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May 19, 2017 15:08:49 GMT
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Known about these cars for a long time but I don't know much about them. The Reliant is a great example of the "Cottage Built Cars" era that was so quintessentially British. Have to disagree with your summation of the rear view. It reminds me of the Volvo P1800 ES; a car that I quite like! As to the engine, I have to agree that it is not to my taste. Any convenient chassis swaps that would work with the Scimitar bodyshell? I was thinking RX8 as the wheelbases are only 3" off and they have similar 2+2 kinda rear seating.
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Last Edit: May 19, 2017 15:17:56 GMT by bjornagn
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May 18, 2017 11:48:32 GMT
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There is another niche in this metal bashing game that has worked well for me. Realizing that I could use the practice, exposure and a bit of cash flow, I started "helping" people with the tin work on their restorations.
Working out of other peoples pockets has allowed me to be exposed to more projects and metal shaping challenges than I could ever take on myself. Has also allowed me to increase the tool arsenal; I buy or build what was needed for their project. Big bonus, met some very nice people along the way. I never do paint and I wont do mechanical as that involves liability for third party products; when the cars were done they went away and stayed away!
Since I don't need to make a living at this, and I get to cherry-pic the beneficiaries it has been a fun endevour. However, the problem is that word of mouth gets around and at one point I had a two year long list of people who needed "help" with their projects. I have a real job, and I have a project of my own, so I closed it up for the most part.
As a business? I would not want to do this. To be profitable, I would have had to take on the people that I avoided. I know from a past business that I would spend all my time running the business, not doing the work, and I hate the paperwork.
In a few years when I retire, I will revisit as a way to stay in the hobby.
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My old SIP welder was really bad until I changed the relay in it. I fitted a plug in socket into the board so the relay could be swapped easily in the future. The wire speed pot was pretty naff as well so that got swapped for a better quality one as well. A lot of older SIP, Clarke welders shared the same circuit board so it could be you have a similar problem. I've done some reasonable welding since so considering it was bought in about 1986 it's doing quite well ! My first MIG was an SIP. It was such a turd that I bought a Lincoln 185 TIG and thought that TIG welding was easier than MIG welding. Then I bought a Lincoln 180. Have not touched the TIG since. The TIG welder does come with a convenient beer holder built in, so it does not go to waste.
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May 14, 2017 22:33:27 GMT
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Put me in the Mig and Fill camp. I have a TIG welder and can use it, but have never been able to wrap my head around the planishing process that would justify the hours that go into TIG welding a panel to a metal finished state.
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May 13, 2017 21:17:52 GMT
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I love people who make me look sane. Great story.
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May 12, 2017 17:40:59 GMT
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Kinda figured from the start that is what you are up to. Seems you already have a head start of some sort; it is obvious that door is not your first piece of bent metal? If it is, you might want to quit your day job and pursue this as a new career!
I have done a lot of work in MGBs and would say that they are a great car to learn the metal shaping basics because they are simple shapes and you can pick and choose the panels you want to make and buy the rest.
There are only four things you can do with tin: You can cut it, you can bend it and you can shrink it. Once mastered, the tin does not care if it is going on an MGB or an E-type or a Ferrari, it is just tin.
looking forward to seeing how the door-skin fits. Out of curiosity I did go put a straight edge to the door on my MGB GT and there was an arc front to rear. Maybe 1/4"
Bookmarked the thread. If you can you should change the tittle to reflect the metal shaping content because I would have missed it and I know that a lot of people are interested in this stuff.
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Your body hoist brought back memories of when I was doing the same thing. Only I think you are much smarter to be driving yours under the bodyshell! And since hindsight makes for the best engineering solutions, I will ask this: The wheelbase difference between the two vehicles is about 5 inches; about the same as the mismatch between the two firewallls . Rather than cut up the Durango firewall, with all the controls and structure that it entails, would it not have been cleaner to take a cut out of the floor pan and pull the Durango firewall back to match the Chevy's. Not criticizing, just kibitzing from the cheap seats and enjoying the show while having beer.
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Not knowing any ones skill levers this is not meant in any bad nature, but just having an English Wheel won't make the difference knowing how to use it correctly will! And not having one will pretty much guarantee that you never develop any skills! I am a rank beginner with the wheel, but I built it as an exercise in learning how to build one. For the most part, when I have a job that would benefit from its functions, I seem to be able to get the job done. I assure you I will never be an artist with the thing. I cant imagine how you would use one "Incorrectly" since it really only does one thing by design? (actually, two things if we include the soft upper wheel trick) If I were to rate the metalwork/shaping tools that I have in order of what gets used the most, it would be the shear, the break, and the shrinker/stretcher.
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Last Edit: May 9, 2017 18:10:25 GMT by bjornagn
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Oh, and the Durango was a 2005. So call it Durango 2005 My thinking straight away from the name was the Durango 95 from A Clockwork Orange. Or call it "real horrorshow" " The Durango '95 purred away a real horrowshow - a nice, warm vibraty feeling all through your guttiwuts. And soon it was trees and dark, my brothers, with real country dark." Durango 2005 would look cool if you used a nice old car badge font and had it signwritten on in a chrome style. It's a tenuous idea for a name but I like it 😎 Durango 2005 from Clockwork Orange.
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I see that the truck firewall is ahead of the car firewall. Since the pedals are fixed to the truck firewall, this is going to move the driver up close to the chevy windshield. Resolving the ergonoics is not as simple as just moving the seat back. Is there a plan?
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Re the English wheel, what was the rubber band for? Note the rolled edges on the muffler heat shield. Normally, an English wheel will "Squeeze" the metal so that it becomes thinner as it passes between the upper and lower wheels. The result is a domed shape to the panel. But say you don't want a 2 dimensional change in shape. All you want is a roll and maybe you don't have a slip roller or it wont fit in the slip roller, or its not a true radius? What you can do is take advantage of the lower wheel on the E-wheel that has a slight curve to it. The rubber band or Go cart slick or whatever firm but soft surface you put over the wheel wont allow you to crush the metal; only force it over the curve of the lower wheel. In this case I have wrapped the upper wheel in a high density foam and duct tape. I am making a rocker panel and it needs a bit of curve along the lenght. Not something I can put in the slip roll. Curve on factory sill that I removed: What I started with on the panel that I was making: Wheel selection with a small curve similar to the Volvo sill:
And after a couple of passes along the sill length I have this curve that is not too far from the factory sill. Exactly the same? Eh, close enough for that low to the ground. And one finished home made sill. Good enough for the girls I go with.
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Last Edit: May 9, 2017 0:35:10 GMT by bjornagn
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Thanks! And that's right, there's no market for the second hand body panels. One of the YouTube subscribers just asked me that same thing. We've tried to sell them before and you end up with a half stripped out shell of a car parked up as an eyesore while cheap vultures pick over the carcass. yeah exactly, end up dealing with 45 people asking for trim screw covers, ashtray hinges, door grab, foglight switch, when all you want is the bloody thing out of your face Because they only made 8000 Volvo P1800 wagons, I feel obliged to find a home for the unique bits I don't need....Even when I try to give stuff away, people push that little bit and ask "Can you deliver it" or Could you just fix that rust-hole first" or "I need to come over in the middle of the work-day and see it first, do you mind taking the day off so I can maybe drop by"
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I don't post on here that much, but really enjoy your updates Keep them coming! Thank you. I enjoy hearing what people think about this folly of mine. I think we are all getting curious about what the final product might be like?!
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Last Edit: May 8, 2017 11:17:11 GMT by bjornagn
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Thanks for the words of encouragement.
I want to make sure that I get all of the under-car work done as much as possible before it comes off the rotisserie cause it is going to be no fun having to go back to working under a car!
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With only 44 days left before this has to move on its own, I have to keep moving myself. The steering got crossed off the list today. I managed to convert to a double D shaft in order to avoid any welding of the shaft in order to extend it to work with the 7" longer wheel base. I even managed to get it to clear the SS headers that I prefer to use. Bit of hammer work required to get here, but it is clear and it is complete. With the engine and transmission back in and located where they will go, I also checked to make sure that my tunnel entrace clearancing did the job. Happy to report that it did! Confirmed that the battery is going to work in the space I want it to be located. The yellow bit is where the fuel lines are going to pop-out of the frame-rail routing into the engine compartment. At the back, I used the English wheel with a rubber band over the upper wheel to fab up some aluminum heat shields for the mufflers. Since the mufflers essentially run under the fuel tank, ( with decent separation) this seems like a good idea.
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The front subframe is different in that it has a pedestal that raised the 75 up one inch. I don't see a reason why you could not use the front suspension from tne 75 "As is" but why would you want to if you can locate a crossmember from a chrome bumper car?
You will also run into a problem with the engine mounts; might need a new front plate to convert to the earlier mounts .
Probably 80% of the stuff will transfer over and then a few details that will have to be sourced/sorted. Nothing that can't be overcome.
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I think I need a lathe and a mill to keep up in this neighborhood!
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Still working away at the project. Fuel system is pretty close to done. An example of what kills time and beer in my shop. Recall that I decided to run the plastic fuel lines through this hole along the frame rail and into the engine bay, Well, can't just leave a big hole in the rear frame-rail, so noodled up this little blister from the discarded pieces of the cross-over pipe. It covers the hole. Directs the fuel lines where I need them to go, and the front face is made of nylon so it serves dual purpose as a grommet. 49 days to go.
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When it is done the Coupe will have earned its tittle as a Cancer Survivor in its own right.
Was going to refer to the AWD and call it a "Chevy Deluxe 4 x Whore", but that would be rude. Does not suit your personality.
The "Hemi Derainge-o Deluxe Coupe" rolls off the tongue.
"Chemi" if you like to keep it brief
Once again, love the pace of your projects.
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Apr 26, 2017 14:18:47 GMT
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Took it up and they said it needs a new scuttle panel and some welding behind the dashboard. Also they'll look at that inner wing (panels on Escorts are welded unfortunately) So windscreen and dash out anyway, just need to face the facts its going to be a bit pricey. They did great work on it a few years ago and i've left it as long as i can! beats a new car right!? My girlfriend paid a fortune for a service on a toyota aygo recently... old photo before new wheels If they did such great work on it a few years ago, why does it need doing again? Was it a budget limit on your part?
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