The Cunning Coupe

[tbone]

Aesthetics then. no its not a rude word, honestly 

[cunningplan]

Aesthetics then. no its not a rude word, honestly 

Thats the word I was looking for 

[cunningplan]

A little welding needed to the torsion bar mounts and the front end will be finished, I am going up soon with the rear axle and wheels and hopefully have a few bars between the two.

[tbone]

That came together in the blink of an eye! wish my welding was that neat 

[cunningplan]

That came together in the blink of an eye! wish my welding was that neat  

So do I, I have not tig welded for years and had a go up Steve's early this year and made a mess (I was a couple of old plates) hope to have another go when I go up next.

Here is the finished axle

[VALLEYSBOY]

thats looking the bis

[SteveRedd]

my thoughts exactly, very tidy

[cunningplan]

Not so many things to show this time, but had a fruitfull weekend in the Black Pig workshop.
I went up early Sat morning so Steve could design the chassis ready to pull out the jig and start propper.
All was going well until we tried fitting in the top tube we had into the design, then no matter of what we moved or did, it just sat on top of the rear axle, we knew it was wrong and remeasured every thing again to be sure. By 8 O. clock we had enough and went home (Well Steve & Lesley's)
Steve had received the rim and spokes for one of the front wheels, the hub had been made by one of Steve's friends and we wanted to see if it worked, its only just quickly put together at the moment, but it does, Steve is going to make a stand so he can set it up properly.
Lesley was away for the night so Steve and myself headed of down his local for a pint and pick up some food on the way home.
I don't sleep to good when I have something on my mind and trying to think what was the problem, I woke up abut 8 for about the 4th time and it suddenly dawned on me, if you have been reading this, you know I bought a altered chassis and changed my mind, I ordered up a new bottom rail and did not even think that the top one could be wrong as well, well that's what it was. on a altered you sit in front of the axle and the top frame rail runs at a steeper angle and the bend it about half way along before the firewall, with a dragster, you sit behind and the chassis is not so steep and the bend almost at the firewall.

When I got up, Lesley was back, I told her what had happend and when Steve came down soon after we had breakfast (Thanks Lesley its was stunning and would be worth at least £30 if sold at MOTO services)
As soon as we got to the workshop, we tried the wheel on the axle and then drew in a new line to a dragsters plan and it worked, so the old plan was take up, a new sheet was put down and a 1/3 drawing was made to the new design and after a couple of phone calls a new top tube has been organized, as soon as that as arrived, the build will start.

[Manky Monkey]

Impressive stuff Tony. Looks like the birth of another stunning Cunning Coupe.

[Blackpig]

"Thanks Lesley its was stunning and would be worth at least £30 if sold at MOTO services"

It was a pleasure matey, glad I've managed to cook for you without given you cramp 

[brock]

   The Cunning Coupe needed wires on the front and these seem to much like hens teeth in the availability stakes, I consider myself very lucky to have found a pair earlier in the year to fit to the Black Thing. Taking the hubs of those as a guide, I sat down with Steve the machinist and sketched up what was required. He then took that away and converted it to a programme for the tooling he has access to. I spent some time scouring the Wibbly Wobbly Web and eventually found a supplier of thick wall aluminium tube, in Swindon ! result. Steve took a lump of this away and ran up a prototype, nice.

[brock]

   After a bit more searching I found Central Wheel Components, a very nice lady there took all the information I had and they produced a set of heavy duty 10g spokes in stainless steel and a chromed steel rim to match

[brock]

  In a brief sojourn between shed and pub, I and my attractive assistant cobbled it all together, went surprisingly well considering I had not laced a wheel for 30 odd years or more, pretty good for roundness, just some side deflection to take out when I build a truing jig

[cunningplan]

" and my attractive assistant cobbled it all together"

I do take booking and at a good price 

also just to let you know, we havent missed any holes but the company always sends more than you need (There is ment to be 50, but only 42 arrived)

[cunningplan]

I'm not keen on shiny things as the more you have, the more you have to polish, but as the original car had one and so must mine.
This could be the last post before the end of the year, so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Tony