Geoff's 250 SWB Replica Build

[zagmad]

I agree . Topless is the best start. Then build up from their. Also a strip down of a 250 swb door mechanism would be a advantage
starting from a mechanism that pushes the window up and down. Maybe angled slots inside to push it up at an angle. Youtube might have someone dropping a wi down and its action. Then bulid the roof round it.

[Scottie22]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

And here's the, ahem, perfect donor -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1965-MGB-R...item43c1ce8972

Hey Towed!
I reckon by the time you sandblasted that, you'd have an MGB doily!!

[zagmad]

Think that's where the shell comes in. Depends on the chassis. And roll cage. Something technical like that.something to bolt and bond too. Lots of oxidising paint etc,filler.

[Scottie22]

I was only joking really! I take your point about the body shell and roll cage although the MGB has no chassis, it is a monocoque design.

[zagmad]

Convertibles seem quite expensive. Spose doer uppers would be the way forward with the sills being strong enough and all holes welded up or new sheets welded in.

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by Scottie22

I was only joking really! I take your point about the body shell and roll cage although the MGB has no chassis, it is a monocoque design.

I take it the roadster has additional strengthening in the sills then?

As the MGB GT donor is much cheaper and less desirable in its own right, I'd be quite happy to cut the GT roof back to the right length for the Ferrari, fit a full roll cage and run a 250 swb race replica as an everyday car. It wouldn't need any of the expensive trim, bumpers, badges etc. fitting then either. The added bonus would be a relatively simple upgrade to V8 spec at a later date when funds allow...

[Scottie22]

Mr T. As far as I understand it, the roadster shares the same monocoque floorpan as the MGBGT with no extra strengthening.

I renvovated a MGBGT once, and swore to never do it again!

With a Triumph, what you see is what you get, the MGB is different, the sill construction is extremely strong, due to a third strengthening rail which is called the " castle rail". It runs the length of the sill inside between the outer and inner sill.

It often will rust away badly, weakening the structure, but goes un-noticed.

The only way to check and repair, is to remove the outer sill.
It is very time consuming, messy and awkward to do.

Also, I found all the other welding which is required on a rusty B to be much harder to do than a Triumph.

You have been warned!

[Viatron]

Ditto, done a B and it was not the most pleasant of my car experiences. As Scottie said, lots and lots of hidden nooks and crannies in which rust can lurk, I borrowed a borascope for a mate to check the sills and some other areas and almost scrapped what looked like an ok shell, 3 months later I wished I had!

[Mitchelkitman]

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

I take it the roadster has additional strengthening in the sills then?

As the MGB GT donor is much cheaper and less desirable in its own right, I'd be quite happy to cut the GT roof back to the right length for the Ferrari, fit a full roll cage and run a 250 swb race replica as an everyday car. It wouldn't need any of the expensive trim, bumpers, badges etc. fitting then either. The added bonus would be a relatively simple upgrade to V8 spec at a later date when funds allow...

But wouldn't it need IVA? I know the main structure MAY be the same, but would DVLA allow it. I think chopping the roof would mean IVA. Could always buy a BGT for the parts, and then put a heritage roadster new body on it - or would that be disallowed ? Good question for DVLA though (probably get several answers, and told the only way would be to do it and find out afterwards )

[Scottie22]

There is a kit (of parts) on the market to enable MG BGT owners to convert their cars to roadster spec, (as its worth more)
And it does not need an IVA for that.
I would guess at a re-body inspection only.

Viatron put it better than I did, they are a bitch to weld.

[Mister Towed]

Hmm, thanks for the replies, guess I'll keep my eyes on the thread and see how the Z3 version turns out.

Oh, and apologies to Geoff for hijacking your thread to muse about possible classic donors for what's going to be a very nice car indeed.

[casamolino]

Chris sent me these last night

[zagmad]

looking good geoff, only thing i'd say is flow and proportion. rear bumper section mold as the lowest point is probably best point to work from so it has that sleek look of the swb. front end has hardly any over hang at the bottom gonna be a balancing act. cant wait to see it evolve.

[neemo]

this is coming along very nice indeed!
looks like ill be on the hunt for a Z3 2.8 soon.

[casamolino]

Here is a couple more and no I am not having an AC Coupe built , although it could be a very simple! way of building a Cobra , I am sure our leader could be persuaded with copious amounts of the folding stuff , Geoff .

[neemo]

ooh thinking of a shelby daytona coupe now !!!

[garyh]

Just keep checking the photos of the aston martin/ferrari you want to recreate.

[The Shadow]

lookin pretty tasty that is. hats off to you boys. im so impressed with that. it would make a fantastic late model style Cobra / Ferrari , whatisit type coupe. you could trendy it up with later lights and stuff and fit big ferk off ali's to it and people at the yacht club wouldn't have a felching clue what that was. got me thinking now you bad uns.

[y cymro]

That's coming on nicely Geoff. I can't get over how Chris and Dan can make such wonderful cars from nothing. I love the tweaking process it'll go through to make it look right

Steve

[Mister Towed]

Hmm, 289 Cobra rebody on a Z3 6 cylinder donor. Could be tempted...