The Dumfries Death Trap!

[wagon]

Just bought myself a mid engined two seat toy - Can I say that

I understand it's done the rounds so I'm sure somebody will recognise it!  

Finally got it back to my place after various weather delays, left Dumfries at 8am, got to Norfolk at around 2pm loaded up and came back! 630 miles!

So here it is!

Next problem is where to put it - Got this shed but it needs a good bit of TLC - the slates are slipping and the roof is a bit rotton

Tried to do a few wee jobs today, first of started with a set of seats I have left over from my Coupé that I just broke, but they don't fit :bh

So then fitted some headlights....had them spare too

Which prompted the beginning of loom construction via some linen line to work out the lengths / positioning

Have a few plans/ideas - obviously it needs work, but the hard bit has been done, on to the IVA test!

Comments welcomed, Discussion thread below
http://www.muddybuggies.com/Buggies-For ... 774.0.html

 

[wagon]

SO this weekend I...

Took my template I made,

Ordered this little lot from both Autosparks and VWP (Excellent service from both

And set to it!

85% there - just need to mount up to teh bug and trim + add connectors. Oh and I mis calculated how much wire I need so I'll need to reorder!

 

[wagon]

The automotive scrap collection expands

 

[wagon]

^ ha ha, She's very understanding

Did a wee bit over the weekend

Well I'm sure you're all familiar with the "exhaust" I started with - Don't recon I'll get any IVA pals with that! So made a new one. Donor was a Caddy exhaust I had laying about. I'm sure that'll be 5hp less now!

And pressed on with the loom - its nearly completed now, except I ran out of connectors

A little Bling

and some new braided fuel lines...

And..... I got it started - Check the fuel tank

 

[wagon]

Leather Seats!

Bang Tidy 

 

[wagon]

wee update - Really want the thing sorted so I can roll in it in the summer and get back onto the caddy!!

Been doing lots of little silly odd jobs that are fiddly and take loads of time - So a days work looks like nothing!
Not been about much lately - Been in court for the last 5 weeks (not because I've been naughty )

I have wasted some more money on my shed! Looking quite nice now - the sort of thing I wish I had done years ago.

New/Repaired/Modified doors

New shelves accumulating crap

And a kind of worktable plus some shelves and kitchen units I pilfered!

some gauge pods for the buggy - Can you guess what they are based on....?

Need to have a think about how to mount them... not sure yet
OoO - didn't have enough hands

So to start off I made some nose cone mounts

and attached a horn

Had to disconnect all the front brake lines as I decided that they probably wouldn't get through the IVA with the way they'd been done.... Which has then led onto deciding that  I didn't like the way the others where done so I cut them out too.

Next I pulled out the bearings from the ex joints - Going to cap them or somthiing - Not to sure yet

Added a filter!

Started to mount the seats but that's been a bit of a faf with the whole petrol tank nonsense, but now somebody should be building me a second skin for the tank to box it in and keep the IVA man happy!

When I was sorting out the tank I was going to use the fire wall that came with the kit but it was trimmed in a way that woulnt really work how I wanted so  (after welding lots of little bits of steel in) i'm going to remake it with out the holes and trimmed to fit

That prompted the construction of a centre console.... again hampered by lack of a TIG

I did try to compensate for the lack of a lathe though... (clip)


Pods are coming on nicely

Also, I decided that if I was strapped in with harnesses having switches miles away would be a bit crap - so I've tided them all onto the steering cowl - using a 206 stalk with integral fog and light switch

And a Capri Hazard switch!

Then some surgical procedures to the cowl....

Now fibreglassed up - Just need it to set.

So a few pics of an update - Ideas and criticism welcome as always

 

[wagon]

DIY Digi Dash.... kind of, well no not really. IVA proof dash perhaps

 

[wagon]

As requested - Here's a couple more pics of the cowl

Here you can see the chicken wire

Which forms the base that I added fibreglass too

This was followed by a bit of sanding and filler

And the hole for where the steering wheel was needed to be filled

Bit of paint on the inside

And a bit on the outside - Still definitely a work in progress but you get the idea!

Comments welcomed!

 

[wagon]

Made a quick gear and handbrake gaiter last night

 

[wagon]

Not much of an exciting update, but an annoying fiddly bit out of the way!

Al's LED factory...

Tah Dah!

Beginning to think I should have put in a couple more... oh well not taking them to bits again soon

 

[wagon]

More thoroughly dull progress! been cleaning up things like the oil breather and wee brackets and stuff off the block as they are a bit rusty and look like ass.

Also I wondered if the clutch slave needed a little tlc as it didn't really seem to work properly, took it to bits to find this!

As I was in my flat without an airline to get the piston out I had to go DIY to disassemble it - FAIRY POWER!
Worked beautifully!

After I faffed about with those bits I wanted to strip off the chrome plate from the SU dashpot, as it's unfortunately started to peel - or maybe it was just painted...?  ??? Anyway I went to drain the oil and a load of grit came out  :'(

So after a bit of humming I decided the safest option was to rebuild the whole carb, the piston was sticking a bit too - haven't rebuilt many SU's but I suspect it's because the oil has been low at some stage in its life?

Oh well its all stripped down now, awaiting a rebuild kit from minisport 

 

[wagon]

Good sized update!

Got quite a bit done over the weekend – pretty pleased with the progress!

Heavily busted out the mastercard over the last few weeks – so arrived at the garage to fine a few bits and bobs
Covers for the engine I have restored, spacers, wheels, pclips, belts, gaskets, spacers, thermostat loads of stuff!

So a quick before and after to start…

Goodbye 10â€

 

[wagon]

Well! What an excellent day yesterday! Big thanks to Steve - and some of the tastiest TIG-ing I have ever seen!

Tank is sorted (well fingers crossed Mr IVA thinks so!)

Breather brazed on and cap welded

Plasma cut back

Attached the bottom

Tunnel...

Sides

Welding SESSION!

Top section

Check the weld porn!!

Drain holes - these'll go though the bottom of the floor so the tank can drain onto the ground if it spills - hope Mr IVA likes it

You can see where it needs trimming for a snug fit - that's going to come soon

Like a glove!!

Centre console tabs - needs the top cutting and fitting

And a little finishing touch!

HAPPY CHAPPY!!!  ;D

 

[wagon]

Well I tried my best to finish it this weekend but everything went wrong!

I broke:
The welder, at least 5 drill bits, the drill, the rivnut tool, various parts and everything else took 4-5 attempts!

I was wondering if this was the reason? A good start to the weekend!  :

Anyway, Did one or two little jobs, not much
Tank cover trimmed - You can see how the front of the cover will be located with the tabs under the bar here

Drainage

I had to cut out and reposition the seat mounts - that took a while, and at the same time i made some brace bars to strengthen the seat mounts and also seat belts

The rear seat mount needs to be bolted in and out to remove the tank cover - here's the centre section - compare my welds to steve's! what a mess!  ;D

Rear mudguard mounts, but no bolts to attach them up

Inlet is getting there now!

All the rear suspension has now changed to adjustable stuff

Plus 3/4" spacers - the track width at the back is pretty close to the front now
Killed a bearing doing that 

Can you spot the addition here? 

 

[wagon]

A little non interesting update....

I upgraded my acid dip facilities (I bought 100 bottles of smart price vinegar) and dunked the whole manifold to try and smarten it a little, also rebuild the clutch slave

My new IVA friendly gear knob - Genuine from the 'Nam

 

[wagon]

Wow! Did I do some work to the buggy? I think so!

Haven't been on much lately - seem to always have stuff to do

Lots of stupid little jobs which take for ever and seem like nothing is done - the dullest kind!

Anyway....
90% re brake lined - still need some straightening and some p-clipping

"bonnet" catches added and fibreglassed to the bonnet - like upside down bonnet pins, quite pleased with how they work!

Fuel cell fitted and plumbed

Rear bumper progress & wheel arch progress

And front bumper progress - but I need a tube bender/bent tube!

and a tether !

Seats are 90% in too - just need some bolts

So almost there.... or still... almost!

 

[wagon]

Few bits and bobs more done here too!

I found a metal chair with some nice bends in it! Cut it up and used them for the nerf bar

I also did some other dull stuff -
Used a couple of motorbike fork gaiters on the steering column to make the UJ "safe" for the IVA

Blobbed on some weld to hold on the clocks...

Added some repeaters... well almost, the left hand one went on a dream

But the right hand one - well that pissed me off too!
First broke the indicator,
then drilled 2/3 holes and broke the 2.5mm drill
so needed to use the 2.0mm and use the broken drill to make the hole bigger....
Got the M3 tap out.... broke it in the hole...
Sat and thought about how to drill out the tap with the broken drill bit.... Deciding that bodging it for the time being and moving the indicator 5mm to the left would be easier till I replenish my drills....
So redrilled 2x 2.0mm holes and enlarged them with 2.5mm...
Got out my spare M3 tap....
And broke that in the hole too.....
How to turn 5min job into 1.5hours - the story of my life :I

:-[

 

[wagon]

Got a bit closer with the buggy! Still lots of little time consuming jobs, but buggy is back to top priority for the summer!

First thing was to swap over all the suspension as the right arms were on the left and the felt on the right (thanks Collie)

Now the nerf bar doesn’t touch on full lock 

Then it was onto the seats – they are now in permanently after a total mount redesign

Alan (probably too late now but) – you can see the two side mounts on the angle steel, and the bottom mounts on the brace bar.

Sides trimmed to re-fit

Then onto the console
Started with this bit that Steve kindly welded tabs onto for me 

Made a template for the top

Lots and lots of trimming later

And a cubby box!

Need to get a hinge for the lid

Rear wheel arches are the next job…. Then….. IVA?

 

[wagon]

More progress but still not quite enough! ;D

Gave the new bits of steel a quick splodge of hammerite - I hate the stuff but it'll do until such time I get it powdercoated!

Remember this bit?

This is how to fix broken taps!

Take that!!Mo Fo

Centre console further trimmed

Also electrics 99% done

They all work bar the brake warning light which is on permenantly! ;D

oooh horny

And mounts made for rear fenders!

Then I think I spent the rest of the weekend making this stupid clutch work.... took about 7h!
This pic was about teh time i was putting it back together

Assing alloy bell housing had corroded to the steel bit so badly i couldn't budge it

All lubed up now though

So.... Closer again still!

Pretty happy with how its looking now! :-*

All thoughts and comments (good or bad) welcomed!

 

[wagon]

Here we go - A great update for a change! (Well I think so!)

So did some of this-

and some of this

Which meant I could do other thinsg here:

Which produced some of this!!!

Bit of other stuff