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Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Formosa Builds, Ideas and Discussion

Formosa Builds, Ideas and Discussion Formosa 120 GR and related builds

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  #41  
Old 17th November 2017, 08:22
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Looking good Gary.

Do you have a pipe bender in your workshop? If so, what type and is it any good?

I'd like to fabricate my own tube framework at some stage but I've heard that the cheap pipe benders on ebay tend to squash the tubing.
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  #42  
Old 17th November 2017, 18:11
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Thanks ...I have borrowed one , it is a cheaper MachineMart type and it is good for gentle bends but does flatten a bit on the more adventurous bends ...even a pro shop will fill with sand or resin for extreme bends , so its not all the benders fault ...
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  #43  
Old 17th November 2017, 18:13
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A couple of better pics showing the bonnet line up issue ...I'm going to mount the bonnet and then we will layup another back section of bonnet to do the extension ..



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  #44  
Old 22nd November 2017, 15:31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Towed View Post
Looking good Gary.

Do you have a pipe bender in your workshop? If so, what type and is it any good?

I'd like to fabricate my own tube framework at some stage but I've heard that the cheap pipe benders on ebay tend to squash the tubing.
I found plans on the net for a diy type of Hossfeld bender. I used it for bending 10mm stainless rod into a semicircle to use as hinges for my Dino bonnet by placing a solid metal disc (from a bearing puller set) onto the middle (pivot) pin.

In theory the stronger the pins the thicker the rod which can be bent. With pipe the comments already made re packing would be relevant, as yet I have not used it for pipe.
Plans are here. https://www.dropbox.com/s/t6oj3yxuuv...nder.docx?dl=0
Neil
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  #45  
Old 22nd November 2017, 22:28
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Added some bracing to the bulkhead on passenger side earlier ..this will be supporting the battery and fuse box etc...

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  #46  
Old 22nd November 2017, 22:30
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Added the front framework to support the bonnet pivots ...



It works well , clears everything nicely ...


Last edited by lancelot link; 22nd November 2017 at 22:34..
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  #47  
Old 22nd November 2017, 22:44
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Just need to create a 175mm 'infill' at the rear due to wheelbase differences ...



bonnet is back off to do that now and I'll continue with metal fabrication and look at lowering her etc...
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  #48  
Old 22nd November 2017, 23:25
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A cut & paste type fill would likely assist with the rear of the bonnet alignment.
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  #49  
Old 23rd November 2017, 08:20
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I'm not doing the stretch ...A professional laminator I use is going to do the modification ..we discussed it last night and it will be a kind of diagonal cut travelling along the most horizontal planes we can to minimize line up and blending issues as much as possible ..stretching a tapering panel is never straight forward ... The intention is to take a mould from it once it is done ...
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  #50  
Old 23rd November 2017, 15:09
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Best way, make a mold of the finished part and hang on to it for "next time".
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  #51  
Old 23rd November 2017, 17:15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by molleur View Post
best way, make a mold of the finished part and hang on to it for "next time".
exactly ...
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  #52  
Old 25th November 2017, 17:40
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Did some more working out and moving forward today ...

THE CAR SITS QUITE HIGH ON ITS STANDARD SUSPENSION . Eric wanted to retain the stock rear shocks without cutting them so the only option really was to raise the top mounts or lower the bottom ones ..Tops was easier .
I didn't want to weld anything to the chassis so a new bolt on crossmember has been made from some 60x40 box and bolted to the car through the original shock mounts using crush tubes instead of the shock top mount , I drilled the tubular crossmember and bolted it through that as well with bracketry both sides of the member to totally trap the new piece and make it very strong ...where the ends touch the exiting tubular framework , I welded it to the tubes here ..When the framework is removed from the car , you will remove the 4 bolts and it will lift away with the frame .....The action of fitting mounts 65mm higher than originally and swing the shocks out to meet them , has lowered the car 50mm ..which is good news ..



I also managed to get the handbrake fitted ..Stock Scimitar handbrake and entire mechanism has been fitted to the passenger side of the centre tunnel using a 20x20 box frame to hold the piece that retains the two outer cables and some homemade brackets have been fitted to hold the lever ...front one has a tubular leg to brace it , rear one has a strengthening web to the rear of it , so as not to foul the mech. when being operated ...

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  #53  
Old 25th November 2017, 18:41
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Well done LL!
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  #54  
Old 25th November 2017, 19:22
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Seems very OTT making new top mounts to lower it?
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  #55  
Old 25th November 2017, 20:11
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I'm doing what was asked of me ..if its safe and stuff , I'm happy to roll with what they want ...Eric wanted stock rear shocks , don't know why ..I'm not allowed , technically, to weld anything major to the chassis and I think new suspension mounts might be considered a modification .....an obvious one to spot ...so I did it this way ...

Front is a lot more straightforward ..

I don't claim my way is the only way ...I have a certain way I build , a style if you like , based very much on traditional Special building and Hot Rod construction .....its just how I was taught by a guy who had been doing similar for years before me and its not a fixed in stone method ...I love seeing how other people tackle these similar cars too ...thats what is so cool about them ..
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  #56  
Old 25th November 2017, 20:16
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Just seems a lot of work when springs are cheaply available in just about any size even if you don’t want adjustable seats?
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  #57  
Old 29th November 2017, 19:19
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The front suspension has been fitted with some adjustable coilovers to get the height down ...The car has been lowered approx. 50mm front and rear now

I also made a start on the rear arch modifications , I was hoping to finish them today but the temperature suddenly dropped mid afternoon and it was only just starting to cure as I left around 6 ..so I didn't want to disturb it until tomorrow.

First job was to cut a radius around the wheel to create the roughed out round arch.....then I sliced the arch along the flash line on the top across the rear valance back to the arch and down its front edge between arch and door shut ...this allowed me to pull the wing out 35mm. That's the most I can get away with without compromising the shape ...luckily , its enough !




After pinning the pieces back together and checking the measurements again ...I bent a strip of aluminium about 4'' wide around the arch shape and blocked it away from the tyre using 25mm baton blocks to create a uniform shape around the tyre. When I was happy with the spacing , I parcel taped the aluminium in place with several layers and then taped over the wing splits as well ...



Car was put on stands and wheels removed ....

I than added red gel , paste and a couple of layers of matt ...I had to fibreglass upside down and blind as part of this process which is always a right ball ache to do ..but if there is any gaps left when the tape comes off , I can deal with them next time the body comes off as I am going to glass extra layers inside at that point as well..but hopefully its tagged and joined enough to hold it all together...

tomorrow the tape and splints will come off and I can see how successful todays exploits have been ...

The bonnet came back yesterday with the stretch done ...it fits very nicely (Thank you Chris ) and I started extending the lower wing sections today whilst the matt and resin was out too ...so hopefully , I can roll her out and take a few pics to see how she looks ...
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  #58  
Old 29th November 2017, 19:33
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That last photo looks like the auto equivalent of a surgical truss.
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  #59  
Old 30th November 2017, 15:33
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Gary - Looks like a very neat little 'cut and shut' to me.

I also saw your original Formosa made the front cover of one of the Kit Car magazines.
( I was only passing by and didn't get a good look at it. )

Cheers, Paul.
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  #60  
Old 30th November 2017, 19:38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul L View Post
I also saw your original Formosa made the front cover of one of the Kit Car magazines.
Yes a little corner pic to tie in with the news article inside . I was very pleased with that , next month is a full feature on the car , we were promised 5 pages and the cover , so hopefully that's what we got !
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