diy
Just getting started
Posts: 6
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Post by diy on Jun 15, 2023 15:52:08 GMT
greetings from Belgium first of all let me introduce myself, I am Luc and born long ago in 1961, better known in Belgium and the Netherlands as DIY. Kitcars and Sandbuggys are my hobby that got out of hand and I already built about 6 of them, mainly buggies and now the last one is a Nova sterling, which has just been inspected and awaiting the commission to be admitted to traffic. In Belgium that is quite a procedure, and has only been in effect for 2 years now to be able to build kit cars again. I currently have 3 Eagles ss waiting for a full restoration, really starting from scratch, all mechanical parts need a thorough overhaul including all chassis engine brakes etc. The bodies vary from fair to bad condition. Now polyester has few secrets for me thanks to my education and 25 years of experience from the boat world and buggies, and the technical side is also done entirely by myself. First up is an Eagle SS on VW chassis, this body is in pretty nice condition apart from a few things that previous owners have ground away such as the wheel arches for example. As far as the interior was concerned, there was nothing solid anymore, the first thing to do was to make a left-hand drive dashboard and all inner panels from scratch. these are all made in polyster but with a leather look, I just find it practical and since I make everything with molds, the following ones can easily be reproduced in the color I want. I have just added the photos of the interior, these still have to be trimmed and edged, in other words the panels have not yet been fixed
The next step will be adjusting the chassis with a deeper seat and subframe because I'm 1.86 m tall and otherwise I wouldn't get into it. All of a sudden I come up with a few questions which lock mechanism do you have because on all 3 there is a lock mechanism of a beetle trunk lid and that is ugly in the way. 2nd I'm thinking about opening the doors electrically like I did with the Nova, apparently Peter would have been working on it at some point but nothing else has been found about it, are there those who already did this? PS if I make language mistakes, after all I speak Dutch
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Graham Wood
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User name = RAM
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Location, Town please: Southport, U.K.
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Post by Graham Wood on Jun 15, 2023 17:26:50 GMT
greetings from Belgium All of a sudden I come up with a few questions which lock mechanism do you have because on all 3 there is a lock mechanism of a beetle trunk lid and that is ugly in the way. 2nd I'm thinking about opening the doors electrically like I did with the Nova, apparently Peter would have been working on it at some point but nothing else has been found about it, are there those who already did this? Hi, Welcome to the Eagle Forum.
All my eagles ( ford front mounted ) had similar locks ( but chrome ) to above photo, and just a plain slot in the fibreglass to accept the lever.
One small hole but with one or 2 flat sides was all that was needed, but your current beetle ones may have to have holes filled in and re-made holes.
Firbreglass is light enough to lift with keys in place
2) gasram door opens much faster than any other form - so I suggest you keep to gas rams for doors. I would be half a kilometre down the road before you got your doors closed ! after waiting for them to open / close..
But good to see you have so many Eagles. Eventually join the club and save up to vist us at one one of the English shows.
Nice to see you.
Graham.
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diy
Just getting started
Posts: 6
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Post by diy on Jun 15, 2023 18:21:16 GMT
actually it was not the intention to have so many eagles ss, but they just wanted to slaughter 2 pieces for the pieces, and I couldn't let that happen. I can't get the locks you used through the inspection here, they have to be double-locked like with every car. so close the door and lock it automatically.
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Post by Charlie Francis on Jun 15, 2023 18:45:58 GMT
Gas rams may well be quicker but is it about speed or style
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Graham Wood
E.O.C. Chairman
Webmaster
User name = RAM
Posts: 534
Location, Town please: Southport, U.K.
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Post by Graham Wood on Jun 15, 2023 21:53:51 GMT
Gas rams may well be quicker but is it about speed or style Am trying to save "Diy" money and and agrevation, what with painfully slow electric or hydraulic rams ( have seen them both ) and getting door latch to open before rams operate,
my gas rams - initially - rased the doors on thier own - after the first few inches, and were quick. Can't be arsed to WAIT to get into car and WAIT to drive off. Especially if it's got a Beetle ( and beetle sounding ) engine. No way. Just not cool, man.
High performance and bad ass exhaust note, wild paint job ( not too wild ) -- yes, electric slow doors. Normal 1600 / 2L front engine or 1300 / 1600 beetle engine, one colour body --- No electric doors.
Just my preference.
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Post by Charlie Francis on Jun 16, 2023 7:29:53 GMT
If id wanted to save DIY money I'd have never purchased the Eagle in the first place For me speed isn't important its about looks and standing out from the crowd. Glossy metallic black paint job with maybe a few deep red highlights, chrome side pipes. LED lights (lots of them)
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Graham Wood
E.O.C. Chairman
Webmaster
User name = RAM
Posts: 534
Location, Town please: Southport, U.K.
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Post by Graham Wood on Jun 16, 2023 9:00:57 GMT
Glossy metallic black paint job with maybe a few deep red highlights, chrome side pipes. LED lights (lots of them) Exactly.... and decent exhaust note Eagle SS's were not too popular, a few years ago, but with all our help, we can make them be.
Well, that is my intention.
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diy
Just getting started
Posts: 6
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Post by diy on Jun 16, 2023 10:37:21 GMT
lol first topic and immediately differences of opinion, that's what makes kitcars just so beautiful, I have the gas pressure springs so we're just going to try at a later time what it gives, I still have air pressure pistons lying around so that's option 2 and order 2 actuators and a control in China, to be continued
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Graham Wood
E.O.C. Chairman
Webmaster
User name = RAM
Posts: 534
Location, Town please: Southport, U.K.
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Post by Graham Wood on Jun 16, 2023 11:34:53 GMT
lol first topic and immediately differences of opinion, that's what makes kitcars just so beautiful, I have the gas pressure springs so we're just going to try at a later time what it gives, I still have air pressure pistons lying around so that's option 2 and order 2 actuators and a control in China, to be continued Yes we all have our own opinions.
Gas rams -- series 3 SS, original ones have sticker on stating 280 N. Have located correct part number for gas rams, at correct dimensions, but higher force.
I think Eagle got standard ones made but with pressure reduced. I am about to order one 280n to see if it's too strong or weak. Will let all members know the results ( E.O.C. Members )
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diy
Just getting started
Posts: 6
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Post by diy on Jun 16, 2023 16:07:26 GMT
[quote I am about to order one 280n to see if it's too strong or weak. [/font][/div] Will let all members know the results ( E.O.C. Members )
[/quote] That would be great
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Post by Charlie Francis on Jun 16, 2023 17:51:35 GMT
yep id be very interested in both the results of the 280n gas rams and the air cylinders.
speaking of door opening positions, how far are the doors supposed to open, I'd like to see them open to the point where the vertical section of the door becomes horizontal (if that makes sense) was that the original design ?
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Post by Charlie Francis on Jun 16, 2023 17:53:04 GMT
ohh yes it has to be a decent exhaust note. My slingshort "burbles" at idle, reving up to a serious deep throated roar.
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Post by Peter on Jun 20, 2023 12:12:40 GMT
Hi Luc, great to see you back on-line and working on the cars, I know you have been having physical problems so I hope all is better now.
The following answers a few points in earlier posts.
The electric actuators were not a great success, too slow and very noisy but in fairness they were the cheapest around, I wasn't going to throw hundreds of euros at a failure but maybe SUV tailgate rams might be the answer, getting the doors to open enough while using 8" (20cm) rams was a bad idea as was moving the mounting points, the roof should be vertical when fully open, I didn't get that. I don't think having the lower part of the door horizontal when open would work as the amount of ram travel needed would be too long.
I did design a door roof mounted twin gas ram set up for the TEAC car and possibility to use Linak rams in the door roof but cost was too high. Looked into the DeLorean, Mercedes and Tesla X (all rear gull wing) but very complicated, = expensive.
The DOOR catch as standard is an early VW beetle bonnet catch and the windows a front quarter light catch. Ford exterior handles. it is not the best option and my brother Bod in Alabama used a lift and rotate catch on his Cimbria that worked well. I tried VW Golf MkII door catches in the doors but complicated with a solenoid in the door to open and spring loaded contact pads to carry the signal. that worked as I found the instant signal from the opening relays popped the door just as the actuators kicked in, a horizontal bar in a recess of the sill matched the catch. exterior manual handle would have been good to retain but I filled mine in. I also had a Bluetooth transducer connected to the primary circuit relay so no phone, no opening or ignition, button etc, A bit OTT.
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Post by Charlie Francis on Jun 20, 2023 18:59:12 GMT
Thanks for the info much appreciated.
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diy
Just getting started
Posts: 6
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Post by diy on Jun 20, 2023 19:23:55 GMT
hi Peter glad to hear you again, I can't complain with health, it's not like it once was but yes we are still alive and it was really almost different... Thanks already for your info, as you know I just finished the Sterling Nova and there too it was a real puzzle to find the controls and the right actuators. Currently started on the chassis and tackled the chassis head first and put a front axle back together, there was an adjustable one on the chassis and that is prohibited in Belgium.
btw I still have to figure out how best to post photos or videos here
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Post by chrisbailey on Jun 21, 2023 19:31:41 GMT
I'm in the process of trying to update the mechanisms in my doors. The doors on my SS are in a pretty poor state, so I have not been afraid to cut into them try try things out. I found some small bear claw latches here www.carbuilder.com/uk/mini-bear-claw-door-latches-pair-75mmThe latches double lock so IVA compliant. I made custom hinge plates and am going to use Bowden cables to operate them with the original handles. I've glassed in the Bowden cable sleeves. Ill show you pictures once I get them fully working.
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Post by Peter on Jun 26, 2023 13:20:53 GMT
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Post by chrisbailey on Jun 26, 2023 14:00:07 GMT
I got the bear claw latch working now on my drivers side door. Wasn't as difficult as I first thought. If youre doors are mostly untouched, it should be a pretty simple job. I 3d printed some mounts for the Bowden cables. If you want to copy what I did, I can send you the files or even just print the mounts for you and post them.
It uses the original ford fiesta mk1 door handles, vw interior door handles and just requires some epoxy resin and a bit of glass matting, also some Bowden cables which you can get from a bike shop cheap.
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Graham Wood
E.O.C. Chairman
Webmaster
User name = RAM
Posts: 534
Location, Town please: Southport, U.K.
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Post by Graham Wood on Jun 26, 2023 14:13:51 GMT
speaking of door opening positions, how far are the doors supposed to open, I'd like to see them open to the point where the vertical section of the door becomes horizontal (if that makes sense) was that the original design ?
Later versions had weak roof but reverted to not so vertical doors.
Mk 3's ( but maybe mk 2's ) had reinforced roof, did away with the internal roll bar, but kept the not so vertical doors ( shorter gas rams were cheaper ) Mine is a mk 3 BUT with internal ( on show ) roll over bar - so am confused as to why it has a roll bar with a reinforced roof. Maybe they had a few left over, and just fitted them.
But Peter my put me right.
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Post by Charlie Francis on Jun 26, 2023 14:20:25 GMT
ok, thanks.
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diy
Just getting started
Posts: 6
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Post by diy on Jun 29, 2023 14:40:05 GMT
when I reply to the topic I can't add photos, is there an explanation somewhere how this can be done
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Post by chrisbailey on Jun 29, 2023 15:34:07 GMT
The forums memory is full. It's a free forum so has very limited memory. You can host your images on an image hosting platform like imgur or vyg.me. Then just paste the links in to your forum posts and they will appear when you press post.
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