New Project

[jeans_old_man]

Another avenue might be to explore metalworkers such as Brasscraft - 'Manufacture of bespoke brass windscreen frames'. Unlikely to be cheap but might be worth it to get this project over the line.

[ColinB]

In a positive development my friend says he will try and make the stainless screen surround next week when he has some time unless his wife finds new jobs for him. His wife really likes the biscotti I make so I have suggested he uses them as leverage to maintain the space in his calendar . Fingers crossed!

[ColinB]

Dick tells me he has started on the screen...

[mikeyr]

awesome, now its a race to see who finishes their car first. Son-in-law's Mini had several setbacks but it's painted now and running quite well, so some assembly and it might even be out this weekend, but next week for sure. It took a lot longer, he lost his job and had no money to throw at the car for a while, we were doing a engine swap but went back to the original motor after several months of wasted time fitting the other motor, I had to paint the front clip 3 times, first time, I don't know why but I had BAD orange peel in the paint, re-sanded and repainted and dragged the spray gun air hose on the fresh paint...3rd time was a charm. Now it's ALL Singer for me !!! So it's a race Colin and everyone else out there to see who finishes first. Although Colin you are way ahead, your car is almost done.

[ColinB]

I wouldn't count on it Mike - Dick is a slow worker and has other commitments, but now he has started I'm happy to wait. I would like to take her onto the roads this year though...

[jeans_old_man]

You had better get on with the seats then! Good to see things moving forward.

[telco.2]

Great news Colin...keep at it you'll get there in the end!

[ColinB]

A bit more progress on the remaining trim - I covered the wheel arches in leather and attached the re-covered arm rests to the side panels that I had made quite a while ago. I copied the shape of these panels from the original but it leaves a couple of tack heads showing so I need to make up a solution to that. John Griffiths' car has a different shape to these which flare up to cover the tacks, but i don't fancy re-making them. I'll screw the panels into place today. (I put the seat base in for context with bit of scrap vinyl to protect the leather arches)

I plan to seal the fixed windows into place too this weekend. There is a piece of trim missing from the rear window which is quite tricky to make as it is curved and quite thin. I will have a go at laminating it out of suitable thin timber from stores related to my model boat building affliction!

[Peter McKercher]

Looks very elegant Colin.

[jeans_old_man]

Hi Colin,

What you have done so far looks amazing! The colours are really luxurious. I am sure you could cover the seats yourself but I have to admit that sewing the piping around the seat bases is a struggle on a domestic machine. Have you tried Tony yet?

This is how I restored the rear seat of the ‘9

[ColinB]

You did a great job on the seats Brian! I will contact Tony next week to see if he will take the job on. The colours are original to the Six so far as I can tell from various scraps, so generally blue and grey which is quite classy. I'm enjoying getting stuck in again despite the cold in the barn, although I suspect our Canadian friends would scoff at -4 being particularly cold!

[ColinB]

I sent Tony an email today to see if he will take my seats on as a project. In the meantime I have been fitting odd bits of trim around the doors which includes adding some of the headlining fabric to the door reveals then re-fitting the original woodwork that I restored quite a while ago. I need to drop along to Woolies for some blue piping before I can fit the panels by the rear seats - fortunately they are quite close and I can call at Vine House Farm on the way for wild bird food as we have many customers on the feeders now its getting colder!

[ColinB]

I'm working on the door restraint straps that need to be re-made as the originals were split and beyond repair. The brackets were pretty rusty too. I cleaned the brackets up and sprayed them with my favourite chrome spray which has worked pretty well and is far more affordable than re-chroming. I have made up one strap with webbing and leather glued together. I will have a go at stitching it today if I can persuade my wife to let me get at her sewing kit! I'm not sure how to make the holes but one option is to drill them with my Proxxon mini drill and a 1mm twist drill; the other is to try and get through all five thicknesses with a bradawl.

[jeans_old_man]

You need a “Leather Sewing Awl”. Plenty on the internet. They have specially shaped lances to pierce the leather.
Some have eyes for the thread, others have a “hook”. Prices from £3 to £5 for complete kit.

Whilst ou are at it why not buy the spiked wheel to mark out the stitches in a regular manner? Yet another skill Colin!

[ColinB]

You must have read my mind Brian as I ordered one yesterday!

I haven't heard back from Tony so I also had a go with my sewing machine on some scrap leather with making the seats in mind. When I tried it last time it ran away with the slightest touch on the pedal and was completely uncontrollable but this time it seemed to be better. Maybe the clutch plate has lost some stickiness over the past year or so? On the original seats the fluting was formed by sewing a fold into the back of the leather, and I imagine there is a special foot for the machine that would make that really easy. I must see what I can find.