Page 10 of 28

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 5:56 pm
by roy mawbey
Andy,

Its cold, I had things to do, but could not be bothered. I looked on the 'Carrera GTS Club forum' and put in 904 rear reflectors. A guy had been looking for a pair for a long time. A helper advised a site which he said would provide a very good alternative. The reflector diameter seems to be 42mm diameter against the normal supplied 50mm plus.

The guy in question bought a pair to fit. I looked at the rear photo of a 904 and it seems the reflector stud goes through the back upright panel.

I checked the site to see if was still alive. Go to www.vintagecarparts.co.uk and in the search box put E80-NC-1-reflector with rear stud. It shows a photo and they are still available £10-80 each.

Of course you might want to hold for a ULO part and your diameter might not be 42mm ( I think these were made for a 50's Ford.)

I didn't know of this Carrera GTS club forum. Kept me amused for an hour or so :lol:

Us old retired people have to do something to pass the time :lol: :lol:

Roy

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:40 pm
by Lightweight_911
Thanks again Roy.

I have alternative reflectors of the correct style & diameter that I could use if I can't find another ULO one - but I'm determined ... :wink:

I'm sure most people think it's excessive/unnecessary when nobody else (other than me) will probably even notice !

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:14 pm
by mdmax72
Andy, hang out for the right one, cos you'll only kick yourself when you look at the rear if you don't :wink:

Keep it up, the attention to detail, this us one special build...

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:14 pm
by PhilipB
Just to give Andy a bit of inspiration. Life can't get much better than the first 30 seconds of this video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtwL4Kgy ... re=related

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:19 pm
by sladey
Oooooooohhh!

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:21 pm
by Lightweight_911
Thanks for the inspiration Philip !

Alex has owned that car for over 40 years & has almost certainly driven more miles in a 904 than anyone else - he bought it in 1970 for $7000 ...

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:41 pm
by Darren65
Bump......page 6!!!!

904 fix needed...........any news???

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 7:09 pm
by Lightweight_911
Sorry Darren (& others) - I will post some (minor) updates tomorrow ... :wink:

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:20 am
by Roadrunner
Hi Andy,

A few years ago I shot an unbelievably original 904 with just a couple of thousand miles on it from new. Let me know if any of the detail shots would be useful in helping you with this terrific project.

Tim

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:29 am
by gridgway
Tim, you can't leave it at that! It doesn't matter what Andy wants, I want to see them! 8)
Graham

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:23 am
by Lightweight_911
Thanks Tim - I already used (& credited) one of your pictures on p5 of this thread (the car you photographed for Fisken's - VIN 906-006).

I'll send you a pm later.

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:43 am
by Roadrunner
Lightweight_911 wrote:Thanks Tim - I already used (& credited) one of your pictures on p5 of this thread (the car you photographed for Fisken's - VIN 906-006).

I'll send you a pm later.
Hi Andy - I'm referring to a different car.

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:08 am
by Lightweight_911
Ok - now for some updates.

A lot of the intervening time since I last posted on this thread has been spent researching & trying to track down parts - still not managed to find a second original rear reflector !

As mentioned on p1, I'd already obtained a correct/original Les Leston woodrim steering wheel but now needed to fabricate a suitable hub. I briefly considered modifying an off-the-shelf Moto-Lita hub but quickly ruled it out from an appearance point of view, so I decided to utilise the splined section from an original 911/912/914 wheel.

However, I didn't want to use the splined section from 'any old' wheel since all 914 & 911/912 steering wheels from '69 had part numbers & date codes stamped into them - it therefore had to be a swb (420mm) wheel ...

Luckily the hard plastic (ebonite) 420mm wheels are largely unloved & I was able to find a cheap candidate via DDK (Chris Jury - thanks). Since I only wanted the splined section (& to minimise shipping costs from Germany) I asked Chris just to cut through the spokes & send me the centre section :


Image

After drilling out the rivets & removing the remnants of the spokes & the horn push mount, the splined hub was cleaned up & offered up to the LL wheel to ascertain the relevant dimensions :


Image


The original 904's used a 356A horn push & I had been searching for a suitable used one but they're pretty hard to come by & command fairly high prices so I reluctantly ordered a new repro version from Stoddard's :


Image

So, armed with these components & measurements, I set about producing the relevant drawings for an adapter (to mate the splined section to the wheel) & a trim ring (to mate the 356A horn push to the wheel).

A few weeks' ago I posted on DDK asking members' recommendations for a suitable 'old school' engineering firm to carry out a few fabrication jobs for me. I received quite a few excellent suggestions including an offer from Andy Haas (haasad) to undertake the work for me - so I sent him the splined hub, horn button & drawings.

After a (very) short space of time I received these perfectly-fabricated parts - exactly what I wanted !


Image


- & after assembling:


Image

Image


That's another job ticked off ...

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:24 am
by Darren65
Superb 8)

Great work Mr Haas

Re: My 'new longer-term project' ...

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:25 am
by Lightweight_911
Another part that I had been trying to track down (& to find the original source of) was the twin-jet windscreen washer nozzle fitted to 904's :


Image

- nobody seemed to know which vehicle(s) used this & I have been unable (so far) to find one.

The closest I've found are these similar - but single jet - nozzles from an early VW Bus:


Image

So I ordered a pair & asked 'my' machinist to remove the jet from one of them & drill/insert it into the other ... which produced a suitable alternative until I find an original:


Image

- some silver/chrome paint on the brass jets should complete the effect.