Build Diary for
2013-07-20 - Storage Box

With the lovely hot weather, I managed to spend a good part of the weekend fiddling about with the Speedster. I really wanted to get the storage area boxed in so I got some 9mm marine plywood and started to cut the sections that would become the storage area.

The plywood is painted both sides and sealed to the framework and fixed using some countersunk M6 bolts and M6 Rivnuts that are fitted to the frame. This gives a neat and strong finish.

As you cdan see from the pictures, I also made up the rear panel for the cockpit - although at this stage I and not exactly sure of the dimensions as I haven't got the body yet, so I am taking an educated guess! Where it meets the floorpans, I decided to use a couple of pieces of bent steel that I had left over from the floorpans (I got given two extra pieces, which turned out to be very useful!) and I welded them onto the rear of the floorpans to provided a neat fixing to the rear panel.

At the rear I also made up a cross member that would serve to protect the fuel tank a bit and also to provide a convenient place to hange the exhaust from. I have decided to use a motorcycle silencer that I had in the garage so I am not what it will sound like or if it will be any good, but I looks the part!

For the steering column, I got hold of a length of 14mm steel bar that fitted exactly inside the top part of the standard steering column. this allows the column to be extended and makes neat finish. I reckon that around 100-150mm is all you need to extend it by, but again that is down to personal taste on where you want the wheel position to end up. Since I don't have the body yet, I just tack welded the column and will adjust when I have the body mounted as a trial fit. Also bear in mind that I have fitted a quick release steering wheel adaptor so this means mine will be in a slightly different position than a standard one.

A couple of other little jobs I managed to get done was to adjust the position of the brake and clutch pedals by cutting and welding them to get them in a suitable driving position, and to mount the clutch fluid reservior. Finally I welded an additional support bracket to strengthen the pedal mounting so it now fixes to the floorpan.

So all in all a good weekend's work and I am getting close to starting it up and checking all the brakes and clutch work as I want, otherwise I will be reverting back to standard! I hope not!