356 Speedster Flat6 outlaw build

[greg356a]

Thanks guys,

Really pleased with quality and cost given how much they are from the usual suppliers. Lots of ideas for headrest and interior, at present thinking about;





Just trying to keep my ideas period but also achieve something different.

Also need to think about how to finish the raw aluminium as it has a tendency to oxide very quickly. Maybe a clear powder coat? / anodise don't know yet.

[greg356a]

Evening,
Not much progress over the last few weeks due to work (boo)

I have made a prototype aluminium bracket for the passenger seat which functions fine but I may start again to make it look better, not sure yet. I have allowed for some height and angle adjustment, but will add more for the drivers side. I have sourced some head rests and plastic clips/ sleeves just need to pick them up.

[greg356a]

Evening,
So continued with the passenger seat brackets today. Starting to look the part;





Next job is to spend some time rounding corners etc and then clean and bevel holes. Most likely go for powder coat, but anodising might look good?

[sladey]

Nice

[greg356a]

Morning, to pass the IVA test you need to have headrest on the seats, difficult to make the headrests look sort of original, I don't think any were ever used. I have copied an idea from the archives of IM which I hope look good. These certainly stretch my machining skilz with the pedestal drill at all sorts of 3D angles. I have finished prep one seat for welding and plan to get them both finished including welding on Wednesday but we will see. I think I am into around 15 hours work per seat, but then I am slow



This is the adjustment mech, just a pin, but looks period. I thought the usual plastic grommet looked too modern. Not quite sure what the IVA inspector will make of the sharp edges?


The next picture shows the detail. The flat bar between the two uprights is just to keep the distance right until its welded into place, this should ensure the two tubes are parallel to give a smooth slide action the the headrest moving up and down. I have drilled an M6 hole through the seat and will use a rubber rivnut which should bend to shape of the seat back and not look to obtrusive. All the aluminium tubes, plates and seat are the same thickness at 1.6 mm to 1.9 mm which will aid TIG welding.





I found that as the seats are hand made, measurements can not be relied on as there are subtle differences, so measure and check by eye seemed to work.

Raplh looking guilty

[mdmax72]

Greg are you going to use the seats for the iva? Will the headrest frames/mechanics not fail being that they are in the outside and exposed?

[greg356a]

Hi Rich, I was working on the idea of no back seats/ occupants and the area behind the seat being considered as "exempt" from checking with the sphere (interior fitting diagram 12 - annex 2). Might have read the sections wrong, or with bias.

Note 6: The surface of the rear parts of seats shall exhibit no dangerous
roughness or sharp edges likely to increase the risk of severity of
injury to the occupants. This requirement is considered as satisfied
if the vehicle complies to section 12.

I need to meet the IVA guy in Norwich just to check a few points maybe should do it sooner.

cheers

[greg356a]

With the help from friends, good progress this week. The seats are ready for final welding of the headrest, timing chain and tensioners done, and the exhaust is fitted.

Used a standard 911 exhaust to keep things quite for the IVA test, the only modification was directing the tail pipe down. Fits nicely up inside the space leaving loads ground clearance! No modification to the bodywork needed. Will need to get the bracket painted and buy another strap.

[mdmax72]

Looking a neat fit Greg.

[greg356a]

I just just added up the hours which I have recorded working on the car so far. I will have missed some of the first years hours and any additional hours done with friends. Making a stab at those, its a staggering 1579 hours over the last three years. That would be a sizeable labour bill.

According to Wikipedia a survey of nearly 600 kit car owners in the US, the UK and Germany, carried out by Dr. Ingo Stüben, showed that typically 100–1,500 hours are required to build a kit car, I must be slow! This is still very short of the reported 4000 hours for a Singer Porsche.

Wonder what the average Speedster build time is?

[greg356a]

Hello, Couple of more hours to add to the tally. The welding is going well so far just hope second seat goes as well

[sladey]

Nice work - look good - very 'steam punk'

[greg356a]

Awesome talent, unfortunately not mine. Fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs

[greg356a]

Confession time
I called into my friends garage last night to check on progress and whilst greeted cheerfully as usual I could tell all was not well. Mostly the p**s taking about not being able to build a working hand brake. So my carefully designed, constructed amalgamation of Porsche 944 rear brake drums, VW pan, special brackets, 944 cables and 911 hand brake did not work, as actually I had not allowed for any tightening of the hand brake cable at either end!
It felt a bit like falling an exam because either you put the wrong name at the top of the page or as usual did not read the question properly.
So as an interim fix we have used a grubby VW Beetle handbrake which works with everything else. I guess I now have some options on the final route. Stick with the beetle option, which at best is an ugly option, maybe look at the original style under the dash route or the Porsche spyder route. Of course as usual each of the options will require buying off the shelf parts which need improving. Maybe I could design my own hand brake lever or maybe not.




Not my finest hour but at least when the car is eventually finished everything will work correctly, use as may standard Porsche/ VW parts and be easily serviceable/ ish

[mdmax72]

Shame on you Greg.

At least that's the only thing you f*cked up on. Not bad really considering how far you've come with the car.