Looks like a perfect spot for another project........

Rene - That spot would become my new home if I even suggested putting another project there!! :icon_wink:

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That Friday Feeling
I must confess that I was quite nervous about how "unfinished" the car looked when it was collected yesterday.

But fair play to the guys at JYClassics they have been very positive and even posted a couple of photos on their Facebook page. :cool:

https://www.facebook.com/JY-Classics...7354516947231/

The positive reaction the car now gets from people seeing it for the first time is really heart warming.

As many people on here have said, when the car is finished no one would ever guess just how much work was involved in building it.

So I can't wait to have it back and start tackling the front wheel arch profiles/body shell side extensions/bonnet & scuttle join.

I know it has been a long time coming, but the project is definitely heading for the finish line.

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Stoneleigh 2016:
Unfortunately, the dates for this year's show clash with a family event, so I can't make it.

Maybe 2017 will be the year that I finally go to this show in my own kit car. :pray:

If anyone reading this is going to the show, please let Chris @ Tribute know we appreciate his work.
( As the amount of Tribute bashing going on "next door" recently is quite depressing really. )

The SWB 250 is my favourite Tribute model, but it is a tribute to the original, not a mm perfect replica FFS!

Which reminds me of one of Basil Fawlty great rants.

"Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain…"

:icon_twisted:

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Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Well....if you get another project and it becomes your new home you have more car time............i suggest you put a army tent up instead of a tarp:violin:

Rene - I think my current build conditions are hard enough as it is, without living outside on a permanent basis too. :icon_wink:

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Some Interior Thoughts:
I knew buying an 'off cut' of aluminium sheet for the inner wheel arches would lead to 'mission creep'. :rolleyes:

As I find myself looking at other people's great work, e.g. DaveCymru & Scottie. :cool:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...psq8x0oqtp.jpg

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/a...psiuzuabdx.jpg

Although, I do have the small issue of how 'wonky' my internal plywood panels are compared to most.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6u...=w1150-h862-no

So making large panels fit over the odd shapes might be quite a challenge for my limited tools/talent.

This lead me to think about using a series of smaller, over lapping, panels to cover the internal cockpit walls.

Unfortunately, at this point, my fascination with 'make do and mend' Rat Rod interiors started to lead me astray...

http://i1.wp.com/jamesjohnston.info/...ow-2014-14.jpg

https://media.victoriaadvocate.com/c...4d5faba3a1.jpg

Because, after all, I've already recycled some beer cans to make my body shell's tail pipe exits.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w...o/DSCF3418.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S...o/DSCF3421.JPG

So how about an ally interior made from cans of Fosters, something like this?

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...8355218c44.jpg

Thankfully, I have now come to my senses and if any beer cans get used, they will be "inside out".

Take care, Paul. :)

PS
The plan remains to aim for a rough, but painted black, interior to get me through the first MOT.

You will need to get used to the attention these cars command Paul ...it's constant ...Everybody with half a petrol head knows Cobras and to be honest , they are kind of boring nowadays ...they know this isnt a Cobra ..but dont know what it is !! Thats what creates the interest ...

Well said on the Chris , Tribute statement too ....Running a kit car company is f*cking hard work , often thankless and not the pot of gold creator people think it is .....it can be soul destroying when expectations are too high or any of the other niggles that arise to kick you in the proverbials ...

Paul! Don't you DARE ruin your car with some hair brained scheme!
You panel it out properly with alloy!!!!!

You know you really want to!

Paul stick with full ally sheet if you are looking for a bare race type interior, it will look better in the long run, but i do like your train of though in using beer cans.

Ally sheet is not too expensive in the grand scheme of the build plus the interior is what people look at after being amazed by the exterior so why compromise your build at this stage, if the cut ends of full ally sheets are a concern then try to hide them up inside the fiberglass, this is what i did because the shape of the fiberglass sides are not flat or straight in any way at all.

Good luck matey and i am sure you will come up with a neat solution in the end.

Gary - Thankfully, I have reached a point where I am really happy with the overall look of the car, warts and all. :cool:

Especially, as my decision to create my own Frankenstein approach to the build was such an enormous leap of faith.

I've just dug out these old photos and, quite by chance, they are actually from 6th May 2013, so almost exactly 3 years ago! :eek:

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8655.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8656.jpg

So the fact the car looked like this a few days ago is nothing short of a motoring miracle.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hg...=w1154-h865-no

By the time I have sorted out the mods required at the front end, it should really look the part.

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Scottie & Swifty - Don't worry, I did realise that a Rat Rod / beer can interior was not really a feature of 1950s race cars. :icon_wink:

But, unfortunately, there will be a bit of a wait a bit before any form of aluminium interior goes in.

As I now need to be ruthless in deciding what work is really required pre & post a 1st MOT.

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Cheers, Paul. :)

Thinking Time:
Without a car to work on, I've spent a bit of time thinking (not always a good thing during this build :icon_wink: ).

I think it is fair to say my design for the bonnet / body shell join was not very popular.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1...o/DSCF4643.JPG

The design was based on the idea of extending the bulkhead "shelf" horizontally until it met the body shell.
( At point "P" in this old photo below. )

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-s...o/DSCF4648.JPG

Since then, Micky1Mo revealed the new Sammio Spyder and I really liked the shape of his bonnet.

So I printed a photo of my car & his for a side by side comparison.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Na...g=w649-h865-no

As you can see, I've marked up a similar curve on my car and it looks like a big improvement. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_Q...=w1154-h865-no

Which means I will now add a horizontal panel between the bulkhead and the body shell much lower down.

In fact, it is likely to be near the bottom edge of the Spitfire bulkhead, marked by some masking tape in this old photo.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I...o/DSCF4664.JPG

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I've also been making a final "To Do" list split between Pre & Post MOT.

Obviously, as soon as I start thinking about all the things left to do, the list starts to grow very quickly. :rolleyes:

However, some jobs are little things like fit the rear lights, side mirrors, aero screens, etc.

But they will all have to wait until the final front end modifications have been done.

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Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

The new design of your bonnet looks better Paul.
About the small things you have to tackle like the rear lights.........
As i am following your build for a long time i am afraid you gonna make an epic task with lots of cutting and bonding paste involved fitting these lights............
I almost can't wait to see how you will succeed............i am loving this build............René

http://i.imgur.com/AZpGOyr.jpg
I copied your rear arch onto the front arch and cleaned up a bit around your new proposed bonnet shut line. Looking forward to progress when its back in your hands.

Rene - Don't worry, the rear lights should be a straight forward fit from inside the boot. < Touch Wood :pray: >

Unfortunately, I can't take any new photos to show the access I have to do this, which is, admittedly, quite limited.

So I hope these old ones will do...

There is a bit of an optical illusion going on at the back of the car, as the boot floor is higher than the rear of the body shell.

So the rear panel work I did "drops" down from the boot floor to the body shell at this point.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M...o/DSCF5042.JPG

The boot floor also comes up "short" of the rear body shell, which creates a "pocket" for the rear lights / wiring loom.

This is where this dust sheet is currently sitting.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ut...=w1154-h865-no

I hope that makes sense, but will take some more photos when I get the car back.

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Fwingo - Welcome to my build thread (& the forum) and what an outstanding first post. :cool:

Thanks a lot for your photoshop efforts & if I can get the car to look like that in real life I will be very happy.

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Cheers, Paul. :)

Get Snipping
 

I have to agree with the others, Alloy is the way to go!

I always wanted to do it on the Sammio but i wasn't brave enough at the time and i regretted not doing it, so i'm so glad i used it on the Miglia.

I don't claim that my end result is anywhere near perfect, especially when compared to some of the other superb builds on here, but i love how it turned out.

I found that you can get very pleasing results quite easily and given the 'type' of car we have, any mistakes simply add to the look!

A few things to consider based on my experiences.
1) While you can buy Alloy sheet from B&Q they are very expensive and so I ordered my sheet from https://www.metals4u.co.uk/
An additional benefit being that the packing they use can also come in very handy as well :)

2) You'll be amazed how many pop rivets you need

3) 1mm cutting discs on an angle grinder are great for chopping up big sheet, just wear goggles!

Good luck with whatever you choose, I'm sure it'll look great :)

Mick O'Malley - Welcome to my build thread & I do love your car's cockpit. :cool:

I promise no beer cans will be harmed in the making of my final cockpit interior. :icon_wink:

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Dave - Thanks for the tips. :cool:

Do you know if I can actually use rivets to attach the alloy panels to the plywood walls?
( I was planning to use hex head screws. )

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Just a thought…
I stumbled upon some "black" aluminium on Ebay & Watford isn't too far.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2440mm-x-1...QAAOSwiylXCqrI

I know it wouldn't be "shiny", but it might add to the general mystery.

Any thoughts?

Take care, Paul. :)

PS
Another near Sheffield (just too far for me to drive :icon_sad:) could pick up a real bargain here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Alumini...wAAOSw1DtXJMoy

You better buy two-side shiny alloy Paul,as you need many different shapes it's more efficient,if you use one side coated you can only use the coated side.
René

humm.... rivets would work, but they would also tear the wood apart and if you do ever need to remove panels you couldn't easily refit them.

You could either use the screws directly into the wood, that would work a treat, or perhaps some hybrid solution such as attaching alloy strip or alloy angle to the wood and rivet onto that?

That may give you more flexibility in the longer term?

I'm a big fan of hex-head screws as they really look the part on these cars although i cant visualize what 'just' those rather rivets would look like? photoshop time perhaps?

Rivets with a washer on the back side will hold and not tear up the wood! But then I gues you need access to the outside of the panel��
For removal they are simple to drill out..
Pops

Rene, Dave & Pops - Thanks for the feedback. :cool:

I guess one option would be to fix a few lines of rivets to the panels before screwing them into place.

But I will worry about a shiny interior after the MOT.

Just a quick update on the car itself...

The mad rush to get it ready for a Thursday pick up was due to the fact the John @ JY Classics was going on holiday the next day.

So I got his quote for the work required a few days ago and they started working on it yesterday. :cool:

I feel really happy that it is in safe hands and I can't wait to get it back on the driveway.

Take care, Paul. :)

Paul there are various grades of ally some more ductile than others, some require the bend to follow the grain and some are suited to machining (7005) rather than bending, if you try to bend these grades the ally crack's along the fold but as a good guide 3003 or 5052 grade is easy to work and has strength, if you ring any of the online suppliers they will advise or Google to read up on the different characteristics. Just for your reference if 3003 is machined it tears and is a pain to get a good machined surface finish.

I used these https://www.themetalstore.co.uk/prod...luminium-sheet well packaged which i re-used in the build.

Good luck and i look forward to seeing how you tackle the interior, happy days ahead me thinks.