General More Great Rat Progress (Big Post Alert!)

Currently reading:
General More Great Rat Progress (Big Post Alert!)

default_user

Road Rat Pilot!
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
1,105
Points
225
Location
Bedwellty, South Wales.
I got loads done today. Was still working at 9.30pm and didn't want to stop! I'm on a bit of a roll right now and everything seems to be coming together really well. Amazing how much you can achieve with a drill, file, grinder and hammer. Oh, and a welder of course.

My welder mate did loads for me today on top of what I'd already prepared for him so there are loads of pics to follow. Here's a quick run-down of todays achievements:

The cross bar for the top harness mounts had the mounts welded in and was then welded into the car.

All the bottom harness mounts were welded to the bar which will be bolted to the floor.

The rear bull bar brackets were welded to the chassis and the bull bar drilled ready to mount.

A couple of brackets were fabricated and welded to the bull bar for the reverse and fog lights to attach to.

The front bodywork where the light panel will fix to was tidied up and a couple of brackets welded on to facilitate fixing the panel.

Two aluminium panels were made for the rear lights and the holes cut to mount the lights in.


Top harness fixing points:

top-harness-mounts-welded-i.jpg



Bottom harness fixing points. This bar will be bolted to the floor behind the seats:

bottom-harness-mounts-bar.jpg



The bull bar mounting brackets:

rear-bullbar-brackets.jpg



The brackets are such a good fit they hold the bull bar in place without the need for bolts:

rear-bullbar-mounted.jpg



Close-up of the right hand light bracket on the rear bull bar:

rear-bullbar-light-bracket.jpg



How the lights will be arranged on the bull bar:

rear-lights-arrangement.jpg



This bracket welded to the chassis will help hold the panel that the front lights will be mounted in. The welds were ground flat as the panel will cover the bracket and open end of the chassis:

front-panel-brackets.jpg



There would have been a load more pics but it was getting late so hopefully I'll have time to post another progress report tomorrow.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2006
Messages
135
Points
25
Woohoo. You are really on a roll. It is great when you start making visible progress like that. It makes up for all the times when you spend a day working and, at the end of the day you think 'is that all I've done?'...
 

Events Team

Join the team
Psst... sorry to interrupt the thread, but we just wanted to ask are you free on April 29th?

If so, we'd love for you to come and join us for our first show of the year at AutoItalia Brooklands!

It's a great way to meet forum members face to face - and hey, there might even be free donuts... ;)
OP
OP
default_user

default_user

Road Rat Pilot!
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
1,105
Points
225
Location
Bedwellty, South Wales.
Thanks guys. I was so keen to get on that I got up extra early today so I'm still making good progress this morning. I've slightly changed the arrangement of the rear lights and I'm thinking of taking Les's advice and going back to square lights at the front. I've made a panel for one side and the square lights are a better fit with the indicators next to them. The front indicators are the same as the rear ones in the pic above.

Speaking of rear lights, does anyone know if reflectors are a legal requirement on the back?
 

Alan.D

Ban the Mongol rally
Joined
Mar 27, 2004
Messages
13,622
Points
2,046
Location
West Cumbria
Speaking of rear lights, does anyone know if reflectors are a legal requirement on the back?

As Damon said they are, I don't think there is a size requirement and you can buy little round ones to keep the theme from many motorbike shops. i had to get some for the BMW after fitting non UK clear rear lights that don't have a reflector fitted.
 
Top