V8 Stylus Build

[MattD]

This could be the start of a long thread

Wife was in the hospital today, so needed to concentrate on something else...
Thought I'd just "make a list of jobs to be done"
An hour or two, plus a couple of strong coffee's later, & the front fell off

I'd recommend this Bosch cutting tool for the straight bits, knife thru butter, & a nice clean cut.

Plenty more to do yet. Exhaust manifold's for side exit anyone ??

Can someone with a V8 car comment on the Rad size ? Looks original SD1 to me & very large.
Not ideal for the front-flip hinge. Think we'll get away with smaller ??

Matt

Could start a new build pair, Ken & Matt, to go with Pete & Matt

[hearbear]

Hi Matt

I've taken the rad from a volvo which is an ali twin core which fits in well not had the car on the road yet but had it running up on drive with an electric water pump and the fan cycling on and off with no problems with the temp.

Cheers George

[MattD]

Hi George

Thanks for the info, any idea what Volvo it was off ??.
It needs to be shorter & thicker, so that it can stand up more vertically.

Still considering the merit's of both the Tim/SSC & the Farley method's.
At the moment the pivot rod for the bonnet flip would pass through the rad.

So a bit of re-engineering to do !

Matt

[stylussprinter]

Well , what you could do is reinforce the ' D ' section at the last bolt hole of the ' A ' frame position ---- on the outer side that is THEN use that bolt hole as your hinge point Nice piece of 3mm thick alloy 100mm circle bolted or glued OR carbon fibre -- might have the odd bit hanging around

Easy to try it out -- just remove the bolts closest to the engine hey presto Should keep it further off the ground too

[Antnicuk]

Well , what you could do is reinforce the ' D ' section at the last bolt hole of the ' A ' frame position ---- on the outer side that is THEN use that bolt hole as your hinge point Nice piece of 3mm thick alloy 100mm circle bolted or glued OR carbon fibre -- might have the odd bit hanging around

Easy to try it out -- just remove the bolts closest to the engine hey presto Should keep it further off the ground too

Thats exactly how i did mine, used ali to make 2 D shape pieces and then bolted them to the f/glass D sections in the flip and then bolted through the glass and ali, works fine.

[MattD]

Hi All

Quiet on here, so a here's a bit of an update...

Ken & I have been busy sorting out some basic issues, before we can move to the build proper.

GRP jobs are mine to do apparently , too sticky for the old boy.
I've bonded in headlight bowls, using the Porsche steel inner as the mold, to take the headlight.
Seems to have worked OK. Won't bother with rear bonded bowl. Will just use a rubber cover.
Gives a bit more space for tyres lock-lock.
Bonnet is bonded in too now, & the cut flip edges have been reinforced at 90 degrees, with a couple of layers of mat.
Done the body the same way, giving a horizontal landing strip for the flip.
The vertical face on the body will get a rain gutter this weekend.
The first layer is on, just got to add & shape the second one.
Screen has a bit of shaped M12 studding , & I've made the flat infils that join the inner to the outer body near the door hinges. All in & bonded for reinforcement.

Meanwhile, Ken has done some mechanical bits...
Modified the A-frame, so the radiator fits properly.
This also has mounts for the intended flip pivot.
We'll fabricate the bits into the nose section to make it work later.

Hardest bit was sorting the steering.
The car came with a Cavalier column with tilt adjust, but it was not mounted to the car very well.
Its now got an Escort column, but mounted under the dash support bar, and exiting through the bulkhead lower than intended.
Was a challenge to get the wheel in the right place & not offset to one side, but it's now done.
Has meant we've modd'd Nev's brake pedal slightly, and cut a corner off the engine mount to clear the extension coupling joint.

Exhaust to make this weekend...
Will move the car outside to assess the exhaust cutouts in the sill.
The car came with some 26" x 4" mild steel cherry bombs that would fit inside the sill with no cut-outs, but not recommended I think.
We've modified the pair of manifolds to clear the steering & the servo, & have some jetex parts to join the two together.
Its actually two jobs of course, one for each side

Anyway, that enough rambling on, better do actual some work !

Matt

[stylussprinter]

With all this '' help old uncle '' effort , I don't reckon you'll have sorted the tyres on your own Stylus before Snetterton on 1st Oct

[MattD]

We'll have to wait & see...

[Antnicuk]

looking good matt, Snetterton on 1st October, something we should know?

[stylussprinter]

Matt will come back with more detail on what it's in aid of --- BUT , he and his friend have been on more than one charity trackday with this private charity , no profit trackday company. They ask/beg circuit owners for large discounts or even get them to donate a circuit charge then charge us guys the normal full amount . In this way huge funds are raised for the two Charities he supports.
I asked Matt if my car might be elligible , only having an MSA log book and no tax,mot,insurance . Having spoken to the organiser he has allowed me to enter but normally it's super cars and classics . Matt's friend has several so easily gets entered. Obviously I'm a responsible pensioner so wont disregard the rules or frighten the ' horses ' with my non classic

Having never been to Snetterton , I'm looking forward to learning the circuit.

[MattD]

Blimey, a year has passed on this thread

The car now drives - in & out of the garage !
Currently awaiting a screen.... but in reality is not far away from a paint job.
I've not seen it, but apparently its gained flared arches on the driver's side this week.

Not my workmanship (I've got my own project !) - Now he's retired, my uncle is really cracking on with it
Hopefully we'll see it on the road in 2011

A few progress pics ....

Who else is in-build at present ? How's progress ?
George - you've been at it for quite a while now ?!

Rgds
Matt

[hearbear]

George - you've been at it for quite a while now ?!

Rgds
Matt

You don't have to rub it in. Collected some parts just need the time now which I don't seem to have much of just now.

Got the Heated windscreen and (Premier) wiring loom under the bed, roll bar and hood in he garage which when you open it stuff falls out.
1st job clear the garage again.

George

[MattD]

My Unc's V8 project is moving along... helps finding the time if you are retired !

VW Golf arch kit now added to Stylus body, screen being fitted on 23rd Sept.
& modified taller rollbar (feet sleeved up), required as noted during Ned's seat fitting visit

Paint selection being made - anyone choose metallic purple & got pics ??

[hearbear]

I like the look the arches give it

[stylussprinter]

Matt , have the arches been highered as well as widened for any future mod's he will inevitably do given a few years ownership A lot of work if only widened