Manky Monkey Motors

   I put a couple of photos of this in Taz's thread but so as not to derail that too far, here's it's own. Perhaps Paul can be persuaded to put some more up. I really wouldn't have touched this car, it was dead. Paul however is made of more talented stuff and cracked on with it. All the black panels and most of the unpainted stuff is new, it had got to a stage where the front end was all together and, as it had been built around a jig fixed to all the relevant suspension points, was good. Sighting along the car however showed that it might be developing a problem in the rear quarters. A couple of lengths of 5x3 UB, some tube and large threaded rod saw a flat and level platform built to allow the car to be mounted and secured at the front and the back jacked as necessary before continuing with the build. 

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We've got one that looks like that -only not so straight.

So that's day one of Overhaulin'......

*drools*

more stripped down muscle...

it's like backwards pornography... i can't wait for all the bits and pieces to be put back on!

   just to give a better idea of the work so far.

   That's new lower bulkhead and new outer sections out to the A posts, new inner wings, new strut towers, new front panel
    New lower closer panels, new front chassis legs, new outer wings

   New front floor pans , new inner cills

   New rear chassis legs

   New rear quarters are here somewhere.....

   ...and of course just to keep the enthusiasm levels up, a second project close at hand for when you need a change. Triumph Spitfire, chassis done and painted, engine and box done and in, suspension pretty much all there, neatly wrapped and resting in the rafters.

Mmmmmm............... Spitfire nice. ;D

some peeps got too much money ;D

But it has taken over 5 years to get that far with it ;)

Good things come to those who wait so they say.

  Spurred on, he's going at it like a man possessed, nearly two full days on it this year

   Stopped in to see Paul today, still nailing new bits in, might be some hope for it this century after all.

New rear floor pans and bits that hold them to the chassis legs

   Doors have been hung since last viewed too

   and up in the air out of the way and waiting for a gearbox rebuild, last years project for a customer

Seeing that Escort reminds me of a boyfriend my daughter ditched (years ago this was ) after he turned up late the umpteenth time and greeted her with "Look at my new steering wheel" before he even said hello.  No, he hadn't brought the car, just the new steering wheel, he was rebuilding the car on his dad's driveeway and daughter then about 16 got fed up with spending her evenings passing spanners - the sad thing was, he got it finished and was going to insure it the next day - and that night it was stolen.   :(

Some years later when he was married with a family he came to live in our road and spent half his life in the garage block next to our house, wielding an angle grinder!

And my daughter?  She's married to a man who's in love with his Fire Engine Landrover!   ;D

   Stopped in again today, it's actually not that rare an occurrence, the coffee's free. Mexico was off the ramp, replaced by this, always something interesting stopping any work being done, just try and get a service booked !

   Mexico was abandoned round the back. Sprite belongs to the guy with the traveller, he has several

   Now, I didn't actually see this, Paul sent some photos through so it may be clever Photoshop, it's difficult to believe that he has made progress on three consecutive days but here they are, the rear offside quarter and inner arch gone !   

Saw a Sprite just like that at a local Classic Car show - maybe that one?  I was with a bloke who's such an anorak, he's brought the old exhaust to put on his Honda400/4 before going on the run, so as not to blue the new one.   :-\ .  He looked at this immaculate Sprite and said, 'Ah what a pity'.  When we asked him what he meant he said it was a pity they'd ruined the car by painting it yellow as it was never offered in yellow.
I thought it looked lovely - I spose it would have kept it original if they'd just left it to rot away!

   stopped in for coffee again this morning, more progress. The B post/door jamb has had repair sections made and fitted

Internal stiffeners fitted to rear chassis leg and hood stowage gutter rebuilt

   and a brief visit on the way home to find the rear wheel well modified and ready for fitment. The original pattern convertable wells are unavailable so standard hard top ones are reworked and used. The difference is a flat section on the top inner side to allow the hood frame to stow correctly.

that guy sure does know his fab stuff, this build aint for the un knowing, nice to see tradesmen/ the craft in full swing

I love places like that, went up to Burnham auto's last night to see my mate Paul. Always something really cool in the workshop, outside under a sheet, round the side and in the yard at the back.
I will try and get some pikkies up in a new thread, sorry Brock :-[ hijack over ;D ;) :-*

    "nice to see tradesmen/ the craft in full swing"

I expect Paul is rolling around laughing at that, I know I am  ;D

While our Dodge is at JC Restorations, being straightened out, they're also working on this Cougar convertable. The rear quarters were completely rotted away & aren't available as repair sections, so they've had to fabricate them from panels intended for a Mustang.