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Long term plan is to replace the roll hoop with a full cage, for even more strength.
Don't know about the seats yet. I'm changing to different ones, so until I get them I can't be sure. With the old seats the top of the screen was right in my eye line, so hoping I can get everything positioned right to avoid that again.
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Finally managed to get the body back on the pan, with the side rails of the lift kit in place and everything bolted down, but somehow didn't get a picture of that... So now the next fun job begins, filling in the gaps front and rear. In theory that should be easy, but the body is old, twisted and distorted. (though I doubt it would have fit any better when new...) An offcut of the side rails shows the issue, the gap at the top of the napoleons hat should be the same as the side rails, but its not, by a long way.  And looking down on it you can see the other issue  Yup, the whole front section is bowed out. One option is to cut out the fibreglass firewall and remake it, but I don't fancy that. So it's time for some CAD and thin sheet metal prototypes  and that's as far as I got. At that point my beer was empty, and dinner was calling. I did manage to get the pedals all put back together and waiting to be bolted back into the car in what I hope is the not too distant future. And yes, I have gone for the chav-tastic aftermarket aluminium pedal covers. Having drivne the buggy in the wet and had the fun of my feet sliding on the pedals, I thought an extra bit of grip would be nice. They may yet come off and get painted mind.  |
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Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 20:54:45 GMT by SamJ
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j32j
Kinda New
Posts: 1 
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May 24, 2017 14:52:12 GMT
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Hi SamJ,
I did exactly the same as your doing to a SWB GP Buggy, back in 1983-84. Even did six point roll cage that bolted to the rear frame I made to go around the motor...
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May 24, 2017 18:07:34 GMT
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Hi j32j, firstly, welcome  I'm currently on the hunt for a company to make me a proper roll cage to replace the rather non-structural roll bar that I had on the old chassis. Don't know whether it will tie into the engine cage or not yet, depends if I go for a simple-ish cage or full on tagged race cage... I have no plan to ever race it, but nothing wrong with having the right stuff in the first place |
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So, been making slow progress, but progress non the least. front section of the lift kit was made from two pieces of 3mm plate to form the front and back, with 2mm plate bent to form the top and bottom, all fully seam welded together.  For the rear section I needed some 75(ish)x60mm box, so cut up some of the 80x60, and rewelded so that it had the correct 80mm vertical height when installed in the car on an angle.  Lots of grinding and welding later, we have an 80x60x3mm body lift   Between this and the 30x30x3mm reinforcing under the floors, there is a lot of strength gone back into the floor - and unfortunately a lot of weight... Think in total the lift kit is about 45 kg, and the reinforcing another 10 kg. Be interesting to see what the car comes in at when I get it on the weighbridge. |
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Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 20:56:41 GMT by SamJ
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It was decided that seen as the weather was rather nice a trip to the beach was needed and it just so happened that with a slight (hour long) diversion, I had some new seats  Okay, so they need recovering, but for the price I won't complain. Either my OH will have a crack at recovering them, or I will use them as a test for the upholsterer in my village before needing the big car doing. With the body back on, and the steering column roughly shoved in, I could set about making some seat mounts. Luckily the sliders on the old seats bolted up to the new seats just fine.   And thats where I am at. Few other small jobs done without pictures - ball joints up front have been replaced and new bushes fitted to the rear trailing arms. next up - making dash / bonnet / steering column support structure... |
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Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 20:58:27 GMT by SamJ
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wow, that body lift mod is amazing....it looks great and will add some much needed stiffness to the chassis....
great job
JP
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I know its spelled Norman Luxury Yacht, but its pronounced Throat Wobbler Mangrove!
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God help anyone that crashes into it as it will cut them in half as that won't bend.
Nice Fab work, maybe you should put some lightening holes on the inside of the frame.
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Cheers guys, I'm pretty pleased with how it's coming together.
Once the cage and dash supports are all welded in as well it really will stiffen up. I might add some holes later, but will wait until I know where everything else has to mount up first.
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I love a buggy build me. Enjoying this. Thanks.
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So with both seats fitted, I ripped all the stuff out the old dash and fitted it up with a quick notch to go around where the steering column now sits (for the moment).  One thing I never liked about the buggy was how far out from the dash the steering wheel sat. I'm trying to make space for both rear seats and some kind of storage, so space is at a premium.  So, out comes the column, and the inner shaft is stripped from the housing. The inner shaft is hollow to allow for the horn electrics to pass through it. A couple of holes drilled in the shaft, and some careful marking. The plan was to remove 50mm from the overall length, so a bit of 50mm masking tape as a guide, and two small marks 100mm apart to help with lining up later.  No going back now!  |
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Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 20:59:44 GMT by SamJ
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A rummage through the scrap pile finds a bit of 16mm tube, 8"ish section was cut off, given a quick clean. The ends of the cut steering shaft were given a nice big bevel...  Clamp it down to a bit of box section to keep everything lined up and out with the hot metal stick, plug welding through the holes drilled earlier, and a nice fillet to fill the V between the ends of the shaft.  A quick clean up with a flap disk and a double check to make sure I got it right and the marks that were 100mm apart an hour ago are now 50mm apart.  A quick trim of the outer tube, shove it all back together, and back in the car. Looking a bit better.  |
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Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 21:01:42 GMT by SamJ
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Jun 12, 2017 12:59:50 GMT
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Lovely work, but I have to say, that dash is just awful! Is there some sort of pad(ding) going on top and is there a facia of some sort or is this it?
I'd like to see you do something nicer in there. And yes I get it's a beach buggy, not a Rolls.
To me this, like the headlights, makes the thing look cheap. As nice a job as you will no doubt do on it, it will still look cheap. I know you are open to suggestions on the headlights so I'd be interested to hear your view on the dash. Would be nice to fit a more modelled dash in there.
As for the headlights I'm thinking fiat panda 2010. But they have a bit of a curve that your wing edges where the lights are now don't have. So they will require modding, but that is a look I think would go with the buggy... But I have to admit it is easy to dismiss the original stuff but a lot harder to find something nice. I was thinking popup headlights a la X1/9 could also be something, but they'd also need a lot of work and need to be higher up in the fender area which may not be clever given the buggy nature...
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Jun 12, 2017 13:54:07 GMT
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What you see there is the result of a dash that was quickly made back when my workshop was the living room and all work was done out on the driveway. It was then cut about and modified for different gauges, and is now about to be hacked about again... I don't have a good picture of the dash before I ripped it all out, least not that I can find to hand. It used to be padded and wrapped in vinyl, with a engine turned aluminium panel on the front - with a bit of pinstriping and custom faced gauges.   I'd like to do something different with it - well it all has to be remade to move everything to the other side, and the speedo needs to be changed for one that reads kph... How much I can do is all a question of time. Ideally I would mould something out of fibreglass, but I also really want to get it on the road this year, so it will prob end up getting something simple just to get it running, and swapping it out for something more interesting later. Nice thing is the dash is only held in by being clamped between the screen and the bonnet, so easy to remove. I was hoping to get a new 'box' folded up so I can start again with something similar, but I don't have a folder big enough, got to find someone that can make it for me... |
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Jun 12, 2017 13:59:16 GMT
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Hey SamJ, I work in a company with its own metal shop. If you have dimensions I can ask. Can't promise anything but can ask. The dash as you showed in the additional pics looks a lot better! Thing is that it's a buggy so it will always be a little less refined so to speak. But I think there's room for improvement still. Padding also helps a lot even if the shape remains simple. Fibreglass will be a good material to play with I think but I fully understand your reasoning! Get it running, get it LHD and get it legal! |
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Jun 12, 2017 14:05:55 GMT
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I hope that the guy in Valkenswaard who has my Oldsmobile for welding can do it, but he hasn't responded to my last message, which is a little concerning... Shall let you know if I get stuck, its quite a simple thing really. Just needs someone with a 1200mm sheet metal brake.
Main thing is getting it legal, I have no idea what the RDW will ask for, so I fear it might be a bit of a long process. Things like if I need to change the front screen for one that has the E-mark or not. Same with the rear lights, they all need to be replaced.
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Jun 12, 2017 14:20:19 GMT
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I think our machinery is larger than you need... I'll ask to be sure. We build equipment of considerable size...
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Jun 12, 2017 22:32:52 GMT
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Ah nice work Mr J! Hadn´t seen this thread until now.
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Ahem, Dr J if you are going to use a title  I've been keeping most of this off facebook, don't want to bore to many people |
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Jun 14, 2017 19:10:14 GMT
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So, whilst waiting on suppliers to get back to me about a replacement dash, thought I would crack on with another job...  Now, previously it never had back seats, and well, I never wanted them either. But, a) not having them seemed a bit odd and the luggage box I had previously a bit bulky, and b) I think it is better to put them in now and get it registered as a 4-seat car. I can always remove them later. So, various bits of box, and a frame is starting to take shape. A lot of buggies just have the seats on the rear "deck" area (for want of a better word) but I find it very usefull to have some form of enclosed kinda safe storage, so my back seats will be forward slightly. This does mean it will be a 2+2 more than a true 4 seat car, adults in the back might not be the most comfortable I am hoping that I have understood the Dutch rules correctly, and being a 1974 car it doesn't need seatbelts on the rear seats. Maybe eurogranada can help confirm that one? I don't really intend to carry passengers, so from a safety factor I am not too worried, it would just be easier not to have to fabricate structural mounts. |
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Last Edit: Jul 5, 2017 21:08:16 GMT by SamJ
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