Progress since Christmas slowed to a crawl but I'm now returning to finishing the gearbox tunnel modification. Just to recap the Royale Sabre was designed for Ford engines and gearboxes but I'm fitting a BMW 2.8 litre M52 straight six engine and its matching gearbox. The BMW gearbox is slightly fatter than the Ford 'box so the GRP tunnel needed to be modified.
Back in March 2013 (gulp!!) I started modifying the tunnel but didn't finish it because I hadn't finalised the position of the engine and gearbox. That's all done now so time to crack on and finish the tunnel.
N/S side extension by
marlinpeter, on Flickr
I need to modify the tunnel to clear the sides of the gearbox and the clutch slave cylinder. The idea is the insert a hump on each side to improve clearance.
Gearbox tunnel mods by
marlinpeter, on Flickr
I cut a cardboard template to replicate the side of the tunnel and then cut an ellipse to let in a curved tear-drop shaped 'hump'
Gearbox tunnel mods by
marlinpeter, on Flickr
I then made up some curved sections of GRP using the side of an old plastic washing up bowl as a former.
Gearbox tunnel mods by
marlinpeter, on Flickr
I glassed two sections together and then marked out the shape.
Gearbox tunnel mods by
marlinpeter, on Flickr
I cut the shape out with a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade and cellotaped it to the cardboard to check the shape. Unfortunately my first attempt is too shallow and it doesn't give sufficient clearance to the clutch slave cylinder pipe. I'm now making up some more sections with a deeper profile.
Gearbox tunnel mods by
marlinpeter, on Flickr
Hopefully it won't be another 3 years before the next step!!
....peter