#47 Spyder

[christinedmc]

Shadow,
What colour? I have changed my thoughts about it every day the past two years. I really like the old metalics from the late 40's, early 50's. For example the Triumph Roadster. It came in (gun metal) grey, brown and green colours. Metalic paintings with relatively big metal particals. I like those.

Michiel

[Mister Towed]

Hmm? Hmm?

[christinedmc]

Yes Towed,

Silver is indeed one of these colours that appeal to me and seemed to be used in the period the cars are related with!
The patina you gave it, is also very nice. Not too shiny, butt a little bit dull (not to confuse with boring, but with shinyness only!), wich suits the car and period so nicely.

Michiel

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by christinedmc

Yes Towed,

Silver is indeed one of these colours that appeal to me and seemed to be used in the period the cars are related with!
The patina you gave it, is also very nice. Not too shiny, butt a little bit dull (not to confuse with boring, but with shinyness only!), wich suits the car and period so nicely.

Michiel

Thanks Michiel, it took a lot of skill and specialist knowledge built up over years of practice to get the paint finish like it is. Oh no, hang on, it was just a happy accident.

[christinedmc]

Here I'am again with finally some progress to report. I have been busy getting all things sorted for the doors and the interior structure. Beside the doors I was planning, I have noticed that there is little room for shoulder and arm at the door side. I'm about 12 feet 60 and a fatty on top of that, so figure.
The tub is quite narrow. I figured that it needn't to be, because the upside of the "doors" has a substantial horizontal surface. So the tub could be widened at least 7 cm's at both sides.
I had to change my plans and went for the "superleggera" approach. Here are some pictures to explain.

This is a subframe I made for the right side
[IMG][/IMG]

This is the subframe in place
[IMG][/IMG]

This is making the framework for the doors
[IMG][/IMG]

Building doorframe and subframe at the inside of the body (I haven't cut the doors yet)
[IMG][/IMG]

This is a door frame almost finished. The foto doesn't show all the curves of the tubing following the body lines properly. It was a llot of work getting t=it done
[IMG][/IMG]

This is a picture of the door hinge mechanism. I used Spitfire boot hinges. The foto doesn;t show the bracket with the studs that supports this part. This part is welded to the frame. This way I can adjust the hinges by adding spacers between the stud bracket ant the hinges.
[IMG][/IMG]

This picture shows the complete assembly.
[IMG][/IMG]

After that, It's a lot of panneling. This one for the inner side of the sills (3 mm aluminium).
[IMG][/IMG]

These plates for the panel behind the seats.
[IMG][/IMG]

Which will bring it to this
[IMG][/IMG]

Which will lead to this (2 mm Stainless)
[IMG][/IMG]

And this is right where I'm today. I have to proceed with the last two panels that are in the subframes. I have to get some stainless panels welded to each other and have the aluminium panels coated first.
I have to get the body off and apply an extra layer of glassfibre because the body is very thin at the place (0,5 mm gelcoat and 0,5 mm grp). Then I have to smoothen the inside with filler before applying the paint. Ah well, never a dull moment with a Sammio I would say.

Michiel

[Viatron]

Michael,
Great fabrication work, read this with interest as I'm hoping to attack my doors in the not too distant future. I had already settled on 3mm Ali for my interior so its good to see someone else using the same.
Keep up the good work
Mac

[Mister Towed]

Love the internal door structure, it's just the way I'd have tackled it if I'd gone for doors myself.

Keep up the good work and you'll be on the road in no time.

[Jerome]

Originally Posted by christinedmc

Here I'am again with finally some progress to report. I have been busy getting all things sorted for the doors and the interior structure. Beside the doors I was planning, I have noticed that there is little room for shoulder and arm at the door side. I'm about 12 feet 60 and a fatty on top of that, so figure.
The tub is quite narrow. I figured that it needn't to be, because the upside of the "doors" has a substantial horizontal surface. So the tub could be widened at least 7 cm's at both sides.
I had to change my plans and went for the "superleggera" approach. Here are some pictures to explain.

This is a subframe I made for the right side
[IMG][/IMG]

This is the subframe in place
[IMG][/IMG]

This is making the framework for the doors
[IMG][/IMG]

Building doorframe and subframe at the inside of the body (I haven't cut the doors yet)
[IMG][/IMG]

This is a door frame almost finished. The foto doesn't show all the curves of the tubing following the body lines properly. It was a llot of work getting t=it done
[IMG][/IMG]

This is a picture of the door hinge mechanism. I used Spitfire boot hinges. The foto doesn;t show the bracket with the studs that supports this part. This part is welded to the frame. This way I can adjust the hinges by adding spacers between the stud bracket ant the hinges.
[IMG][/IMG]

This picture shows the complete assembly.
[IMG][/IMG]

After that, It's a lot of panneling. This one for the inner side of the sills (3 mm aluminium).
[IMG][/IMG]

These plates for the panel behind the seats.
[IMG][/IMG]

Which will bring it to this
[IMG][/IMG]

Which will lead to this (2 mm Stainless)
[IMG][/IMG]

And this is right where I'm today. I have to proceed with the last two panels that are in the subframes. I have to get some stainless panels welded to each other and have the aluminium panels coated first.
I have to get the body off and apply an extra layer of glassfibre because the body is very thin at the place (0,5 mm gelcoat and 0,5 mm grp). Then I have to smoothen the inside with filler before applying the paint. Ah well, never a dull moment with a Sammio I would say.

Michiel

Hey Michiel,

Looks great,especially the stainless panels!
Looks like a big man can stand on it....,very nice.
Was the second doorframe easier or just another size?

Gr.Rob

[Paul L]

Michiel - That is a seriously impressive solution to getting doors that will work.

Good luck with the rest of it, Paul.

[christinedmc]

Thank you guys,

I hope to get all the new ellements to the coater this week. Some work left to the body before I lift it again to finalise the inside and get the work underneath finished.

Regards,

Michiel

[The Shadow]

love the door framework. they should be the mutts when sorted.
this is shaping up to be a very nice car indead. well done my son.

[slartibartfast]

Very nice Michiel ... very nice indeed Keep up the excellant work.
Mine is the standard Syder but who knows .... I could adapt and put in some doors.
All the best
Slarti

[christinedmc]

Hi you all,

I'm reworking the tub and dash. Standard, the edge of the body that falls into the tub and dash, need some work by the builder. Mostly this work will be integrated when interior panels are brought into place (often plywood). And the edge in front of the tub would often be covered by some kind of dashpanel.

In my case, I do it differently. As you may know, my aim is a complete illusion. I want rounded edges, like they had in the past, when aluminium sheet was used that was folded around metal tubes.

For the dash and binnacle I want a somewhat sharper curve that resembles folded aluminium sheet.

It is still work in progess, but I wanted to share this appoach and hear from you what your thoughts are.

This is where I started with. A plumber made me a zinc piece with a nice round curve. I made a mould out of it and then made 4 copies of the zinc shape with glasfibre.
[IMG][/IMG]

This is the backside, where I have glued the curved piece in. I use a special epoxy paste that is very strong.
[IMG][/IMG]

The corners are the most difficult. I use a lot of epoxy making a solid base shape. I have to sand it back then and finalise with polyester filler. And I have widened the tub giving me more shoulder room.
[IMG][/IMG]

This is my approach for the dash. I put in a horizontal panel, placing the dash somewhat more into the cabin and make room for the binnacle, which I made in a stainless bowl from IKEA (don't tell the wife )
[IMG][/IMG]

I sanded the inside of the binnacle to get the same thickness as the upside of the dash. I curved the edge and applied a layer of epoxy over it, making it rock hard. I still have to sand it tough.
[IMG][/IMG]

Michiel

[Viatron]

Your right we are nearly at the same stage! hopefully I will get my body on today to measure up for the Ali body supports im making.

Mac

[garyh]

Some great ideas, must pop down to IKEA with my guages...

[EL PRIMER]

Some great features being worked into this one. some really good styling touches. this is shaping up to be a rather pretty little car. well done

[christinedmc]

Thanks El Primer. I take it as a nice compliment from someone with Hot rod experience and the intention to do different things.

Michiel

[Mister Towed]

Very nice. Love the cockpit edge returns and the mixing bowl dash pod. Brilliant lateral thinking, well done.

[christinedmc]

Hi you all,

I'm in this shakepeare fase: "much to do about nothing". I have been working many hours, but it doesn't really show. However, some things have completed now. For instance the wheel tubs for the rear. I bought a set of used rear wheel tubs from a VW Transporter T5. They have a good size. The inner sides are closed, so you can cut out an appropiate shape for the drive shaft and rear leaf spring to go through. I still have to cut the outer edge to the right size. Now they stick out a little and the body won't come over it. I haven't figured it out yet how. Here are some pictures.

This is the bracket I made:
[IMG][/IMG]

These are the two wheel tubs with the right cut made:
[IMG][/IMG]

This is the bracket in place. There is also a second little bracket up front:
[IMG][/IMG]

This shows the wheel tub in place:
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]
Michiel

[christinedmc]

Maybe I can add some walk to the talk. I placed my body and bolted it to the frame. There was some discussion about bonding vs bolting. There was concern about the wobblyness of the body which needed bonding for that reason. I think I can show that bolting could get a pretty strong result.

It starts with laying the body on the frame and bonding in some profiles (I got mine from GRP rain gutter material, but there are different solutions offcourse). The profiles lay against the frame. After cure, I drilled holes thru frame and profile.
[IMG][/IMG]

I removed the body again and finished other jobs on the body. I also tried to strengten the connection between body and profiles as good as I could by adding epoxy everywhere.
After the body was placed back I could bolt it to the frame. I used 8 times m8 under the dash.
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

At the back I made a grp support to the crossmember of the frame. I used 2 x m8 to bolt it.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

At the back I had made a box section that rests on the frame. It is reported somewhere in this thread. And also the connection/bolts/strips at the lower sill.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

And then the eating of the pudding, is it strong or wobbly? OK, here it goes.

No problems here:
[IMG][/IMG]

And yes, to my surprise as the face shows, no problems here:
[IMG][/IMG]

Then I had to test the parafan.
[IMG][/IMG]

I would say, mission accomplished! (well at least this mission, not won the war yet).

Michiel