Jump to content
Ian

Project "Why Not"

Recommended Posts

Wow, a year old already!   How time fly's!!   Still, a year from starting to test driving is quite good for me :lol:

 

Not much to report, Thursday WN went back up on the bench something my back is very much regretting!  Even though there were three of us lifting!

 

So I spent Thursday doing some gentle paint stripping and knocking out a few dents.

 

WN672_zpszn4qoybu.jpg

 

 

I managed to get a bit more done yesterday, the fender pan this time. as you can see the fender pan does not quite reach the foot plates!

 

WN673_zpszozyu1ge.jpg

 

 

Some more recycling, this was part of a Spear and Jackson sign.

 

WN674_zpstmkfj0lc.jpg

 

 

Two plates tacked on..

 

WN675_zpsgx6watez.jpg

 

 

Both sides done and on the bench to be fully welded. As you can see a little trimming of length is needed..

 

WN676_zps5sa8dzsw.jpg

 

 

If all goes to plan and my back sorts it's life out I should have the fender pan finished Monday just in time for a new steering box to turn up that Chris has kindly sent me... Thanks mate :thumbs:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Looks great Ian and take care with that back.

 

Iain

 

Thanks Iain, the back is a lot better, it's just he rest of me that's the problem now :lol:

 

 

The new metal on the front of the fender pan has now been fully welded up, mostly shaped and the welds ground down..  Just in need of a splash of red oxide in these photo's.

 

WN677_zps9zhygwhj.jpg

 

WN678_zpsqtdkfpjh.jpg

 

 

As you will of seen elsewhere on MOM the mystery steering box from Chris turned up. Thanks mate :thumbs:   The mystery part turned out to be Austin A30/35, thanks for that Max :thumbs:

 

WN679_zpscm4rxjwt.jpg

 

 

Getting the Pitman arm off the steering box is a whole story in it's self.. Involving a hub puller, zip ties and a huge amount of heat!

Once the arm was off the plines the next challenge was getting a large nut off the shaft, this didn't quite go according to plan when the end of the threaded bit on the shaft sheered off right where the split pin holes are/were.

As the shaft needs extending a little bit this wasn't a problem.

 

WN686_zpsc7ul1xed.jpg

 

 

So will it fit? with the aid of a pair of scissors this were looking good..

 

WN687_zpslznqiivu.jpg

 

 

New and old steering box.. The box bit of the new one is certainly a bit smaller..

 

WN688_zps1ljebc3d.jpg

 

 

Trial fit time.

 

WN691_zpswknqiqaz.jpg

 

 

The box is at the right height it just needs to go back a bit or there wouldn't be any room for the new Pitman arm to swing.

 

WN690_zpskwkuznkb.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

To get the column up though the top of the dash I needed to make a hole a bit bigger, so I quickly spun up this bung on the lathe.

 

WN693_zpsbnvvxrkd.jpg

 

 

It fit's like so.. The small hole is for the "drill bit" bit of the cutter to slot into.

 

WN695_zpsrc3cknl4.jpg

 

 

Letting the dash cool down halfway through the cut. The amount of swarf that came out was amazing!

 

WN697_zpspla6b5om.jpg

 

 

A big hole..

 

WN698_zpseiju8crd.jpg

 

 

With a bit of the body mount sliced out..

 

WN700_zpsu1oqhowm.jpg

 

 

And the bottom of the dash surround notched a bit..

 

WN699_zps0kotxwob.jpg

 

 

The steering box ended up right where I wanted it..

 

WN701_zpsxhjvk1yo.jpg

 

 

The steering box mount taking shape.

 

WN702_zpskb2jl0n1.jpg

 

 

That should work well :thumbs:

 

WN703_zpssxnryorb.jpg

 

 

The mount has now had two captive bolts and one captive nut added.. Both ends have been boxed in and the welds cleaned up, I just forgot to take any photos of it..

Likewise I have made a start on shortening the steering column but also forgot to take any photos..

 

I'd best remember Monday :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

he makes it sound so easy, well believe me it was"nt it took many hours of head scratching and thought before he even started the practical stuff, the man is, some would say a genius, i say its insanity. :bow:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice work Ian! :thumbs:

 

Thanks mate.

 

 

wont be long until 'Test Drive Part 2'

 

"Coming soon to a YouTube channel near you... Test Drive 2  The search for a straight line" :D

 

 

he makes it sound so easy, well believe me it was"nt it took many hours of head scratching and thought before he even started the practical stuff, the man is, some would say a genius, i say its insanity. :bow:

 

Your part of the insanity mate :D:lol:

 

 

Well done Ian. :bow:

 

Thanks Norm.

 

 

As promised a photo of the finished steering box mount. Only tacked on in this photo, it was fully welded on yesterday.

 

WN707_zpsjm5luvrb.jpg

 

 

Time to chop the column down a bit.  The part sliced off the top of the outer column has a bush in the top so I need to reuse it.

 

WN704_zpsgp2dpp7s.jpg

 

 

I also need to graft this bit of the old steering column onto the inner bit of the new column.. The hole is for a massive roll pin that makes sure the steering wheel will never come off without the aid of a large hammer and punch :D

 

WN705_zpspborxxp3.jpg

 

 

No action shots as I was busy getting on with doing it.. One chopped column, a little over 1 ft has gone from it's height.

 

WN706_zps0ejzzuv2.jpg

 

 

A test fit..

 

WN708_zpsxjjnmzu0.jpg

 

 

The angle of the steering wheel has changed. A bit more upright than it was but not by much at all..

 

WN709_zpsknf4qevb.jpg

 

 

Working out the new Pitman arm...  Yes that is a box spanner.. But it's more than strong enough and is a nice tight, straight  fit on the steering box splines.. So why not use it :D

 

WN710_zps0aqw8t1e.jpg

 

 

The new column finished and almost ready to be bolted back in.  The mounting bracket at the top bolt's in just behind the dash surround..

Tomorrow I need to crack the box open and fill it with grease rather than oil, then it can be bolted back in until it need to come out for final painting which will be after show season..

 

WN711_zpsv4suki46.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What's the paint scheme going to be? Classic wheel horse or something more beastly?

 

Hi Max, classic WH paint it will be. With a few custom decals of course :)

 

 

 

I am in real awe of your workmanship abilities. Great Job!

 

Thanks Alain, she's getting there :)

 

 

No photo's but the steering is now bolted back together and feels much better than it was.. More steering lock and a tad over 2 turns lock to lock...

 

Next up on the hit list is to sort the front brakes.... I have a few ideas :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No need for a roll cage and parachute Kev, the built in "clench control" system will stop the driving from getting too wild.... :lol:

 

You hope! :D  When the adrenaline goes up and the red mist comes down, caution gets thrown to the wind. :hyper:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You hope! :D  When the adrenaline goes up and the red mist comes down, caution gets thrown to the wind. :hyper:

Red Mist ? does this mean Ian will attain such speeds that the paint will peel off :o :o

 

Looking great Ian :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You hope! :D  When the adrenaline goes up and the red mist comes down, caution gets thrown to the wind. :hyper:

 

I thought red mist only happens when your racing! :D

 

 

 

Red Mist ? does this mean Ian will attain such speeds that the paint will peel off :o

 

Looking great Ian :thumbs:

 

Nope Doug, the paint will stay on.. It's not a Westwood :lol:   

 

 

 

I wouldn't want to be down wind if the in built clench control system fails.......

 

I'm not going to answer that Andrew as everything I come up with is rather crude...   I used to work on the railway you see, some parts of the training stay with you forever :lol:

 

 

Well, I did try to get a photo of all the finished steering in place, but my lens isn't that wide.. So have a photo of the new steering box, it looks far neater than the old box.

 

WN714_zpszhw34ib0.jpg

 

 

Buried behind the column is the relocated expansion bottle... Not the ideal place to get a funnel into but it's the only place it can fit..  You can also just about see part of the crankcase breather, yes it's the bit held down with the zip tie.

 

WN715_zps3vkd4dnp.jpg

 

 

Getting a bit more pressure to the front brakes turned out to be quite easy in the end. Rather than raise the whole master cylinder as I have previously mentioned I just raised one end..

The front brakes won't lock up but they will certainly help with slowing down which is just how I want it.

 

WN716_zps3xxn8ahv.jpg

 

 

So, with WN steering and stopping I thought it was time to make a start on the electrical side of things,,, 

I needed somewhere to put the starter button and warning lights and maybe the choke..   And I also needed a new dash plate....     I think this panel came from a WH 314-8 I bought for parts years ago..

 

WN712_zpsan0uz3an.jpg

 

 

That fills a hole :lol:  I just need to work out where to put the lights and starter button... That's something for tomorrow..

 

WN713_zpslwmy8w6n.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Evening chaps, today has been all about metal..

 

To cover the hole that normally has a plate with an ammeter fitted I made up this plate... The curved bit covers the steering column where it pokes through under the dash.

I forgot to take any photo's of it so have a snap taken from the video footage.

 

WN728_zpssoy6y5cj.jpg

 

 

Working out where and how to mount the ignition barrel was fun. It will go under the dash towards the left which will mean drilling a hole through my freshly made panel above.. :o:rolleyes:

Here's the mounting bracket next to the barrel..

 

WN724_zpssv1pr7d7.jpg

 

 

The bracket also stops the bike steering lock pin from popping out should the key be turned the wrong way..

 

WN725_zpsafpr5t3u.jpg

 

 

And onto today's main attraction... The dashboard.. :D

 

In my haste to get it to fit yesterday I ground a bit too much metal off on the bottom corners. It would of been easy to ignore the gaps if they hadn't of bugged me so much..

 

WN717_zps6hjtsiyk.jpg

 

WN718_zpsxt5lmhbt.jpg

 

 

So... Off came the dash panel, the offending corners were cleaned up and clamped to a small slab of brass..

 

WN719_zpsrmy8grju.jpg

 

 

Extra MIG metal added to build the corner back up..

 

WN720_zps40fji6hh.jpg

 

 

One gentle tap later the brass came off the dash.. This is the underside.. You can see where the weld picked up some dirt from the brass.

 

WN721_zps93zwy9nx.jpg

 

 

Some very careful grinding later and the corners were sorted :thumbs:

 

WN722_zpsq0e78s5j.jpg

 

 

On a roll now 3 holes were drilled for warning lights and the starter switch, before I attacked the dash panel with this flap wheel thingy in the pillar drill.

 

WN723_zpsoydfeip4.jpg

 

 

The end result after a couple of coats of clear lacquer looked like brushed stainless..

 

WN726_zpswcbfrbn9.jpg

 

 

I like the look but I'm now wondering if my airbrush paint will still be any good after 7 odd years, and if I have any fine line masking tape :D

 

WN727_zpsds0ghc4w.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...