Agreed, I'm itching for a ride.

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72 Clubbie - Current project - Vauxhall C20XE 2000cc 16v 150hp.
78 Clubbie - Future project.

Hello Dicko,

How goes it down there?? Thanks for the nice words mate.

Yep, moving along with the business, and reasonably busy which is good. Still have another 6 months of shed-sorting to do before I have it all down pat!

Yes, I do need to get a move on with The Cat, for sure, but just busy with clients cars at the moment. And I am as itching as Hallsey is - its been a long time. But, its good to get back into the swing of things again after seven years of corporate prostitution!!

Stay tuned and thanks,
Tricky

PS. Soon bro, soon!

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Absolutely love the clubbie in this shot, looks aggressive and full of potential. Any news on it?

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1963 850 - laid up
1970 Morris mini K van - eating up the kms!

Hi braad,

Thanks for the kind words, yes, he does look aggressive doesnt he, exactly the stance I was going for!!!

Not much news on The Cat I'm afraid, been very busy with clients cars and trying to sort the shed at the same time. Will post some progress pics this week of the shed, not a great deal going on there, but progress is progress!!!

Hope all is well with the Mini community...

Cheers,
Tricky

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Hi Guys,

Quick update....

Not a great deal has happened to the workshop in the last month, been busy with clients cars and other things. Thats not to say that nothing has been done of course.

I have started installing the dividing walls for the paint mixing room and the machining room. Its a modular walling type of system that uses a top and bottom track, and then you slide the sheets into the track and screw them off. It gives a nice finish and of course I have left the blue protective covering on until I am finished. The paint mixing wall will form part of the spray booth:




Forming doorways:




Still heaps left to put up:


Been buying a few things for the shed as of late too, just a few creature comforts to make the surroundings a little bit more bearable and homely. New mini bar fridge, awesome machine, will freeze on setting 3 out of 5:


Also a new stereo system. The old unit must have blown the output tranistors or something, as the EQ shows input, but noting to the speakers (if anyone wants a JVC mini hi-fi stereo, let me know). This one does iPod/iPad/iPhone input which is controllable from the remote, and seeing that a lot of my music is now on my phone, made sense to get a stereo with that compatability. I just love having music in the background, very soothing, and I would not be without it now. Punches out some decent sound too:


I will end up making a cabinet to house both the new stereo and fridge very soon, as they are getting covered in dust when I am doing bodywork. I have decided they both will go here, in the corner near the door, and replace this temporary item:


Also bought some artwork for the walls (not all of it is up yet, as some of the partitioning walls are yet to be installed. Artwork is mainly of cars that have inspired me or been seen as class-leading in their engineering, or even revolutionary:




And started making a portable steel trolley It will hold sheets as well as bar stock and being on wheels means it wont be in the way of where I am working:


And the only work I have done on the Mini is to install these Starlet windscreen washer jets as my Mini ones have gne the way of the dodo years ago, and these were surplus from the half-cut:




Havnet touched the front spoiler yet, its been busy. More to come.

Cheers,
Tricky

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

!!Build thread on page 2 of the board!!
What's going on Tricky? I trust you're just building suspense ...

_________________
So what's the last thing you remember...

I'm pretty sure you were..

WRONG ANSWER!!!

Hi Raisto,

I will post an update tomorrow....

Cheers,
Tricky

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

is tomorrow yet?

_________________
So what's the last thing you remember...

I'm pretty sure you were..

WRONG ANSWER!!!

totally tomorrow by now...

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Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

Okay, quick update...

In between (mainly weekends) working on clients cars, I have managed to get some work done on the shed...

The dividing walls are almost finished, there is still the one to go between the paint prep room/office and the machining room.

Dividing wall between clean (reassembly) and dirty (disassembly) sides:


This is the other side - will have 20mm battens put on and sheeted to match the rest of this space - including the Martini Racing stripes:


Shot looking into the machining room - will eventually install a plastic curtain to keep the crap out:


Transferred these today, bought them down from the other shed - luckily the plinth is still ok even though it has been (almost) under water a few times:


Space next to the cupboards (paint lockers) for the compressor - eventually I will install a bench over the compressor and around the corner and use this space as my office. Also bought down the filing cabinet to help make me more organised with the paperwork etc:


Shot looking back into the machining room - a wall will be installed dividing the two spaces:


Some news on The Cat - the front spoiler was delivered two weeks ago, and the finish was absolutely superb. Everything was spot on except that the spoiler has grown by 50mm!! Yes, between taking the measurements off the car and delivering the finished product, the spoiler has grown considerably!! Only thing to do is cut a 50mm section out of the centre and rejoin it, then transfer the new dimensions to the mould and have that modified so that the next spoiler to be pulld off will be correct.

If it doesnt rain it pours.....

Anyway, that's if for now, more updates soon.

Cheers,
Tricky

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

You lied to me..... it's back to page two

_________________
So what's the last thing you remember...

I'm pretty sure you were..

WRONG ANSWER!!!

Raist, Tricky was a bit crook a couple of weeks ago, he tells me he was planning to get back into the shed this week.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

*Crawls back under his rock*

oh.... well that more than explains it.. Sorry Tricky!! at least you're back on page one

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So what's the last thing you remember...

I'm pretty sure you were..

WRONG ANSWER!!!

Hi Crew,

Thanks Nick. Yep, was pulling parts off a late model Civic at the wrecking yard last Wednesday to modify and put onto Nicks car. The next day felt really crook, like really crook. Anyway, turns out I had picked up a couple of ticks while I was under the car!! I didnt know ticks could make people that sick!!

Anway, all good now an back on deck after a couple days off (apologies to Nick for the lost time, sorry mate!!)....

Might post a couple of updates on the shed and El Gato tomorrow. Sorry for the wait people!

Cheers,
Tricky

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Hi Forumites,

Been busy, like real busy. Over the tick thing thank god, boy, did that knock me about, and back fullsteam into clients vehicles.

Took some time out on the weekend, the last two weekends in fact, to get some of my own work done - on the Mini and on the shed.

Firstly, have been buying some machinery and tools for the shed that I badly need, to make myself more efiicient and life just easier in general. Nothing wrong with doing a better job in shorter time!!

Picked up a mobile parts bin that allows me to sort nuts, bolts and all that other stuff. I just wheel it where I want it. On the backside I modified it so it holds all my sand paper, tape, electrical cables and that sort of thing:


Next on the list was a guillotine and horizontal bandsaw - been needing both of these for a while as I am doing more and more sheet metal work:




And lastly, finally finished modifying the front spoiler to get a perfect fit, just need to glass the insides where it was modified to make it super strong. It looks great IMO!!. I will have to put it into hi-fill and get it painted soon so I can keep progressing with the build. At least now I know the exact location of the FMIC, which means I can complete the charge air pipe install, EM and turbs install etc:


And finally, so glad we have this shed. We had some really bad storms come through about two weeks ago - found out I could get every car in the shed - 3 mini's, the Xtrail, The BMW and the wifes new Barina Spark. While we didnt get any hail, just some serious wind and rain, its nice to know that we can put all our cars, and clients cars too, undercover!!


That's it for now, more soon!!

Cheers,
Tricky

_________________
"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"