Cumbrian Builder
Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2012
- Messages
- 7
Been lurking here a while soaking up the mass of knowldege, ideas and skills. Time to come out from the shadows!
I'm a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (read desk-job), which sadly doesn't involve any hands-on work, so I like to get my hands dirty whenever work and family life allow.
Biggest previous project was a Landrover rebuild, and I rebuilt a handfull of motocross bikes back in my teens. I was also a farmer in a previous life, so I can bodge repair just about anything with a big hammer and full seam welds - a weld can never be too strong on farm equipment!
No projects on the go at the moment except rebuilding a small utility trailer (4x3). Got an old 8x6 boat trailer that i'm going to do next, with some frame mods and building a bed and sides with recycled aluminium checker plate off a truck.
Would love to build a hotrod but current finances and famiy commitements mean I'm lingering at the design stage whilst i raise funds. Hoping to start the actual build during christmas holidays, maybe sooner. I need that time though to get up to speed with hotrod design, as I don't have much exposure to hotrod resources except for the internet. Hell, the first hotrod i ever saw in the UK was in my 20's!
That said, i am comfortable with the enginering and construction aspects. What i really want to pick up on is styling ideas, period-style features and build tips. And proportioning, getting the appropriate aspect ratios, rake and stance etc.
It would be easier if i was copying a particular style, but due to availability of parts I'm going down a different route: A scratch built rod based on mercedes running gear. Whats life without a challenge!
Current thinking:
- W210 E Class mercedes running gear (300HP V8, limited slip rear, independent suspension all round) - Not everyones cup of tea I know, but beam axles aren't really suitable on the UK roads and are hard to get past the regulations.
-30's style truck body, in terms of shape and proprtion etc, but not religiously sticking to the period details. I want a clean 30's shape and 'feel' but i need to do some things differently to meet UK regs, which are about as rigorous as they get apart from Germany's.
- Running with fenders and hood (to meet UK regs)
- Home made frame
- Home made grill and shell (toying with doing it in brass or copper if i can teach myself to TIG weld)
- Home made everything else I possibly can!
Thanks for reading and look forward to speaking with some of you in the future. I might ask lots of annoying questions about dimesions ;-(
I'm a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (read desk-job), which sadly doesn't involve any hands-on work, so I like to get my hands dirty whenever work and family life allow.
Biggest previous project was a Landrover rebuild, and I rebuilt a handfull of motocross bikes back in my teens. I was also a farmer in a previous life, so I can bodge repair just about anything with a big hammer and full seam welds - a weld can never be too strong on farm equipment!
No projects on the go at the moment except rebuilding a small utility trailer (4x3). Got an old 8x6 boat trailer that i'm going to do next, with some frame mods and building a bed and sides with recycled aluminium checker plate off a truck.
Would love to build a hotrod but current finances and famiy commitements mean I'm lingering at the design stage whilst i raise funds. Hoping to start the actual build during christmas holidays, maybe sooner. I need that time though to get up to speed with hotrod design, as I don't have much exposure to hotrod resources except for the internet. Hell, the first hotrod i ever saw in the UK was in my 20's!
That said, i am comfortable with the enginering and construction aspects. What i really want to pick up on is styling ideas, period-style features and build tips. And proportioning, getting the appropriate aspect ratios, rake and stance etc.
It would be easier if i was copying a particular style, but due to availability of parts I'm going down a different route: A scratch built rod based on mercedes running gear. Whats life without a challenge!
Current thinking:
- W210 E Class mercedes running gear (300HP V8, limited slip rear, independent suspension all round) - Not everyones cup of tea I know, but beam axles aren't really suitable on the UK roads and are hard to get past the regulations.
-30's style truck body, in terms of shape and proprtion etc, but not religiously sticking to the period details. I want a clean 30's shape and 'feel' but i need to do some things differently to meet UK regs, which are about as rigorous as they get apart from Germany's.
- Running with fenders and hood (to meet UK regs)
- Home made frame
- Home made grill and shell (toying with doing it in brass or copper if i can teach myself to TIG weld)
- Home made everything else I possibly can!
Thanks for reading and look forward to speaking with some of you in the future. I might ask lots of annoying questions about dimesions ;-(
