I saw a red '28/'29 RPU being trailered north on the M3 last week and though of this thread. Thanks for turning up and providing some info on the car, Steve. Have you got any plans - restoration or preservation?
The car is being restored but at the same time I'm preserving as much as I can. If you take a look at this
photo from 2009 you'll realise how far I've come, There's a good 3-years work to get me where I am, yet to most it still looks like it's just been pulled out of a barn! There's a few concessions to originality, for instance the car never had a handbrake. I discussed the options with Dean and we decided that a small handle between the bucket seats would be the best option. Originally the car had a quick wiring job one afternoon, with the intention of going back and doing it again. That never happened, but I don't like seeing wires taped to fuel lines, so again, I've improved things by making up proper harnesses but also fitted fuses and relays to protect the original switches.
When I bought the car I was lucky that it was pretty much complete. For instance the cab was complete with the interior, top on, all the SW gauges, Sun Tach, cool original '60s switches, dashboard was all complete. The key was still in the ignition switch. That's really the story throughout, we spent a day collecting as many of the original bits as we could find. The original Frank Kurtis built chassis was actually being used in the back of a yard as part of a fence. It was upright, with the running board brackets stuck in the ground with bits of wood wired to it.
I actually felt uncomfortable about bringing the car out with the paint as it is, despite it being original Junior Conway paint. The Kurtis chassis and running gear is so beautifully and purposefully engineered, well the whole car is really, the last thing I wanted is anyone to think I'd turned the Dean Lowe RPU into a f***ing 'rat rod'.
I've still got quite a bit of chroming to get done: axle bells, ladder bar, push bar, etc. So that's going to eat into the finances for this winter.
It's currently running a borrowed 307 because the machine shop (Classic & Modern Engine Services in Bracknell -> fucking shit), screwed up my block and heads. I'd still like to get the 'correct' 301 built for next year's races at Pendine.
It will get painted eventually but I'm under no illusion as to how much that will cost so it's a few years off yet. There's as many people who want me to paint it as those that say leave it as it is. I was sitting on the fence, but Dean wants me to paint it so that's what's going to happen!
