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STUFF FOR MY FUTURE SPYDER

I know that some of you may not like what I'm doing but as Stan says, "our cars are our own expression of ourselves" or something like that. While I like the lines and style of the Spyder and the Speedster, I have never liked those back-up leather straps used to hold down the clam shell and the hood.  Very 1915 ish .

What you see in the photos are very modified Hartwell latches used on aircraft to keep inspection hatches shut.  They are made to be flush with the aircraft skin.  In my application, my "skin" is approximately 1/4" thick. This means that the "buttons" of the Hartwell latch must be replaced with a 1/4" thick one. The gold ones in the photo are some I made and had engraved with a Spyder then anodized.

The aluminum plate with the oval insert  is the drill jig. I will clamp this to the clam shell to locate and cut an oval opening for the new thick buttons plus properly drill  holes for four 6/32 machine screws. These screws will be recessed, connected to each other by a wire so they won't spin and covered over with resin. The underside of the clamshell has a stiffening rib. This has to be drilled thru leaving it looking like a bridge under which the Hartwell latch arm will pass thru. I milled out a small aluminum block that attaches to this arm in order to extend and lower it to where it will catch under the lip of the body thus keeping the clamshell down in the event that the primary latches don't lock.

The other photo is 3/16 " LEXAN wind wings some guy I know gave me. I thought it would be cool to engrave the Porsche badge on them for a sort of ghost effect.

Any suggestions are always appreciated of course..............Bruce

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Images (5)
  • Hartwell Latches: 1/4" Oval Buttons
  • Hartwell Latches: Oval Button size
  • Hartwell Latches: New and old button comparison
  • Hartwell Latches: Drill Jig. Hole for button will have roundover
  • Lexan Wind Wing: Porsche engraving
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