Okrasa Special

[steve wright]

Well the boys at Mouland & Yates have made real progress this last six weeks: they are really motoring now (no pun intended) with panel work and internal structures. Sills, wheel arches, doors, A and B pillars are all done, and the lads are now on the front of the car. Once they have fitted the panels more precisely and smoothed them up they can go for the big weld up! Enjoy....















More in a month's time....
Cheers,
Steve

[vwgillybilly]

Sweet!

[Pandora]

They seem to know what they are doing, don't they!

Al

[john ruston]

I’m impressed!

[KS]

Incredible. So good to know these skills still exist in the UK!

[Slope330]

WOW !!!!

[john ruston]

It should not come as a surprise that this type of skill is available in UK.

The whole of the old bags of bolts restoration,recreation,reengineered ,copy etc rely on these enormously skilled people.

We have the well known ones like Bruce king of Essex but it is good to see the Pre War specialists comming over to Post War projects.

[steve wright]

Thanks guys. Yes pretty pleased with how it's coming into shape. One never quite knows how it's going to turn out when you're doing it in cardboard, wire or even when it's in the final wooden buck! Hopefully it will look as good in the flesh.

I'm beginning to let myself dream of actually driving and racing it now. It's been 11 long years since I acquired the car from Keith. It's first outing will be a rerun up Farnham bypass where it took it's first test run, having been built at the local VW & Porsche garage just round the corner: Barnett & Small (David Small was the proprietor and originally constructed the car). Seems only right that we should repeat history. I'm in contact with David's son, so hoping he will come and participate so in some small way the David Small can be with us.

Then it's hopefully Chateau Impney Hillclimb in July....

[andytat]

Fantastic work!
I can't wait to see it in action.

[steve wright]

The big weld up started earlier than planned this month which is great news. What it does mean though is that I need to land on final details such as oil cooler and brake aperture shape and size. The plan is to go with something similar to the Ferrari 250LM rather than Porsche 550 or RSK as it seems to suit the shape of the nose better. Thought the B&W shot was quite period looking and could've been taken in the Williams and Pritchard workshop in Edmonton, England in the late 1950's where it would've been bodied...
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Here's a great shot of Jeffery welding the aluminium panels - this is such a skill as just one degree too hot and the ally boils to nothing!
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Here's the panel almost finished...
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And the rear starting to come together as a complete unit. The clamshell will open/close just about where the white tape is on the rear quarter panel...
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And finally the front. Some big decisions to be made about how to vent the hot air from the oil cooler. The 550 and RSK simply exited it over the front axle, but that's pushing air under the car and creating lift which isn't good. Given the original designer (David Small) had gone to the lengths he did in creating a completely flat floor, it seems right we do something better than this. Other manufacturers were also more sophisticated, venting it through openings in the side of the wings (Aston Project cars and racing Ferrari's in particular). The other idea being bounced around is to vent it between the front valance and bonnet onto the windscreen but both require ducting so we need to figure this one out soon. Thoughts welcome on this one if anyone has experience...
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[KS]

Incredible workmanship!

[keith fellowes]

What skill. Fantastic

[defianty]

Such a great skill, truly in awe of this.

[Lightweight_911]

Excellent progress - & great to see 'young' people are still interested in learning/utilising these skills.

[mdmax72]

Second that Andy

Excellent and old school welding. No Tig there hats off.