356 Speedster Flat6 outlaw build

[greg356a]

Hello all, been working with fibreglass and dust everywhere, itch, itch, itch.
Worth the effort, happy with the results. Used two layers of 450g CSM across wing joints and wetted everything through with resin. Gary (Speedster-clinic) gave me a tip to tear the mat at the edges which worked much easier.

This is the underneath of the rear seat area, which clashed with the steel cross section on the chassis at the 915 gearbox.




Moulded the engine compartment U section into place. The wing at the rear need moulding into the widened arch, not sure how to yet . You can see it to the left of the picture


Plan to tackle the front on Friday by grinding cutting the inner arch and linishing back and fibreglass over the joint, then coat everything in a black resin based top coat
Itch, itch, itch, itch

[greg356a]

Itch, itch, itch still working with fibre glass.

Rear mostly prep'd. Managed to keep the straight body lines flowing into the new arches at the back



The front inner arches, fuel tank section are now bonded into place. Leaves the front cross member section and the fiddly parts around the front and back of the wings to blend in.

[Gary71]

Looks good. I hate working with glass fibre! I guess you may have to mock something up in wood and filler to bridge the gap at the rear then take a mould from it and make a panel that can then be glassed in properly.

[greg356a]

Thought I had got everything ready to put the body on the chassis. The trial fit did not go well. The body now clashes in a few places it didn't before. Bottom of the fuel cell moulding, rear engine walls etc just a real pain. Back in the shed ready to cut out and start again.

Picked up the rear lip extension for the rear wings. Going to add another 30mm to allow the wheels to move up into the body without clashing. Going to make a jig which datums off the wheel and locates the arch so both sides are the same - hopefully

[sladey]

Bummer! Stick with it - the bumps along the way make the final destination more worthwhile. Or something like that

[Gary71]

...Or something like that

Although sometimes I think we would all agree that a smooth route would be nice every once in a while!

Keep chopping that GRP

[greg356a]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. With a lot of help from my friend had better day

A couple of steps forward today,

Cut the headlight bowls out and they fit a treat




The rear additional wing lips are now (fingers crossed) in the right place. Measurements symmetrical both sides and just over the wheels


Once the adhesive has gone off, will flip the body over, cut back the inner wing and mat over the top as before.


Think I will use expanding foam at the bottom corners, cut and sculpture then grp tissue mat over to recreate the shape


Angle on front and rear wings now match each other and line through.


Mega fat arse!

[roadiesean]

I had a job once when I first left Aus, in New Zealand, working in a plastic bath factory, cutting the flanges off the baths (good word, Flange), itch, itch, itch every day for 7 months. the second that I had enough money to fly the hell out of there and come to England I was gone ! Whooooooosh !!!

[greg356a]

Hello,
Still itching, but have managed to get the wing extensions to body joints into a good place. Seems like I have done a lot of work and not really achieved very much. I will confess to redoing some of the joints two and three times before I was happy. Most of the areas are covered by the bumpers so mostly hidden anyway.

Took a while to work out a how to add some adjustability to the rear engine lid/ hinges to get flat body surfaces. Ended up with something very simple. will post picture of this soon.



Nightmare trying to refit the rear roll cage. Nothing seemed to fit, just at the point when I thougt about getting the grinder out and it literally fell into place





Fat arse is now more or less symmetrical.


Next stage is trial fit of doors and bonnet and then prep body to chassi ready for final bonding/ fit

[Gary71]

Keep going. It will be worth the itching in the end!

[greg356a]

Morning,

Pics of the engine lid fitted, still need gaping and final adjustment etc



Welded a tube between the two vertical sections and used a threaded rod inside to hold the hinges in the right place


Bought a spring loaded plunger lock which you twist to locate into a hole. This locks the engine lid up with no stays etc sort-of like the original.


Ok, so made a SS plate with four welded nuts; two to bolt hold hinge to lid and two on allen keys dome head to adjust the angle of the lid to the body so get a flush finish.




Need to work out some sort of catch which does not fowl on the engine, not sure there is a lot of room. If not for IVA would just used a couple of leather straps.

[greg356a]

Hello,

First fit of the doors and bonnet.





Wiggle and waggle the body into shape and all looks good for a first attempt.

[mdmax72]

Gaps look good Greg at this stage...

Front wheels look close to the arches?? Any rub on full lock?? Or is it the angle of the picture.

[greg356a]

Hi Rich,

I have fitted some 50mm spacers at the front, so your right they rub. I will machine them down to size, looking at 32mm for clearance/ best fill.

Spent today on door gaps; pulling and pushing body with some light sanding of doors. Passenger door is going to be correct @ 3 to 4mm, but drivers door will still need some more work. Main issue is I cant get the back of the body down to get the correct angle at the back of the door. Fouls on the engine cage which I can't cut, may have to do some surgery on the body to change the angle and pull in.

Next step is to mark and drill the rivet holes ready for bonding chassis to body.

[mdmax72]

If you can't lower it, have or can you use a body gasket, that'll give you 4/5mm.

You sure do have to play about with the body to get the gaps right. I used some plastic wedges that worked a treat.