My Type 54 to sort of 47 Conversion

[jbcollier]

The seats!

You can buy an S1 dash and wart removal is easy.

[460384]

I think the Happy Shop did an excellent conversion job if this indeed a S2. I can see many S1 parts on the car, Lancia tail lights, doors, dash, flat nose, and single wiper. However, it does not have the integrated seats, dash air vent controls/a flip type and full pan under the engine.   

[jbcollier]

Euro spec Europas all had single wipers, including TCs.  54s also had the "flat nose".

[Chuck Nukem]

One tell is that the floor of the engine bay is open. The S1's have fiberglass that surrounds most of the engine compartment's floor. That is really nitpicking.

If I am not mistaken I believe they make their own bodies. Maybe someone can confirm this?

[RoddyMac]

Yikes, it's been nearly a month since I've updated my build log.  I haven't done too much in the past few weeks, though I did get the fiberglass repairs done to the doors, engine cover, and front lid.  So, all that's left to get them in primer is a day or so of sanding and filling.  If I'm feeling ambitious that might happen tomorrow or next Friday. 

In other news, I picked up some mandrel bends yesterday morning and by mid afternoon they looked like this:



And by the end of the day, they looked like this:





I still have to trim the ends and square them up, then it's on to building the collector.  I made a cone thingmee for the inside of the collector already, so it's a matter of welding it on, then forming the outer portion.    I also did a rough measurement, and all the primaries are within 3/4" of each other, not too bad for a "that looks about right" way of making a header.

Rod

[BDA]

Outstanding! This is going to be a killer car when you're done!!! 

[Chuck Nukem]

Roddy you savage!! I love it!!!

[Rosco5000]

Hey Rod, last I heard aircraft can still be painted in a solvent base here in the great white north. Try some supply shops that do aircraft supply maybe they can help.
Ross

Tom,
Thanks for the link, the video answered a question I had about hooking up the brake pipes to the pedal box.  But, I'm not too keen on the Sprint paint scheme, I think it belongs only on Elan's (just my opinion).  I did paint my old Plus 2 two tone like the Sprint, but I was never really happy with the way it looked.

 I do like the white with green: 
https://thegaragista.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/jpf13-153.jpg

Then there's this one in blue, albeit with a yellow stripe:
http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Lotus/66_lotus-47_Num27-DV-08_MH-01.jpg

I wouldn't paint the wheels a dark colour if I go with the blue, but with the white they sort of disappear.    The pro's for white is it hides most imperfections in the prep work of the body (think waves and small depressions), the pros for the blue is I already have 3/4 gallon of the blue paint (solvent borne).  The con's for the white are I don't have any, and the cons for the blue is whether I can get another gallon of the single stage paint.   I don't know of anyone that mixes solvent borne paint here in the great white north other than industrial suppliers, and they can't do "custom" colours, only things like black and industrial grey.   

Rod

[Rosco5000]

The header is looking very nice as well.

[RoddyMac]

Ross,
Ya, you can still get solvent borne paint for aircraft, boats, and buildings, the problem is finding someone who will mix colours that aren't "industrial standard".

In other news, I've started to tackle the dash for the car. I've managed to get looking almost right for a Series 1 Europa without measuring a real one:





And, I've hung the doors on the body using the hinges that I machined up.  The hinges work a treat, but I'm starting to understand the frustration in trying to set the gaps and keep everything tight.  I have noticed that I'll have to install the windscreen in order to get the doors exactly where I want them as the windscreen pillars have a bit of a bend in them (the roof is lower than it should be at the front).  I'm thinking I'll set the doors roughly where I want them, paint the car, install the windscreen then revisit the door gaps.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pics of the doors, but I will the next time I'm in the garage.

Rod

[jbcollier]

You'll want to flat-black the dash otherwise the shiny aluminum will reflect in the windshield.

[BDA]

More great work! This is turning out really well! 

[HealeyBN7]

You'll want to flat-black the dash otherwise the shiny aluminum will reflect in the windshield.

I haven't seen that as an issue... There is always something else to worry about

It looks very good by the way!

[TheKid#9]

Great Job on the S1 Dash. I've always loved the look of it 

[RoddyMac]

Well, I attempted to make a dash top out of expanding poly foam but it didn't work very well.  So out came some aluminium and I've come up with this:





All that's left now is to sand the front of the dash top and sort out how to cover everything.

Other than that, I've fabricated an intake manifold for the bike carbs.  I'm sure I'll be hating life when I try to tune it, but it certainly looks racy:





Rod