Coupe into Speedster Conversion

[John Pierce]

Nice, Trevor. You are correct: they are stamped AND they don't fit.

JP

[Trevor]

Bruce - Ha ha, interchangeable Trevors and Bruces. Yes I made those axle reinforcements pieces.

Thanks John!


Sorry for the thread detour Justin.

[JTR70]

Appreciate that David!

Thanks again Bruce!

No worries Trevor and nice job on that gusset fabrication.

12/30/15
rear bulkhead flange correction and New rear body panels arrive from Trevor's Hammerworks.

A small oversight: The rear cross mounting flange should have been twice the width to allow for a double pinch over the cross member flange.

You can see here on this original how it doubles over the cross member flange.

Extension just about ready to weld on here. The joint is on top just past the bend to conceal it once the tail skin is mounted. Not only a correct detail to get right but also strengthens this run quite a bit versus leaving it the way it was.

new section all stitched in here.
New rear panels here!

Trevor was nice enough to get these out to me before the years end so I could keep going on this project.

Nothing more beautiful than fresh steel panels.

Huge relief having these now on hand to make the big push to get the back end built.

In my confirmation email to Trevor I told him how much I appreciated all the time and effort that went into just welding these panels together. Several feet worth of welding just in this tail section alone.

Another long run here.

The first initial mock up.

A lot of fine tuning to come but a great start.

With frame and substructure portion of this build most of the way complete I'm really getting excited about beginning the final body skinning phase.

Before actually mounting these panels I'll be constructing a stand for the rear that will cradle it at the rear torsion housing to both relieve the leveraged/hanging tension stress on the chassis as well as making way to begin fitment of the tail skin.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JOP]

WOW Justin,

It looks really nice with all that new shiny metal.
Soo you are spending new years eve doing body work then

I must say that I also liked the work Trevor put into making some T6 nose panels he shipped over the pond to me.

[John Pierce]

Love all that new metal!! Happy new year.

[bbspdstr]

I guess I am a way behind. I have left messages for Trevor to make another Speedster as he claims he can in one of his ads and I will add the serial number...no, really, just to buy "all the rear and front end parts I can't make myself."

Not much rust, but a racing roll, a rear hard hit and another hard hit on an already replaced nose. But it's a Speedster.



Deconstruct, assess the damage, measure well everywhere and tack back together from the doors and lids front and rear and hope eventually Trevor will call back.



Justin, you will likely cross the finish line first...and happy New Year you guys! I will be having a nice dinner with friends in a nice waterfront hotel where we all have rooms to sleep in after watching the city's fireworks at midnight after toasting (many times) one of my wife's friends who has a New Years birthday...turning 70, a major milestone!

Occasionally, we find there are things besides old Porsches that are worth doing! "We find" meaning "through marriage" or I'd likely work on my own car instead of the other stuff........jus' sayin.'

Cheers!
-Bruce

[gkw]

It is looking good Justin.
Keep up the great work
Happy New Year - Gordon

[Rusty Tubs]

Justin, Happy Birthday!

& Happy New Year!

[merbesfield]

Happy Birthday Justin. And Happy Nee Year to all my ABCGT friends.

[John Pierce]

Happy birthday Justin and happy New Years everyone. My daughter's birthday is January 1 so we get to celebrate both.

John

[JTR70]

Thanks Per, looks like your set to build two cars now.

Thank you John and Happy Birthday to your daughter.

I appreciate that Mark! All the best to you in the new year!

Thanks Gordon and Happy new year wishes to you and yours!

My thanks to Rusty Tubs for the birthday wishes and all the help with this conversion. Without their help this project literally would have never happened.

I don't think I'll beat you to the finish line Bruce, once you have the parts in hand your crew will make up ground very quickly. Wow, I didn't realize you had cut the firewall and upper substructer out. Too bent up from old race damage I take it. I sure could have used a detailed shot of the substructure under the cowl but its now apparent you didn't have one to show. You're really brining that old warhorse back nicely though. Much the same way you did with your old racer.
My sincerest thanks to all of you guys once again and wishing you all a very prosperous new year!
Justin

[ukinusa]

Just landed in Vegas after 10 hour flight and got out of there asap, I was going to swing by with champagne and caviar to toast your birthday/new year - sadly impounded for not declaring at customs - ah well next time. And to echo others - Happy Birthday and a big thank you for all you share.

[JTR70]

Thank you Steve! Glad to hear you made it home safe and trust you had a good visit with the your family. Happy New year to you Sir!

12/31/15

Last entry for 2015, I can hardly believe it. If all goes well I'm hoping to have this conversion completed in steel by summer of this new year. If all goes well mind you but it usually doesn't.
A nasty streak of optimism I guess.

Just a quick direct comparison with an original Speedster fender. About as close as I could hope for.

Upper openings and flanges line up pretty well.

A bit more excesses to work with on this lower corner here. Better to have too much than not enough...

General contour and shape also within margin

Wheel openings also runs very consistent. The upper flange would not allow for perfect alignment of the two parts but I would guestimate height to vary only by about an 1/8 of an inch or so.

Door remounted to begin locating and fitting this fender in earnest.
More tomorrow.
Thanks for looking! Justin

[JOP]

Hapi Birthday Blacksmith Justin,
Nice 2 turn 29 again

This body is allmost done some small touchups left only and it will be rolled out 2016.

Thx 4 all
/ JOP

[Phil Planck]

Justin
A happy new year, happy birthday, and good luck getting that new metal installed. Great thread and site.

Phil