1962 Rochdale Olympic - Let's crack on

No news on the car for months on here. Apologies, it's still moving forward however! Happy New Year to all by the way.
Work has being moving on, slowly but surely. I am off to see the car tomorrow to see the latest. There won't be masses to see, but we have got to the point where paint is being sprayed!
The underside and the arches were shotblasted to help prepare for paint. Those sections have now been painted, in the chosen body colour.
I'm going down to take a look, mostly to double check that the colour in the flesh is as I hope.
After all of my procrastination of the right colour, I still ended up choosing a colour that I have never seen painted on anything car sized or shaped in the flesh. I've made some bad colour choices in the past, based on a small colour swatch (royal blue suit for my wedding is the most costly mistake, which was only fit for an extra in the Anchorman), so I'm a little nervous.

Before Christmas, I also took delivery of a whole hide of beautiful leather. That specific choice took me about 3 years, and involved about 50 samples too. This will be used to add the necessary quality feel to the interior and I'm hopefully enlisting some young talent from this very Parish to help me achieve it.

The only photo of any worth is that of the new light surrounds that I got hold of the rear lights. These were incredibly difficult to source, from Hella in Germany eventually. The lights will be recessed more than this, once the pods have been opened out a bit to cater for the extra few mm.
Shiny!


The car is now basically at reassambly stage. All of the major fabrication has been done. The suspension is ready to be bolted back together. The engine and box have been in and out a few times, so theoretically, we're on the finishing straight.

I'm aiming to drive the car to Wheels Day and everyone is working towards that date.....

I'll hopefully have some photos to share after tomorrow.

Wheels Day, you say?! Wow, exciting stuff!

Just having a look back through the thread; I loved the original cartoon-crazy iteration of the arches but the new, simpler, subtler look works a treat. And the vents in the wings are spot on too.

Look forward to seeing the choice of colour revealed…!

Speaking of progressing...

Hi Em.

If there was an Award for the least well maintained build thread, surely I'd be up for a RR award!
Did I make Wheels Day in the Rochdale? Did I bu**ery! I was there, but in the wrong car.
My visit in January provides the latest pictures, which I'm sure seem very underwhelming to most. Basically, the engine bay, floor and wheel arches have been painted.





In the least, it was great to see that chosen colour was exactly as I wanted. A grey with a slight blue tint. Many people will just see primer grey, but I know that in combination with the interior colour and some exterior touches that I have planned, it is spot in for my taste.

Progress on the Olympic has been pretty slow this year unfortunately. Pretty disappointed if I'm honest. The work has to fit in around other jobs, typically classic race cars being readied for certain race meets, e.g. Goodwood Members meeting. Mike is completing the Olympic based on very modest payment terms so I have to accept that it gets worked on as and when. I can't afford for it to be done any quicker if you understand.

I suppose the good news is that the suspension has all been sorted, fitted once and now is just a reassembly job.
The brake system is now completely changes, with new lightweight calipers.
We're going to lose the brake servo and probably move to an off the shelf floor mounted pedal box (the original never felt robust enough).
The rewiring is next, making up a new prop, getting the engine and box back in, you know, just small things like that 

I am now aiming for the RRG. I'd love for it to be complete by then, but who knows if that is achievable.
It's a strange situation when you are, in effect, completely dependent upon someone else doing the work, and what their priorities are. It is so different to when I did the Triumph, and my progress was far more about how motivated I was to get the things done.

Alongside the re assembly work going on in the workshop, there are a few decisions that I need to resolve.

Instruments -
I have basically grown away from the style of the instruments I had made, which I think I had mentioned previously. I got back in touch with Speedy Cables about changing the face plates, to mimic a design that is more period. I was told that there would be a 12 month wait and the cost would be in 4 figures, so you can imagine my response. I am now looking to find some S/H 100mm instruments that I think will be right for the car. I could of course live with the instruments I have but I know they won't look right now, and I'll see them every time I drive the thing, which I'm sure would always stop me being 100% happy.

Interior -
Good news here is that Sean 'Karisma' from this very parish is going to provide his skilled needlework to create the interior. I have some one piece Sparco bucket seats that I have cut down to be low backs which will get trimmed in the lovely leather that I have bought. I just need to get the seats to Sean and finalise the small details, like stitch size, and maybe going perforated for the seat centres.
The interior will probably end up being done in stages, panel by panel but I have some pretty clear ideas on what and how it will be trimmed.

Exterior door handles -
The current drivers door uses an MGB boot lock. The passenger side never had an external handle fitted. The MGB lock always seemed a bit too large, so I am trying to find something that basically just gives me a barrel lock and a finger pull. I want something discreet as I don't want something that interferes with the lines of the bodywork. Fussy I know, but this car will win or lose based on the details.

Anyway, that's enough of my ramblings. I will try and get some more photos soon, to prevent my updates feeling like a monologue on a fictional build!

Cheers all

You're absolutely right about the mx5 handles, thanks for the suggestion. In fact, I know of at least 2 Olympics that now use them. For me, and admittedly a very contrary perspective, they are too 'borrowed'. The fact that they are so identifiable, from such a big selling car, kind of puts me off. I don't want that feature being a focal point that so many will recognize, kind of making the car just a sum of other car parts. Silly I know, especially as I think they look good.....

So, it's not been a great week where the Olympic is concerned.
I was at the Bromley show, saw 2 Olympics, chatted to two of the longest serving club members and I started the week feeling pretty energised about the car.
This week however I have discovered that the car isn't going to get finished by the current company who have been working on it. The company is going under and I need to organise to collect the car, and associated bits ASAP before the place is locked up.
I hold no grudge about those involved, I know very little about the circumstances and have always been very happy with being their customer. Still gutted.
I basically have a shell, bare aside from the new suspension, and a lot of bits. Hopefully, the remaining guy there can fit the new hubs so that it is a rolling shell, which will make it a lot easier to move.
The reality is however that I have a car in bits, with the people involved in the disassembly and manufacturing of new parts now not able to finish the job. I have to find someone else to take the job on, or find storage and have a good think about what to do next.

If anyone can help with suggestions of an outfit that could be equipped to take on the next thrilling chapter, I'm all ears.
We're talking; complete rewiring, fitting of engine and box, making up of new prop, fitting new pedal box and setting up all secondary systems. I miss details out for my own sanity.
The paint and trim are the least of my concerns, as these can be tackled as standalone jobs, my main fear is how easily someone can pick up the work that is part resolved.

Jinxed?? Dunno, but this one sure is fighting me......
10 years and counting. curse word.

My thoughts exactly.

Sure one or two of the guys would be interested in taking it on?

P.

Yeah gods my single one is filthy 95% time.....If only I had a spare I could multitask for the remaining 5%

Seriously its a lovely car - even if you tackle it one thing at a time its still progress and you will have something to show for it.

I haven't had time to go back and re-read all the rest of the thread, but depending on what engine etc you are running, couldn't you use an E-Z Wiring kit like Grizz got for his ute? It would at least allow you to get your main bits wired up (Lights, Ignition). I like electrical work, but even I'd consider using these if I was starting from scratch.

The other benefit is that your own labour is "free". The less you spend on getting others to work on it, the more you can spend on parts and goodies.