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So this is not Bridget-related but I figured I’d update you-all on my other absurd plastic toy. Some of you know I bought an unbuilt Thunder Ranch Spyder kit back in April, picked up a Jake Raby-built 1915 Type 1 engine for it in May, and have been doing stoopid things to it ever since: instead of assembling the blasted car like a normal person would, I have been chopping holes in it, adding steel, buying gauges that don’t fit and sending them to California, taking the transaxle out…basically anything and everything a sane person would NOT do on his first full build.
My aim is to make this Thunder Ranch extremely lifelike, in terms of detailed fealty to the original Spyders. To that end, I’ve made functional front jack points, a functional front air intake, true-to-original horn pockets under the front valance, and now am working on the inner clamshell bracing.
Here’s the blog.
Here’s a taste:
Very good. I read the blog and it looks like a unique detail.
Why is it that the most work goes into stuff you never see as it rolls on down the road?
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Ha! Yeah the holes won’t lighten it enough to matter, but they’re good decoration, and who ever parks a Spyder without lifting up the clamshell so’s everyone can see in? My aims here are three.
- See if I can develop any passable skills in sheet metal forming without investing in necessary tools such as an English wheel or even a bending brake.
- If I succeed at (1.), make a Spyder replica that, when parked next to the six other ones at Carlisle, will make pretty much everyone stop and go “Holy Nürburgring, Batman! Somebody parked a real one in amongst these fakes!”
- If I succeed at (1.) and (2.), commence a small side gig making and selling and/or installing said faux-fealty alloy bits in other people’s Spyder kits, for money-pay.
Ed
Too bad you live too far south, I picked up a Grizzly G4011 last week in an online auction for $200. It will shear, brake, roll, press and notch albeit it is limited to a max of 22 gauge. I did make some seat stands to replace the fibreglass pedestals with 20 gauge last week but had to use a cheater bar to give me the leverage to make the 90 degree bends. I dropped the seat height by 4″ so I now look through the wind screen instead of over the topDavid B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
SabineROAD TRIP !! 🚗💨
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Continuing Spyder work. Nothing earth-shaking here; just steady hour-here, three-there progress.
Transaxle is back.
Also did a guide coat on the inner clam last night. Not bad, but still needs a full sand-down and maybe one or two more trips with the filler.
By the way, those irregular little humps running in the valleys are bogus “weld fillets,” which are period-correct and will remain.
Bending metal, boys. All in the service of making the spare tire fit just right.
Ed, when I click your latest link, I get a prompt to log in to my WordPress account. I don’t have one.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Dang. Try this one.
Great progress, Ed. I see you use the same CAD that I use. What version is yours?
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Spare tire mount is coming along.
Hey Ed,
Lookin’ Good!! So as I count it up, you have a fiberglass fabrication shop, a metal fabrication shop, a paint shop, a lift and a lot of patience…and a fine “Cardboard Cad System” all of which makes you the envy of every “Big Boy’s Car Kit Maker” out there — especially me!!
Keep on Build’in
Happy Jack
Five hours in the shop today and I almost made a new cross bar.
Wait till I get into the actual build, right?
I was using flux wire until about a year ago. Went to a flea market and bought a gas bottle and regulator. I’ll never look back. (I’m using CO2)
Progress is being made!
Excellent!
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Latest update (from Friday) on the Spyder build.
Done with the spare tire mount. Put the back wheels on the car. Dropped the whole rear section of the car on a bit of sharp metal.
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