sure there was some debate about this on another thread? )

Here is just one example that looks the way you describe.

It would be a real shame if you had to change the grille opening at this stage.

Either way, good luck, Paul.

Paul L · #46 20th April 2016, 20:10

PS

Obviously when I go back and check photos of the Tribute opening, it is not set up like the one above.

smash · #47 21st April 2016, 06:54

Paul L · #48 21st April 2016, 07:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by smash

... The problem is when you tell someone it's a replica - if anything looks out of line it just gets tagged a shit replica - no use trying to tell someone that the original mouth was like that, it just looks wrong!...

Quite frankly, anyone who calls your car a s**t replica is simply not worth talking to.

I guess the key is to accept that it doesn't look wrong, it looks hand made.

Remember the original 250 SWB production line didn't look like this.

Personally, I think you will end up with one of the best Tribute cars ever build.

So I hope you keep it long enough to enjoy the great reaction I am sure it will generate.

Good luck, Paul.

Roadster · #49 21st April 2016, 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by smash

It's taken 4 months to get this far and there's still a shed load more to do - sadly I get bored quite quick so I think once the paint and grille issues are finished and the seats, wipers and windscreen trim done it'll probably be straight up for sale.

What paint issues smash?
Have you driven it much? I expect lots of people have stopped to talk to you about it.
There will be lots watching when you sell it, it will create a benchmark price for the rest.

smash · #50 21st April 2016, 07:57

You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs and so there is damage around the mouth - largely covered by the grille when fitted - it's snagged the paint going in and out which is still very soft and so peels easily.

Unfortunately the clear coat is also suffering from fish eyes all over (but mainly at the rear) - that's going back for correction next week.

Car stands me in a lot of money - I'll need to see high teens to sell in all honesty. It is stunning and only gets more so with every new mod. I'm thinking of going to Heyward and Scott for the exhaust.

Jaguartvr · #51 21st April 2016, 08:14

Could the grill surround be wrapped in an alloy looking finish. I'm sure it wouldn't be easy but so long as any joins were under the top they shouldn't be visible.
As I have mentioned before, I have somebody that can vacuum plate GRP in a chrome finish, not sure if they would be able to do a part as large as a grill opening. When I get mine after the show I will take it to them and see if it can be done.

Sorry to hear about the paint problem, it looked so good in the pictures.
Will be very interested to see if you manage to solve your filler problem, if you don't I think I will mount mine on top of the wing, this should allow for the bend but won't look so good.

smash · #52 21st April 2016, 08:28

Jaguartvr · #53 21st April 2016, 08:31

Thats worth noting, I'll go over all the panels with a paint stripper gun (carefully) to try and get any air pockets out before preparing the panels.

smash · #54 21st April 2016, 08:35

Nubodi already do this. These only showed up after about 3/4 days out in the sunshine.

I must admit I have been very uptight about the issues and shortcomings - largely because of expectations being raised a too high. I'm a bit more relaxed now. At the end of the day they're kit cars made by a small family business with the all the benefits, 'quirks' and issues that go with it.

That they can be made to look this good is quite something in itself but it does require an immense amount of time and effort - anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves ("fettling" doesn't begin to cover it). Very easy to make a rough and ready one, very hard to make a convincing one...

There has been a steady stream of people coming through Bonville just cos they've heard about the car being there - word seems to have spread locally. None have them have guessed what's underneath. All of them thought it looked amazing. one guy came in saying I've heard You've got a Z3 that doesn't look like a Z3 - where is it then? to which Buster replied You've just walked passed it! He was dumbfounded.

Lucky@LeMans · #55 21st April 2016, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by smash

Interesting - I'll have to photoshop it in half to compare. Notice the gap between the indicator and headlights on either side? That's also present on Tribute. The problem is when you tell someone it's a replica - if anything looks out of line it just gets tagged a shit replica - no use trying to tell someone that the original mouth was like that, it just looks wrong!

It's taken 4 months to get this far and there's still a shed load more to do - sadly I get bored quite quick so I think once the paint and grille issues are finished and the seats, wipers and windscreen trim done it'll probably be straight up for sale.

Don't tell them its a "replica" , tell them its a "one off". They will be more impressed ! I haven't seen two Tributes that look the same , each is built by hand and won't be.
Rather than sell now , just take a break from it for a few weeks. When you return you will have got your enthusiasm back !

smash · #56 22nd April 2016, 08:16

Jaguartvr · #57 22nd April 2016, 08:37

Maybe a problem with the paint. I sell GRP motorcycle fairings and mudguards and they are painted to match. Base coat and then a 2k clear lacquer is used. Being GRP they are not painted in an oven. Within 2 days they can be flattened down with fine wet and dry and machine polished with no problems. To be honest I do normally give them a week if possible.
I recently had a batch of base coat that just wouldn't dry properly, it dried but was soft, you could dig your fingernail into it quite easily. A phone call to the paint supplier and he sent a new batch, this was fine and was as hard as nails in a couple of days.
Obviously something wrong in the mix, apart from mixing the colours is there a hardening agent in the paint?
Maybe a bad batch of paint.

smash · #58 22nd April 2016, 08:56

It is jet black base coat and 2k lacquer. Where bits of paint have pulled away on the edge of the nose lifted edges are very easy to peel away like orange skin - it's like it doesn't appear to be adhering.

Jaguartvr · #59 22nd April 2016, 09:05

Nasty, I had that happen a good few years ago. Car had a bare metal respray, the primer was stuck firmly to the car but the paint didn't stick very well to the primer. Got fobbed off by the painter and it was never resolved and was continually touching it up. About 10 years later I had a problem with the door latch and the only thing I had in the car was some duct tape to hold the door shut. On removing the duct tape it took most of the paint off the door as well. Primer was still intact under the removed paint.

A different story, we were on a boat and some youngsters were launching a bright red speedboat, looked lovely and obviously had been recently painted. They came back half an hour later in a grotty yellowing GRP boat trailing what looked to be a 10 foot red condom. you've guessed it, it was the paint. In this case the painter hadn't used and primer at all.

smash · #60 22nd April 2016, 09:23