My Kiwi Reproduction ulster

[jansens]

Tony, that sort of 'useless' knowledge is just the kind of thing I remember AND will find useful in time.

I wouldn't consider my films instructional. I don't have the patience for doing that really. I am building a car, not a YouTube channel (which is where most youTube channels end up going wrong eventually I think). It's more to show that you can learn it though lots of trial and error and just trying things. Both Atho and I have been lucky to also have amazing people willing to show us how.

I make a load of silly mistakes with the things I do but just try to learn from them and to be honest doing it wrong then having someone say afterwards 'why didn't you just do it like this' is a really great way to learn and remember the lesson.

I think learning all the ways how not to do something (and why) is better than being taught the supposed one right way to do something and nothing else.

Simon

[Athanasius Santamaria]

Its been a very long time since I last posted on here but I thought its high time, so I will get on with it. A lot has happened since the last post, I am getting pretty close to finishing the body and wings. The aim is to get the body finished by Christmas and then start the mechanicals and painting next year. Since my last post I have riveted the aluminium skin to the floor pan, finished the instrument panel, built the windscreen and fitted the radiator to the rad shell. I have also rebuilt a Mk 6 lotus replica body and built a new fuel tank for a triumph motorcycle. So I have been a bit distracted as well. Anyway here we are, to go forwards I will now go backwards. 

   
Here is the car at present.

   
This is the half round windscreen posts that have been cut in half and are being filed to shape. I don't have a milling machine so I just cut a piece of round stock in half with an angle grinder and then shaped it with a file 

   
Here the side pieces have had the pivot pins inserted and tacked in position ready for silver soldering. 

   
Here the full internals of a folding screen can be seen complete with pivot locking wedge and "slug" that allows the wedge to expand and lock the screen. quite a clever system.
  
   
The finished result ready showing the windscreen frame soldered up and side posts attached. Spacers are still yet to be fitted and hood brackets need to be properly attached.

Ill endeavor to keep posting till things are a bit more up to date. For now this is a start. Be back soon.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Stunning work, as ever.

[Belinni]

Brilliant to see you posting again and the update, keep up the good work..

[jpsmit]

Looks great and I wouldn't mind (and I hope no one else will either) if you post pictures of the Lotus and even the work on the tank.

[Howard Wright]

Hi Athow
Great to see progress, and such good work.

Howard

[Hairy]

Looks like the almost identical windscreen I'm planning to use. The top half of an opening windscreen. I plan to have the glass extend above the side supports and be unsupported across the top.

[Tony Press]

"This is the half round windscreen posts that have been cut in half and are being filed to shape. I don't have a milling machine so I just cut a piece of round stock in half with an angle grinder and then shaped it with a file"

Your file work is excellent !  

[Ian Williams]

BTW those front wings are entirely scratch built by Athow as is everything else you see...no outsourcing whatsoever! Very impressive quality of work from an extremely talented and modest young guy, working on a very limited budget. He deserves every bit of praise he receives.

[Tony Press]

I can still remember in Junior Tech having a lesson where we had to file a cast iron plate to completely flat. I can still file reasonably well but nothing like the work carried out by Athow- beautiful job, 

Not to mention as Ian has pointed out the excellent bodywork.