Cockpit

Burlington Diary September 2007

Mon.03.09.07.The various units that make up the cockpit design have been cut filled and sanded. The console area, which is now simpler but crisply angular, is much more compatible with the overall scale and the space that it occupies. The dashboard, however, appears clumsy uncomfortably incongruous. The batwing ends and the beading on the lower edge do not ‘work’ one feature too bulky the other over elaborate. A possible solution could be to amalgamate the ‘under trim’ with the beading but again the result would not be in keeping with the entire design. This exercise could be another ‘suck it and see’ or ‘hands on’ rolling experiment. I intend, also, to introduce some colour; adding the proposed shades to replicate the wood, leather and carpet. Because the gearbox and handbrake consoles are developing successfully I now feel confident to explore other areas of the interior, namely the door panels as well as the rear perimeters of the cockpit.

The Spitfire seats have been delivered to Michael who offered positive suggestions regarding the leather. ‘Andrew Muirhead’ had promptly returned a sample of ‘satin leaf’ but even though the quality was faultless the ‘green’ was too dark and would be too close to the planned colour of the carpet. The five metres provided would only cover the seats leaving very little else to trim the gearbox shroud: this could create problems with the anticipated blend, balance and colour of materials. Michael recommended ‘sage green’, which had been used in the original D type Jaguar; this would give sufficient contrast to the shade of the carpet and paint of the car. These hides are supplied by a new company who source the leather from Italy. The quality is excellent, the weight is slightly lighter; 1.2mm compared with 1.3 of Muirhead, but the cost is approximately half at £100 per hide. Not only is the price attractive but also the budget of £200 would purchase twice the amount of material, enabling other parts of the interior to be covered meeting all of the design criteria.

This is the start of an important month. Thirty days when recognisable goals should have been accomplished. The concluding dry build completed, the top coat of paint to the body panels, the interior trimmed, the electrics in place, the engine fired up, a successful approval from the DVLA and the all important road tests validating all of the problematic modifications to the car. But, I sense the looming presence of predictable, premature defeat reconciled by excuses engendered by doubt and a lack of belief, self inflicted worries fuelled by inertia rapidly evaporating the paltry, wavering enthusiasm that still remains. It is only when the tide goes out that you can see who is not wearing a bathing suit.