Mister Towed's Tai Chi build

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Mister T - I can't wait to add your final layout to the thread on rear lighting I started.

I think the way the indicators and reflectors match is a nice touch.

Will the out riggers "falling off" influence the final positions?

Good luck with the body bonding, you are on the home straight now.

Cheers, Paul.

Paul, I'll upload pics of the finished lighting layout on your thread once I've finalised it. We could be looking at a single brake light above the number plate and small led tail lights low down on the rear valance where they wouldn't be noticed until illuminated...

My inspiration for the style of indicators and reflectors was a Fiat 128 - 3P Berlinetta that I owned in the early eighties, and if I could find red rear lights that matched the shape of the indicators I'd fit them too.



I don't think the outriggers will make a difference to the final positioning of the lights as I quite like the look of them where they are now. Should be some more progress tomorrow.

[Mister Towed]

Ha ha! Found some -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1507801983...84.m1423.l2649

Pretty cheap too.

So, rear lights will consist of matching oval marker lights, reflectors and indicators with a central led brake light above the number plate.

[Mister Towed]

Can't bond my body on today I'm afraid as the length of 2" fuel filler hose I ordered is too short.

As my tank is mounted way back it'd be virtually impossible to get at the top of it to tighten up a hose clip without using an inspection pit, which I don't have. A bit the right length is winging its way to me from Demon Tweeks though.

Once that arrives it's all systems go!

[tlrtone]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

As my tank is mounted way back it'd be virtually impossible to get at the top of it to tighten up a hose clip without using an inspection pit, which I don't have.

Surprisingly MrT there is actually quite a lot of room around the tank with the body on, and I managed to get a jubilee clip and tighten it up on mine. Once you have the wheels off, the access over the rear sping is good and you can get your arms in there ok. (well you can on mine)

Believe me, you WILL forget to do something once you have the body on and so you will become very creative: my son was very useful with his long gangly arms!

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by tlrtone

Once you have the wheels off, the access over the rear sping is good and you can get your arms in there ok.

Hmm, take the wheels off you say...

Hadn't actually thought of that

I've packed up for the day now though and I'm back to work tomorrow so it'll be a few days now before the body goes on anyway. With a bit of luck Demon Tweeks will have come up with the hose by then.

[davecymru]

Unless..... you have inner wheel arches fitted. At that point it all starts to need really long arms and magnetic tools, even with the tank in the std position!

[tlrtone]

Originally Posted by davecymru

Unless..... you have inner wheel arches fitted. At that point it all starts to need really long arms and magnetic tools, even with the tank in the std position!

I'm going to make my inner arches removable for that very reason!
I am going to use the fibreglass ones that Gary sells and edge them with a rubber seal. I can screw them directly to the luggage box on mine, so it should fit nicely and be secure.

Just got to work on the front - I am going to bond some to the bonnet - I was going to do it before I painted but just wanted to get it finished and on the road. A job for the winter now, I am having too much fun driving it!

[Mister Towed]

Wasn't able to bond the body on yesterday but I did have my first proper go with bonding paste (if we forget the time I didn't put any catalyst in it )

Having cut a suitable hole just behind the passenger seat I've bonded a Vauxhall Calibra filler flap in for access to top up the water/methanol injection tank. I've used a nos three litre windscreen wash bottle intended to go on a military truck that fits nicely on the side of the luggage bay without stealing any useable space.

The bonding paste has set off really hard and the job feels permanent.

[lancelot link]

Screen was wrapped today and posted out to you ....hopefully get it for the weekend ...apologies for slight delay...bin a bit of a week !!

[Mister Towed]

Thanks Gary. No rush, hope it's a dash when it arrives though.

[peterux]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

Complete rethink on the seat belt front today: decided I didn't want to add humps over the reels or mount them in the 'doors' which would've given me the effect of static shoulder belts. As I wanted to be able to lean forwards I decided the easiest option was to go with inboard belts mounted similarly to Dave Cymru's.


Both ends of the lap belt mount to the bolts on top of the seat runners so they move back and forth with the seats meaning anyone should find it easy to put them on.

To meet IVA standards of safety, your seatbelts should be attached to the chassis with welded in inserts. I know these cars fall through a loop hole in the IVA testing requirement, but in the interest of your own safety you should be following the IVA guidelines which were introduced for safety of the driver and passenger.

[lancelot link]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

Thanks Gary. No rush, hope it's a dash when it arrives though.

Sorry Dashboard !! said it had bin a bit of a week !!

[Mister Towed]

Thanks for the input and I appreciate your concern. The construction and use regs say the belts need to be 'securely mounted', which they will be. If the donor was 18 months older it wouldn't need seat belts at all, although I'd still fit them. I know the worst can happen, but if my car suffers an impact severe enough to break the seat runners I wouldn't fancy my chances anyway.

Additionally, when I stripped down my Vitesse donor (which looked to be in pretty good condition) I found that major corrosion in the chassis had been disguised with tacked on tin plate and bitumen. If I'd simply got the Vitesse through the mot and driven it, which, lets face it, a lot of classic car buffs on a budget do, the car would have disintegrated in even a minor impact.





IVA, in my humble opinion, although written with good (goody goody?) intentions, is an example of extreme Nanny Stateism, fairly typical of the last Labour Government. For example, it dictates how rounded the edges of the gauge surrounds must be. If my face ever hits the dashboard of my car I guess I'll really regret not replacing the old Triumph gauges with ones with nice, round edged, IVA compliant trim rings, unless I've got other things on my mind, like whether there's a God.

And finally, I went to Stoneliegh last month and the roads all around were full of Sevens with nice, IVA compliant seat belt mounts. And reckless idiots driving them so badly they must think themselves immortal. So, I'll stick with my sliding seat belt runners so long as they pass the MOT, cross my fingers and try not to crash.

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by lancelot link

Sorry Dashboard !! said it had bin a bit of a week !!

Thanks Gary. Erm, when it arrives, it will meet IVA safety requirements for dashboard design, won't it?

[oxford1360]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

If my face ever hits the dashboard of my car I guess I'll really regret not replacing the old Triumph gauges with ones with nice, round edged, IVA compliant trim rings, unless I've got other things on my mind, like whether there's a God.

Ah, that made me laugh.

My plan is to make a car that is no danger to anybody else, i.e. I will take no risks with the brakes and the steering. And, to ensure that I drive it carefully, I shall be installing a large spike in the centre of the steering wheel.

[Mister Towed]

Ahh yes, that well known safety spike that makes you look twice at junctions...

[Mister Towed]

Just skim read through the IVA inspection guide -

http://www.minimag.co.uk/files/2011/...l-May-09-1.pdf

Unfortunately there are rather a lot of areas where the Sammio wouldn't pass. Dual circuit brakes? immobiliser? brake failure warning lamp? head restraints? wire wheel spinners protruding beyond the wheel arches? fuel tank mounted above exhaust? rounded steering wheel hub? panic alarm? exhaust emissions? noise? etc, etc.

Oh boy am I glad I'm not building a Seven.

[oxford1360]

Never mind the H&S training required to open the bonnet safely.

[lancelot link]

Whilst I understand the logic behind an IVA Test , I don't understand the logic of an IVA Test.....

I have seen examples of Specials over the years that were anything but special , I can understand why things like that are being targeted , I do feel however that a slightly tougher MOT type test would weedle those cars out and off the road.

I strongly believe the IVA Test is solely to try and stop Specials being built ....it is possible to get your completed modern style car through reasonably easily but any retro styled vehicle will not pass in its complete , finished format ....

I am thankful that we have the re-bodying classification which gives us all a chance to exercise our rights to owning these types of cars.....

Ironically , as the IVA gets harder , as it will , we are being introduced to MOT exempt pre-60 classics !!

[Straight Sixer]

See how useful this forum is. I thought IVA was about making babies.