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Don't let it get you down!
How about taking a completely different construction approach if you're not going to use the old rear arches...... I.e. make the inner arches of ply like you're thinking, but make them separate and fit them (quick and simple to do) then that'll give you some good substantial progress and while you're doing them it'll allow you to ponder over options for the bit 'in between'. Looking at that inner pic of your frame, you could bolt/strap/rivnut those wheel arches in, in no time at all and I think that if you are fabricating something yourself then small, quick, simple steps may be the way to go rather than trying to recreate that metalwork in wood. Just an idea, please feel free to ignore if required :) |
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Sorry if I wasn't clear, the old rear arches in the photo belong to DonnySoutherner, not me. I sold my body shell before anyone suggested the kit could made to fit over the top of it. :rolleyes: But your idea of of a simple box in wood, rather than matching the original complicated metal shape is the plan. Cheers, Paul. :) PS First phase of tidying up done, big shop from Sainsbury's done & unpacked. Post Office opens in 9 minutes so off I go again!! |
Paul, my plan is to use fibreglass sheet to box in the rear frame, I'm getting the chap in the unit next to mine who does fibreglass for a living to lay me up some flat sheet, it has the advantage of being totally impervious to water and means you won't have the added step of covering the ply in fibreglass afterwards, if your interested I could ask him to firm up the price if you could supply a list of roughly how many panels of what size? It would be at mates rates so won't break the bank. I was planning to PU adhesive and rivet mine to the frame and as has already been said it shouldn't be to bigger job really.I will be doing mine once the frame has been fabricated and test fitted as I planned to get it back from Ribble for blasting and epoxy etch priming so will box it in then before I return it to them for final fit and body bonding.
Mac |
Hi Paul
I wouldn't get too hung up on the rear arches, I made mine with ply and fitted them after my body was bonded and I am pleased with the result, would have been easier to do before hand though.. Fibre glass sheet would be simpler still I imagine, either way dont let it affect your build, adapt and overcome.. Pops |
Neither of the cars Phil's built have rear inner arches, and one's been on the road for well over a year and covered several thousand miles on bumpy Norfolk roads with no problems (just watch his shaky cam drive on youtube!).
And don't forget that you might have to access the diff, fuel tank, wiring etc one day. Fixed inner arches could be something of a problem then. My plan is to coat the underside of the rear arches with several layers of Tetroseal for stone chip protection and just wash it down when it gets dirty. Anyway, good luck with whatever solution you choose. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07F3cqfZJG0 |
Paul you don't want to solve all the problems, what will you do for the next 20 years...
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Another one of those frustrating days with just too much other stuff going on.
Still a few things to report... Brake Master Cylinder Picked up my parcel this morning, which together with new fittings from Rimmer Bros. should work OK. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8217.jpg Door Fitting: I started off by taping lots of "double washers" around the door cut out in the body shell... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8220.jpg Then I offered up the outer skin to the door gap to see where the worst oversize areas were. Slowly but surely I followed a "trim, test fit, mark, trim" cycle to reduce the size of the door skin. However, I was having trouble keeping the gap even across the whole of the door. So I removed the washers and tried a "Plan B" which was to mark the size of the hole on paper. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8222.jpg But that was a waste of time as I was still missing something that I couldn't put my finger on. By the time I'd reached "Plan C" (the used of cardboard gaps) it finally became clear... ... there is a slight twist in the door skin that prevented all the edges lining up at the same time. By taping the door to the body shell it gave me a better idea of the final trimming required... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8226.jpg However, by this time I was pretty cold and decided I would pick this up again another day. As due to starting much later than planned, it was now 6.30 pm & dark outside. ( Looking on the bright side, it is definitely getting much lighter in the evenings now. ) Until next time, take care, Paul. :) Replies: Viatron - Thanks for the other Mac, but I've already got fibre glass stuff in the shed. Although, something tells me your mate will do a better job, so I'll check your build too. Pops - Cheers Stuart, I loved the way you curved your wheel arches. :cool: Mr T - Thats good to know as people rarely take photos of that inner wheel arch area. GaryH - At this rate, I'd be happy to solve any of the problems!! :icon_wink: |
It has been a strange week in terms of making any progress on the car.
There has been stuff going on in the background, but with very little to show for it yet. I'm also feeling under the weather myself, plus the real weather outside is rubbish. Still, there is some good news on the horizon... AndyP57 hopes to be able to send me my last remaining parts before the long Easter weekend. :cool: These will include new floor pans which are a fundamental stepping stone to finalising other parts of the build. ( Seat & seat belt positions, modifications to frame work & internal cockpit edges, bonding body shell, etc. ) Only when I have all the parts of the jigsaw in front of me will I be able to weigh up the best way forward. So until I am in a position to report some real progress I will leave you with this... http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcar...tcf_2_orig.jpg :icon_wink: Happy St.Patrick's Day, Paul. :) |
Paul, since Ribble are now going to be producing a retrofit door kit might it be an idea to see if Andy could do you a deal on one and use that to graft into your existing body, as I understand it the door kit will include a pair of doors and the shuts ready to glass in. Just thinking it might be a far easier option. I have to say that looking at the quality of those doors I am more than happy my original order went AWOL as to be frank the quality, or total lack of, is quite shocking! Those door skins would have dropped of in weeks if not days with a bit of road vibration.
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Viatron - Hi Mac, I'd agree that delays with your original order have worked out much better in the end.
I picked the Cordite as it was supposed to have evolved from all the lessons learnt from 100+ Spyder kits. The cold reality is this is simply not the case, although the Ribble Navigator should be a big improvement. ( I'm sure your frame work will allow pedals, steering column, exhaust, etc. to be fitted without extra work. ) As for my doors, it was scary how easily they came apart, but they really are a [American Slang] PoS [/Cuss]. However, fair play to Andy57, he did offer me a set of the new Ribble doors kits when he saw my photos. I've not taken him up on his offer as my internal frame work is set around my two "non matching" door sizes. ( And the list of modifications required to that frame work is already pretty long & daunting as it is. ) Passenger Door Fitting - More Thoughts: Talking of doors, I need to fix the twist in the outer skin to have any chance of making this door work. My current thoughts are to use some brackets to temporarily hold it in the correct position within the cut out. Then I can add some fibre glass "cross bracing" which should allow the door skin to hold its shape better. After that, I should be able to do a proper check on the door gaps & mark them up for final adjustments. This idea is based on the sort of arrangements that I've seen on other builds… ( Quick Question: Are the small holes left by the fixing screws filled with body filler, or fibre glass resin? ) http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ps73373d8a.jpg http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...otive/4GTO.jpg Shopping Update: On Sunday night I bought something on Ebay which may help me make progress on my build. But I don't want to start counting my chickens, so I'll explain more when (if) it is actually delivered. :pray: Until then, take care, Paul. :) |
Hi paul looking at your pics of your doors , realy bad by the way, who ever made them did not use any glass at all. Very poor work indeed..
Stick your door skin in the hole, and get your self a glue gun and stick some tags across the two surfaces, i e lolly stick , or small flat piece of timber. Once in place re glass the inner door to the inside of door skin and leave. Then it will keep its shape when dry. |
Paul my preferred method of filling screw holes is to grind it back a tad below the gel and force some p40 or similar in until it appears the other side, once cured grind back just below the gel and use a skim of filler. I have found that just use resin or filler nearly always results in defects, just my method I'm sure there are others, good luck with the doors, whoever made them needs shooting!
Although I can see your thinking about not using the door kit how about getting Andy to lay you up some new skins from the updated mould, if he makes them oversize you could just tape them over the hole and mark from behind and trim, at least they would be fibreglass right up to the edges, looking at yours a fair proportion of the edges seem to be nothing but gelcoat and without the glasswork behind it I fear that it will just chip off over time leaving a horrible edge and I think the work to replace just the gel with something more solid just isn't worth it. |
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I dont think so mate lol, otherwise it would nt turn out like that. Gary had several laminators in the the evening to lay up all the bodys , and lets just say a couple could nt give a toss what happend as long as they got the money .
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I have seen condoms that are thicker than the lay-up on parts of my bonnet.
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I was planning to build up the door skin edges with fibre glass anyway to make them thicker. But I hadn't picked up on the gel coat only sections until Mac (Viatron) pointed it out. :rolleyes: So yet more beard scratching required to agree a door master plan. Thanks everyone, Paul. :) |
I can now reveal the details of my mystery purchase on Sunday night as it has actually arrived…
Second Hand Spitfire Body Shell: I've always liked DonnySoutherner's approach of fitting a section of Spitfire under the rear of his car. However, I'd struggled to find anything suitable, until finally I saw something that just might work on Ebay. The fact this was the only photo in the advert may have put other people off, as I ended up being the only bidder… http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...M_0825-1-1.jpg (Note: It was just the shell, all the other parts in the photo were being removed.) However, in fairness to the seller, he did email me a lot of extra photos showing the condition of the shell. But the real clincher came when he offered to deliver it from Cardiff if the price was right, so deal done. :cool: Even including delivery, this cost less than I had been quoted by Breakers for just a cut out rear section. On the one hand, it was daft to sell a body shell in great condition, only to buy another one not as good. But I think this brings better Karma, as my good body shell is being used to bring another Spitfire back to life. Whereas this shell would take a lot of work to be of any use on a Spitfire, but not as much work for a Cordite. The deal was almost too good to be true, so I didn’t want to count my chickens until it actually turned up. But sure enough, late one evening after work, it appeared stuffed inside the back of a big van! http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8231.jpg Unfortunately, the tarpaulin I'd ordered as an emergency cover for it hadn't arrived, so had to use dust sheets. So this was the very sorry looking sight my neighbours were greeted with the next day… http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8235.jpg Thankfully the cover arrived later that day, so I could wrap it up properly when I got home from work… ( I'll have to wait until the weekend to get some decent photos of the shell itself in the daylight. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8236.jpg In terms of condition, the rear shell section has a few small rust holes, but generally appears pretty sound. So I have definitely solved the "back end" issues of the "traditional" internal frame build, a big plus point. :cool: However, having a complete shell to play with does open up the possibility of new approach to my build... Possible "Fast" Build Option: Technically, the fast build avoids dismantling most of your donor and just cuts down the body shell to suit. So clearly the best time for me to have gone down this road was back in way July, when I could still do this… http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7054.jpg However, in fairness, the first time a Navigator fibre glass body was fitted over a Spitfire tub was Jan.13. And as I can't undo the past, it now comes down to a choice of what will work best from this point forward. "Traditional" Build: When my last batch of parts arrive I will be able to drawn up a final "To Do" list covering all the mods needed. These are mainly to the internal framework and the fibre glass bulk head to allow other parts to be re-fitted. "Fast" Build: Unfortunately, the body shell has a few problem areas that would need addressing before it could be used. The sill on the passenger side has completely rotted away & there are a few more holes in the floor. ( And that is before I start a proper investigatiion in the daylight at the weekend. ) I did like the way Patoune reinforced the door openings above the sill on his A352 build "next door" . So perhaps an extra length of box section could replace the sill, as it would be hidden by the Cordite body? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps9028eb98.jpg In addition, the Cordite bodywork would need to be extended back into the cockpit area as seen here… https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-y...110_154909.jpg So which ever build route I finally decide to take, there is still a lot of work required, but I remain hopeful. Further Food For Thought... Recently, SeaNick posted some wise words on this thread that really struck a cord with me… Quote:
My main aim was to get my car on the road (Taxed & MOT'd) with a spartan interior, but without final paint. However, the cold facts are that if I haven't achieved this by Autumn 2013, it will not happen before Spring/Summer 2014. ( As the last few months have highlighted that trying to get things done outside in the Winter is not easy. ) So I intend to stay as positive as I can and hope that the long Easter weekend lets me make some progress. I feel that after a long time 'tinkering around the edges' I will soon be in a position build some real momentum. So until next time, take care, Paul. :) PS Good timing with the tarpaulin, as this morning ... the weather outside is frightful!. |
<sings>But the fire is so delightful</sings>
Sounds like a great idea to keep options open. We're putting some thought into that dashboard area. Could be a filler piece or a redesign of that top scuttle area. If the former it would be a separate part that could be supplied as an option. |
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http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ps528ef47f.jpg This should ould cover the bit of Spitfire dash panel that protrudes out from under the Cordite dash. Once you've done one you could use it as a 'buck' (I think that's the term) to make more. Just a thought. :) |
T, where did you get your dash moulding from?
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T, That's pretty much what we were thinking. If we can get away without changing the existing moulds but add a separate piece it opens the options at very little risk.
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He took a moulding from his developmental 550 Spyder with the intention of using it on another project. He then sold on the Spyder demonstrator, moulds and jigs so he could concentrate on Orca for a while, but kept the spare dash. When I posted my intention to try to recreate something like the 550 or 356 dash from scratch, Gary offered me his ready made one for a bargain price including delivery (less than the price of a decent meal for one!) It took a little modification to fit but I'm very pleased with the minimalistic, production car look it's given my dash. http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/001-43.jpg http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/001-44.jpg http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/004-20.jpg http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/002-38.jpg http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/002-40.jpg http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/005-15.jpg http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5594c8ca.jpg I'm no expert on fibreglass moulding, but I think it'd be worth the Andys' while to source a Porsche dash to take a moulding from, modify it to suit and offer it as an option. I'd have happily paid £100 for mine (just don't tell Gary that) :spy: |
Just got in from a curry out with my family and I must say I do love this forum. :cool:
Mr T - Your step by step guide is a really big help. Which is one of the reasons I like to put as much detail as I can into this thread. Given the weather, Saturday might be a "shopping" for odds & ends day. I'll just pray for a break on Sunday to start giving the shell a once over. ( I just need to dig out my thermals. :rolleyes: ) Cheers, Paul. :) |
Not really the photo of the body shell in the daylight I had in mind. :rolleyes:
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8237.jpg Still, the supermarket opens soon so I can get my domestic chores done early. Plus I need to pick up my own car from the garage (MOT) at 8.30am. Then I'll try to get a few bits for the body shell before the weather gets much worse. Cheers, Paul. :) |
Caught a very short break in the weather this morning.
I had to clean some snow & ice off the tarpaulin before I could remove it & reveal... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8238.jpg Body Shell Investigation: I wanted to assess the state of the body shell in two sections: - The back end behind the cockpit, as that still remains the main reason for buying the whole shell. - The rest of the body work to see whether it is worth repairing & using for the "fast" build approach. Rear Section: There are three holes rusted through in the boot floor that will need to be sorted out. Although I need to take some measurements first as I might need to cut here anyway. ( The rear of the Cordite body shell is shorter that the Spitfire. ) Driver's side - Left of white circle (just some rubbish) in photo http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8242.jpg Centre section - Below & left of spare wheel mount http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8243.jpg Passenger side - Biggest hole where boot floor joins wheel arch http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8244.jpg The wheel arches on the cockpit side are in better shape and appear to be pretty solid. ( Including around the seat belt mounting points. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8245.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8246.jpg Rest of Body Shell: Starting with the "Ugly"… The passenger side sill panel below & around door cut out area is either missing completely, or rotting. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8250.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8251.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8252.jpg The "Bad" includes driver's side floor & front foot well which are rusted through in places. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8248.jpg And the new sill on the driver's side looks like it was welded to a rusty panel behind. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8254.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8255.jpg Still, at least the "Good" includes both bulk heads… http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8239.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8240.jpg And the passenger side floor looks like it is a new panel. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8247.jpg The dash seems intact, but more importantly the steering column mounts are OK. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8257.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8259.jpg Overall Pretty rusty in places, but at the very least the rear section could be used. Next Steps: Remove the windscreen (mainly to reduce the visual impact of the tarpaulin on my neightbours). Remove all the various bits and pieces left attached to the shell (seat belts, etc.). Start cleaning up some of the surface rust to see just how bad the worst areas are. Cut out all the rot, which will at least let me see what I have left to play with. Quick Question: What ever I do, I will need to cover a lot of metal with paint. I saw a bulk tin of this stuff while looking for something else the other day... http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/241223/?source=123_75 Could this be used on the body shell, either underneath or "sunny side up"? Not sure I'm going to get another chance to play outside today. ( I was getting snowed on as I tried to put the tarpaulin back on. ) So until next time, take care, Paul. :) |
I went with Tetroseal as it was recommended on a number of classic car forums as being very effective. It's also cheaper than the Wickes stuff if you shop around -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TETROSEAL-...item4cf9da7fc5 |
OK, just got in after a brief session outside.
The good news is that is has stopped snowing, the bad news is it is very cold out there. Body Shell Preparation - Step One: The first thing I did was remove the last bits of windscreen wiper parts still attached. Then realised I wasn't going to be cutting any where near here anyway. :rolleyes: ( I came back in for a look at the Ribble Navigator photos on here just to double check. ) Plan A was to remove the windscreen & the frame around it in one go. However, I quickly realised it would be easier to see what I was doing without the glass. So after lots of huffing & puffing I finally managed to pull the inside seal away... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8261.jpg With that gone, the outside seal wasn't much trouble and I was left with this... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8262.jpg Then it was back with the angle grinder and off with the frame... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8263.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8264.jpg But while I had the angle grinder out, I removed what was left of the passenger side sill. While that was bad, what it was hiding was worse and the rot along the edge is bad. This was all pushed out with my fingers and very little effort... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8266.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8267.jpg I also went around the shell removing all the bits that had been left behind... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8265.jpg I will take a wire brush on the end of my drill to all the rusty areas to clean them up. As I need to see just how much good metal there is left to play with before a final decision. But at this stage it doesn't look too good for the whole shell being used I'm afraid. :icon_sad: ( Using just the rear section like DonnySoutherner is definitely possible) Looking on the bright side, at least the neighbours have a slightly better view now. :rolleyes: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8269.jpg Right, I'm off for a hot shower as despite typing this up, I'm still cold. Cheers, Paul. :) Replies: Mr T - Thanks for the link. I was due to look up Tetroseal for the inside of the fibre glass shell. I just didn't pick up on the fact you could use it any where on the car. |
lucky enough to have my own bed liner application gun so will hopefully be using this on the underneath of my shell:
http://www.scorpioncoatings.co.uk/products_xo2.htm |
A Complete Kit! :eusa_dance:
First of all, a big Thank You! to AndyP57 for these final parts needed to complete my kit. :cool: ( Delivery guy dropped them off at 9.20pm, so I guess he is having a long day. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8270.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8271.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8272.jpg These items were either missing from my original delivery, or arrived "used" / damaged & needed replacing. In addition, Andy has been kind enough to include some "extras" to make up for the long delays. So I now have a new Ribble "independent" hump to fit on the passenger side of my body shell. :cool: I must stress that these problems were not of Andy's making & it was a real shame he inherited them. ( Based on Mikmiglia's post the other day, the situation Andy took over was clearly worst than I thought. ) I believe my front foot wells & side screens came from Chap68's car (the 2012 Stoneleigh demonstrator). All three pieces of perspex arrived with no protective film on them & were chipped / permanently stained. It took over 4 months for my lowered floor pans to arrive (after Andy collected them personally from Poole). By which time the edges were so warped they didn't sit flush with the frame, so Andy's upgraded these too. My beer grate grille never arrived at all & has since been discontinued, so I can't have one of those now. Instead, I have the new Ribble 'diamond wire mesh' style grille which you can just see in one of the photos above. ( Sorry it isn't a very good photo. ) I must confess that the 9 month wait since the initial kit delivery has been pretty soul destroying at times. Which is why I've always appreciated the messages of help & encouragement I've had on this build thread. It was this forum's community spirit that drew me to this kit in the first place & you have kept my spirits up. :cool: I figured that RANTING & RAVING about things outside my control would only increase my stress levels. But now I can simply draw a line under everything associated with the last days of the original Sammio Co. I know the Cordite's replacement (Navigator) will be a better kit & I wish Andy & "Ribble Kits" all the best. Frankenstein's Cordite: Continuing a "Glass Half Full" approach to tackling my build has lead me to consider another build option. I am sure that the rot in the middle of my Spitfire body shell will get worse when I attack it with a wire brush. I might be able to save it by adding various lengths of box section to brace / support it, but it’s a long shot. However, I revisited the "Getting Started" photos on the Ribble website & Mr T's chassis restoration. And what occurred to me was the possibility of adopting a "semi-fast" build approach for my Cordite… Use a cut down Spitfire bulk head in place of the front section of internal framework & fibre glass bulk head. As this area needs the most modification work & this approach would replicate the Spyder/Pilot kit builds. Then I could use the "rear" internal framework as originally intended with my new metal lowered floor pans. Finally, I would still be able to use DonnySoutherner's approach of fitting the rear section of Spitfire shell. With the added benefit of leaving the hand brake panel still connected to this rear section for added strength. Send your answers to the "What could possibly go wrong?" question on a postcard to the usual address. :icon_wink: Until next time, take care, Paul. :) Replies: Viatron - That stuff will certainly look good on your car. :cool: |
Good news Paul, i've also been in the same position as you with the same bits missing.
AndyP57, does this mean my parts will be with me soon? |
Yes Craig. All backlogs are being sorted as soon as I can now we're in production phase.
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Yey :eusa_dance: :eusa_dance:
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CraigT & AndyP57 - I'm sure everyone will be glad to see the back of the last few "legacy" issues.
At which point, the only way is forward, which has to be good news for Ribble Kits and its new customers. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Easter Weekend: I have been given my wife's blessing to spend a big chunk of time on the car over this long weekend. I really need to make some progress on this rusty body shell, as it is actually sitting in her parking spot! So I headed outside as soon as I got in from work this evening to start the ball rolling... Body Shell Preparation: I started by moving the shell forward a bit with the help of my wife using a trolley jack as I lifted the front. ( I hadn't spotted we'd left the shell too close to our external meter boxes, so their doors couldn't open. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8273.jpg What ever my final build choice, I am going to use the rear section of body work, so that is where I started. I removed two of the brackets that support the bumper first, I'll do the other two brackets in the morning. ( Both had nuts that wouldn't budge & it will be easier to see what is going on in the day light. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8280.jpg Then I double checked the distance from the silencer mounts to the rear of the Cordite body shell. ( My twin silencers are simply pushed into place at the moment. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8275.jpg These are the mounting bolts in my original donor, so I can see how much boot floor is actually required. ( Although I will still follow my traditional "it's easier to cut off more, than add some back" approach. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7070.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7072.jpg Again, regardless of which build route I take, I will need to cut out sections from both of the rear wings. But I want to take a few measurements from both my Cordite & Spitfire shells before I go to town on them. So for now, I decided to remove just enough from both sides to take out the section of boot floor cleanly. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8282.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8284.jpg Note the wavy cutting line, shortly after that I got a torch out so I could see what I was doing. :rolleyes: After this I called it a night as I didn't want to disturb the neighbours with my angle grinder too much. Although I figured they would prefer early Thursday evening to first thing Good Friday morning! Frankenstein's Cordite - More Thoughts: I came across this bulk head photo from Mister Towed's build and this was a big help visually… ( Spooky how we have matching colours and drives! ) http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/001-11.jpg If I do go down the Frankenstein route, I'm planning to leave a lot more of the Spifire bulk head in place. I would include the chassis mounting section before the foot wells (as seen in middle of the photo of my shell below). Also the top of the bulk head over the dash area, as this is where the steering column mounts are. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8249.jpg From what I know, the Spyder framework bolts to the separate bulk head to hold everything in place. So that would be something I would need to sort out, but hopefully well within my limited welding abilities. Overall, I feel happier knowing 2/3rds of this shell could be used, even if the mid-section turns out to be scrap! Quote of the Week... ... goes to Ian Cheshire, B&Q's Chief Executive, following their lower profits linked to the bad weather. "…If you are a real optimist, we had the wettest summer for 100 years last year and March has been the worst for 50 years, so we are clearly on an upward trajectory…" :icon_wink: Hopefully there will be more work to report on tomorrow, cheers, Paul. :) PS Angle grinding in the dark was pretty spectacular in terms of sparks flying everywhere. :cool: |
Body Shell Preparation - Continued:
I had a chance to make an early start, but didn't want to disturb the peace, so I picked "quiet" jobs. I started by applying a liberal coating of WD40 to the last 2 rear bumper brackets & the seat belt mounts. While I left them to soak, I started to clean / degrease the front bulk head area which has stuff caked on. I also removed a few more of the remaining bits & pieces still attached to the shell. By the time I'd got the bumper brackets & seat belts off the pile of "stuff" in the middle was building up. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8293.jpg I will go thought this later & put any potentially useful bits in a box. I'll also put the windscreen (wrapped in the dust sheet) & cut out metal in the shed for now. One seat belt bracket is rusted in completely and the floor it is attached to is coming away too. So I'll cut that out when I start making noise after lunch. One of the bumper brackets was also pretty stuck in, but did come out eventually. Unfortunately it revealed another huge rusty area... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8289.jpg Poking around with a screwdriver also revealed a large amount of mastic type sealant. In some cases this has protected the metal behind, in others it has helped rot the metal. :icon_sad: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8290.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8291.jpg But the most unusual discovery during my rust removal work was this... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8292.jpg Don't ask me what a sanitary towel was doing jammed inside the rear wing. Well there doesn't seem to be much to show for my morning's work. But I will clean up more of the body work this afternoon with a wire brush on my drill. I just need to warm up a bit. Cheers, Paul. :) |
Paul, your 'special find' looks more modern than the 70's so I can safely assume it was not a factory fitment! I know they used wadding covered with plastic as vibration damping......:icon_biggrin:
Obviously your car had one careful lady owner...... :wink: |
Could you use it as a kneeling pad?
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Body Shell Preparation - Continued:
Attempting to tidy up the rust & old paint with various wire brushes in my drill just did not work. :icon_sad: More on that later, instead I measured the distance between the wheel arches on both the Cordite & Spitfire. The Cordite is around 143cm at its widest point, which makes the Spitfire just a few cm wider. ( Which seems consistent with the "fast build" Navigator photo where the arches are just poking out. ) I did the cutting in stages so I wouldn't cut through anything I wasn't supposed to in error. This gave me a much better view of what I was doing & I kept the arches as wide as practical. Overall, the arches were in pretty good condition behind the wing, passenger side was worst. Driver's Side: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8294.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8295.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8307.jpg Passenger Side: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8296.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8297.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8304.jpg While the angle grinder was out, I tidied up the lower bulk head corner on the passenger side. The sill was already rotten, so it was better to remove all that was left of it. I also removed a few of the brackets that I don't need & which seem to be water traps. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8298.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8299.jpg I also removed the lip that the soft top poppers are attached to as it was a rusty mess. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8308.jpg So instead of tidying up the pile of stuff in the middle of the car, I'd made it worse! :rolleyes: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8301.jpg I then did a quick bit of shopping for some rust treatment & a sanding disc for my grinder. This was definitely the right tool for the job compared to the wire brushes... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8300.jpg So I went around the boot & some of the other rusty sections to clean them up. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8306.jpg Unfortunately, by this time the light was fading & the weather turning, so I call it a night. I was just putting the tarpaulin back on when the hail stones started, so good timing. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8309.jpg The plan for tomorrow is to prep both the front & rear sections for some painting. I know I still have repair work to do, but I want to start treating / protecting the rust ASAP. Take care, Paul. :) Replies Cheers chaps, it may have had one careful lady owner, but that was definitely a long time ago! |
More Body Shell Prep.
With my self imposed "no power tools before noon" rule, I started the morning tidying up. :rolleyes: So I have my "Hang on to for now pile" (which needs to be carried through the house later)... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8310.jpg My metal recycling pile (council here are very strict on what you can throw away)... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8311.jpg My box of bits that may come in handy later... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8312.jpg Everything else was swept up & put in the bin, leaving me with a shell I could at least see... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8313.jpg I then continued to clean up the old paint with sandpaper, scraper & screwdriver. This is what one section of the bulk head looks like now... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8321.jpg One corner of one of the three "pads" stuck on the shell had lifted... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8314.jpg So I thought I should remove the whole thing just to check everything was OK underneath. A lot of huffing & puffing later I had one pad off by which time I could use my grinder to clean it. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8316.jpg Everything seems sound enough as the sticky goo used to put them in place seems water tight. So I'm going to leave the other two pads where they are & simply paint over them. With the grinder out I finished tidying up the first sections that I am going to treat / paint. This is the boot area now... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8317.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8318.jpg I bought this stuff the other day although I've never used it before. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8323.jpg It seems very easy to use as it looks like milk when you start brushing it on... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8322.jpg But then turns a blue/black colour when it has started to treat the rust... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8324.jpg While I was waiting for the areas I treated to dry, I started on some of the other areas. I just brushed on Wickes metal protection paint (see previous link) to tidy things up a bit. ( I know the Tetroseal stuff Mr T recommended was cheaper, but I couldn't get any delivered in time due to the Bank Holidays. :icon_sad:) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8326.jpg Well I have warmed up enough to head back out and see it how the rust treatment it doing. ( It recommends you get a top coat painted over it after 3 hours. ) I hope to have more photos later on this evening, Paul. :) |
Bloody Weather! :icon_evil:
Just about to start painting when it starts to rain, so I stuck the tarpaulin back on. Then I quickly carried the "hang on to" pile through the house before they got too wet. ( Dragging wet car parts through the house is never a good idea! ) I then moved the trolley jack & a few other bits from the porch to the summerhouse. As the porch is currently packed with tools, extension lead, paint tins, etc. :rolleyes: At which point the rain stopped, but it didn't look very promising. So I did a few other domestic chores while waiting to see how it would go. Eventually it looked like it was brightening up so I took a chance. But hedged my bets by only unwrapping a section of the tarpaulin at a time... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8327.jpg I did manage to paint the inside of the boot. I also did the lower section of the passenger side bulk head. ( See rust treatment photo above. ) I just about finished the pedal mounting section of bulk head when the sleet arrived! :icon_sad: So the "after" photos will have to wait for another day as they are under this... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8328.jpg We have a family lunch planned for tomorrow, so may not get a chance to do anything. But hopefully I will get a bit more done on Bank Holiday Monday (weather permitting). Until then, take care, Paul. :) |
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