Mister Towed's Tai Chi build - Page 16

tlrtone · #**301** 28th March 2012, 19:32

good work Mr T. Coming along nicely. I like your centre Tunnel, that will save a bit of room in the cockpit.
Are you still putting in the luggage compartment? If so you will have to think about how you are going to tilt the seats forward to access it. The shells look nice, so you will need a locking hinge assembly on the subframe I suppose.

I hope to have a good weekend on mine so I can get the engine running and maybe the body glassed on!

Mister Towed · #**302** 28th March 2012, 19:47

Thanks for the compliments! Yes, I'm still going to move the fuel tank back behind the rear spring and build in a luggage bay similar to yours. As for access I'm fitting seat sliders and I'm hoping they'll move forwards far enough to be able to get stuff in and out of the 'boot'. If not I'll have to have a rethink and fabricate a tilt/lock mechanism. How are you tackling that particular obstacle?

Anyway, good luck bonding your body to your chassis, that's a real milestone that I'm still a way's off yet.

tlrtone · #**303** 28th March 2012, 20:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Towed

How are you tackling that particular obstacle?

Mine's easy as I am going to build my own bench seat with locking tilt-forward mechnism..... well, that's the plan...

Mister Towed · #**304** 30th March 2012, 19:30

My Dax seat shells were waiting for me when I got home this evening and I have to say they are fantastic quality. At £108 a pair delivered I think they're unbeatable value.

They're also a perfect fit for the Sammio cockpit. Although I've lowered my floors by 5" at the back and 1 1/2" at the front I'll be changing that as it's no longer necessary now I'm not going to use the MGB seats. Depending on where my eyeline ends up with a couple of inches of padding in the squab I might even go back to a flat floor as they still wouldn't stick out of the top of the cockpit.

Can't wait to get cracking on with it...

tlrtone · #**305** 30th March 2012, 21:22

oooh, they look nice.. I think I will have a go at my bench seat arrangement and then if all else fails, I know what I will be using........

lancelot link · #**306** 31st March 2012, 07:44

Those seats are great .....prettier and cheaper than mine !

Thats an incredible price Towed .....fibreglass materials are made as a by product of the oil industry and , as with all things oil based , has increased in price quite dramatically recently .....I have swallowed the increases so far , but won't be able too much longer , which really pisses me off as my aim is an affordable kit for the majority , not minority.

How are you planning the interior layouut , style of trim etc..? Like Phils , all comfy and Gay

or more race like , like this beautiful Maserati ??

Mister Towed · #**307** 31st March 2012, 08:11

Ha Ha! Having seen Phil's car in the flesh I wouldn't describe the interior as 'Gay'. It's more like a boxing glove - tough, purposeful, a tight fit and wrapped in leather (ette).

I'm tempted by the outright racer look and I love those Maserati seats but I'm going for a road/race fusion look with trimmed side panels but a bare, painted floor. If you look at Porsche 550's and 718's that were sold to the likes of James Dean - millionaire's playthings that could compete on the track and cruise down Sunset Boulevard with equal aplomb, that's what I'm aiming for.

And yes, my Dax seat shells were cheaper than I could've made them for myself. And eight pounds postage for the pair. Bargain.

lancelot link · #**308** 31st March 2012, 18:58

JUST ORDERED A PAIR FOR MY OWN BUILD ....Thank you for the heads up on those Towed....

Mister Towed · #**309** 1st April 2012, 07:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancelot link

JUST ORDERED A PAIR FOR MY OWN BUILD ....Thank you for the heads up on those Towed....

Well that's a pretty good recommendation! I hope you're as impressed with them as I am, if so I think Dax had better prepare for a glut of orders.

AndyP57 · #**310** 1st April 2012, 16:10

These seats certainly look the business.
The only worry I have is that I'm hardly what you would call lacking in posterior padding and I may get stuck in them. How do they feel for 'wriggle room'?
I may still go for the padded rear bulkhead and custom squabs but I'm sorely tempted. If I order a pair and they prove to be somewhat tight would someone volunteer to buy them off me (and as a treat I'd pay the postage)

garyh · #**311** 1st April 2012, 16:24

Maybe you could split down the middle, if you have a spare half inch?

lancelot link · #**312** 1st April 2012, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyP57

These seats certainly look the business.
The only worry I have is that I'm hardly what you would call lacking in posterior padding and I may get stuck in them. How do they feel for 'wriggle room'?
I may still go for the padded rear bulkhead and custom squabs but I'm sorely tempted. If I order a pair and they prove to be somewhat tight would someone volunteer to buy them off me (and as a treat I'd pay the postage)

Andy ....I would buy them ...They would do for Jennettes 550 ...

AndyP57 · #**313** 1st April 2012, 18:38

Thanks Gary. I'll get a pair ordered in the morning. Definitely worth a go at that price.

Charman.tech · #**314** 1st April 2012, 22:10

Can you get upholstered covers to fit these shells? I had a look and could not find them on Dax web site

Mister Towed · #**315** 2nd April 2012, 07:21

Andy: I'm 5'11" and fourteen stone and the seat shells without upholstery are a comfortable fit across my hips and back. What I would say is that these are just about as wide as you can put in the Spyder body without them fouling the side panels.

You'll be surprised what you can squeeze into even if you are more generously padded than a dfs sofa - I was lucky enough to go out for a quick blast as a passenger in Phil's finished car in yesterday afternoon's sunshine (thanks Phil, I've still got a silly grin on my face!) and although his seats are smaller, narrower buckets than the Dax ones and he's a size or two up from me we both fitted into them quite comfortably. As the Dax seats are also very low I'm aiming to go back to an almost flat floor. This will enable me to move the seats inboard a couple of inches (only possible due to my low-level prop tunnel) freeing up a bit of elbow room at the sides of the cockpit, which is quite tight if you have a large centre tunnel. If you are very big I'd suggest making a low level prop tunnel and a dash mounted handbrake assembly to free up the maximum possible space in the cockpit even if you do go for the padded rear bench and separate seat squabs. Don't forget the Spyder is quite a small car.

Charman: I don't think you can buy off-the-shelf covers for these shells, it's a job for a professional trimmer and the one thing I'm going to farm out to an expert. I haven't got any quotes in yet but I'll keep you posted once I've an idea of the budget required to have them trimmed in burgundy leather...

AndyP57 · #**316** 2nd April 2012, 07:33

Thanks. I put in an order for a pair last night and will give them a go. I've not got as far as dressing the interior yet but it should have a frame and floor on during next weekend insha'Allah so I'll be able to gauge it then.
I'm 6'2" but have a sloped floor pan set already so I don't think the height would be a problem, as long as the derriere fits I'll run with them.
My poor lad, however, at over 6'10 and on the large side to boot may be another story. (Possibly a G46 for him in the future?)

Mister Towed · #**317** 2nd April 2012, 07:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyP57

My poor lad, however, at over 6'10 and on the large side to boot may be another story. (Possibly a G46 for him in the future?)

Or a Spyder on each foot...

AndyP57 · #**318** 2nd April 2012, 07:43

A little like this?

Mister Towed · #**319** 2nd April 2012, 07:45

Ha Ha! Yes, Spyder skates.

Mister Towed · #**320** 2nd April 2012, 12:34

Popped the body back on temporarily this morning to check clearances for the seats, fuel tank and brake servo.

These pics were taken with a board over the lowered sections of floorpan effectively raising the seats 1/2" above the flat floor level -

As you can see the seats will fit under the level of the cockpit from a flat floor while my eye level is just above the aero screen which is where you want it (the screen will sit a little higher once it's bonded in place).

More progress later in the week hopefully.