Progress on my CMC build

Very nice work, James!!

James, 

You are on the right track, nice work and detail too ...all I can suggest is perhaps, leave out a couple of the smaller torsion bars in the beam for a smoother ride. ~Alan

I'll second that. 

Thanks for the feedback, that's what I was hoping for!   Give me details...how many bars?
Unfortunately, I just finished installing the sway bar on the bottom arms.  I would rather not remove it, so could I remove bars from just the top?  How many?

Nice! How can I get a set of those hinges?

i third that but don't just remove them. 

 

i took a few out, made 4 cuts for each torsion arm removed (making 5 pieces):

 

* two small end pieces that slip into the trailing arms

* one center piece to keep the centre adjuster snug

* two middle pieces used for recycling

 

that way the key points are correctly tight

How many torsion bars should I remove?  Narrow or wide ones?

A few pictures of progress.  Please help me out with comments or suggestions.

 

NICE!!! 

I want a set of those hinges! Car looks great so far.

A little more progress this weekend.

The progress looks great so far. It's going to be a shame to hide all that lovely work under the body.

 

Keep at it!

 

Ted

Seats installed.  They will be upholstered when I get to that point.

 

 

 

A few more pictures of current progress.

Impressive James!

I'd hate to see you cover up those aluminum seats.  How about some snap on minimal leather pads (with internal carbon fiber heaters) and leave most of the aluminum visible.  Do your own tooling on the seat backs.

 

Wolfgang, we are on the same page.  I do not intend to cover them completely.  I even went as far as to punch the holes and slots in the back in a pattern that closely simulates the original Speedster metal seats.  I used pictures to layout and scale the locations and pattern.

 

My current plan is to cover the front like a typical Speedster seat in a dark cognac leather.  But, instead of carpet on the back, I will leave the aluminum.  The upholstery will wrap and snap around the edges.  I don't want to leave exposed aluminum edges because the Texas sun tends to get metal surfaces really hot! 

 

I like your idea on tooling the seats backs.  I have done that on smaller panels before, in a smaller pattern.

This is a very impressive build -- and so personal.  It is cool to see someone who knows exactly what he wants, and is able to make it happen, every detail.  This is going to be a very clean machine.  Bravo!!

James - Just for visual reference, here are a couple of pics of how one our West Coast SOCers treatment of his seats & interior...

 

 

(Click on picture to enlarge) 

Like the raw aluminum door panels too.  I can picture jumping into it on a hot Summer day (when its parked in the sun) though without a shirt on and leaning back -- no need for tattoos.  Sizzle.

I hear you, Wolfgang.  That's absolutely gorgeous, but it wouldn't work too well here in the sultry south.

THAT is precisely why I had those sheepskin seat covers....

 

James, you car is developing very nicely and should be a head-turner when done!

Jim,

 

That looks awesome!  Great inspiration.  I love the colors and the aluminum, very similar to what I have in mind.  I'm curious about the door panels.  Do they just open to the inside of the door, or are there storage compartments built in?  Maybe just finish the inside of the door and use the entire area for storage?

 

If you ever have a chance, snap a few more pics of the car for me, please. Thanks!

 

James

James- Click your 'Dialogs' tab at top of page. 

Thanks, Jim!  I will definitely file this in my inspirations folder.

More progress...about to get the body work complete. 

 

 

Getting pretty straight!  Fender lips removed, ground smooth and sealed with resin.

 

 

 

Everything underneath sanded smooth and coated with black bedliner.

 

 

 

All edges and exposed fiberglass areas sealed with resin.

 

 

 

Torsion bar holes cut and sealed.  Fits the original 356 torsion bar covers.

 

 

 

Ready to be finished with the bodywork!

 

 

 

Butt sag repaired.  Fender lips trimmed.  I hope 185s on 5.5" wide wheels clear!

 

 

 

All the ripples and high spots block sanded flat and straight.

 

 

 

Louvered deck lid fitted, beehives and reflectors mounted, all holes sealed with resin.  I am using a VW license light and mount for the outlaw look.  Also, '67 VW back-up lights...but I'm not sure about those. 

 

I think it may look a little too "busy" with all the lights and reflectors.  But, it may be better once it is painted.  I will also have a third brake light that has white LED's included and they can serve as back-up lights if I decide against these. 

Great work, and love the beehives!

 

Can you mount the reverse lights under the bumper, if you car concerned about it being 'too busy'?  Or, as you say, add LEDs in the hood louvers for back up?

James, I have the LED reverese lights hidden in the Carrera Fins. Here is a pic, its very descrete.

Daang Marty---very smart!  I need to look closer at that car at Carlisle this year!

 

What a ride!

 

 

James----please keep those pictures coming---great to see the great work you are doing!

That's where Henry puts the reverse lights, if you have the Carrera engine hood with the louvers.

 

My Speedster has them also.

James, You probably already have this covered, but after viewing the build pictures again I failed to see a "front body support".....  I know its probably sitting on the shelf awaiting final assembly....

 

The car is going to be knock down GORGEOUS when finished...

Looking really good!

 

I put an old driving light under the car(thanks WB), with a keyed relay and using the factory reverse switch. You can't see it unless you lay on the ground. But when you back up at night you sure can see!

Leon,

 

The CMC front support was not with the car when I bought it.  I have built my own, a little different from CMC.  I used a 1/4" aluminum plate under the trunk floor and a 2x2x1/4" aluminum angle bolted under the plate.  I have brackets that bolt to the angle piece and attach to the tapped holes in the top of the front beam mounting brackets.  This supports the nose and stiffened up the trunk floor where my spare will mount.  It also provides extra support for the gas tank and I tapped holes for the tank clamps.

 

I also glassed in supports from the trunk "well" to the front nose of the car in order to stiffen up the body.

  

 

 

Thanks for the feedback!  That's what I'm looking for from all the experience in the SOC.  I want to try to do this right the first time. 

 

James

One day I will have someone do a proper paint job on my CMC.  Your car is going to look spectacular.

 

With all of that prep work I hope you're going to paint it black.

Any thoughts on colors yet?

Ted

Ted,

 

I love your car and really like the way black cars look.  But...my wife had a black Camaro once and that was enough.  They look great when they are clean, but it takes soooo much work to keep them clean!  You have done a great job with your car.  I wish I had half of your energy!  You get more done in a weekend than I do in a month.

 

My plan is to paint it Stone Grey 5710.  My favorite example is Scott Sloan's Outlaw.  I am building something similar.

 

James

"My plan is to paint it Stone Grey 5710.  My favorite example is Scott Sloan's Outlaw.  I am building something similar.

 

James"

 

That's the way to do it.  Have a specific car in mind that rattles your tubes, and work toward that.  As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and Scott's IM is a car that needs to be imitated. 

 

Scott had a pure vision of what he wanted and Henry and his lads delivered it.

Body fitted onto pan! I still need to fab the front bumper mounts and fit the bumper.  Everything seems to fit as intended, seats will need a height adjustment, rear torsion bars need height adjustment, etc.

 

Then the body will come off one last time for a few final touch ups on the bodywork...then out to be painted!

 

 

I read in your earlier post you were thinking of using white LEDs for a third brake light with the hopes to use them for double duty as back up lights. Make sure you check the laws in your state regarding lighting equipment. In California white lights can only be used as headlamos and at the back of the car for reverse lights. All other lights visible from the rear of the car have to be red except for turn indicators which can be amber. There are a few other exceptions for really old cars but those are rare.

Robert,

 

The laws in Texas are the same, no white lights on the rear except reverse lights.

 

I was not as clear with my description as needed.  The LED third brake light is red.  However, there are also white LEDs in the unit that can used for a reverse light.  It is a combination red/white LED light bar.