Week 39 - The Build

 Busy week just gone and some big cosmetic changes! Really making some progress now. 

First job was to fit the fibreglass duct that guides the air from the outside through the raadiator and out the back of the boat. A key feature of this duct is that it secures the top of the radiator. Because of the way I installed the radiator and the gear cables and clutch hose etc, that part of the duct doesnt extend forward enough. I extended this enough with cardboard so as to make a mold for some fibreglass.

Here it is ready for the fibreglassing..

Here it is out of the mold...

...

and painted black to make it like it was always like it!

 and here it is all installed. The air filter is the blue thing and the hole above the engine oil filler cap will have a cover fitted.

Next job is to make a switch to connect to the 'Boot open' cable. A couple of spring loaded bolts to which are attached the wires and a copper strip on the engine cover.

Here it is in action..

Next job was installing the door mirrors, interior mirror,sun visors and the steering wheel centre for the hooter.

Here they are all done..

Week 38 - The Build

 First job with the exhaust mounting is to make a bracket to hold uo the silencer. Nothing supplied in the kit so its fabrication time. I do like a bit of bracketry! The plan is to weld sone 10mm steel rod to an exhaust clamp and bolt this to the plate that holds the dog clutch.

Here are the three pieces required. the clamp, a bit of bent rod and a sawn off bolt...

 

 

and here is the big metal glue gun...

 

and here it is sort of welded up..

As elegant a bit of metal work as ever I've seen if I do say. It is on the other hand almost useless as while it supports the exhaust it it wobbles about like a mad thing.

Take two includes an extra rod. I've managed to disguise the poor welding with plenty of angry grinder action. Here it is dry fitted to see if its any good. It almost perfection and will be getting plenty of paint. before final installation..

Here is a glimpse of what it will look like with the silencer installed

 

Week 37 - The Build

 Left it last week daring to swap the interior rear view mirror mounting. First job is to lay into it all with the angry grinder and see how it might fit together!

And here we are. A few gaps but that can be sorted out...

.... with a lot of Araldite.

Left it to set for a couple of days and it fits nicely.

Next job is to sort out the lights. Both the headlights on the donor were broken so ordered some nice Taiwanese replacements. A lot cheaper than the Ford parts but still impressively expensive.

There needs to be some minor adjustment of the mounting brackets first.

This photo shows the protruding bracket that needs to come off.

... the same thing from the other side.

 

and here it is gone!

 

They units then simplt fit into the hull and plug into the existing loom.

They do slighty foul the front corners of the bonnet but that can be sorted out later.

The rear lights are not from the donor. The supplied lights are fitted into a housing that then bolys to the inside of the hull and wired into the existing loom. 

Here they are in the housing from the rear..

and from the front.

And here is a short unimaginative video showing all the rear lights working.

... and the nav light!!

 

 

Next week it's finish off the engine bay by fitting the exhaust pipe and the ducting around the engine.