roger.england Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Its all coming together well John What colour will it be?Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 Quoted from roger.england Its all coming together well John What colour will it be?Roger Currently Guards Red Roger but as we all suspect, the painter will do it in whatever colour he decides. No, only joshing. I'm sure it will be red if that's what I ask for but whether it turns out as Guards, Nissan or Rosso Red will be in his hands. I'm happy to let him have the final say because red is prone to fading and he will I am sure choose one that is stable. I've still not decided whether to have the bonnet painted or to polish it. I spent an hour or two this morning planishing out the low spots and then sanding down the file marks. Bringing up to a mirror finish will be a lot of work with successively finer grades of paper before polishing. My main concern is that if it were painted it's bound to be scuffed when it comes off every time fuel is needed. So, we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Jon,I love G15s, so extreme;y pleased to see this car being restored by you.Bonnet in alloy, if unpainted, what about reflections? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheherald Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Also about to say, beware reflections off polished ally.. My old Midge had polished ally bonnet panels, it caught me out a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 Quoted from timbancroft61 Jon,I love G15s, so extreme;y pleased to see this car being restored by you.Bonnet in alloy, if unpainted, what about reflections? That's a really good point Tim and one I hadn't considered. That explains why the bonnets on some rally cars were matt black. I was only lukewarm about polishing so you have made my mind up for me. it has to be painted. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiTurbo228 Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 So, judging by your progress so far this'll be 2 project car's you'll have finished before I've done 1...Cracking work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 Quoted from BiTurbo228 So, judging by your progress so far this'll be 2 project car's you'll have finished before I've done 1...Cracking work That's very kind of you. Thank you. But do bear in mind that I am retired and I can and do play every day. I cannot imagine how chaps with families and jobs ever get time to spend on their projects. So I'm full of admiration for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I'm just tired 🤔RR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny-Jimbo Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Same - I'm basically doing two jobs; 8 hours a day in the 'office' job (but was drifting a Land Rover Discovery today, so not all bad), then 4 hours or so most nights in the workshop, and then 12+ hours each day at the weekend.So, yup, I'm 'just tired' as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 8 hours on the day jobOften a couple of hours on the other job in the eveningTime spent with family / cooking / washing upI'm lucky if I can find one hour in the workshop most days.That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 Next job is to prepare the engine cover for painting. Generally it is in good condition but as I don't want to use the round Land rover lamps the holes need filling in. I've taken the easy way out and rather than fill each hole individually I've cut the whole panel and and replaced it with aluminium. I cut it to size and joddled a step so that it fits behind the fibreglass but the front face is flush. I'v made good with filler and sanded it down. A much quicker and easier job than the fibreglassing alternative.I'm going to use the same Mix'n'Match lamps as I have on the Triumph. I think they look good and most importantly the LED brake and rear lights are very bright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 If it's al-yoo-min-ee-um (lol) have it anodized, then paint the body the same color.Ehh. Just me thinking out loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiTurbo228 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Quoted from John Bonnett That's very kind of you. Thank you. But do bear in mind that I am retired and I can and do play every day. I cannot imagine how chaps with families and jobs ever get time to spend on their projects. So I'm full of admiration for you. Modest as ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 This time a repair using fibreglass was unavoidable. There was a split in the engine cover that needed attention before the painter has it. I have a lot of respect for people who are artists with fibreglass but it's not my favourite material most likely because I'm rubbish at it and generally get in quite a mess .So I screwed a small plate on the flange to hold the fibreglass in place and then sanded a bowl shaped depression that was deepest next to the damaged area. After a coat of resin I built it up using small pieces of matting torn from the sheet. Once cured it was sanded down and job done. Not as bad as I had feared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Bolting a backing plate on is a fine idea John. I've seen that method used by the pros in various applications, so I think you are spot on.Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Quoted from byakk0 Bolting a backing plate on is a fine idea John. I've seen that method used by the pros in various applications, so I think you are spot on.Nice work! Thank you Hazen. As with all my projects it's very much Make it up as you go along, which is part of the appeal. I've ordered the lights and the number plate which I can fit and then remove for painting. This will ensure that all the holes are in place and no damage to the paint if fitted afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny-Jimbo Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Good example of using metal strips to hold a GRP body in place for modification...https://youtu.be/z-vVBhz1HQg?t=639 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 I've been very pleased with the Mix'n'Match lamps I've fitted to the Triumph and have decided to use them on the G15. It is important to be seen and these lamps tick that box as well as being pleasing to the eye. (In my opinion) Outer outers are LED stop and tail and the inner outers indicators. Outer inners are reflectors and inner inners reversing and high intensity fog lamps.http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/category/mix-match-lights/I'm waiting for a suitable size holesaw to drill the rear panel but I have been able to make up aluminium enclosures that will clamp the lamp units tightly in place. Starting with 25mm wide strips of aluminium I rolled cylinders of the correct diameter to allow the outer lamps to slide in and welded them up. End plates were then made and welded in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 Quoted from byakk0 nice. thank you Hazen. I know a piece of bent steel would have made a perfectly adequate clamp but I cannot resist a bit of fabrication when an opportunity arises 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted February 24, 2017 Author Share Posted February 24, 2017 The engine cover is now ready for the painter, the lat job being to put 92mm holes in for the lamp housings and trial fit the lamps and number plate. Fortunately, I measured correctly and the spacings are acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 Looking good 🙂Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 With the body soon to be dispatched for painting I've had to make up a trolley so that the painter can move it from his workshop to the oven. I managed to cobble something together using materials that I found in the depths of our store room. It doesn't look pretty but at zero cost that has to be good if it does the job.With the body off the chassis I was able to offer up the roll cage jig in preparation for putting in the mountings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 I've put the fixings in for the roll cage. I have difficulty in drilling down vertically through two inch tube so to make things a bit easier I made a simple drill guide. The fixings are M10 which fit through 1/2" O/D tube. So for the guide I pressed a short length of the tube into a piece of box section. This worked out nicely and the holes top and bottom line up pretty well.The crush tubes using the same 1/2 inch tube are now in place ready to be TIG welded in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 We now have a rolling chassis which has given me a huge psychological boost. No big deal in the scheme of things particularly as it will all have to come apart before the chassis can be painted but just seeing it on its wheels feels like a huge step forward. And I really love the MK1 Cosmics. I was amazingly lucky to find them particularly as they were made specially for the G15. And they are light like you would not believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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