Model A speedster/tub project

So on with the speedster.
The plan for this was to use a totally stock chassis from a Model A with all stock running gear, all in stock locations. SO in effect it is just a body swap, albeit a bespoke body.

I started with some ply and some polythene sheet and mocked up (very crudely) what i thought looked about right - The owner of the build came and confirmed it was on the right track. (the body will continue on from where the ply stops, more on that later)



The body of the speedster was agreed to be narrower than a standard model a body, so that meant i had to build the subrails too. (The subrails are what mounts to the chassis, the body is built around the subrails)
I got some zintec bent up locally to the profile i drew, this included 2 main lengths and some cross members. I then had to cut the bent profile about to get the subrails to form the curve of the body.


and shaped to required profile

Thanks.

I built the front end of the coupe for a "something to do" project, to look a bit different and also did it in the hope it helped streamline the car for running at Pendine.  Some have said its a bit "marmite" which i do get, but enjoyed making it anyway!

Love it. Nice work.

With the subrails now shaped, i started on the firewall. I mocked up a bit of ply to get the correct location and shape. The body of the speedster will be aluminium but the firewall is steel.
I wanted a flange turned on the firewall which would need shrinking, my shrinker stretcher is just a cheapo one with minimal throat, so shrunk the excess metal by hand.

















I rolled some beads in the firewall






And added a bend with a cutout for the floor area










Next up was to make some triangle shaped brackets that are welded to the subrails, which the firewall can be bolted to. Due to the fact the subrails are tapering and are not parallel the triangle brackets are made canted over.





They fit here.

loving the coupe nose

who doesn’t love a bonneville salt flats inspired bit of aero 😍

there a guy down the road from me in old becket that builds old speedsters he normally has something for sale on car and classics etc

As i said, slightlty out of sequence, but i had to make a frame to form the cowl area (normally where a model fuel tank would be), this took a fair amount of effort and 2 goes at it - I took lines starting at the grill shell backwards until I thought everything looked right.
I roughed out an overlong bonnet top which helped as i could make the framework from the subrails and up until the frame touched evenly to the underside of the bonnet.
I used square tube and bent it to the correct curve of the bonnet, with the occasional pie cut where needed.

Templating the bonnet







and the start of the frame work going into place