Been over a week since I got back from the shed, but work in the house (Like hanging new doors and finishing off the bathroom at last) and the Bulldog Bash (The best ever I've been to, saw three bands I.ve always wanted to see, Bad Manners, The Dammed and Status Quo. “What could be better???) got in the way.
Got up early Sat morning and got there about 9, the first thing we done was write on the white board what we needed to do over the weekend.
The first thing was to finish the front body mount, weld on the fittings and fit it to the body.
The Cunning Coupe
The Cunning Coupe
The body will only have to be raised when the car is unloaded and loaded; there is no room inside to do any work with it on so the body will have to come completely off, which we did next so I could bond and rivet the frame into it.
Then it was another complete strip down of the chassis so Steve could fully weld the front 4 bar mounts and cross brace. This time we had a little help from Tom & Craig from The Ferret Wild Bunch team, not only did they give us a hand but also bought some sticky buns with them.
With this done, it was time to refit the gearbox and then the engine
The Cunning Coupe
With this in place we measured and Steve plotted out the front motor plate (I was going to take the timing chain cover off for a template, but remembered that I would have to drop the sump.)
The Cunning Coupe
The Cunning Coupe
While Steve was doing this, I fitted the gear change and linkage and made and fitted the reverse lockout, this is a cable pull fitted alongside the steering column, when pulled it pulls the original lever on the gear change. The only problem I have is the linkage, due to the length and the flimsiness, it’s a bit sloppy, I have got some new joints now and will soon be making a new linkage.
The Cunning Coupe
The Cunning Coupe
We fitted the plate and marked it out for a better shape and cut it out.
The Cunning Coupe
We refitted the body and checked for clearance, there is no room between the left hand head and the engine plate; this was made worse when the rocker covers were fitted. The only way I and going to do it is cut the front body plate around the top of motor plate and top tin work, (With maybe a seal around the edge.)
The Cunning Coupe
When all was marked off on the board it was getting time to go home, so we lifted up the body and pushed it onto the trailer, It would not go on as the front body mounts were just hitting the tops of the ramps. As I needed to know where the car was going to sit with the engine in, I could not mount the winch (Which was sitting in the van) If this was fitted, it would have gone on.
So I went and started to use the jockey wheel to raise it up a bit, then the thing broke. I took the trailer off the van, put a couple of axle stands under the back and used my jack to lift the front. It was hard work, but we got it on.
I have a nose weight gauge in the van and set it to 60 kilos, Steve marked out where the front wheels were and I strapped it down. I had to phone my son to help me put the car back in the yard when I got home.
Like my old trailer, I want to be able to load and unload the car on my own, so the work on the car has stopped until the trailer is fully finished. I have a new heavy duty jockey wheel already, there will be drop down legs fitted to the rear, A box will be fitted between the rails at the front where all the bits for the car will be kept and most important of all, the winch will be fitted. (I am toying with the idea of getting an electric one)
To be honest, I can’t see the car being out for this year, but as I’m not in a hurry, I would rather have everything fully finished than going out and having problems.
