Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Just got opening credits to Home Improvement stuck in my head.

Ah, no one calls me :(

You back in town then NH?

Yeah dude I sent you a fb message.

Are you in london?

@Dammit:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Mustang-Coupe-/291208677198?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43cd63c74e

I can pick it up for you?

You'd want to change those hideous wheels.

Those wheels are perfect on that car. I love them.

Those wheels are an abomination...

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/331294271344

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/classic-car/111437716700?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D24438%26meid%3Df44b9c4958be4bedb0a456d56e21803e%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D9173%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D331294271344&rt=nc

OK this is a newish thread for me to join but some of you may like to see what I spend most of my non-training time doing (no its not building up more bikes). About 4 years ago I bought a 1939 Delage 3 litre engine chassis and axles in France.

It is a chassis that is within a few numbers of the two Walter Watney Le Mans cars and which would certainly have been in the factory with those two chassis. The descendants of both cars survive but neither is as it was in 1939.

I was unsure what to do with mine but when I found the correct racing Cotal gearbox I decided we should rebuild it as a correct facsimile of the 1939 Le Mans cars. This meant a lot of work we had to make from scratch new wheels, new hubs, new brakes (complete - drums, shoes and back plates) new steering box internals, new crown wheel and pinion etc etc. We also discovered that my chassis had had a big crash and some point so it all had to be unrivetted and rebuilt on a chassis jig to get it straight and square.

a new cylinder head has been cast and machined to match the original competition version of which there were only 2 or 3 and a new body has been built. We are sort of the home straight now but only recently discovered that none of the original rocker pedestals or rocker gear is up to being reused so currently we are remaking all of that together with working on the re-pro carburetors which we are making from scratch....

Let me know if this turns you on and I can post lots more!!!

Like a rod of iron

Wow. Proper engineering. Rispec.

Will it be Mille Miglia eligible?

Yes. And Classic Le Mans, Monaco, Pau etc etc.

I've done a lot of this sort of thing before on my aero engined cars but making carburetors from scratch is a whole new ball game.

Sometimes it can be really frustrating. I managed to get a really beaten up but correct Bosch fuse box. I patched it up with filler until it was 100% then made a latex rubber mold from it. I then cast a new pair in resin (well I cast about 20 and then I got everything right and made a perfect pair - definition, colour, rigidity). About a month later a contact in Holland sent me an email - he had found a mint pair of originals, NIB. So all that work and I still ended up spunking out £500 for a pair of originals basically because I would never have been happy with repros when it could have had the correct thing. Still there will be a few repros for sale on my stand at Beaulieu in a couple of weeks.

Wow, that's deeply impressive stuff.

Fuck off are you rebuilding a 1930s Le Mans car.

When do I get to come sit in it and make broom broom noises. Also when do I get to race it at Le Mans classic?

That is fucking amazing

More pics, please.

My uncle in aus is building a pre war mg (n type?) that is ultra rare and mm eligible. He has to make a lot from scratch, but nowhere near the extent you are.

I am always amazed at the level of craftsmanship involved in this sort of project. Here I am moaning that my suspension bushes squeak after changing springs and people are making 80 year old carbies from scratch!

Awesome.

Oh, and

I've done a lot of this sort of thing before on my aero engined cars

;-)

Sorry. i can turn into a bit of a bore when I'm in the middle of obsessing about car projects.

We had some prewar French wheel centre lock nuts made - its not just the inscription but rather the whole shape and look of the French ones that are different.

Also a picture of a 1/43 die cast model I managed to buy. Who makes models of an obscure car - production total 2? Whoever did it it is actually very good in most respects although some bits are just wrong.

Couple of pictures of bodywork being test fitted over the chassis and wooden bucks - that was a while ago. Bucks are all gone now and it just has its metal frame to hold the paneling. Bonnet was left unfinished and no under trays because it needs all the running gear installed and the springs set to the final height first so that we get the clearances right. Also since these photos it has had radiator and oil coolers made and fitted, fuel tanks, seats and upholstery, dashboard and instruments all done (got very lucky and found a set of blue faced matching instruments in French made by OS.)...

Er. Wow.

Much #rep

Oh, I say!

/ Thread Ends.

I see a jumping spider in those headlights!?