Mister Towed's Tai Chi build

[tlrtone]

they look very good Mr T.

Just the right height so Mr MOT man can't say you are looking through the "screen".

I might have to rethink my interior now as they look so good!

[Psycho pops]

Originally Posted by

One slight fly in the ointment that's reared its head is that the bonding paste I bought from Glasplies doesn't seem to be what I actually ordered. I went for white special -

[url

http://www.glasplies.co.uk/2-5-Kg-Bonding-Paste-White-Special-p/bondingpastewhite2.5kg.htm[/url]

but what I got is blue and doesn't set even after a week. I'll be giving glassplies a ring in the morning...

You did add the hardener/ activator?

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by Psycho pops

You did add the hardener/ activator?

That's funny, that's what the chap from Glasplies said...

Thing is, there's no mention of the bonding paste needing a catalyst on their website and it didn't come with any instructions so I (foolishly) assumed it would air cure.

You'd think they might've contacted me before dispatching the order as the catalyst is only £1.60 a throw... plus seven quid postage

I ended up placing a much larger order with them for a load more glass matting and enough resin to mould a life size model of the Titanic, or at least Kate Winslet's threepenny bits.

My plan now is to use fibreglass to encase the plywood floors, effectively turning the body into a sort of Heath Robinson monocoque and permanently waterproofing it all inside and out. I've also ordered a couple of litres of white 'flowcoat' to give it all a smooth finish.

I have a few days off coming up so there should be some progress soon.

[tlrtone]

Don't forget to modify the frame before you build your new Amphicar!

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by tlrtone

Don't forget to modify the frame before you build your new Amphicar!

Ha Ha! Hadn't thought of that, but I do live on the edge of the fens.

[Mister Towed]

Little bit of fettling today - I have a functioning clutch for the first time since buying the donor and the foot brake is now routed through the servo, albeit without any servo assistance until I work out how to connect up the vacuum hose.

Just as an aside, the brake fluid that had been sitting in the pipes for God knows how long came out black, thin and creamy looking, rather like gone-off Guiness when displaced by the fresh fluid used to refill and bleed the system. I have a feeling it would have led to instant brake fade if used in anger.

[Mister Towed]

Lovely day today, bit cold but dry and sunny so I got on with altering my lowered floors -



I've gone from a 5" drop at the back and 1 1/2" at the front to 3" at the back and level at the front as my new seats are much lower than the big 'ol MGB ones that didn't fit.

They then got a thorough covering with 600gsm glass matting. I'll be rolling the resin on tomorrow as I ran out of time this evening.



Just in case anyone's interested, here's a picture showing where I've mounted the brake servo.



I've bolted it directly to the bulkhead as it's the same angle as the bracket that came with it. Just need to make a stabiliser arm to stop it wobbling and drill and tap the intake manifold to connect up the vacuum hose.

When I come to fit the bonnet I'm probably going to need a couple of those teardrop blisters that you see on quite a few Sammios. Anybody know where they can be bought at a reasonable price? I can't seem to find any at the moment although I did have a bit of a brainwave when my son opened one of his Easter eggs earlier and cracked it into two halves - half an Easter egg might just end up being sacrificed to become a mould...

[Mister Towed]

Gave the underside of my mummified floorpans a good coat of resin first thing this morning -



I'm hoping it will have set by late afternoon so I can turn them over and do the upper surfaces. Garage is a bit of a no-go area without a mask at the moment due to the fumes from the resin so I won't be doing much else to the car today.

[Mister Towed]

Flow-coated the underside of my floorpans this morning. Worked out that I needed a 2.5% ratio of catalyst to 'paint' for it to set in about an hour. Measured out a litre of 'paint' and carefully added 2.5cc's of catalyst.

Four hours later and it was still wet. Very wet, with no signs of it setting. A little chin rubbing later it dawned on me that I'd actually added 0.25%, not 2.5%

So, I need to clean off the paint that will never set, so, what have I got laying around in the garage that's a suitable solvent for paint. Aha! an old tin of MEK, that should do the trick.

I then find myself with an old rag stuck to the bottom of my floorpan. Something's caused the paint to flash set in a matter of seconds, but what?

Well, after reading the ingredients on the various tins and bottles that came with the flow coat it appears that the catalyst is MEK. Solution: overpaint the whole thing with neat MEK and hey presto, a rock hard flow-coated floorpan. With a paint brush stuck to it.

Happy Friday 13th everyone!

[AndyP57]

Where did you manage to get MEK from these days? Last time I used it, I was cleaning a spray booth floor with it... What a trip that led to

[tlrtone]

Perhaps you should have stuck an array of household objects to the underside so it would keep the MOT man amused!

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by AndyP57

Where did you manage to get MEK from these days? Last time I used it, I was cleaning a spray booth floor with it... What a trip that led to

Where did I get the MEK from you ask? Hmm, looks like you've caught me out using a bit of poetic licence (posh term for a lie). I haven't really got an assortment of detritus adhering to my lowered floors, but I did cck up the hardener ratio by a factor of ten (well, it was Friday 13th).

The hardener is methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, or MEK by the way, which I did end up having to brush into the liquid paint I'd already applied to the underside of the floorpans to make it set. The fumes are pretty pervasive (and toxic) but I have a very good mask which helps stop the pink elephants doing riverdance through my garage while I work.

We used to use MEK for a variety of things in the RAF - universal solvent; catalyst for special coatings; pouring on colleagues' boots who'd fallen asleep in the crew-room and setting fire to them. You know, normal things...

Should see some progress on my Spyder over the next couple of days as I've just finished a set of shifts and now have four days off.

[Mister Towed]

Just spent an hour mocking up the floors, driver's seat and steering wheel to check the siting of the primary controls:














I'm pretty pleased with the way it's taking shape, I can't believe how well the seats fit - they're the perfect size and were an absolute bargain.

In addition to building in a luggage bay behind the rear bulkhead there's also going to be plenty of space behind the seats for a couple of decent sized squashy bags, so touring Europe is looking like a realistic proposition.

More later.

[tlrtone]

those bolts in the seats might make long journeys a tad uncomfortable!

looking very nice though, love the steering wheel, and the gear knob is the same as mine

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by tlrtone

those bolts in the seats might make long journeys a tad uncomfortable!

looking very nice though, love the steering wheel, and the gear knob is the same as mine

Yep, Issigonis believed that you would stay alert at the wheel if you were uncomfortable, hence the 'bed of nails' bolts through the seat bases.

Or I might just grind them down and put a bit of board on top of the nuts to secure the cushion...

[Roadster]

looking very nice mr T
How long before the body gets dropped on?

Touring in europe? i want to take the roadster over the alps and then back through the mont blanc tunnel.
I always get misty eyed at the start of the Italian job - matt monroe playing on the radio - the mountain roads winding up through amazing scenery but hopefully no bulldozers :P

[lancelot link]

looking very nice Towed....I have bought those seats for mine ....well technically....the pair I bought have just been shortened 3'' in height to go in Jennettes more compact cockpit ....those German racing drivers must have all been about 5' 5'' !!

Ordering another set for the new project...

[Mister Towed]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I'm aiming to fit my body in about two weeks time. I want everything installed and working - a completely driveable chassis - before bonding the shell in place, so I've got maximum access to everything during the fettling stage. I've got four days off now, then back to work for six before two weeks off solely to get on with my Spyder so there should be some rapid progress then New deadline for MOT is June 1st. This year...

I'm chuffed to bits with the seats and if you've ordered a second set Gary that speaks volumes for their quality. I can't wait to get mine stitched up in dark red leather. That's just about the only job I'll be getting done professionally btw, as I've tried trimming seats before and I was genuinely crap at it. It's a professional skill that's best left to a professional in my case

Anyway, coffee break over, back to the Spyder.

[mulberry]

mister were did you get your lovely steering wheel from, and what size is it...

cheers

gary

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by mulberry

mister were did you get your lovely steering wheel from, and what size is it...

cheers

gary

Yes, it is rather nice isn't it.

I priced up a mota-lita wheel with a boss and a polished trim ring and screw set but that was the wrong side of £300.

So mine came from The MGB Hive over near Wisbech about twelve miles away from me

http://www.mgbhive.co.uk/index.html

I added the Lancia badge myself which was about six quid from ebay.



It did cost me £99 though, but at least it came with the Triumph boss adaptor included... Harry bargain.

Oh, and it's a fourteen inch semi-dished.