Post by Peter on Nov 13, 2016 17:42:26 GMT
So far Gavin has eluded my efforts to post rather than PM, so I'll kick off HIS build thread with the answer to his email.
"Got the car, with a lot of help from Richard, now looking for some panels and body sections to make the repairs a little easier. It's a blank canvas, a broken blank canvas, which needs just about everything. I have a brochure from the Eagle Co which mentions 'a source list' for all the stock parts from other cars that were used on the SS. I now need to know where to get everything! Does a 'source list' exist anywhere? I need just about everything that originally came bolted to the car as supplied by the factory; gas rams, door locks & handles, lights, window hardware, door seals, wiper, pop-up system etc etc. The list might be a good place to begin. If not, I'll just have to hope some member, somewhere, knows the answers. I havent even got to the the part where I need a rolling beetle chassis and engine to complete the job.
Here begineth the rebuild! Dr Frankenstein managed it so how hard can it be???"
Hi Gavin,
Frankenstein had it easy. I'll see what I can do to help straight of the top of my head.
Where to get anything is easy, scrap yard if you have a good 'pick and pull' near you or Ebay if not. Remember the car was redesigned in 1981 so parts will be those available at that time but many parts from more recent cars such as the VW MkIV Golf , Volvo, Skoda, MG, can be made to fit too.
So you want to build a kit car? is still worth a read even if you have "been there done that" several times, (http://eaglecarclub.proboards.com/thread/1242/build-kit-car).
New parts are available from Poly Creations, at a price. or maybe someone will allow you to use their shell as a buck to take a mould from.
Just list what you want and I and the other Eagle nutters will try and help. If there is a list out there I would love to add it to the 'technical ' page on the EOC site. On there you will find a lot of useful info like the relay wiring for the pop up headlights etc.
I hope there is a good screen with it, if not we have the Pilkington number.
Wiper motor std Lucas two speed will do but the pentagram system is very much a DIY job so look to bus/truck systems, I made mine from scratch using standard Lucas / Wipac parts and a bit of fabrication. With hindsight I would use the complete duel side mounted cross over system from something like an A-class Merc'.
Headlight lifter, IF you want to stay OEM, is a single or duel speed motor (fast up, slow down) and a special linkage (I'll try and remember to photo and measure mine next time in the 'shed' ) fixed to a 32mm tube mounted directly into 32mm holes in the fibre glass, (not recommended) and I used 30mm tube in self aligning bearings, (10 quid a pair on the bay). Alternatives would be lift ups such as MR2 or TR7 etc or fixed such as Fiat V20 coupé, been done a couple of time both sides of the pond on Nova/Sterling and a Cimbria SS.
The headlights are std 7" units from a Mini etc. Indicators/ sidelights are best using a combined unit such as on the Jaguar, Ss with all things, bare in mind that the lights on Ebay mostly Chinese do NOT comply with E markings and standard and may cause problem at MoT or even worse SVA time. I am really sticking my neck out on my car using LEDs and DRLs and I hope I can BS the tester into passing them as 'OEM from pre Spain times.
Door handles are MkI Ford Fiesta but as I said almost anything can be made to fit including a 'bar' type handle and lock unit over the recess in the door but I feel 'flush' is the way to go.
Inside there is a pulley and cable system for the handle and catch to 'pop' the catch, the lock from the Fiesta is used too but you can use a later handle incorporating the lock such as MkIV Golf.
Catches are single bonnet catches (Mk3 & 4, Mini, early Golf, Clio, etc). I have tried several alternatives such as bear claw and VW Golf but stick with the original type, so much lass hassle. The Fiesta one is a bear claw type and unsuitable)
Internal handles are Ford but one can use anything if mounted in the door card such as early Leyland/Rover or modern ones such as Clio.
Bonnet and boot lid pivots are simply an 8mm Allen bolt with a nylon 'top hat' and washer bush. Catches are very much a personal choice with many variations but the original is a simple barrel and arm unit centre rear or in the corners of the bonnet and same at the rear of the engine cover. Gas struts as on mine or a latching stay can be used on both front and rear. Door struts are 8" stroke such as Vauxhall Astra or Merc' A-class tailgate.
Side and rear windows should be 4mm toughened glass but 4mm plastic will do. Polycarbonate even better.
The rubber strip and locking strip for the rear window are standard and available from a variety of trimmers, Woolies etc. or Ebay of course.
Door and side window seals are std C section. for 4mm thick panels. I'll look up the correct number when I have a moment.
Side window fittings are grommets for glass (4mm) , 6mm hole for fronts and 8mm hole for rear (hinged catch) bolts are M6 stainless with nylock nuts and washers, if you find some I need a set too, bugger to find.
Catches are from a variety of donors such as VW Beetle front quarter lights or some cars rear side windows, with a tweak or two.
Head lining is a pig and best done before the rear window goes in so you can use the rubber seal to hold it in place, same goes for the door seals. at the front you will need to make a former across the top of the screen to hold the headlining in place, 3mm ply is fine for that as well as door cards and dash/console, that's what I used. a very versatile material. I use 4mm foam on the roof first and then stretch commercial headlining material over that.
'A' post trims are best handmade from 2mm alloy and covered with black leather cloth.
If you have the standard dash then that is a good start and a simple 'pod' for the instruments is all that is needed but no two any anything like the same.
Std VW steering is normally used but rack and pinion is popular too, I and others have used the Renault C15/Clio rack shortened to 110cm bolted to a bracket welded to the top of the frame head with a variety of columns including the Corsa electric one. Fit a Mono/Sparco etc 6 bolt hub and there is a huge range of steering wheels available
Seats will be your biggest headache if you want to go sporty, the ones I have are no long available and only just fit but there are other around that are similar but you only have 17 1/2" (44.5cm) across the floor from tunnel to side frame to play with. so 50cm seat like Cobra are out. Bedford Rascal (Suzuki Carry) seats are a perfect fit with the addition of decent runners (25 quid) a bit flat but very comfortable, I regret changing mine and should have gone for reupholstering instead. (about 75 quid a seat.)
Trim is very much personal taste, retro, modern, sport/race, Sci-fi, etc, all are valid, there is no such thing as the wrong way to do it, unless you want to go 100% OEM 1980s show car.
Wheels and tyres are very much a torrid topic and some like large 2350/40R19 front, 255/40R19 rear on alloy rims others, like me, go for a more classic (and comfortable) 60 profile on 15" rims. Whatever the 'theme' of your build, stick to it or you will be like me and ten years on still trying to "finish" it.
The cockpit is by far the most time consuming and difficult to get right. so allow a LOT of time for it.
Before you even think about body repairs, trim, etc get the rolling chassis, brakes, transmission and engine FINISHED beforehand.
"Got the car, with a lot of help from Richard, now looking for some panels and body sections to make the repairs a little easier. It's a blank canvas, a broken blank canvas, which needs just about everything. I have a brochure from the Eagle Co which mentions 'a source list' for all the stock parts from other cars that were used on the SS. I now need to know where to get everything! Does a 'source list' exist anywhere? I need just about everything that originally came bolted to the car as supplied by the factory; gas rams, door locks & handles, lights, window hardware, door seals, wiper, pop-up system etc etc. The list might be a good place to begin. If not, I'll just have to hope some member, somewhere, knows the answers. I havent even got to the the part where I need a rolling beetle chassis and engine to complete the job.
Here begineth the rebuild! Dr Frankenstein managed it so how hard can it be???"
Hi Gavin,
Frankenstein had it easy. I'll see what I can do to help straight of the top of my head.
Where to get anything is easy, scrap yard if you have a good 'pick and pull' near you or Ebay if not. Remember the car was redesigned in 1981 so parts will be those available at that time but many parts from more recent cars such as the VW MkIV Golf , Volvo, Skoda, MG, can be made to fit too.
So you want to build a kit car? is still worth a read even if you have "been there done that" several times, (http://eaglecarclub.proboards.com/thread/1242/build-kit-car).
New parts are available from Poly Creations, at a price. or maybe someone will allow you to use their shell as a buck to take a mould from.
Just list what you want and I and the other Eagle nutters will try and help. If there is a list out there I would love to add it to the 'technical ' page on the EOC site. On there you will find a lot of useful info like the relay wiring for the pop up headlights etc.
I hope there is a good screen with it, if not we have the Pilkington number.
Wiper motor std Lucas two speed will do but the pentagram system is very much a DIY job so look to bus/truck systems, I made mine from scratch using standard Lucas / Wipac parts and a bit of fabrication. With hindsight I would use the complete duel side mounted cross over system from something like an A-class Merc'.
Headlight lifter, IF you want to stay OEM, is a single or duel speed motor (fast up, slow down) and a special linkage (I'll try and remember to photo and measure mine next time in the 'shed' ) fixed to a 32mm tube mounted directly into 32mm holes in the fibre glass, (not recommended) and I used 30mm tube in self aligning bearings, (10 quid a pair on the bay). Alternatives would be lift ups such as MR2 or TR7 etc or fixed such as Fiat V20 coupé, been done a couple of time both sides of the pond on Nova/Sterling and a Cimbria SS.
The headlights are std 7" units from a Mini etc. Indicators/ sidelights are best using a combined unit such as on the Jaguar, Ss with all things, bare in mind that the lights on Ebay mostly Chinese do NOT comply with E markings and standard and may cause problem at MoT or even worse SVA time. I am really sticking my neck out on my car using LEDs and DRLs and I hope I can BS the tester into passing them as 'OEM from pre Spain times.
Door handles are MkI Ford Fiesta but as I said almost anything can be made to fit including a 'bar' type handle and lock unit over the recess in the door but I feel 'flush' is the way to go.
Inside there is a pulley and cable system for the handle and catch to 'pop' the catch, the lock from the Fiesta is used too but you can use a later handle incorporating the lock such as MkIV Golf.
Catches are single bonnet catches (Mk3 & 4, Mini, early Golf, Clio, etc). I have tried several alternatives such as bear claw and VW Golf but stick with the original type, so much lass hassle. The Fiesta one is a bear claw type and unsuitable)
Internal handles are Ford but one can use anything if mounted in the door card such as early Leyland/Rover or modern ones such as Clio.
Bonnet and boot lid pivots are simply an 8mm Allen bolt with a nylon 'top hat' and washer bush. Catches are very much a personal choice with many variations but the original is a simple barrel and arm unit centre rear or in the corners of the bonnet and same at the rear of the engine cover. Gas struts as on mine or a latching stay can be used on both front and rear. Door struts are 8" stroke such as Vauxhall Astra or Merc' A-class tailgate.
Side and rear windows should be 4mm toughened glass but 4mm plastic will do. Polycarbonate even better.
The rubber strip and locking strip for the rear window are standard and available from a variety of trimmers, Woolies etc. or Ebay of course.
Door and side window seals are std C section. for 4mm thick panels. I'll look up the correct number when I have a moment.
Side window fittings are grommets for glass (4mm) , 6mm hole for fronts and 8mm hole for rear (hinged catch) bolts are M6 stainless with nylock nuts and washers, if you find some I need a set too, bugger to find.
Catches are from a variety of donors such as VW Beetle front quarter lights or some cars rear side windows, with a tweak or two.
Head lining is a pig and best done before the rear window goes in so you can use the rubber seal to hold it in place, same goes for the door seals. at the front you will need to make a former across the top of the screen to hold the headlining in place, 3mm ply is fine for that as well as door cards and dash/console, that's what I used. a very versatile material. I use 4mm foam on the roof first and then stretch commercial headlining material over that.
'A' post trims are best handmade from 2mm alloy and covered with black leather cloth.
If you have the standard dash then that is a good start and a simple 'pod' for the instruments is all that is needed but no two any anything like the same.
Std VW steering is normally used but rack and pinion is popular too, I and others have used the Renault C15/Clio rack shortened to 110cm bolted to a bracket welded to the top of the frame head with a variety of columns including the Corsa electric one. Fit a Mono/Sparco etc 6 bolt hub and there is a huge range of steering wheels available
Seats will be your biggest headache if you want to go sporty, the ones I have are no long available and only just fit but there are other around that are similar but you only have 17 1/2" (44.5cm) across the floor from tunnel to side frame to play with. so 50cm seat like Cobra are out. Bedford Rascal (Suzuki Carry) seats are a perfect fit with the addition of decent runners (25 quid) a bit flat but very comfortable, I regret changing mine and should have gone for reupholstering instead. (about 75 quid a seat.)
Trim is very much personal taste, retro, modern, sport/race, Sci-fi, etc, all are valid, there is no such thing as the wrong way to do it, unless you want to go 100% OEM 1980s show car.
Wheels and tyres are very much a torrid topic and some like large 2350/40R19 front, 255/40R19 rear on alloy rims others, like me, go for a more classic (and comfortable) 60 profile on 15" rims. Whatever the 'theme' of your build, stick to it or you will be like me and ten years on still trying to "finish" it.
The cockpit is by far the most time consuming and difficult to get right. so allow a LOT of time for it.
Before you even think about body repairs, trim, etc get the rolling chassis, brakes, transmission and engine FINISHED beforehand.