Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Coming from you that's a real compliment.
I know it looks really heavy, but it's actually quite easy to carry around. It won't be once the cage is on it though....
Cheating The Reaper
221 - 240 of 1125 Posts
I know it looks really heavy, but it's actually quite easy to carry around. It won't be once the cage is on it though....
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Whilst the body and chassis are waiting for their matrimony I thought I'd have a dabble at the dashboard:
![]()
![]()
It's a stock, steel '38 dash.
The car was always going to be LHD, so my initial thought was to just fill all of the holes and leave it smooth, ready to add the dials on the 'new' drivers side, but part-way through this process I decided that it would be nice to have a glovebox to put all of the fuses etc into.
So here we have it. The slots in the bottom are for the wiring to pass through, there is also a slot at the top just in case there is no room to turn the wires.
It's customary in my builds to use some domestic appliance somewhere in the build (my first drag car had steel from a tumble drier, my 105E Anglia had the engine bulkhead made from washing machine sides and my last car the dash was made from steel taken from an old cooker), so the mods on this one are made from a fire surround :shake:
![]()
And the (almost) finished dash:
![]()
![]()
It's a stock, steel '38 dash.
The car was always going to be LHD, so my initial thought was to just fill all of the holes and leave it smooth, ready to add the dials on the 'new' drivers side, but part-way through this process I decided that it would be nice to have a glovebox to put all of the fuses etc into.
So here we have it. The slots in the bottom are for the wiring to pass through, there is also a slot at the top just in case there is no room to turn the wires.
It's customary in my builds to use some domestic appliance somewhere in the build (my first drag car had steel from a tumble drier, my 105E Anglia had the engine bulkhead made from washing machine sides and my last car the dash was made from steel taken from an old cooker), so the mods on this one are made from a fire surround :shake:
And the (almost) finished dash:
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Donation from the boss.
We've just put a new 'chute onto our Topolino Altered, so the old one is destined for the back of my little Ford
![]()
![]()
We've just put a new 'chute onto our Topolino Altered, so the old one is destined for the back of my little Ford
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Glovebox lid - had an hour spare so knocked this up:
![]()
![]()
It's in 1.6mm aluminium with returns around the entire perimeter. It's also compound curved to match the dash.
It's in 1.6mm aluminium with returns around the entire perimeter. It's also compound curved to match the dash.
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Damn right! This won't be the last use of that fire surround I assure you!
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Back at the rear axle, I realised I needed a rear lower tie-bracket to hold the two wishbone pivots together, so after a bit of head-scratching, cutting, drilling and grinding I ended up with these parts:
![]()
Which after welding together looked like this:
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
It's now a 4-function bracket:
1) It ties the wishbone pivots together and wraps underneath to pick up the bolt-holes on the underside of the pivot brackets.
2) The large aluminium boss in the middle is the parachute pick-up.
3) The two circular brackets on either end are for tie-downs to be hooked to (it will undoubtedly spend some of its time on a trailer).
4) it will provide a strong jacking point.
Which after welding together looked like this:
It's now a 4-function bracket:
1) It ties the wishbone pivots together and wraps underneath to pick up the bolt-holes on the underside of the pivot brackets.
2) The large aluminium boss in the middle is the parachute pick-up.
3) The two circular brackets on either end are for tie-downs to be hooked to (it will undoubtedly spend some of its time on a trailer).
4) it will provide a strong jacking point.
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
I don't think I could charge the amount of hours it took to make it......
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Baby's going to have a fat ass!
![]()
New rear arches, about 3" wider than stock. Arrived at the weekend.
Whilst I was trying on the new panels I thought I'd snap a few pics:
![]()
![]()
![]()
In the last one you can see a couple of gauges hanging underneath, these are Lucas gauges, probably fitted to the car in the 70's judging by the 'Lucas' logo.
Hey I'll need gauges! Pulled them off and tested them (they are both capillary gauges) and they work fine, so here's the 'before restoration' photo:
![]()
New rear arches, about 3" wider than stock. Arrived at the weekend.
Whilst I was trying on the new panels I thought I'd snap a few pics:
In the last one you can see a couple of gauges hanging underneath, these are Lucas gauges, probably fitted to the car in the 70's judging by the 'Lucas' logo.
Hey I'll need gauges! Pulled them off and tested them (they are both capillary gauges) and they work fine, so here's the 'before restoration' photo:
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
All restored:
![]()
![]()
They look a lot better in the flesh than they do in the pictures. Now all I have to decide is where to put them.....
They look a lot better in the flesh than they do in the pictures. Now all I have to decide is where to put them.....
Joined
·
585 Posts
It doesnt really matter what they're scaled in, as long as you know what to expect to see. I was once told to set all the gauges in my drag car so that the needles would be pointing upwards under normal race conditions - it's easy to see if a needle has moved from vertical but you don't need to try to work it out against the numbers, especially important in such a short race.
I love the Blairs Anglia too, and I'm really rather jealous of all the scores you keep having with parts!
I love the Blairs Anglia too, and I'm really rather jealous of all the scores you keep having with parts!
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
Cut holes for the gauges today. The pattern echoes the original pattern that was on the other side.
Small gauges are the 'restored' ones. Tacho is an old Stewart Warner $10 score from a swap meet. Hope it works!
Speedo will eventually live in the centre of the dash.
![]()
Small gauges are the 'restored' ones. Tacho is an old Stewart Warner $10 score from a swap meet. Hope it works!
Speedo will eventually live in the centre of the dash.
Joined
·
301 Posts
Top quality job... :tup: Looking forward to see how you do the panel work.
Joined
·
1,265 Posts
I guess it would be good to steer the car, so I found this aluminium box which came from a (whisper it) Lada.
I figure if it was designed to last a million miles around Russia with little or no maintenance then it could steer the 'reaper without any issues.
![]()
Mount bracket on right, cut from 10mm plate.
I made three threaded bosses and welded them to the back of the plate. The upper (larger) boss will pass straight through the chassis and is only threaded for the last 20mm, the shorter lower bosses will just be recessed through one side of the chassis and the plate seam welded in.
Lower holes through the plate are also threaded to give the maximum possible thread purchase.
![]()
![]()
Once the engine and rollcage are in place I'll work out the best place for it.
I figure if it was designed to last a million miles around Russia with little or no maintenance then it could steer the 'reaper without any issues.
Mount bracket on right, cut from 10mm plate.
I made three threaded bosses and welded them to the back of the plate. The upper (larger) boss will pass straight through the chassis and is only threaded for the last 20mm, the shorter lower bosses will just be recessed through one side of the chassis and the plate seam welded in.
Lower holes through the plate are also threaded to give the maximum possible thread purchase.
Once the engine and rollcage are in place I'll work out the best place for it.
221 - 240 of 1125 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!