alecf
Part of things
Posts: 424 
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Nov 13, 2015 21:04:02 GMT
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Joined just to say that this is one of the best threads I've read in years.
Hats off to you for not only living the dream, but actually documenting it and sharing it.
Thought I'd been all over the country Fetching cars planes and boats but this is brilliant.
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Nov 13, 2015 21:32:58 GMT
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Right, I'm back. apologies about that....it wasn't my intention to leave it this long. So, we had just got to Brad's place. I'm guessing you all want to see inside? What's this big deal that he's been going on about? The signs were good from the start, a fridge in a garage is always going to be a good garage. A fridge in a garage with beers in is exactly my kind of garage.  Even though the kitchen is literally the other side of the door next to the fridge, the potential time lost/wasted going to and fro to fetch beers just doesn't sit comfortably with a true petrol head. And just one glance around this place you know Brad and his father are proper petrolheads, I mean, just look at the place!   But that's only part of it. Squeezed in between roll cab, workbench, cupboards and fridge is this little lot:  SRS BSNS!! Look a little closer and you start to see that there is some history here. Something more than just a father/son duo who spend their Sundays checking the points on their classic car.  Then there was the Chevy Wagon parked in the middle.  Lovely thing!    Lots of cool patina even if the wheels aren't to my taste (for the car) but, it turns out, not owned by either Brad or Richard. Nope, it's owned by this chap who is the editor of a magazine, he'd brought it over for Richard to do some work on.  Now, let's bring things down to earth a bit before I build them back up again. Brad not only has the Cressida daily outside and also the Silverado daily outside, he also has a Miata. Yep, he's got a US badged MX5. Whoopee doo! An MX5 - hardly earth shattering! Some build up heh! You wait two days to find out I'm getting all excited about a flipping Eunos Roasdster..... It does have a nice paint job, however, and some super wide arches.  Oh, and some carbon fiber (colloquial spelling mandatory when writing about a Miata)  Big deal. |
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alecf
Part of things
Posts: 424
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Nov 13, 2015 21:42:03 GMT
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Awesome garage
Mx5- turbo v8?
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Nov 13, 2015 21:48:12 GMT
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Let's move in a little closer.  A little closer still....  Right up close.  More of that lovely carbon. Not a 3M wrap, Brad doesn't do that kind of thing.  Doors? Yep, also made of the lightweight stuff.   The rear arches (fenders) are even wider than the fronts.  WIIIDE!  Looking back at the front end you start to realise that things aren't as they seem. An air filer sat before the radiator? in the middle? Maybe there's more to this car than fat arches and some lightweight panels?  |
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BLU
Part of things
Posts: 347
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Nov 13, 2015 22:03:37 GMT
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Tease   |
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The future's bright, the future's BLU
Silver 1987 MK2 Fiesta Ghia
White 2006 MK6 Fiesta ST150
Yellow 2007 MK6 Fiesta Zetec S Anniversary #279
Green 2007 MK6 Fiesta Zetec S Celebration #471 (diesel conversion)
Red 2008 MK6 Fiesta Zetec S Anniversary #893
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Nov 13, 2015 22:08:34 GMT
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Some details for you. Wilwood 4 pot brakes at the stern   A couple of extra pistons for each side of the front end.  The Wilwood theme extends to the interior:  This thing is super clean. Squeaky clean! Want to see the underside? You can see that in a moment..... In the meantime, also on the inside, Stack instruments.  Full cage, harnesses and a brake bias valve.  You can probably guess that this car is more than just your normal build for a 24 year old? Taking a look from the back end, more carbon, some custom fabricated metalwork for the bumper mounts, a pretty cool pair of exhaust pipes and a better view of the cage.  Underneath it gets even better. So, so damn clean and well put together. The kind of attention to detail I can only (and do) aspire to.      Impressed? You should be! Just wait until you see under here:  It's not the engine that impressed me the most. Sure, that really did impress me, but nowhere near as much as something else. It's the 'something else' that I think will impress all of you too..... |
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Nov 13, 2015 22:22:50 GMT
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Nov 13, 2015 22:45:17 GMT
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C'mon you git! Get on with it!  |
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1980 Derby GLS
1992 Rover 216 Gti - Sold
2006 Hilux - Sold (boo hoo) need a 2wd pickup. Anyone?
2009 Avensis Tourer - Gone
1993 Mk1 Golf Cabby
1983 mk1 golf. Project rust bucket
1998 Toyota Corolla. Project crash repair
2007 Volvo V70. Daily for sale!
Looking for a winter project - any suggestions?
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Nov 13, 2015 22:47:13 GMT
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Recognise the engine?  |
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Nov 13, 2015 22:47:40 GMT
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Wowsers. Some serious time and effort has gone into that. Small exotic V8 of some sort?
Edit: Posted at the same time as MM posted the engine.
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Last Edit: Nov 13, 2015 22:48:31 GMT by keithyboy
Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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Nov 13, 2015 22:48:48 GMT
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LSX?
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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Nov 13, 2015 22:53:42 GMT
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LS indeed. Here's the other half of it:  BUT....if you're like me, you'll have spotted something else that will have drawn your eye away from the V8? The idea of an LS Miata/MX5 isn't exactly new, but it's the fabrication and attention to detail that completely blew me away. I mean, JUST LOOK AT THAT ENGINE BAY!!!!    |
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Nov 13, 2015 23:16:41 GMT
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This is the part where I tell you that Brad, who I'll remind you again is 24, built this all himself. When I say 'built', I mean he made the full roll cage himself, all the suspension arms he fabricated from scratch, the beautifully crafted inner arches that make the massive 'fenders' look factory fit. He also cut the whole front end off the car, built a front spacefame and then crafted the buklhead and other panels from scratch. In sheet steel. See that beautifully formed front slam panel and air intake duct?  That's all steel, all made by Brad. See these inner arches?   That is the front spaceframe and suspension turrets which tie in perfectly with the full cage. The smoothed inner wings are sheet steel seamlessly welded into the voids in the spaceframe. It looks great in the photos but I can tell you now, it looks even better in the flesh. Perfect. Flawless. I've seen this kind of quality work on mega high end builds from top hot rod and custom shops, but for a 24 year old to build something like this, in his family garage in their suburban house, in his spare time. It's mindblowing. Absolute craftsmanship. I spent at least two hours just taking in all the details of the car. So many details, all so amazingly executed. So much to take in that I didn't actually photograph it all, it was quite literally overwhelming when you consider who build it, and where it was built. James just grinned whenever he saw my face, "Told you you'd like it" he repeated a few times. He wasn't wrong. Brad's Miata V8 is one of the most impressive builds I've come across and he built it to race. It's going to be a time attack car, not a show car. The powerplant and engineering, the whole build from start to finish was, is, all about racing and yet he's acheived it all in a package that most people would trailer to shows and display as an ornament, a showpiece in incredible craftsmanship. 99% of those people would probably cry if they knew Brads intentions. It's in the genes I reckon, this whole fabrication thing, because his Dad is a bit of a dab hand at this 'tinkering with cars' thing. Brad certainly built this car himself and it's one hell of a car, but I think some of his Dad's skill and experience had rubbed off in more than just 'some small way'. I think you could say that his Dad has history. Look back at the photos of the trophies and medals and you can see where I'm coming from with that statement. I might have forgotten to mention that Richards current work in progress was sat out on the drive. Dads own little project while Brad had been busy making a super cool Miata V8 time attack car. I think you'll like that too.... |
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Nov 13, 2015 23:26:07 GMT
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dan91
Part of things
Posts: 418
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Nov 13, 2015 23:43:10 GMT
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You're a curse word fantastic human being. The fact you managed to make all of this happen is excellent and even more so for sharing it with us on here.
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Nov 13, 2015 23:48:20 GMT
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Okay, I suppose it was worth the wait!
Hotdamn!
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1980 Derby GLS
1992 Rover 216 Gti - Sold
2006 Hilux - Sold (boo hoo) need a 2wd pickup. Anyone?
2009 Avensis Tourer - Gone
1993 Mk1 Golf Cabby
1983 mk1 golf. Project rust bucket
1998 Toyota Corolla. Project crash repair
2007 Volvo V70. Daily for sale!
Looking for a winter project - any suggestions?
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oukie
Part of things
Posts: 307
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Moar  |
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Last Edit: Nov 14, 2015 0:58:27 GMT by oukie
Mr2 mk1 x4
Honda Accord 2.4 Executive (luxo barge)
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Brilliant. Pleased to read the full story behind the trip - I just caught the updates on Facebook.
Keep the updates coming, it is a great read. Would love to do something like this.. one day.
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PhoenixCapri
West Midlands
Posts: 2,685
Club RR Member Number: 91
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WOW that is an amazing build, that slam panel/intake is beautiful. So glad you got such good photos!
I'll never build a car that nice for track use (I don't trust my driving skills enough to think ot worthwhile!) but I just love guys who can't help but do such a good job. How I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for the whole trip.
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