Stoneleigh ?

[donnysoutherner]

Originally Posted by lancelot link

HALL ONE , ALONG A WALL OPPOSITE HAWK CARS !!
....... collect the DonnySoutherner body shell... !!

[tlrtone]

Looking at the weather it is meant to be crap on Monday, so I will bike it up there tomorrow, so see you there Mr T et al!

[AndyP85]

Originally Posted by Psycho pops

Best of luck to those of you lucky enough to be going. I will be waiting for the pics on here.

I normally go 'wild' at image taking so I'll make sure there are plenty of pictures for you to look at!

[Mister Towed]

Just arrived home from Stoneleigh.

Had a nice chat with Mike for a change as Gary was hooking a potential new customer. Also bumped into '58 Rocker, AndyP57 and AndyP85 ('57 junior?) at the Sammio stand. I could've stood there chatting all day but 'Towed junior was getting a bit fidgety and Mrs Towed was back at the Hotel health spa waving my credit card around

Still, it was lovely to meet you all.

The Sammio stand has a bare Cordite with no drive-train or interior fitted on display so there wasn't much to take pictures of I'm afraid. I asked my ten year old to take a few snaps anyway and these are they -





There was a decent BRG example that I've not seen before parked out in the Triumph specials display area, but the owner was tied up talking to someone else at length so I didn't bother him with an introduction. If you're reading this I hope to catch up with you some time for a natter.





I was also a bit peed off that a rather nice looking dark blue example passed me on the other side of the dual carriageway as I was heading back to the hotel.

Oh well. Perhaps next year we'll have a crowded Sammio only parking area.

[tlrtone]

Missed you Mr T. I was busy shopping probably!

I think the cobra and Westfield crowd have a competition to see who can get the most gauges and switches on their dashboard. What the hell they all do is a complete mystery unless they spout wings and a 'copter blade!

Not a bad show, the weather was ace and kept dry and the trade stands were plentiful, so I manged to pick up some small bits and pieces.

I do reckon that we ought to plan a Sammio area and go for camping as it would be a bit of a laugh.

[Mister Towed]

Sorry I missed you Tony, I was on a short leash I'm afraid.

I know what you mean about the CobraSeven gauge thing - less is more imho and I've always been quite taken by the Porsche 356 three gauge setup. Something similar could find its way into mine methinks.

I was quite impressed by the sheer number of Cobra and Seven replicas in the club areas though, there must have been over a hundred of each.

I also loved the bonkers Renault/Gordini single seater three wheelers and the 2CV based seven lookalike parked near to the entrance. Proper cars, not me-too clones.

Anyway, not a bad show and I might just drive down next year in my finished Spyder...

[volospian]

Well, I went down on Monday and the rain had scared a lot of people away so most of the club areas were empty, which was my first disappointment, especially as space was limited indoors and so not many finished articles were on display, apart from the main contenders in the popular Cobra and 7 markets.

Anyway, I had a chat with the guys on the Sammio stand and have now decided that the G46 is not for me. My second disappointed was to learn that, after this comment...

Originally Posted by lancelot link

Reading the critique about my G46 and looking at the mods you are doing and others talking about , I am thinking about stopping production of the car when everyone on the list is sorted out and maybe reworking it ....

I thought the plans may have included moving the cockpit and maybe a modified or custom floor pan/bulkhead to make it a complete body swap or something, but having now been told that the only factory change will be round wheel arches and that all other body mods will have to be made by the builder makes it just too much effort to get it "in proportion" and how I want it.

I applaud Charman.Tech for his efforts, but I don't have the skills to make the ~200mm strip to insert and end up with something that could be sprayed and not look wonky. I probably don't have the space to do such major construction work either, to be honest.

I'm now not sure what to do with my Scimitar. My options are rebuild it as a Scim (although the reason for wanting the Scim in the first place has now changed, due to work, and I'd only sell it, probably at a loss considering the price of Scimitars, when it was complete) to sell it on job lot as a project, or to sell it on as parts....

Hmmm....

[AndyP57]

I thought the plans may have included moving the cockpit and maybe a modified or custom floor pan/bulkhead to make it a complete body swap or something

I think you may be a little optimistic in your definition of 'Reworking' against what would effectively be 'Redesigning' with all its associated costs?

[volospian]

Originally Posted by AndyP57

I think you may be a little optimistic in your definition of 'Reworking' against what would effectively be 'Redesigning' with all its associated costs?

Yeah, maybe, but then the statement

Reading the critique about my G46 and looking at the mods you are doing and others talking about...

suggests considering ALL the mods that are being done, especially as that post was in Charman's build thread and posted after a long series of pics regarding moving the cockpit. I think it's fair to assume, considering the context, that it suggested the "reworking" may involve moving the cockpit back, rather than simply rounding off the arches as a factory option.

I admit a new floorpan may have been optimistic, but once someone has done it, it only requires taking moulds to replicate that for new kits... and besides, a bit of rejigging the arches doesn't necessarily require

... stopping production of the car...

does it?

[GazDavies]

Originally Posted by volospian

I thought the plans may have included moving the cockpit and maybe a modified or custom floor pan/bulkhead to make it a complete body swap or something, but having now been told that the only factory change will be round wheel arches and that all other body mods will have to be made by the builder makes it just too much effort to get it "in proportion" and how I want.

After speaking to Gary yesterday also I thought that this was the best news that I had all weekend. I really did not like the look of the G46 from the pictures on the website which is why I chose to buy the Spyder however after visiting Sammio towers I just could not beleive how different it looks in person and knew that I had bought the wrong car from Gary! My opinion is that with the rounded arches and a good paint job the car will look amazing and will become very popular.

Although my Spyder is not finished yet I'm already planning to sell it and get a G46 built. On that note I'm looking for a running Scimitar donor so if you are thinking of selling I may be interested.

[garyh]

Mr. V, i think you should wait and see a finished example of an un-altered G46, but with rounded arches before you make a decision. I bet it will look lovely and that you may not be too worried about where the doors are? Also the fact that you're prepared to take on building a car, should mean that you can probably do anything, just take your time.

What was on display?

[AndyP57]

Although this thread is straying from the Stoneleigh topic, I wonder if, maybe, a no frills dust coating (Even a spray can) of a colour on the G46 and wheeling it out into the sun for the Sammio meet at the end of June would bring those interested enough to consider it to come down, have a GOOD look at it in the flesh and make their minds up then rather than from photographic evidence whilst in its 'Orca' mode?

[volospian]

Originally Posted by GazDavies

Although my Spyder is not finished yet I'm already planning to sell it and get a G46 built. On that note I'm looking for a running Scimitar donor so if you are thinking of selling I may be interested.

Well, it's not technically "running" as it's in component parts at the moment, lol.

I have a rover v8 to go in it, which is at a TVR specialist having the bottom end rebuilt atm. I have an LT77 5 speed 'box to go in with that. The chassis has been blasted and primed and is now bubble wrapped and leaning against the garage wall awaiting a minor amount of welding to the outriggers. The front suspension has been half rebuilt, while I have all the parts to rebuild the other side, I just need the time.

The rear suspension needs cleaning and rebushing, while the axle itself may need overhauling, I haven't got that far yet. It does need a few parts, brakes, servo, master cylinders, radiator, cooling pipes, ECU (engine is efi, could be converted to carb, I suppose), fuel tank, clutch, shocks and springs, front seats, etc. so it's not going to be a quick "drop on a new body" solution if anybody wants to buy it, lol.

[volospian]

Originally Posted by garyh

Mr. V, i think you should wait and see a finished example of an un-altered G46, but with rounded arches before you make a decision. I bet it will look lovely and that you may not be too worried about where the doors are? Also the fact that you're prepared to take on building a car, should mean that you can probably do anything, just take your time.

What was on display?

It is a possibility, I suppose, but I simply don't like the proportions of the G46. I prefer the "sitting on the rear axle" style of the C, D, E types, 300 SLR, Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, Maserati 300S, etc. etc.

The Spyder and Cordite both have that style about them, but for me the issue is one of trying to fit a body to the "wrong" chassis layout in the first place for what I want, and I'd be better starting with something that has that proportion to start with.

The thing I like about the G46 concept is the large layout and hefty engine, more the size of a 300SLR or C type (the scimitar has a slightly longer wheelbase, but is generally about the same size as a 300SLR) than the small size of a spitfire/Herald based kit. I want big 50's GT race car motoring, rather than small British sportscar... if you see what I mean.

Now... I wonder if the G46 kit can be chopped to fit the TVR Chimaera... lol.

[craigt]

Well, I made it down on the Sunday and took advantage of the good weather. My first kit car show since Belle Vue in 1985, my how things have changed!

Had a good chat with both Mike and Gary, and Andyp57 and son as well and after advising the missus on how to 'visualise' the end result and showing her a finished Spyder in the cars for sale section have now got her on board for the project (apparently I also promised her a weekend in Dorset when I go to pick the body up!) and duly put my deposit down on the Cordite :-)

Everything tied in nicely as I also picked up my 71 Spitfire doner on the way back and am well pleased as it looks to be in excellent condition and pretty much rot free (we shall see once the body comes off though).

Photos to come shortly on my own build thread me thinks :-)

[AndyP57]

Welcome aboard Craig. It's always good to get the other half involved and we all will look forward to your build thread. (The race is now officially 'On' between you and DonnySoutherner who picked his kit up at the weekend)

[craigt]

Cheers Andy. Think i'll let DonnySoutherner have the honours though as this is definetly going to be a long term, leisurely build and I'm hoping to 'enjoy the journey' lol

[tlrtone]

congrats Craig, welcome aboard.

Start you own build thread with lots of pictures of the donor. We are all keen to see how the Cordite builds progress!

[Nike55]

Originally Posted by GazDavies

After speaking to Gary yesterday also I thought that this was the best news that I had all weekend. I really did not like the look of the G46 from the pictures on the website which is why I chose to buy the Spyder however after visiting Sammio towers I just could not beleive how different it looks in person and knew that I had bought the wrong car from Gary! My opinion is that with the rounded arches and a good paint job the car will look amazing and will become very popular.

Although my Spyder is not finished yet I'm already planning to sell it and get a G46 built. On that note I'm looking for a running Scimitar donor so if you are thinking of selling I may be interested.

Also had the opportunity to visit on Sunday and congrats to Gary and Mike for getting the Cordite there. Nice to see deposits being taken for orders...

As I previously stated on the forum the photos and artists renderings of the G46 produced to date do not (IMHO) convey the appearance nor physical presence - you really have to see it in person to get the concept. I'm not even certain a picture of a finished G46 would give the real effect.

(I had considered going down the 'Mercedes SLR' route but to be honest it is a completely different animal, as it was when when launched in the 50's and while its probably possible to build something similar on a Scimitar chassis I believe a better option is to use a dedicated chassis and either Merc or XJ6 running gear... still that's for a different thread).

Volospian - if you can get down to Poole and have a look or wait a bit until a near completed car is available it might change your mind - it changed mine. (sounds corny but true).

[volospian]

Originally Posted by Nike55

As I previously stated on the forum the photos and artists renderings of the G46 produced to date do not (IMHO) convey the appearance nor physical presence - you really have to see it in person to get the concept. I'm not even certain a picture of a finished G46 would give the real effect.

(I had considered going down the 'Mercedes SLR' route but to be honest it is a completely different animal, as it was when when launched in the 50's and while its probably possible to build something similar on a Scimitar chassis I believe a better option is to use a dedicated chassis and either Merc or XJ6 running gear... still that's for a different thread).

Volospian - if you can get down to Poole and have a look or wait a bit until a near completed car is available it might change your mind - it changed mine. (sounds corny but true).

Don't get me wrong, I don't want a 300SLR replica. I think that a replica has to be spot on identical otherwise it looks terrible. I just want a 50's/60's style car with those classic "ar*e on the back axle" proportions. Basically I want a car with more bonnet than boot. The current G46 just doesn't meet that criteria.