Scottie's Tribute A352 build - Page 39

Paul L · #**761** 27th April 2014, 14:45

Scottie - One thing is for sure, you are going to have a very cool car when you are finished.

Good luck, Paul.

Scottie22 · #**762** 28th April 2014, 08:19

I did not post yesterday as I was so busy.

When I first fabricated my stainless exhaust quite a while ago now, I had briefly trial fitted it, and was satisfied with the result.

Since then, I have drastically lowered the car, in order to get the look I wanted, also with satisfying results, so far so good.

The other day when I fitted the exhaust to the car "properly" I had not checked under the car on flat level concrete, as I had done the work outside with the car on rough grass.

So yesterday I did check, and was totally f**king horrified at finding out I only had 2 inches of clearance (that's 50mm to you europhiles).

I knew with a sinking heart, that the part where the exhaust curls under the chassis, to start its journey under the passengers floor, would have to be radically altered to stand any chance of remaining on the car after a speed bump.

Back to the drawing board.................

I worked very hard for a very long time, thinking, swearing, injuring, cutting, grinding, bending , and finally I think I have the solution and my extra 2 inches of clearance.

Right now the exhaust is all in cut sections again, but hopefully sections that when I weld and put them back on today, will be just what is needed for the clearance required.
Again, two more days work that I had not planned on!!!!

I think the car is deliberately pissing me about because it knows it's not going to Stoneleigh.

If it carries on in this fashion, it won't be going next bloody year either!

Pics to follow after its done.

Scottie22 · #**763** 28th April 2014, 15:40

Well, I got stuck into the exhaust again today and am still at it.

I have done a lot of welding and cutting yet again, and felt pleased with where I was, until I realised that sod was trying to attract my attention.

With an increasingly uneasy feeling, I listened to sod explaining all about his "law".

He said that according to his law, all the drastic modyfying I had done, would result in all the holes I had drilled in the body and chassis,
( to accommodate the fixing brackets) must now be in the wrong places.

Also all the brackets I had painstakingly made, would also be useless and the wrong size and shape.

Of course I told him to piss off, and told him what to do with his law,

then with the same sinking feeling Max Clifford must have had earlier,

I realised the bastard was right!

So with a heavy heart, I started fabricating and drilling all over again, and like I said I am still at it.

I am starting to learn that coolness does not come cheap, - in labour terms at least.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Scottie22 · #**764** 28th April 2014, 15:42

It has just occurred to me that I am having to labour so hard to get my exhaust ground clearance, simply because I laboured so hard to drastically lower the car in the first place, its a funny old world we live in..........

WorldClassAccident · #**765** 28th April 2014, 17:03

It has just occurred to me that I am having to labour so hard to get my exhaust ground clearance, simply because I laboured so hard to drastically lower the car in the first place, its a funny old world we live in..........

While you are doing all the metal work, couldn't you make a rod for your own back?

Oh, you have.

adventuresoftimtim · #**766** 28th April 2014, 18:03

Well... it was either this or having to 'plan' all your journeys on streetview to make sure all the roads are flat before setting off!

Paul L · #**767** 28th April 2014, 18:33

Scottie - Hang on in their mate, you are getting the car you want, the way you want it.

Despite all the extra work, there is no way you will be missing Stoneleigh 2015.

( Provided you don't take a chainsaw to the car when you discover something else needs to be re-worked.

)

Good luck, Paul.

Mister Towed · #**768** 28th April 2014, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottie22

It has just occurred to me that I am having to labour so hard to get my exhaust ground clearance, simply because I laboured so hard to drastically lower the car in the first place, its a funny old world we live in..........

All part of the fun Scottie...

I now have just under 90mm ground clearance at the lowest point, which I would treat as an absolute minimum for road use.

Before fitting the 175/80/14 tyres with 150lb Spitfire front springs cut down by 30mm (in place of the 175/70/14's and 220lb Vitesse springs cut down by 95mm that I started out with) I had less than 70mm ground clearance.

The car was a nightmare to drive as it kept grounding, even on relatively flat roads. This led to me driving around with my buttocks firmly clenched in anxious anticipation of the inevitable graunching sounds and the fear that I'd see bits of exhaust, sump and con rod in my wake if I looked in the rear view mirror.

It's far more comfortable now and can be driven much faster with confidence. I'm all for the 'praise the lowered' approach, but 90mm is definitely the lower limit (pun fully intended).

Scottie22 · #**769** 28th April 2014, 19:37

Thanks for the support guys!

Mr T, I'm sure you are right on that one, and that is why all this labour is going on, as far as my exhaust goes I am confident that at the end of the exhaust marathon, I will have AT LEAST 90mm.

As you say, praise be to the lowered!!

Scottie22 · #**770** 30th April 2014, 10:54

Back at it today,

now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

The pics are not up to the usual standard becase yesterday I rolled over on my camera under the car and totally f**ked it up and had to bin it.

It was an expensive one too, however I have bought a cheaper model but not got used to it yet, so the pics are not so good.

I will post theses pics then crack on:

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Jaguartvr · #**771** 30th April 2014, 11:00

I have a horrible feeling that the exhaust is going to rattle and bang a lot. They tend to be rubber mounted for a reason, sorry!

Scottie22 · #**772** 30th April 2014, 11:08

I understand your concern, but I have no room for any saggy rubber, but when it is lagged with the correct stuff, and then bolted back, it is so tight it will not rattle or bang, but there may well be some vibration, I have used the longest length of flexi I could, so we will have to see.

There is always a way, have more faith!

Jaguartvr · #**773** 30th April 2014, 11:13

Good luck, I hope it works.

Scottie22 · #**774** 30th April 2014, 13:44

Jaguartvr,

I am fairly confident that it will, but as ever, I do have a cunning plan "B".

In the worst case scenario, if it is not viable, and will definitely not work, I will slice the pipe off where it comes under the chassis to the engine part, and run a straight through pipe to the rear as Triumph intended, (complete with rubber suspension), and just leave the side exhaust as a very necessary dummy.

Obviously I would rather not do this, but you may well be right, and that would be my easy escape route.

Scottie22 · #**775** 30th April 2014, 17:34

Well its late and I've just packed up, I am seriously hoping to have the lot on and finalised tomorrow, but I've been saying that to myself for bloody days now!

We''ll see,

more pics with the cheap shitty camera:

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Scottie22 · #**776** 30th April 2014, 17:36

Somehow this pic did not get uploaded:[IMG]

[/IMG]

Paul L · #**777** 30th April 2014, 19:19

Scottie - Well done for sticking with it.

It really is another one of those jobs where everyone else will just accept that you have a side exit exhaust with no idea just how hard you had to work to achieve it.

Good luck, Paul.

Tribute Automotive · #**778** 30th April 2014, 20:24

Hats off to you Scottie for the amount of one-off parts and modifications you are doing, I wish I had the time to do the same.

Scottie22 · #**779** 30th April 2014, 20:31

Thanks fella's I do have a life apart from the build!

But I have to make time. I know what I want, and will work til I get it.

I sometimes think I bit a lot off, and now I have to chew hard, What about you Chris!!

Scottie22 · #**780** 1st May 2014, 12:38

Today, my aim has been the same as the last five or six days, to finally bolt the complete exhaust and heat-shield into its final position on the car.

The main difference with today is, I finally did it!!

Aaar, the sweet smell of success!

If anyone would have said "it will take a whole week of work to get that bastard on"

I would not have believed them.

As Paul said. people will notice a side exhaust and just not give it another thought, never imagining for a second the amount of work it took to make and fit.

If anyone ever asks me I shall say, "yes it is nice isn't it?
I bought it ready-made, and it only took 10 minutes to fit"

pics:

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]