|
|
|
|
|
A Findhorn NG kit car epitomises sports cars of years gone by with 1940/50s styling, rag top fun but with more modern running gear – normally from an MGB and sometimes with bespoke suspension and a Rover V8 engine.
Either an NG TF with flared wings, a windscreen and weather gear or an NG TC with just fly screens and may be a big V8 is a lovely car. This is exactly why I ended up buying the business. I wanted to build one, but the business was about to go under.
Wonderful as these cars are, are they for the DIY mechanics amongst us? Emphatically “Yes”.
The build process starts with the rolling chassis, goes onto the bodywork, then there are the electrics, painting and finally trimming. At the end of the build there is the SVA test. It should be straight forward to pass. To follow a complete NG TF kit car build, click here to visit Chris Humphreys' extensive site. |
|
|
|
The Rolling Chassis
|
Chassis and Axles
The chassis itself is a ladder chassis, as once used for all traditionally built cars and still used in Land Rovers. Our chassis has diagonal triangulation for torsional stiffness and bracing if the worst comes to the worst in an accident. MGB suspension bolts on with four bolts at the front and four bolts at the back. So if you have a chrome bumper MGB with front and rear suspension in good condition, but sadly a little too much elsewhere for restoration, you can have the beginnings of a rolling chassis immediately on removal of the axles from the MG. In practice, there may be a good deal of reconditioning work to be done at the front and a some differential gear thrust washers to install at the back. However, the work can all be done with a simple set of spanners, with the possible addition of a disc-cutter to free things up at the back and a spring compressor to avoid the front springs taking an uncalled for flight across the workshop.
Engine and Gearbox
The MGB engine is simple and easy to work on. There is a straightforward choice between stripping it down yourself or trading in the existing engine for a re-conditioned one. No-one ever taught me how to strip and build an engine, but given a sensible approach and a torque wrench, there are no hidden difficulties here – simply follow the Haynes manual or the like. If there are perceptible steps in the bores, the block will need to go for re-boring. If the crankshaft is worn, which is unlikely, it will need regrinding.
Whether you take the DIY or professional route, I would recommend a rebuild. Starting, reliability and tuning will be so much easier.
I am not brave enough to delve inside the gearbox, even less the over-drive. In my book, these are off to reconditioning if either is the least bit suspect. Nothing worse than discovering 250 miles after she is on the road that the over-drive slips or won’t engage.
With everything on the bench, it is the time for a new clutch as well.
The re-conditioned assembly goes into the chassis just so easily – OK the engine mount studs won’t want to go into their slots until they have been spoken to severely and threatened with a big mallet!!
Propeller Shaft
Again, a knocked out Hardy Spicer joint is so much more easily dealt with at this stage and the prop shaft bolts are a doddle when approached from above as opposed to from below with dirty getting everywhere, particularly in one’s eyes!
Brakes
Here anyone with any doubt in their abilities is best advised to get some help. The reality though is that plumbing in the brakes is not a lot more difficult than plumbing in the washing machine. If the brake lines get stiff through metal fatigue, a quick temper with the blow torch will sort them out.
There are a few more items on the rolling chassis list, such as the fuel tank. However all in all it is Meccano kit job to get to all the running gear being installed in the chassis in the knowledge that once the rest of the build is complete – and oil and water in the right place – she will fire up and drive without complication. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Body
|
Cockpit
The main body “tub” is a single fibreglass moulding. It bolts straight onto the chassis, with not a lot of bolts, positively fitting in the right position. There are holes to be cut either with a drill bit or hole saw. A couple of square holes are finished off with a file. This part of the build is more akin to carpentry than serious engineering.
Wings
Again a drill and bolt job, at least for the swept wings of the TF and the cycle wings of the TC. Front cycle wings bolt onto supports bolted to the hubs.
Bonnets
If you get the nose cone in the right place, the bonnet panels require no trimming. The lower panels bolt on; the top panels bolt to a long hinge. This requires careful marking out and drilling.
Nose Cone
The nose cone is secured with four bolts to brackets supporting the radiator. This is not a job for the “morning after the night before”!! Getting the nose cone precisely aligned with the tub, at the right distance in front of it and truly parallel with it requires as much care as anything in the build. However, getting it right results in the bonnets fitting neatly and the whole car looking factory built – well actually better than factory built when one remembers the joke that the only engineering features visible from the moon are the body shut lines on the Classic Range Rover.
That’s the body done really only a short while after the rolling chassis was completed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Body Fittings
|
There a number of discrete jobs around the body, including the heater, the steering column, the pedal box & hydraulic connections and the hand brake. These are straight forward enough.
Dashboard
This is the big one. Traditionally it has been held in place with studs from the back of the cockpit edge trimming. This is so fiddly, that I recommend press studs to hold the trim in place, with screws through the male studs holding the dashboard. I have been known to say of our cars vis-a-vis Morgans “at least our cars are not held together with wood screws” – which is not really fair considering that the wonderful WWII Mosquito aircraft was screwed together – but doing the dashboard this way means that wood screws can be used. So fitting it need not be a hassle. When it is in place the car takes on a real quality feel.
Instruments
Nice MGB instruments are easily fitted with the dashboard on the bench.
Seat Belts
Very important these, but the chassis has tapped points so fitting the belts is not a problem. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Painting
|
There are two decisions to be made about painting. Undoubtedly the best solution is a professional paint job, particularly with metallic paint. On the other hand with a simple HVLP paint sprayer and lots of rubbing down paper, an excellent finish can be achieved at home.
The second decision is at what stage to do the painting. Traditionally it is after everything else is finished, but that involves taking so much to bits again that I prefer to do the painting before the body fittings go on. Early painting does mean that a comprehensive checklist has to be carefully gone through to make sure that all holes have been drilled in the body before painting, including lift-the-dot studs etc. for the weather gear for instance. In fact I would advocate fitting of the weather gear at this early stage of the build, to make sure that it all fits as it should.
It is well worth bearing in mind the SVA regulations with regards to radiusing before painting; ensuring all exposed edges, for example wing edges, are radiused to at least 2mm before painting will stop a revisit to the paint shop after the test!
When building with the newly developed wide car with doors, alignment of the windscreen/side-screen hinge axes with the door hinge axes will endure that every thing opens easily together, which is the reason for the unusual inclination of the door hinge axis. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electrics
|
Has it ever seemed to you that car electrics do not obey the laws of physics and ohms law in particular? Why is it that one gets electricity where one should not and does not where one should?!?! The answer is usually down to poor earthing. With the fibreglass body, this is can be even more of a problem. However the loom is provided with all the necessary earth connections to the chassis. A good smear of copper grease will help reliability here.
I find wiring to be a fiddle. I want to see results by bolting things together, but the wiring simply has to be done. My son George, the perfectionist, insists on any additions – as necessary with a fuel injection engine – being soldered and sleeved with heat-shrink tubes. Reluctantly I agree that this is better practice than my insulating tape!
With systematic care the electrics are easy enough to install. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weather Gear
|
TC
To my mind the only weather gear needed for the TC is a pair of aero- or fly-screens and a tonneau cover. At speed there is a lot less buffeting. If a shower threatens, the driver and passenger can wear waterproofs; the car won’t complain if it has none!
TF
The lovely chrome surround windscreen and the hood fitted securely along its top really are waterproof. Fitting the hood is a question of careful marking out and installing the lift-the-dot fasteners. There is a temptation to make everything really tight. Resist it, because just a little bit of slack is needed to be able to stretch the hood and tonneau onto the studs at the rear of the cockpit.
Again you seem to make great progress with not a lot of work. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final Trim
|
Lay in the carpets, spring the side panels in position and bolt down the seats and she is just about ready for a splash of petrol and off you go to SVA.
Building your Findhorn NG may seem like a long labour of love. Some people enjoy the build so much that once she is built and driven for a while, they are itching to get building again. Then is the time to fit low compression pistons and a supercharger or a V8 or independent rear suspension!
I have explained the build in such detail – and by the way 400 hours is a time to have in mind – so that you can understand what is involved. Yes it is long job; yes it will probably be delayed because the mother-in-law is coming to stay the room needs re-decorating; yes there are times when you will wonder whether you will ever get the job done; but no it is not difficult for anyone who is reasonably handy. If you can tackle the more intricate jobs like the engine well and good; if not it is a cheque book job. Also, if you have got so far and the fun is beginning to change to chore; we can finish her off for you – the car not the mother-in law, I hasten to add!
The end result will be a lovely, lively car that you will enjoy driving for years and years to come. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
