is it simply cable length that's dictating the handbrake position or is there obstruction below (I don't imagine you're sacrificing form over function :))?

Hi Scimjim,

I did the mod well over a year ago, and at the time put the handbrake where it is now for several reasons.

Not in any order of importance:

Yes, I left the cable original and the same length, an easy option if it ever needs replacing, the lever felt really functional and comfortable in its present position.

I put the lever closer to the centre than the XKSS, as my car is narrower and the lever would have intruded into the passengers
leg area had it been further left.

All in all, I still feel that the handbrake is in the best position it can be, given the cockpit confines, and after all the engineering and fabrication it took to move it and also shaping the wooden top around it, that is how it will remain.

Having studied an awful lot of XKSS interiors, (before I started on mine) I noticed that the handbrakes in all of them varied in position quite a lot, and mine does not look out of place, and will be okay when its all finished.

Watch this space!

Great - I always thought the lever was too far forward in the originals and it's fairly easy to extend yours with a bit of threaded bar (keeping the original cable) - I just pop in and catch up every so often to check you're keeping the excellent standards up :)

[IMG]http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqcutkr7f.jpg[/IMG]

LOL - I meant underneath you nutter :)

Is it out of a signal box?

Love it all!!

Later on thursday
 

I finished off the wood bit and measured up and cut the metal strips which will
have to go on it, so it can be securely screwed in place.


Pics:


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Nope. It's Armando from Ledbury (!) and ex-SE4 GT Coupe owner from scimitarweb......

I do miss my Coupe......

Ebay Find
 

Mick - Nice find, that car looks great & has the same paint scheme I want on my car too. :cool:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-q...-no/%24_57.JPG

The small print says that it actually has a carbon fibre body shell!

That ad also brought up this one with an aluminium body shell.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1958-Jagua...74231607&rt=nc

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-r...-no/%24_57.JPG

Wow! What can I say!!

Looking at something like that can have two effects, one is to go out side and set fire to the build, and the other is to re-double the effort to finish it!

No prizes for guessing my choice.
I worked til bloody midnight last night and will post a bit later.

Whilst I can marvel at the aluminium bodywork, I prefer them in colour.

Keep going Scottie, you will get so much fun and pleasure from yours when it is on the road.

I am sure you are right, Oxford. and that is precisely the driving force which does keep me going.

I constantly imagine roaring around my favourite roads in it, and all the fun I will have just doing that!

Here is what kept me working til midnight.

I have to go out and fit it to the car, and ensure that I can select all 5 gears through the small circle I have cut out, before I cover it with leather.

I know I can get the four forward gears, but reverse is a bit of a pig, and takes the lever over to the right more than I thought it would, and it worries me.

I am dreading it not going well, as it will mean back to the drawing board on the lower gear shaft that took me so long to make! Fingers crossed!


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[IMG]http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/a...psnzsxkrev.jpg[/IMG]

Funnily enough, that's what I've just done.

My aged mother (who lives next door) needed a newspaper, so I took my Spyder out to get one for her, just to blow the cobwebs out of both me and it you understand. :becky:

The shops are only a mile away, but there are a couple of speed bumps en-route so I always take the long way round the bypass and back up through the town.

I love keeping it in first gear then backing off to hear the sound of the exhaust crackling on the overrun bouncing off the shop fronts. Great fun! :thumb:

I am completely with you on that one Mr T!

I once had a turbo car that I used to keep in third gear for as long as I could, as the beautiful throaty noise was absolute music to my ears!

The shops are only a mile away, but you go via Scotland just to enjoy the noise!! Enjoy.

Later on Friday
 

So, I went out and with my heart in my mouth as they say, put the trans top in place and tried all the gears to see if I had success or failure.

Well, I am please to say it worked fine, and no more hacking, welding etc to be done in that area.

I was quite pleased as when I re-designed the Triumph gear lever to look more like a Jaguar one, I move the bottom of the gearstick 9 inches further back, which I thought may possibly give me problems at the stage I'm at now, but it didn't, and I'm a very happy bunny 'cos of it.

With this good news in mind, I went ahead and stuck the leather in place on the wood, Unfortunately I had to make a join in the leather at one end, but it will be under the dash and not show at all thankfully.

I suppose I did not really need to do that, but I just could not leave it bare wood.

Gotta be done right right?

I also painted the wooden slats which will hold the top on the tunnel.

can't make up my mind on the final colour for them. I initially thought I'd paint them red to match the leather, then I hovered over making them silver, and finally I thought of black.

Anyhow, I have painted them silver to start with, and was pleasantly surprised to note how very much they look like alluminium strips.

Once the leather is the right colour red, I'll fit them and see what they look like.

They will end up red, silver or black, depending which looks right and has the best impact.

I had a couple of soddy little jobs to do in between all this stuff, one of the wood side strips was at the wrong angle and had to be re-done and glued back, and the gearbox top cover was fouling the trans top, so that had to be battered down for a good fit, but its all done now.

Pics:

[IMG]http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslctzlxx6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/a...psvxpooyn7.jpg[/IMG]

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That really does look great!