Mk6 / Rtype chassis mods

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 8:39 pm Post subject:

Anthony,

Thanks for supporting the new SIG area of the forum.

Interesting pictures. It would be good to get a student to FE these and see which provides the best torsional stiffness.

I attach below the only one I can find of my own humble effort. I bought an Edwards sheet metal folder and made new channel sections to get the top of the cruciform level with the top of the rails. The (usually) mangled bit behind the new tubular rear cross member got amputated shortly after this was taken. I'll keep looking for a better picture.

BTW, I started off checking alignment with a digital angle finder but soon abandoned that and used a cheap tiler's laser level from B&Q which was easier to use and a lot more accurate.

Stephen

AnthonyEssington8982 · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2016 6:08 am Post subject:

Stephen I usually remove the cruciform and turn it over so that the bump that is in the floor ends up underneath and then the top of the chassis is flat, bit awkward to explain but I can show you in pictures, I'll try to find them! I don't use anything so technical as a laser, just a string line, most mk6 chassis I've come across have been at least 5mm out, if I get mine to within a mm I'm happy.

Al Coutts · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:57 pm Post subject:

Anthony/Stephen - I'd be very interested in seeing lots more pics of both your chassis. In fact I'd be delighted if anyone had anything like a drawing that they'd care to share with me!

Thanks,

Al

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:51 am Post subject:

Hi Al,

Have you got the sketch of the Harry Rose scheme which appeared in BS&SB's vol1 and elsewhere? If not, I can send you a scan. It ought to go on this thread too. I'm pretty certain there was an Alan Padgett scheme in the old Reviews, which I will also have a look for.

If you ever get to the beautiful peak district, you are most welcome to drop in for a cuppa and a look at my half-built car. Since I started writing about them, progress has stopped so it might be available for viewing in its present state for quite a while! Bit of a trek from deepest Norfolk, I know.

I'll pm you about sending other resources which must be out of copyright, but you never know?

Best wishes,

Stephen

James O'Neil · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:24 am Post subject:

Hi Stephen,

Copyright generally continues for 70 years after the death of the holder, so it's best to adopt a prudent approach to publication.

Sorry to read about the lack of progress on your car.

Regards,

James

Al Coutts · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:01 pm Post subject:

Hi Stephen - scans of the Harry Rose sketch and The Padgett mods would be most useful. Thank you for the offer of a visit, I plan on taking you up on that - I rarely leave Norfolk by road!

My email is Al@NuttreeFarm.net

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 6:37 pm Post subject:

James O'Neil · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 9:27 am Post subject:

Stephen,

I am delighted to be able to answer your question immediately - I have no idea (with due acknowledgement to Mark Twain).

And I should really have said "author" rather than holder.

James

John Robins · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:06 am Post subject:

I think that would depend upon the terms and conditions of the sale, particularly any provisions concerning the transfer of the intellectual property.

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 6:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks, gents. I thought so. Clarity at last (not).

Meanwhile, back to the plot. Here's one seen at the concours 2015;

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 7:10 pm Post subject:

And here's the Harry Rose scheme. As far as I can tell that won't get the engine back relative to the front wheels so further work needed;

Al Coutts · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 9:46 pm Post subject:

Thank you Stephen - that certainly demystifies what was potentially a testing task! I like the photo of the project car at Concours 2015, I see that there is no ash frame and solid rivets have been used, very interesting.

According to the DVLA website - the reconstruction of a classic car needs a
written report from the appropriate vehicle owners’ club.

I'm assuming that this is something the BDC can help with. How does one accomplish this - is it done at the end of the build process or are there stage inspections?

All help/advice gratefully received - apart from recently replacing the exhaust on my 1960 Series II LandRover, I've not worked on old cars for 30 years, so I'm mightily out of touch!

Al

Mark Taxis · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 6:02 am Post subject:

My Special also had 12" inserted in the chassis just behind the front suspension, thus keeping the 10' wheelbase.
The engine and gearbox were moved back about 14" and therefore the propshaft had to be replaced with a new one.
_________________
Mark Taxis
Sunshine Coast
Queensland 4560

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:04 am Post subject:

Why is the "Project car" fitted with a Salisbury axle,probably a Ford or Jaguar? It is a big mistake to take out so many spring leaves.

Notice how the Harry Rose prototype has a wedge box under the steering box to lower the column rake.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:11 am Post subject:

This is what Al means when he says that he has not left South Norfolk by road for a long time!

Do you know the Abrey farmers around Thetford/Wymondham,Al?

Al Coutts · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 4:46 pm Post subject:

Hi Christopher - RAF Leuchars Air Show 2014, I think. My display team were at Silverstone this year on both Friday and Saturday, however I was a bit busy at 200mph and 100' to look at Bentleys.

I know Robert, Chris and Giles but not very well, it might have been Robert's car that started my quest for a Special!

Paul Spencer · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 10:11 pm Post subject:

Al,

You need to be very careful about getting a newly-built special registered with the DVLA, especially if the chassis has been modified. It is an area that is very controversial at the moment and the regulations are not at all clear. Many people have paused the building of their specials until the rules become clearer. This document is a good place to start: https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/overview. You need to start by deciding whether your vehicle comes under section 5, 8 or 10. I guess a special comes under section 8.

Al Coutts · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 6:48 pm Post subject:

Thank you Paul - there seems to be no definitions in the DVLA document which probably causes confusion. One could say a special was a reconstructed classic vehicle, as it is not a radically modified vehicle.

Installing a gas turbine or a powering it by nuclear fission - well that is radical! Smile

So what are people doing?

Mark Taxis · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 9:45 pm Post subject:

Sounds like the best approach here is to tell them very little, after all how will anyone in the DVLA know exactly what is done to the chassis? Could it just be described as a car being re bodied?
_________________
Mark Taxis
Sunshine Coast
Queensland 4560

AnthonyEssington8982 · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 6:29 pm Post subject:

crack on and get it built, also when you take out your 260mm remove the channels that form the cruciform and flip them over then re insert.

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:14 pm Post subject:

Here's Alan's scheme, as depicted in BS&SB1.

There's no glossary for the annotation bubbles. Evidently the original must have appeared elsewhere, possibly in the Review. I'll keep looking.

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:19 pm Post subject:

Al,

Anthony has got a very attractive body

on his ebay listing http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282236240357?ul_noapp=true

There's a lot to be said for subcontracting large lumps if the car is going to get finished before the oil runs out.

Stephen