Manky's Pop.

[Manky Monkey]

Loony's busy welding new sills & arches on a VW camper van at the moment, so it was later this afternoon before he had a chance to start fixing the various hole filling pieces to the back of the cab. I'm used to seam welding heavy gauge tube for trike frames & haven't got the patience to work with thin sheet -Mr L welds it using dozens of tack welds, leaving plenty of time between them, to avoid distorting the panels with too much heat.
You can see how much we need to lift the doors to make 'em fit, can't you.

[Manky Monkey]

While waiting for His Weldiness, I took a look at the swage line that runs through the bonnet sides & along the doors.
On the original saloon car, this raised bead continues along the sides of the car & fades out above the rear wheels. We'd already decided we wanted to carry it on around the back of our new cab, to visually tie the various panels together & make it look like a complete, original pick-up cab, rather than a modified car.
But how do we replicate a swage line pressed into the bodywork?
If you've been reading this for some time, you might remember AfghanMan very kindly donated a pair of genuine French farmhouse window locks, from his genuine French farmhouse. We used one on the tailgate, then Loony noticed the bars that would originally lock the window into the frame, were exactly the same width & curved profile as the swage.
So we kept them by for this occasion. They're cast steel & a bit brittle, but I managed to carefully bend them to the right curve, around the brake drum of Archie's VW Beetle. By sheer chance, once taped in place, we've got exactly the right length to reach around the cab from one door to the other.
I drilled a series of holes along the cab back & Loony will button weld through from the inside of the body into the back of the rods.

[Manky Monkey]

I'm really pleased with this. It's only a minor detail, but makes all the difference to the bodywork. It definitely makes it look more like an original, factory built cab.

[cunningplan]

Butcher 
I think the molding looks good, as you said it looks like it was meant to be there (Like the ones I put each side at the back of mine)

[Manky Monkey]

Yeah, thought of your race car as I was fitting it Tony. 

[ByzMax]

Looking good Andy. Like ya say it the little bits and bobs that make the difference!

[poprodder]

swage line looks real good, little touches like that make all the difference.
nice one.

[Manky Monkey]

 
Loony & I drove over to Andover today to visit Ellie & Jimmy at Valley Gas Speed Shop. When we first started this build, I bought a pair of Gaz adjustable coil over shocks from them for the back end. We went for 160 pound springs, but they were too soft. So Jimmy very kindly swapped them today for 225 pounders. Fitted them, but really need to drive it again to see if they've made a difference. We also bought a pair of "piano" hinges from B & Q which we hope to use to hinge the bonnet sides.
Nothing to show you back at the workshop really, but Loony continued massaging the rear cab corners into shape, while I split the bonnet top sections from the sides & started trimming the back edges around the demister vent. We need to stretch the bonnet & it would be easiest to add a couple of inches into the front. But true to our usual style, we've decided to re-work the back edge so it'll blend into the vent better. Unfortuanately, because the bonnet's tapered, as it gets longer, it also gets wider. Which means that as well as lengthening it, we'll also have to narrow it. Poo. 
Just a couple of months to go -so much to do!

[Clive]

Should've given me a bell and popped in for a brew!?!

[Manky Monkey]

Now you tell us! Drop in the workshop next time you're overhead mate.
We struggled a little to find the new Valley Gas premises. They're tucked away in the back of an industrial estate. They're very happy with the move though & the shop was packed with customer's cars, so business must be good.
I've just read in the latest issue of Classic American magazine that Ellie & Jimmy got married over the Easter bank holiday! Would've congratulated them if we'd known.

[Manky Monkey]

Back at the workshop after work this afternoon.
As I said, because we've pushed the front axle further forward to accomodate the engine, (& also because we just liked the look), the grille shell's further forward too, meaning we need a longer bonnet. But because it's tapered, making it longer also makes it wider. After some discussion, we decided to add 1 1/2" to the back edge, using a section cut from the spare bonnet. Then we sliced down the length of it & took out a wedge, 1/2" wide at the back edge. Once the cut edges were pulled back together & tacked, that brought the longer bonnet back to it's original width. We now have to add a small section into the front edge too to bring it back square to the radiator grille!

[Manky Monkey]

Sounds like a huge amount of faffing about for very little gain, but we wanted the finished panels to look stock, so people would walk past & not notice we'd stretched them. The raised swage along the back of the bonnet is now about 3 1/2" wide, instead of the original 2". We're really pleased with the way the demister vent is incorporated into that swaged area, helping to make it look like a factory produced piece. Our grille shell's actually angled back a little more than standard. If it were more upright the bonnet/grill gap would be more even, but we'd have to add more into the bonnet length.

[Manky Monkey]

You can see how snug the 1970s Rover motor is in the 1950s engine bay. Once the bonnet sides are on, the only thing that'll give away it's non standard motor will be the 4 pipes sweeping back down either side -& hopefully the fact that it's slightly quicker then the original side valve engine too!

[Manky Monkey]

With luck, we can knock up a matching bonnet panel for the other side tomorrow.

[spanners]

i take that youre saving all youre ,coke, cans for scrap