An evening humping.

Engine back in for the 100th time. It only take a few mins and slides in easy, eh...

Started to mess about with some dummy gearbox stuff. Templates at this stage. Have to allow a hole big enough to pull the lever off to get the engine and box out...They are removed as a unit now. I can use the standard gaitor and metal retainer ring.
This will be welded in. There will also be a welded in part running to the old tunnel, the tunnel will just slot over its arch...
This wooden bit will be bonded to the old tunnel, the whole lot filled, sanded, preped etc, filled with expanding foam to stiffen it, the old tunnel and this wood will then form the mould for the vacuum formed ABS tunnel...If I run the tunnel mould straight onto the metal, making the flanged areas 3-4mm thick, when vacuum formed the new tunnel will be 3-4mm bigger, so allowing for a perfect seal EVERYWHERE, bespoke fit.
This is basically what the tunnel will be like...Probably a days work getting it ready to be a mould...The areas which bolt down to the tub by your legs- on the old tunnel -are so awful (thin, cracked, warped as sold) I will cut them off and remake them from 3mm thick alloy and bond the shell back to them, fill it all up and prep it...This gives a perfect mould I cannot vac form over this junk.
I made some little tabs to bolt the tub down to the chassis where the radio/dash support should be. The area here needs flattening where the seal will go its a bit warped a few slices to take out the warps and weld the cuts..Engine out again!
Shiney.
Hopefully I can wrap up the welding and construction of the mould this weekend, just have to prep it then and take it for forming...I'll get a pair made I reckon, may as well. Also can be vac formed in white ABS. I think it'll be perfect! This really is the last construction! Hopefully get the floors painted next week, stick a sheet over it for a bit and wait for all the paint to boneharden, its too cold atm! Matt's 131, maybe arriving next week...Its been a bit of push to get this done, but its all working out.

Oh and I may crack a beer I think, been months! Quite happy with how the car is coming together....I will have given every piece a birthday, its been 10years since it was restored....I guess its all worthwhile in the end, you know, you do up the last bolt, sit back look at it all shiney and nice and happy with it all, knowing its not just a load of paint bladdered all over some rust and crap, that it will last...Then go out and start using it and get it dirty, in the knowledge its all waxoyled and coated and ready for another few years abuse!! Hooray.

This project has been a mission, remind me next time I get some hairbrained idea..........................

I necked my pint of Grolsch, I feel pissed, I am going to bed :) Beer makes me SOOOOOOO tired...so BORING!