Leaderboard

While walking into town, my usual Saturday excitement, I detour through a small trading estate to have a peek in the local metal fabricators scrap bin. Most weeks either nearly empty or full of RSJ off cuts and 4" or larger thick wall box section plus large section angle. All big and heavy. Last Saturday had a much better assortment of small stuff mixed in with bits of the above plus other mixed junk including lots of tangled metal banding from delivery's of steel. Back today with the car. Into the shop / office and asked if I could have a dig in the bin. Lady person at desk didn't sound too keen. "We don't like that" but donned a high vis vest and came out into the yard. I pointed out a few smaller section bits and asked if I could have those. "Yes, but be careful, there are lots of sharp edges", as if I didn't know. Started pulling bits out and she started helping. I think she was worried in case I cut myself and sued. She would have had a fit if she had been at John's place while Chris and I were clearing the scrap. Anyway, got a selection for possible future use. Would have dug deeper and got more if lady person hadn't been nearly having kitten's. Asked how much I owed, "Nothing" was the reply I was hoping for. Result, although I was prepared to cough up a few tea bags. Various sizes from 2" x 1" down to 1/2" square plus round tube and bar, flat strip 1/4" thick and an 18" x 12" x 1/8" plate.

Had the Wheelhorse out today in the southern sunshine and drove it round the garden a few times. Runs and drives as it should so I'm very pleased with it.

The original exhaust which.was used for the test runs was unsuitable for scale appearance and was also in the wrong position. A 180 degree bend to fit within the side panels was needed. I tried a length of flexi pipe I had but this wouldn't bend into a tight enough radius. A piece of 15mm copper pipe was bent up using an ancient and crude pipe bender ( found at friend John's place ) where else, which gave the required result. The exhaust stub on the engine is approx 22mm outside diameter although the bore is a lot smaller. An adapter was turned up to suit. During the clear out at John's various stainless steel silencers were found which John had made at work. This one was removed from a mower and cleaned up. This was connected to the copper pipe via an old 90 degree plumbing elbow after cleaning off all the muck. After finding a length of chrome plated pipe a posher version was bent up. No prizes for guessing where these came from. Not sure how this pipe and the plating will stand up to the heat but not the end of the world if it doesn't. An extension was made for the silencer, again from copper pipe, as I didn't have anything else of a suitable diameter. This was drilled and the lower end plugged as per the full size. An adapter ring was turned up, drilled and tapped to hold everything together. This ring also located the assembly into the grill surround. The completed parts and after fitting. Still need to make some adjustments.