Sports bodies for a special or replica or travesty (depending on your point of view)

[Mark McKibbin]

Found this picture for Nigel Hamlin Brown but not a blog...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d7/82/29/...45af27.jpg

...which led me to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBeiFVHFRRg

...and:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building...rip-Canoe/

Shows what CAN be done...but obviously a lot of work and skill there.  The thing with a special is to work to your own limits, and something like the Ron Champion "build a sports car for £250" book is the modern one to pick up along with all the Patrick Stephens and John Haynes classics.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Your-Spor...n+champion

You need the "have a go" attitude, which also requires a willingness to "have another go" until its a standard you'll live with.  There's also the option to get the tricky bits, perhaps the bonnet, done professionally or go on one of the courses to do that bit supervised.

I'm a fan of "Specials".  My own car is a ply structure with single curve ali skin - staggered seats and a pointy tail with the bits that might have been double curve under the luggage lid (like an Ulster spare wheel cover) and within the cockpit opening.  Took less than a year beginning-middle-end with a really full on job and social life, but had a bit more energy back then...just remembered, some years back I put photos online...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/londonsquirrel

Its now on 19in wheels and needs new mudguards - I might do a pukka wired edge job, or laminate plywood, or buy motorbike items.

The ali rad cowl in the old photos was made from a wok lid, as is the foot bulge.  Rear lights made from drinks mixer tins, aero screen home made, rev counter from a 60's Triumph with a hand painted face.  Headlights are 2CV inners, flat plexi "lenses", the shells are propeller spinners for large scale RC aircraft.  One of the design criteria was being able to fit through the house when finished as it was build in a back room and garden of a terraced maisonette.  At least it was ground floor.

Needs putting back on the road, and finishing, and maybe that will be with a more practical body - the best suggestion to me on another thread was a Cambridge type.

---

Cheaper edition of the Ron Champion book - and you don't need the "and race it" part.  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Your-Spor...SDN4PTBXKV

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Build-Your-Ow...Sw6aJa26qp

---

...and of course the Bill Williams book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Austin-Seven-Sp...s+austin+7

The Youtube although it has nothing to do with building a Special is definitely something to aspire to and I've gone and bought the non race Ron Champion book, so thanks for the post!