Introducing the Stig Special

[sawhorse 0]

The safety label reads like a word scramble.....

"please not at the circumstance usage that unload the machine hull weld machine."

:scratchead:

[Stigian 1,234]

Evening chaps, time for another update.

As you can imagine all this machining work is taking it's time but its getting there slowly.

The slab of steel in the lathe now looks like this.

A bit more boring work in the center then I can turn it over and machine it all round.

Had a couple of visitors last week, Michel (Fordsonmayjortom) and his son (sorry dude forgot your name )

They arrived bearing a present, an old and er.. slightly rusty hood from a Raider 12.

As you can see it need's a tad of new metal letting in the rusty spots, but I like a challenge

In other new's Garry and I had a thought today!!

We try not to let it happen too often, but every once in a while one slips out

The thought happened after a quick count of "available" rear wheels with matching size tires, of which there was 8..

And a very quick count of of K301 engines of which there was 2...

(Rolf Harris mode) " can you guess what it is yet"..

But as I say, it's only a thought

[Stigian 1,234]

Morning Guy's sorry for the lack of updates, but ive been having quite a bad time on some new medication to stop me shaking. As you might of guessed it didn't work and drained me of energy!!!

I really hate not being able to go down the Workshack and work on the 'orse's, but when just walking down to the shack kills me for the day ive not really had any other option than taking it easy..

Ive never slept so much during the day!!

On the upside im not off the dreaded tablets and getting better slowly as they work their way out my system..

Some progress has been made though, but very slowly..

The second part of the wheel hub has been finished, machined from the slab of steel it's resting on..

It fits the wheel a treat, just needs drilling and taping for some bolts.

A quick coat of red oxide to keep the rust at bay.

To get away from the lathe i thought id tackle The Stig Special's hood and get some of the rust repairs done.

The darker part of the hood has been in the E-tank and feels very smooth with all the rust removed, the rest was cleaned with a wire brush cup on the grinder and hasn't come up so well.

A couple of close up's to show you how nasty it is

[Stigian 1,234]

The only way to fix the hood properly was to separate the front and top panel.

Not much left of the front!!!

In goes the first of the new steel, all cut and shaped from old pc side panels.

Deep breathe and cut the top off..

That's looking a bit better.

One of many holes to fill.

Stick some masking tape of the hole and rub with dirty finger to get the outline.

Peel off the tape, cut to the dirty lines and you have a perfect template.

The repair patch cut and bent to shape.

Welded in place, a little bit of bondo might be needed to hide the repairs.

I won't bore you with lots of photo's of the many small rust holes that have been sorted, instead I will bore you with yesterdays small bit of work..

[Stigian 1,234]

Yesterday was quite a good day, I felt he best I have done for quite a while.

So to celebrate I got a few hours in down the Workshack and made a start on the base of the front hood panel.

A quick reminder for you.

This is kinds how it should look, it's the hood from the C-121 which need it's own rust repairs but is quite handy for taking templates from

But how to make a template of such a complicated bit of pressed steel

Simple (I hope), make three templates of of masking tape..

The first template.

Template 2 added on. I bet you can guess where number 3 is going..

Peeling the masking tape off without tearing or stretching it was quite interesting, but here it is stuck on some cardboard to be made into a stronger template.

Mixed fruit cider is ideal bottled inspiration

Last photo for this update, all the templates stuck on card.

Tomorrow they should be transferred into steel and the metal bashing will begin.

Wish me luck as it's by far the most complicated bit of metal bashing i will have to do to date!!!

[bitten 134]

Ian

Hope you start feeling better fast. I am very happy to see someone that would take the time to repair that hood. I think I would have chucked it to the scrap pile. I would think that you have a lot of work yet to do to this progect to mount the other wheels and tires and come up with some kind of track. Im sure you already have a game plan and cant wait to see it.

P.J.

[Rollerman 290]

Ian, just glad to see another update & see your still makeing progress!

[TJ 175]

Great work. :scratchead:

[Suburban 550 28]

Ian, Great to see ya up and around and back in the Workshack. Love all of your posts and hope ya start feelin' better. :scratchead:

[Stigian 1,234]

Howdo Guy's, yet another sorry from me for the lack of updates, im almost back to normal (for me) and the medication has almost got out my system so it should be business as normal very soon.

Thanks for all your kind comments, even though work has been slow things have been happening with this project

Only the finest template cardboard has been used

With all three repair panels cut out of steel it was time for a bit of shaping.

Starting with the biggest bit of steel, it was clamped very firmly around the C-121's hood and bend roughly to shape.

That's looking a bit more the right shape.

Lot's of panel beating later the panels were starting to take shape.

Although the repair patch next to the magnet in the second photo looks "ok" it did end up the wrong shape, curving in the wrong direction... Hmm better have a second bash at it.

It was at this point I got a lot of inspiration from (not a bottle for a change) but a Retro car website.

One of the members is doing a rebuild of a 1962 Vauxhall Victor and is a master at metal fab using minimum of tools.

He is also very good at explaining how to do things with plenty of "how to" photo's.

If you have a few mins spare and fancy doing a bit of panel beating/panel repairs you could do worse than checking out his handy work though the link below.

Vauxhall Victor rebuild link thingy

[Stigian 1,234]

Time to re-do the small panel I got wrong.

Cut to shape and clamped firmly in the vice, it was bent to the right angle with lots of small taps from the hammer.

Which gave me this with a much neater looking bend.

But how to shape the curved corners??

The short straights were dealt with first with some careful clamping and hammering.

The corners were shaped over my high class selection of specially shaped dollies

Time for another "no going back" moment as the base of the hood got the chop.

Which gave me easy access to repair this small bit of rot.

Rot chopped out and a small bit of computer case (with a handy bend) ready to be cut and stretched to shape.

It may only be a small repair panel but it felt good stretching the steel to this kinda stepped shape. It just needed a little tweak to get the corner right.

I was having so much fun doing these repairs that I forgot to take many photo's including one of this patch welded in place.

But....

[Stigian 1,234]

You can see it here welded in along with two of the other panels tacked on

Jumping a few photo's (because i forgot to take them ) here is a bit of hammer and dollie work going on.. Just a tweak to get the lip at the right angle.

There ya go, from rust and air to steel

The detailing work will happen when it is time to give it a few coats of paint, and the "pain in the 'orse" to get at welds can now be ground down as my dye grinder arrived in the post yesterday

Not quite the same, but the detail work when it happens will sort it out.

This will give you an idea of how much new metal has gone into this hood.

There are 13 patches so far. I say "so far" as there are a couple of small holes left to be sorted.

As you can see there is still a bit of surface rust left so I though it should have another trip into the E-tank.. To clear of the last of the rust and to see if any more holes appear

[Stigian 1,234]

So... What to do while part of the hood is in the E-tank

Back to the lathe was the answer.

This is the start of a flange to hold the brake disc on the new wheel hub.

With the center bored out to the right size the corners were cut off on this very power saw I picked up at the local auction a few weeks ago.

Cooling is gravity fed from an old plastic mower fuel tank hung on the wall behind.

Corners cut, in a good way

Almost finished, just needs a taper cut each side to tidy the edges up.

And that folks is the story of The Stig Special right up to date.

Thank you all for reading my ramblings :hide:

[wheel horse 1045 2]

you do great work stig what line of work are you in

[TJ 175]

excellent. :scratchead:

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,350]

Good to read and see pics of the forward progress Ian. You have some real talent there that I would give my right arm for. Of course I would need that right arm to apply that talent .

Mike.........

[Stigian 1,234]

you do great work stig what line of work are you in

Thanks

As much as id like to I can't work, got a few health problems which would make me a liability in any work place..

Self taught on the metal work if that's what your asking.

excellent.

Ta Muchly

Good to read and see pics of the forward progress Ian. You have some real talent there that I would give my right arm for. Of course I would need that right arm to apply that talent

Thanks Mike, im not sure about having real talent, it's just hitting bit of steel with a hammer. Just takes a bit of working out where/how hard/what over to hit it with the hammer.

[WHC-125 4]

Ian, I always enjoy reading your posts and seeing what you have been creating on the other side of the pond. Your really have alot of talent. I know if I had a hood like that I would scrap it and get another but you clean it up like nothing and it will look like it came from the factory when your done. Great work! Cant wait to see more progress pics and stories. :scratchead:

[Stigian 1,234]

Just a quick update to say that work is slowly moving on with this project in the form of more lathe work making the second of the rear wheel hub thingy's.

No photo's as you have seen one of them being made already.

As ever I keep getting distracted by other things/builds/larking about, but this build will continue moving in the right direction :notworthy:

[whfan74 2,066]

Glad to hear things are still going well Ian! We all look forward to your posts and seeing what is going on in your neck of the woods! Can't wait to see some more pictures!

[Electro12WH 50]

Some of may of read I had to sell my C-125 to pay for my 518-H, sad to see the little C go but sometimes these things have to happen.. But not always go to plan..

While speaking to the winning bidder on the phone he just happened to mention he was buying it to replace his old WH with a very worn cutting deck..

Before I knew what was happening I heard myself ask, "out of interest what are you doing with your old WH"?

So I ended up part ex-ing a C-125 for a er... C-125...

Im not sure if Pete is kissing the hood or banging his head saying "not another one"..

Not being a chap to hang about at times, after a quick drive round the garden the engine was soon pulled out.

The engines new home? Well it was going to go into my little Raider 10 to replace the non running 10hp lump.

Thirteen min's later the Raiders engine was out only find the new engine a K301AS with it's rubbers and mounting plate won't bolt up to the Raiders chassis

A bit of a re-think was needed..

What ever happened with the motormount that didn't fit?

[Stigian 1,234]

I think it's somewhere in my parts pile :notworthy:

[Stigian 1,234]

Morning Guy's, it's about time I did another update on this project.

Now the distractions of the slight rebuild of my 312, the snow, and of course the silly season (yep I'm not a big fan of the xmas lark) are out the way I can crack on with this project.

That's not to say things haven't been happening..

The fender pan and belt guard got a dip in the E-tank, a clean up followed by a coat of red oxide primer to stop them rusting.

I have been doing a bit of ebay shopping as well.

I know these parts are not strictly needed yet to get this project moving along, but when they (rarely) come up on fleabay you have to jump in while they are there.

Most of yesterday was spent in front of the lathe working on the second new wider wheel hub.

A good few hours later this part of the hub was done

Today's plans??

Spend most of it in front of the lathe again and machine up the flange thingy that the brake disc will bolt onto..

It feels so nice to have "the silly season" out the way and to have the time to get down the Workshack again :WRS:

[wheel horse 1045 2]

you do great work Ian

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,350]

Allways nice to hear another update Ian. Do you have heat in the "shack"? My garage is ice cold and its no fun working in it in the winter. I do have a Salamander type hetaer but it takes awhile to get the garage warm and its loud as heck! Can't hear the stereo over it .

Mike.......