New project

[Facial Hair Optional]

The Belva is looking great but there is something about the rear that is troubling me, I can't quite put my finger on it but there is a certain lack of symetry?

It looks like one half of one of those 'spot the difference' competition pictures that used to be commonplace years ago.

['The Gaffer']

In other news I realised that 'Kermit' as he is affectionately known in our house has not seen the light of day since stoneleigh last year. I did try to take it for an MOT but it refused to start and has been under cover since. Anyway a service and first turn of the key had it purring again. Roll on sunny days...

Nice reminder, I haven't seen a Cyclone for months. Oh yes, and I own one!!

[CC Cyclone]

What seemed like the first day of Spring? I have on the road most of the day and spotted a black Robin Hood, a blue and black Westfield, another 7 gunning it towards Bradford on Avon, a white fury with blue stripes, a red caterham, it seems everyone has been out today. And so have I, but unfortunately driving an enormous recovery truck! Time to get the project and the Cyclone home to my new garage where I can hopefully pick up the pace a bit.

So 7am saw the first proper Spring sunrise through the mist and the Belva saw the light of day for the first time in 7 months! The trolley worked and got the car mobile. Once outside it reminds you just how small the thing really is:





On the truck with lots of straps as the trolley did like to roll around in every direction:



The fun started when I got home and found the truck was only 50mm narrower than the walls of my driveway, the driveway which has quite a severe gradient and is off a major road. Anyway, no photos of the next bit but after much sweating and swearing it is safely tucked up in the new garage. And 'Kermit' is now sat next to it too after another trip.

I'm having a beer

[Moleman]

Good to hear James. The amount of times I'm near Combe these days I will have to pop in & see it in the flesh. 

['The Gaffer']

I'm having a beer

Don't blame you, well done!!

[Gary RH7]

What seemed like the first day of Spring? I have on the road most of the day and spotted a black Robin Hood, a blue and black Westfield, another 7 gunning it towards Bradford on Avon, a white fury with blue stripes, a red caterham, it seems everyone has been out today. And so have I, but unfortunately driving an enormous recovery truck! Time to get the project and the Cyclone home to my new garage where I can hopefully pick up the pace a bit.

Colin said he might pop in and see you in the flesh as he is often in Combe. So that suggests you are around Combe. So it might of been me you saw in the Black Hood. I popped along to see Lucky Ed and Steve FHO as I am only in Chippenham. Had my little boy with me.

[CC Cyclone]

Yeah, I was unloading the cyclone and said hello as you went past. That was me!

[Gary RH7]

James I am so sorry....If I only knew I would have stopped for a chat. Next time.

Do you use Circuit Motors for the MOT, I always do and Paul is going to tune my timing up on his rolling road when my MOT is due in April.

[Iancider]

Good to hear you are getting properly settled into your new home

Ian

[CC Cyclone]

Good to hear James. The amount of times I'm near Combe these days I will have to pop in & see it in the flesh. 

You are more than welcome, kettle will be on. All being well I will walk over on Friday and say hello, providing work allows.

[Facial Hair Optional]

Good to hear James. The amount of times I'm near Combe these days I will have to pop in & see it in the flesh. 

You are more than welcome, kettle will be on. All being well I will walk over on Friday and say hello, providing work allows.

When Colin says he will pop in to see it James, what he relly means is he is planning a big 'off' at Camp Corner, totalling a few cones along the way and ending up in your garden so he may as well have a cuppa while he's there!

[Moleman]

Yes so if you find a yellow westy in your garden then the new mod's didn't go well. 

Please feel free to pop over James & bring your helmet. 

[CC Cyclone]

I know Sanzomat was becoming concerned and so I managed to find a couple of hours to restore symmetry to the back end this afternoon. Well that's not actually true as I set up laser lines and found the back end is out of symmetry by circa 20mm! So I set it by a combination of measuring and by eye. Fingers crossed it looks right at the moment. A lot of buggering about but ready for bonding in and finishing.

I said in a previous post that the first cut is the deepest, well it transpires that the second cut is the hardest as you have to match the first. I had been putting it off as you may have gathered.



Separately, with all the talk of ST170s I happened to be browsing eBay and made a very very cheeky offer after a couple of sherries the other night, only for it to be accepted! 6 months MOT pretty mint condition actually but a knackered fuel pump module it seems. New one on order and the fingers crossed a fairly decent car for quite a bit less than the cost of the annual road tax for it!

Plan is, providing all is well to use as much of it as I can, including aircon, central locking, alarm, all the bits most kits don't need. Seems to make financial sense at that price.

A bit of mission creep developing on this project...

[Parks]

I'm the white Fury with blue stripes....where was I and where are you...near castle combe?

[sanzomat]

Great progress - good to see that balance has been returned to the Raffo. I can sleep at night again knowing that!

[CC Cyclone]

I'm the white Fury with blue stripes....where was I and where are you...near castle combe?

Am near Castle Combe circuit. I remember spotting you somewhere about on my travels
The other week but can't quite recall where. I have also seen a blue fury with white stripes funnily enough.

[CC Cyclone]

Managed to bond the light housing in this afternoon and this time got the catalyst ratio a bit better and so it has already set rock hard. Managed a bit more mocking up on the back end.
Also welding some brackets to the chassis to take my new bootlid hinges as need to mount and gap it before I can finish the wing.

Getting a bit miffed with splatter and slag from the gasless mig and so am tempted to invest in a gas mig when funds permit for the little use it would get, although I seem to be welding more than I ever have at the minute, No pictures of the bracket welding therefore as I haven't had time to clean them up yet!

[Facial Hair Optional]

I can see this being a very, VERY pretty car when completed 

[CC Cyclone]

Let's hope so, it is hard work making it up as you go along...

[Parks]

I was up in Castle combe yesterday got there just as everyone was leaving.... I did buy a mirror from Merlin though so not a wasted journey. Maybe next time I can pop in and say hello and look at the new project!

[CC Cyclone]

I was up in Castle combe yesterday got there just as everyone was leaving.... I did buy a mirror from Merlin though so not a wasted journey. Maybe next time I can pop in and say hello and look at the new project!

Yes, a real problem at Castle Combe yesterday, local flooding meant they abandoned the meeting, but not until 1pm when all hell broke loose locally with teams and spectators all trying to get out. The highlight was some bright spark deciding to turn his 7.5 tonne motorhome around on my front water logged lawn. We had words.

You are welcome any time. Bring your overalls there is lots to do 

[CC Cyclone]

So the saga of the rear boot hinges continues. I have built several kit cars and I cannot recall a challenge so simple that has proved so difficult. The car originally used surface mounted external imp hinges on the bootlid, which were fine but I thought if I was going to the trouble of modifying the rest of the car I may aswell use some concealed hinges. Three different hinge purchases later and due to a combination of limited room above the engine, the weather channels, seals, geometry etc non of the buggers would fit.

I spent a full day cutting and re-welding a set last weekend only to find the throw of the boot as it opened meant very little access to the engine bay when open. Not ideal.

And so I measured everything and drew the cross section through the body and within 5 mins had a drawing of the perfect hinge. I ordered some bits of metal in the week and set about fabricating a pair of hinges, mounts etc this morning. I have made them in three parts, fully adjustable in every direction, i spent ages making sure the welds were neat and everything was square and looking good. I realised that I had missed one small weld before painting and so migged the bit I missed, just as the phone rang. After I got off the phone - spam call-  I turned around and picked said bracket up with a good grip straight off the welding table:



Man down. I hate f&*cking hinges!

[sanzomat]

Ouch! Hope its not too bad. These hinges better be good to invest that much pain in them

['The Gaffer']

Distractions are dangerous indeed

[benchmark51]

Ow!, Hope it's not your drinking hand.

[Facial Hair Optional]

Ow!, Hope it's not your drinking hand.

Showing your age Dave, if you were 25 you'd be worried about losing the use of that hand but for an entirely different reason!! 

[CC Cyclone]

Ow!, Hope it's not your drinking hand.

Don't worry Dave, I'm soldiering on...



Thankfully I am over 25...

[johnH20]

Epic Thread this - keep  it going. Fell in love with this car many years ago, I thought the project went belly up before any were made - beyond the prototype. Will you make it to Stoneleigh?

[CC Cyclone]

Hi, hoping to be at Stoneleigh in the Cyclone on Sunday providing I can get an MOT in time. Do come and say hello. Would love to have a look at your modified car.

[edlyn]

Has there been any progress on the Raffo Belva build since 2016.

Ed

[fullpint]

Its still on-going.. Can't wait to see it when its complete.. A lot of hours has gone into it.. 

[edlyn]

Is C C Cyclone still on this forum?
Ed

[fullpint]

The Cyclone is  James sold it to Mike and Mike sold it to me in May 2017..

[edlyn]

Fullpint
Thanks for the reply.  I am really interested in the raffo Belva that C C Cyclone was restoring and wanted to have a chat to him about it.
Regards
Ed

[fullpint]

Ed, I do have his number somewhere!!!

[fullpint]

Drop me a text on 07840628300 and when I find it I will pass it on Ed..