Body facts

Fri.30.03.07. By the close of this week the project has progressed slowly and the month has somewhat stuttered to its conclusion. Lately, and understandably, Chris has been torn between his primary business, selling cars, as well as on the home front, re-designing his kitchen.

The project has taken a back seat to his other commitments but nevertheless we have experienced some notable highs over the past few weeks. In particular the problems that we had created by moving the engine have been rectified by making the necessary cuts in the tub to facilitate extra manoeuvrability, which, in turn, has assisted both the rear and front wings to be assembled in their correct positions. The lines of the car have been returned to their most perfect best. Important spaces, gaps, distances and comparable measurements are all well matched even harmonious. This has been achieved by fastidious, systematic adjustments using rack of eye, chain droppers and right-angled steel rules. The engine panels have also been provisionally screwed to the tub awaiting the ‘filling’ which will blend them seamlessly into the body. This additional dry build, although frustrating, is proving extremely important. The exercise continues to expose problems, but the alternative of all the panels being painted before this assembly would have been even more cataclysmic. If nothing else the awareness that this additional dry build has uncovered has also reinforced our determined obligation for detailed, supreme craftsmanship sustained by focussed planning.

During the week there have been other minor but vital developments. The new electronic distributor has arrived from H and H Ignition Solutions. It is a well engineered component which will increase the efficiency of the spark and may genuinely provide an extra 2 or 3 BHP. As usual there is a down side that comes with every delivery. Namely, the coil had suffered damage in transit, this will have to be returned; the other problem being that the dizzy cap is top loading instead of discharging from the side, this will also need to be changed. Irrespective of these hiccups, coming in at £115.00 this is a valuable item at a very competitive price. Since the wings now again sit perfectly on the car the lights, indicators and reflectors can be sited. The front wing bullet lights line up exactly to the centre of the wheel hub whilst the rear cluster of lights form a level plane on both the wings and the boot panel. The front indicators lie below the centre point of the headlamp on the lower edge of the wing. All of these fittings must be positioned accurately as the pre-drilled locating holes must be ‘spot on’ before the final paint has been applied. The new windscreen assembly brackets have been temporarily fitted but immediately appear to be a vast improvement upon the earlier tacked welding of Mark and Andy. The windscreen will again experience many test runs until it operates absolutely perfectly. The added strength of the ‘fixed’ screen should assist in this process. 

The smaller aero screen mounting brackets will be hidden under the seating rubber of the main screen allowing the two screen options to work independently. The dashboard centre has been completed, the blueprints for the console taken and measurements for the side panels concluded: the interior of the cockpit is progressing satisfactorily.     

Nonetheless, another ‘game’ plan, ‘programme of work’, will have to be drawn up for April. Perhaps this time we might take more notice of ‘proper’ procedure. Monkeys will definitely fly out of my butt