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Apr 28, 2021 14:06:55 GMT
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Why you may ask use a Kitten as the basis of your build? A question I have asked myself many times after embarking on the project. In some ways it is unsuitable for what I have in mind being short in the wheelbase and narrow as well. But on the credit side, the Kitten has an extremely stiff and well designed chassis capable I would have thought of underpinning a much higher performance car. I'm not one to butcher a perfectly good classic car but the one I opted for was a basket case with quite a rotten chassis. It had been stored in North Devon in a salty atmosphere and hadn't turned a wheel in many a year so ideal for my purposes. As some of you know my hobby is metal shaping and my idea was to build an aluminium fixed head coupé body using traditional techniques, English Wheel, gas welding, hammer and dolly etc. My aim was to leave the chassis unmolested and bolt the new body to it. The second part of the brief was to build the new car using modern components fitted with up to date technology like heated front and rear screens, air conditioning and a head unit with a screen. The first task was to remove the body and reveal the extent of the works needed to repair the chassis. Here are a few photos, before and after blasting ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/002db4d9b8da.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/eeb7ab07bb20.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/ef1232314302.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/ec43ee9db8d8.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/83105b6a33f6.jpg)
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Apr 28, 2021 14:25:34 GMT
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Nice idea. Let´s see your designs for the body.
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Apr 28, 2021 15:31:13 GMT
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Nice idea. Let´s see your designs for the body. I really wish I could show you but I have to be honest and say that there are no designs or drawings. I have no drawing skills which is quite a disadvantage so I am having to make it up as I go along adding a bit and if it looks okay leave it and if not remove it and try something else. The big difference between mechanical work and bodywork is that mechanicals are either right or wrong. With bodywork you have to spend a long time looking at it and deciding if it looks right to you and if it is what you are trying to achieve. All very much in the eye of the beholder. To make things even more difficult I decided to base the body on a MK4 Fiesta windscreen which are inexpensive, laminated and electrically heated. Although the Fiesta is in modern terms a small and reasonably narrow car it is considerably wider than a Kitten and it was difficult to see how it might work without widening the track which was something I didn't want to do. Similarly with the wheelbase, any changes would not involve any modification to the chassis. I've a huge way to go but the journey so far has been fascinating and hugely involving. Without getting too involved in the minute detail, over the next days I'll post a few photos and words which I hope will be of some interest.
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,931
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Apr 28, 2021 15:39:20 GMT
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I'm in ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png)
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Apr 28, 2021 15:43:04 GMT
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Likewise, I'm following. Don't gloss over the minute details, though...that's where we learn stuff!
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Apr 28, 2021 15:57:16 GMT
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Apr 28, 2021 16:15:49 GMT
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Nice idea. Let´s see your designs for the body. I really wish I could show you but I have to be honest and say that there are no designs or drawings. I have no drawing skills which is quite a disadvantage so I am having to make it up as I go along adding a bit and if it looks okay leave it and if not remove it and try something else. The big difference between mechanical work and bodywork is that mechanicals are either right or wrong. With bodywork you have to spend a long time looking at it and deciding if it looks right to you and if it is what you are trying to achieve. All very much in the eye of the beholder. To make things even more difficult I decided to base the body on a MK4 Fiesta windscreen which are inexpensive, laminated and electrically heated. Although the Fiesta is in modern terms a small and reasonably narrow car it is considerably wider than a Kitten and it was difficult to see how it might work without widening the track which was something I didn't want to do. Similarly with the wheelbase, any changes would not involve any modification to the chassis. I've a huge way to go but the journey so far has been fascinating and hugely involving. Without getting too involved in the minute detail, over the next days I'll post a few photos and words which I hope will be of some interest. I can work some designs out with you if you like. Are you dead set on the Fiesta screen though? Even classic car screens can be had heated and I´d think they´d possibly be more future proof. You could always widen the track with wider wheels and thereby create a wider body. What´s the wheelbase of a Kitten anyway?
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Last Edit: Apr 28, 2021 16:18:43 GMT by horrido
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Apr 28, 2021 16:44:14 GMT
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I can work some designs out with you if you like. Are you dead set on the Fiesta screen though? Even classic car screens can be had heated and I´d think they´d possibly be more future proof. You could always widen the track with wider wheels and thereby create a wider body. What´s the wheelbase of a Kitten anyway? That's really kind of you, thank you but the body is well advanced as will come clear as the story unfolds. I have as you suggested widened the track by fitting 6 inch rims with all the added width on the outside. More to follow.
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Last Edit: Apr 28, 2021 21:28:52 GMT by Rich
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ovimor
North East
...It'll be ME!
Posts: 886
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Apr 28, 2021 17:47:42 GMT
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Oof! I once tried peeling an orange in my pocket.... Sorry, no pictures! I'm in all the way OVIMOR
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Knowledge is to know a Tomato is a 'fruit' - Wisdom, on the other hand, is knowing not to put it in a 'fruit salad'!
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Apr 28, 2021 19:45:25 GMT
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Cool, bookmarked before I'd finished the first paragraph! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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1968 Mini MkII, 1968 VW T1, 1967 VW T1, 1974 VW T1, 1974 VW T1 1303, 1975 Mini 1000 auto, 1979 Chevette, 1981 Cortina, 1978 Mini 1000 1981 Mini City, 1981 Mini van, 1974 Mini Clubman, 1982 Metro City, 1987 Escort, 1989 Lancia Y10, 1989 Cavalier, 1990 Sierra, 1990 Renault 19, 1993 Nova, 1990 Citroen BX, 1994 Ford Scorpio, 1990 Renault Clio, 2004 Citroen C3, 2006 Citroen C2, 2004 Citroen C4, 2013 Citroen DS5. 2017 DS3 130 Plenty of other scrappers!
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Apr 28, 2021 20:51:52 GMT
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Brilliant !! In for the long haul on this one, Looking forward to seeing future updates Nigel
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BMW E39 525i Sport BMW E46 320d Sport Touring (now sold on.) BMW E30 325 Touring (now sold on.) BMW E30 320 Cabriolet (Project car - currently for sale.)
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Apr 29, 2021 10:34:48 GMT
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Brilliant !! In for the long haul on this one, Looking forward to seeing future updates Nigel That's very kind of you Nigel thank you. I started the project 18 months ago so there's a bit of catching up before we reach the state of play at present. It really is a massive project which I try not to think of as a whole because it is too daunting. I treat each bit that I'm working on as a project within a project and that seems to work for me. Having made the frame for the screen the next thing was to decide on how much it sloped. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/c41bf938de08.jpg) Although I am trying to build a light car I haven't compromised on the main body frame which will give rigidity and hopefully a bit of built in safety. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/2396869efd58.jpg) To give the screen frame something solid to be tied to I cut out a section of the round tube and boxed it in. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/90c0bb861909.jpg) I bought a donor Fiesta and have used the entire scuttle/bulkhead assembly which gave the project a terrific boost. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/b3b31db5dd3c.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/1df9dc94a132.jpg)
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alx
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 367
Club RR Member Number: 21
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Apr 29, 2021 11:30:33 GMT
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Awesome stuff. I'm in for the journey.
AL.
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Apr 29, 2021 11:51:07 GMT
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I'm suprised you did not use a donor for the screen frame as well, could have saved a fair bit of work?
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Apr 29, 2021 12:43:20 GMT
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I don't think the Fiesta screen frame would have fitted the concept terribly well and foremost, I didn't have it when I made the frame. I did use the rear aperture though. Having tacked the screen frame in I filled in the gaps so that it would have the strength of the tubular frame behind it. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/9964afe3a47b.jpg) The screen sits nicely all round. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/1fc07e4f81d8.jpg) A big benefit of using the Fiesta scuttle is the steering column mount. I'm using the Fiesta column with an extension to mate up with the Kitten steering rack. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/ce31eb52d999.jpg) I fitted a pillow block bearing and formed the footwell. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/a60fb11cf9a7.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/438f4b7f0429.jpg) I had to reproduce the profile of the Fiesta A post which I managed in the folder . ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/b93584bf40d4.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/1d00d535e229.jpg) ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/1f539a695998.jpg) The finished footwell. ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/02984e11790e.jpg)
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Apr 29, 2021 13:47:12 GMT
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Always blown away by the ability of some people to be brilliant at every aspect of car building, sounds great can't wait to see it unfold!
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ovimor
North East
...It'll be ME!
Posts: 886
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Apr 29, 2021 14:04:53 GMT
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... unfold ... ? You must be thinking of Cardboard Aided Design lol OVIMOR
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Knowledge is to know a Tomato is a 'fruit' - Wisdom, on the other hand, is knowing not to put it in a 'fruit salad'!
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Apr 29, 2021 14:05:40 GMT
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Always blown away by the ability of some people to be brilliant at every aspect of car building, sounds great can't wait to see it unfold! Kind of you to say but I'm not brilliant in any department I'm afraid. I guess dogged sums me up and I relish the challenge and like gazzam (who is doing such splendid work on the XK120) I've found a huge amount of help on YouTube particularly from Wray Shelin and Chris Runge. They are inspirational and explain what they do in detail and clarity. I think it was Matt Urch who explained pie cuts which I used to fabricate the exhaust manifold. By cutting 9 degree angles on round tube they can be rotated against their fellow to produce any desired angle and orientation. I used stainless tube and TIG welded them together. Here is the start ![](https://img.retro-rides.org/i/v/johnbonnett/5a0e97103177.jpg)
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