Geoff's Exocet build - Basingstoke

[o55ie18]

Mar 31, 2022 16:00:24 GMT wishful4444 said:

Could you not make the hole where the gearstick protrudes larger and cover the hole with a larger leather gaiter?

Good option. I think this is what I will do if required when I get to that stage. Seems the easiest and potentially tidiest option if you use a larger gaiter. Extremely doubtful it will sit flush/ correct for me when i'm at that point lol

[geoff]

Hey,

Many thanks for the feedback on the trans tunnel, it has been bugging me too. I think I agree that the gaiter will need to be bigger and i need to remove anything under the top that is fouling the trans...ie the gaiter...concentrate on attaching the tunnel snugly and then go for a gaiter solution that attaches to the top and not from underneath.

So i will backtrack a little on this, but still happy to have tried, I think this is a bit of try, try and try again...but I will get there in the end, no rush!

[geoff]

Well....got the passenger side of the trans tunnel attached, i needed a fixed edge to hold it in place whilst I tryed to get it into shape and aligned....



It is a square peg in a round hole, I used some timber on the drivers side to push it over and try to bridge the gap on the passenger side....tried...


So lots of fettling and almost there...I need to re-group....have a team chat....work out tactics...and go back on another day.

Am I happy...no....can I see light at the end of the tunnel....no....hold up maybe I can.....no it's just another train coming the other way to throw me a curve ball.....trains throwing balls...ha.

The attaching of these panels is taking me way longer than it should, so not happy at all...

[wishful4444]

Good day geoff

I'm not sure what your problem is. If the tunnel is bent correctly and holes cut out, surely it should simply fit over the gearbox?
Why the need to force it into position with pieces of wood?
I don't know how you intend to secure it into position whether by screws or a fixative.

[phaeton]

Apr 5, 2022 14:05:12 GMT wishful4444 said:

Good day geoff

I'm not sure what your problem is. If the tunnel is bent correctly and holes cut out, surely it should simply fit over the gearbox?
Why the need to force it into position with pieces of wood?
I don't know how you intend to secure it into position whether by screws or a fixative.

Have you ever tried to fit one? They appear to have been designed by a man who regularly walks around with a white stick & a Labrador.

At least with the Exocet it's only 1 panels with the Mevster there were 4, none of which fitted as they should.

Geoff I did mine the other way I fitted the drivers side first & stretched it over to the passenger only because the drivers is a straight run.

[geoff]

So, had the team talk and got my trigonometry head on and tried to work it all out. I stuck with the block of wood on the drivers side of the tunnel, this did move it across, but also up. So then used a long clamp behind the bulkhead on the passenger side to pull the inside of the side of the tunnel to the passenger side. The bulkhead needed more trimming to line it up...and then after 30 mins of fettling the gap closed and I screwed in a self tapper quickly.



So, much better progress and looking better, i suspect I will do the same as many others and use a trimming piece all around to cover gaps and joins, but that is a long way off, have to work on the drivers side bulkhead and then rivet it all up.

This is not a Meccano or Lego set, the panels are 80% there, you will need to cut, grind, bend to get it all to fit, but that is the point of the build, each one is different and without these challenges it would not be as satisfying. (not what I thought yesterday though...how things change with success!).

[phaeton]

I cheated & went with the closing pieces, 

[geoff]

Apr 6, 2022 7:52:38 GMT phaeton said:

I cheated & went with the closing pieces, 

Thanks for sharing this, I think that will be my final result when I have them all in, yours looks very good.

[phaeton]

Apr 6, 2022 9:20:11 GMT geoff said:

Thanks for sharing this, I think that will be my final result when I have them all in, yours looks very good.

I'm not 100% happy with it, but I'm looking to sell once through the IVA on the 3rd May (or after he retest ), so the new owner can make the modifications if it bothers them.

[wishful4444]

phaeton

Fortunately I have never had to fit one.

I bought my Sonic completed. It does have a tunnel made from a plastic material but I've never paid much attention to it as it's never been a problem. I will have a good look at it when next I take it for a drive.

geoff

Pleased to read you have made progress. The photos look like you have made a neat job.

[geoff]

Some more progress this morning, tunnel all riveted in and passenger side bulkhead all riveted...had to take off the protective covering, could not resist...



Some love tap marks around the tunnel...but is that just patina?

My thoughts are to do the drivers side bulkhead and leave well alone until later in the build, at which point I will probably put in some filler pieces all around the joint between the tunnel and the bulkhead, and may even consider wrapping it to stop sun glare....all for later though.

[phaeton]

Bit late now, but I would always recommend the firewalls first even before the floors

[geoff]

Apr 7, 2022 9:39:40 GMT phaeton said:

Bit late now, but I would always recommend the firewalls first even before the floors

Hmm not sure I was impeded by the floors or anything else, but also cannot see any issue in doing it first either. Too late for me but maybe useful for others.

[geoff]

Hi All,

So drivers side bulkhead all in...now eating my words, would have been much easier to install and fettle without the the pedals in the way!



Next up...back to the petrol tank...all four corners bolted up...fuel filter attached, I had to remove a little of the bracket to clear the back cover, and then plumbed it all in...spot the mistake:



Did you see it?......Wrong fuel line, so new fuel line on order and will swap that out. also waiting on breather filter to plumb that side in.

Then onto the front, and the fuel pressure whatsit that connects between the tank and the fuel rail. I decided to use the bracket it was on originally and trimmed it and cut it down to mount it on one of the bolts on the front shock, looks OK:



Mounting it here also meant that I could route the fuel line from the petrol tank up against the bulkhead and not having it crossing voids in the engine bay:



So all coming along very nicely, measuring up for a wiring tray now, looking at buying sheet ally and bending it myself I think...pulling out the CAD system to get it designed.

[hutchey]

Don't forget the drip dray under the tank.
Why keep the canister thingy anyway? Not needed.