Scottie's Tribute A352 build

[Scottie22]

Well, my aim today was too complete both alloy seat backs, and I was doing well up until a hospital appointment just after lunch.
It just dragged on and on and on and, completely ruined the day.

I did go back to the build, and managed to do the drivers side.

With he experience gained here, the other side will be quicker when I do it.

The seat foam is only 16 inches wide, and that leaves about a half inch each side. I have not narrowed anything, those are the Spitfire dimensions.

When the inner panelling is fitted, there aint gonna be room for becoming fat!!

I am JUST going to fit into the driving slot!

I have tried to show this in the following pics!

Anyone else building a 352 having the same problems?

Well I suppose they are not problems really, a Spitfire is a Spitfire I

guess.

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[Paul L]

Scottie - It looks like it is coming together nicely for you.

Although I have a nasty feeling that my own seats are going to be a pain to fit.

Good luck, Paul.

[Scottie22]

Thanks Paul, my seats have also been a pain, and I've not made them yet!!
They will come together though.

[Mick O'Malley]

No offence Chris, but I may bin your cockpit back and shamelessly copy this masterpiece!

[Scottie22]

Wow! That's praise indeed Mick.

However, do be aware that you are letting yourself in for one

helluvalotofwork!!

The side panels next to the doors will most likely end up in alloy too.
I have plenty of it, and it is very cheaply obtained from my local scrappie.

But, like you, I personally think its worth it. When its done seats are not really required as "proper" seats, you just kind of pad the areas that have been created, watch this space.


By the way, where did you get that wonderful horn button you have on your dash?

I was quite taken by that and may want one!

[adventuresoftimtim]

This is going to look Mint!!! I love the way the clean lines round the seat backs tops are starting to look like they are molded into the body! at 6'4" I'm not sure I could fit in it though... hence buying a herald

[Scottie22]

You would have trouble at that height!
Like I said earlier, at 6 feet I just fit in neatly.

It would be possible if you cut two or three inches off the rear of the cockpit BEFORE you put the divider in though,
depending how much you cut out,would give you exactly the legroom you needed!

[Scottie22]

Really crappy weather today, rain wind etc.

Didn't bother me one bit, I was out there really early in the tent cracking on with the seat backs/ bulkhead.

To fit the ally seat backs in I've used nickel plated posi drive self tappers, this will allow the backs to be removed if required, and the self tappers actually look like rivets.

Well its done now, not totally finished of course, but the hard work in that area is over.

It was quicker than the other side, it always is if you learn from your previous mistakes!

To me this is quite a significant, step forwards, when I first saw Chris's body shell, I wondered how I would "XKSS" that part of it, well now I know.

It seems a shame to cover all that lovely ally in lovely leather, but there we go.

If Chris starts to make that rear bulkhead in fibre glass, I think I'll have to kill him!

Here are some snaps:

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[Paul L]

Scottie - Congratulations.

We both know you made more work for yourself by not building a standard kit.

But I think it is fair to say you are now setting the standard.

Good luck with the windscreen, your problem solving record suggests you will do a good job.

Take care, Paul.

PS

Originally Posted by Mick O'Malley

No offence Chris, but I may bin your cockpit back and shamelessly copy this masterpiece!

Mick - But how can we shamelessly copy your good ideas if you don't have a build thread for us to read?

[Mick O'Malley]

Hi Scottie

It's a Land Rover Part - Lucas Horn Push Switch SPB160 - plenty on Ebay

Paul

As soon as I can get my new scanner (Luddite analogue photographer!) to talk to my computer, I'll post a thread.

Regards, Mick

[Mister Towed]

Scottie, couldn't really see where you were going with your aluminium seat backs earlier in your thread, but I get it now. Fantastic work! Just think about polishing that ally bulkhead instead of covering it up.

[Thurcroft flyer]

great work that's what I call a proper cockpit

[Scottie22]

I think Sir William Lyons needs all the credit for the way it looks!

I just faithfully copied his design, it's got to be right, right? :-)

[Scottie22]

Thanks for that Mick, I will investigate.

Mr T, I still think your earlier idea of a "distressed" cockpit area was a good one and am working on it.

For instance all the XKSS's I have seen in pictures, have the divider behind the seats covered in fabric to match the hood bag.

Well, following your idea, I will not cover mine up, but leave it BRG, with the edges in the distressed mode!
And the alloy rivets sort of showing through.

[Scottie22]

Further to my earlier ramblings, here are some other thoughts on the interior look I am trying to create, and the final look of the divider that took so bloody long to make!

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[Mitchelkitman]

Quote "The seat foam is only 16 inches wide, and that leaves about a half inch each side. I have not narrowed anything, those are the Spitfire dimensions"
That's not a seat....It's a saddle

[Scottie22]

saddle for a slim-arse I think!

Mind you the real XKSS is 5 inches wider than the Spit, so that would not have the problem.

Each "saddle" would then be around 20 inches wide!

[Scottie22]

Today I started to feel guilty about not doing enough to the build.

Well, that's not strictly true, I felt guilty because today, I had done sod-all to the build, so as punishment, I worked tonight, and built the passenger's seat base. not a lot, but enough to ease the guilt!

Pics:

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[Scottie22]

The windscreen, yes the dreaded bloody windscreen. I would not like to put a figure of hours spent so far, cutting out, paper patterns, cardboard patterns, welding, grinding.

Realising it’s double skinned around the edges, grinding again in certain areas, as it fouls the body work and will not sit right.

More welding, bending, grinding. No wonder I got cheesed off and left it for a while.

However, I have to progress, and cannot do the dash, until the dash top is done, I can’t do that until the windscreen wipers have been fitted and hidden inside, at the bottom of the screen, and I cannot do that until the windscreen has been finished and fitted.

So I am finally forced into the position where I HAVE to sort the screen out so it is At a much more advanced “finished stage”.

It still won’t be finished as we know it Jim, because the glass will have to come out, The screen frame will have to be painted, and a new rubber fitted etc. It will still drag on, but today I must plough on.

First thing is to dress the steel screen top to be the perfect curve, before any marking out and cutting happens.

Well I did that, then set about the hard parts.

I put in a total of 8 hours today, got grit in my eye, set my sweatshirt on fire from the sparks off the cutting disc, and had to beat the flames out, then chuck the top away.
I think we’ve all been there, I’ve done that many times! It’s the smell of burning that always alerts me to the problem.

Well the hard bit is done now, and I feel satisfaction once again.
Another day another dollar……….

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[Viatron]

Is that a windscreen frame or a roll bar!
On a serious note, nice work and 10/10 for sticking with it, I would have cut it off and gone aero screen by now :-)