John Bonnett Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Pleasing to see the forum back albeit in a form that we are not used to. No doubt the mods will redirect this thread if deemed inappropriate under this heading. Just to recap, I am building a GT6 body with the steel panels replaced by aluminium. The shell has been built using three separate main components; a rear tub, floor section and scuttle all purchased from my local Spitfire breakers. These have been welded together to form a skeleton shell. Using traditional methods of English Wheel and oxyacetylene welding I have formed the majority of the panels in aluminium with the exception of the right hand rear wing which will be left for now. I've taken a few liberties in the shape of the rear end and the rear wings partly to make things easier for me and partly because I'm aiming for more curves and the elimination of external seams. Currently, the shell has been seam sealed and painted on the inside and the underside sprayed with Stonechip. A rolling chassis has been temporarily built up and yesterday, the body placed in position. The attached pictures should give a flavour of what I'm trying to achieve. More to follow as we progress. John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzmarc Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Looks nice John, how much weight do you think you'll save? And on a different note, where did you get the tail lights from because they don't look standard and I've been thinking of putting flush fitting ones on mine. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Looks nice John, how much weight do you think you'll save? And on a different note, where did you get the tail lights from because they don't look standard and I've been thinking of putting flush fitting ones on mine. Marc A good question Marc but I really don't know how much if any weight I shall save once the car is built up with a roll cage. The doors are amazingly heavy; not the doors really it's the glass and the mechanism that makes them so heavy. I am seriously considering fitting Lexan windows. The rear lights I got from Stafford Vehicle Components. http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/category/mix-match-lights/ Progress today has been slower than i expected because of an unforeseen problem with the damper top mount fouling the inner wing despite the cut out that I had allowed for it. It took some time with a power file to enlarge it sufficiently but we got there in the end. The body is now bolted down and amazingly the doors still fit reasonably well. I'm going to skin the doors in aluminium in due course just for completeness rather than any significant weight that will be saved in the process. Pic attached. Was going to be picS but even though I've tried going ever smaller with the images the message still comes through file too large. Sorry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 If anyone is interested most of the build pictures to date are here in my Flickr album https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/sets/72157632756946169/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Great idea. I've just returned from my wife's uncle who will remain nameless but creates and hand builds per war race cars formerly for a living but currently he has 5 cars he is building which will be sold as one offs. He just tuned my standard Vitesse and it now spins the rears in second gear without popping the clutch. Anyway the build goes like this..strip chassis based car to chassis. Big vintage spoked wheels and upgrade improve everything. Supercharge the rebuilt engine, fit overdrive, hand rolled aluminium body, two seats, no roof, aviation switchgear, and the result is beautiful hand built VSCC race cars . He had what will be a stunning Supercharged Pre war Dolomite and others to finish. He also is keen to fit a hidden overdrive somewhere between the gearbox and diff on my Vitesse saloon to keep it looking original and non overdrive. I'll let you know if it works.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Yes please keep me posted Mike. I'd certainly like to see some pictures. Trial fitted a couple of panels yesterday. https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/14746529110/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Just looked at your Flickr feed. The craftsmanship is amazing as is your attention to detail. Now with these new lightweight E types costing a million pounds surely yours with maybe a supercharged v tech has got to be half that. Google Randy Grubb and look at his creations, I want the Art Deco 3 wheeled teardrop bike so badly it hurts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Some terrific workmanship there Mike and the great thing about metal shaping inn the States is that there is a huge choice of tools and suppliers at amazing prices. They probably don't know how lucky they are. I'm completely self-taught and learnt all I know from half a dozen instructional videos made by a US craftsman. I've just popped the tailgate on and it's encouraging that it fits and latches quite nicely. This picture gives a flavour of the shape of the rear end. https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/14748331038/in/set-72157632756946169 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 I've not mentioned the bonnet but I absolutely love the Alfa TZ bonnet which dimensionally is so close to that of the standard GT6 and that's what I intend to fit. I offered it up this afternoon and I think it will work out very nicely .https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/14932814841/in/set-72157632756946169 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzmarc Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 John post some pictures when it's done, I'd like to see that bonnet on a gt6. Very much Ferrari 250 gto ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 At the moment the bonnet is in two halves split longitudinally. The Alfa is a couple of inches wider than the GT6 so the two halves will be brought together with an overlap and then trimmed and welded. I'm not sure yet whether a bulge will be needed. Here are two or three pictures of the bonnet on the Alfa TZ and I think that that bonnet will look absolutely stunning on a GT6. Mine will have a Triumph grille not an Alfa one I hasten to add! https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 I've spent more time today working on the tailgate shutline and it is now just about as good as I can make it. https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/14784662320/in/set-72157632756946169 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 The next task has been trial fitting the roof. I used a GT6 roof as a pattern so I knew it would be pretty close but the planishing operation will cause the shape to change so it still took quite a few hours to get it clamped up in the right position. I can now Cleco it and trim it ready to be welded onto the tailgate surround. https://www.flickr.com/photos/67580543@N08/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 The final fitting of the roof and general nit picking is taking a bit of time but it needs to be as right as I can get it because this is one of the bits that will be seen and will stand out like a sore thumb if it is wrong. Hope to have a few more pictures during this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 I don't know what others think but I find it very frustrating not being able to post pictures directly as we were able to do on the previous website. I note that after the first few pictures that I loaded I am now left with a 20kb maximum or one thumbnail. For anyone who like myself is carrying out a total rebuild, the description of the work being done is nothing without the support of pictures and all rather pointless. So, for the time being and until this situation changes I'll not be writing any more. But, for anyone interested in following my project I will try to keep the Flickr album up to date. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 might not be the right approach but I have dropped a note to moderators about the continuing unrest about uploading pictures nowt to do with me but maybe it gets the message across anyone can report to the moderators by clicking the greyed out 'report ' tab which will open up if you click on it Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mishmosh Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Pete. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinR Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Guys, Why is it that everyone seems to have trouble loading pictures. The process is very easy and has been explained elsewhere how to do it using the "image" button. The forum software has a feature that limits the TOTAL size of images that can be posted as attachments, but by using the techniques explained elsewhere, an unlimited number of photos can be referenced in a posting, so long as they are stored in your gallery. The software that runs behind the scenes is new to all of us, and we have to learn how to do certain things. As moderators we do not have a magic wand to change things - all we are able to do is edit, delete and merge postings, make edits to your profiles, and if ultimately required delete a user. The admin has more rights to change things, but he is on an even steeper learning curve than us, so please lets not overload him with requests for feature changes until things have settled down and we have found our feet. Posting a photo to your gallery is easy, as is linking it into a posting, and the galley component of the website has no size limit on the photos being posted, and it allows you to select a size to link into a posting, its really very powerfull and suprisingly easy to get used to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted August 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinR Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 John, The car is looking good. I've just edited your post to replace the thumbnail with a larger format image from the "direct link" popup in the gallery. Are those home made wheel skates, they look sturdier than the normal ones available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 John, The car is looking good. I've just edited your post to replace the thumbnail with a larger format image from the "direct link" popup in the gallery. Are those home made wheel skates, they look sturdier than the normal ones available. Thank you Kevin not only for your kind comment but for doing something with the picture that I have failed to come to terms with. If it is possible to actually have a full size picture on the page with the text rather than having to follow a link then that will be absolutely fine. Yes I did make the skates all very cheaply from 40 x 40 RHS and castors from Axminster Power Tools. Along with the rotisserie they have been really useful. I've had quite a game trial fitting the tailgate to give a reasonable panel gap and shut line. It is a shame that there is no adjustment on the hinges but with some packing and a bit of panel tweeking it is as good as I can get it. We'll see what the painter thinks when he comes to have a look at the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 Just a practice. I think I have it. That's all right isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 I don't think I mentioned it earlier but I am working on an Alfa TZ bonnet for my project. Amazingly, dimensionally it is close to the GT6 bonnet and should fit. At the moment it is in two halves but picture shows it offered up. It will once trimmed move back and the wheel arches will be in the right place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 I received a standard steel roof finisher yesterday and my fingers have been crossed that it would fit my roof; certainly not a foregone conclusion. I had to open the gap a tad because two thicknesses of steel is half a mil or so thinner than one sheet of 1mm plus 1.5mm of aluminium. To my great relief it tapped on very nicely following the profile of my roof just about exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted September 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Rear wing offered up to give flavour of the shape of the rear end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now