Jimbonic

Well they were the first things I noticed, I didn't want to clog up the thread. I quite like that Cortina (OK, except the offset Ford badge, the bonnet vents and ill-fitting roll cage are a bit of an eye sore). But, it's a bit Kaido racer...

But, that..... My eyes! It looks like someone drove an F100 and Camaro into The Fly machines. Why?! Oh, why?!

Yep, I'm with you on that one. Someone got all 50s led sled on a microbus.

Hi Katana, Thanks. Yes, an egg can be strong. But, only when it is whole. What happens when you cut a shell in half...? As you say, you'd need to brace it. I was suggesting bracing at the strut tops, as this would be relatively easy - could use a nice simple bar. I've attached a really (crap) simple drawing to show what I mean (I didn't draw the engine). Of course, I may have missed something - someone please point out the obvious! Anyway, you're right about movement. I'm pretty sure the struts will be fairly vertical, maybe a few degrees off, so there shouldn't be too much horizontal force at the strut tops (hence most cars don't come with a brace as standard...).

I still haven't looked properly at how the forces work, but I don't think strengthening/gussetting the tops of the towers (under the strut top) will really work. Basically, what you've got is a force at the top of the strut that is trying to push inward. That is only restrained by the inner wing. You can see that there are beams running vertically either side of the strut. I guess you could beef these up to try and stop them bending so much. That might take quite a lot of beefing, and you might need to keep the extra beams in the engine bay depending what clearance you have in the wheel arch. The reason a strut brace works is because it ties one strut top to the other and takes the load in buckling. This is why you need the strut brace to be straight. Eccentric forces will increase the risk of buckling. Think about a straw. If you push the ends of a straight straw, it resists quite a lot of pushing. If you bend it slightly and push the ends, it just buckles or folds. Sorry if I'm teaching you or your grandmother to suck eggs.

Surely, it would be easier (from an install and maintenance) point of view to build tower extensions and go over the top. If you use triangulated tower extensions, you should get a good transfer of the forces into a bar between the two tower tops. You're just trying to stop the tops of the struts moving. Of course, that all pre-supposes you've enough clearance to go over the top....

The GT380 was a triple, GT250 was a twin. The Kwacker KHs were insane. I never had one, but by all accounts they took the flexible frame concept to a new level! I can't imagine what a 2-stroke triple 750 must have been like. And, it was hard enough keeping the front wheel down on my X7!

Actually, that plastic is just a cover. Before it wore this disguise, it looked (or should have looked) like this: Which is definitely cool! Anyway, we might be getting a little off topic......... I think I could post pretty much any vehicle from my early 90s collection in this thread!

Yes. Under all that lovely bodywork lurks an X7! They were lethal - loved them! It didn't stay like that. Not sure whether this stays "plain wrong", but it ended up like this (except with exhausts!)....

Wrong isn't restricted to four wheels (have we had bikes on here yet?). I actually owned this.........!

Ed Roth's Druid Princess show car. If you think this is wild you should see his other stuff. OK, I didn't realise this was an Ed Roth creation. His stuff is a bit hit and miss with me. Didn't he create the Mysteron or some such, spaceship-style rod? That was cool. And, his art work was always awesome - just loved his rod rats/monsters. But, I'm afraid, for me, he missed with this one.

Theirs wasn't quite so tasteful! What gets me is the amount of effort (And cash) that goes into these. This stuff was all the rage in the 70s. It was either the drugs or The Munsters - or both! I just noticed that the "T" and the "F" have melted off the hillside in the background........

Do what now?!?!

Here you go :http://mikpicl.pw/Mad-Max-Miata-t.html Someone's done all the hard work for you! With a few exceptions, they're just all wrong!!

Probably just looks like it doesn't fit as it has no seals. The top of the boot is a similar amount lower than the tops of the wings. So, looking more and more Mk4.....?!

I hope you manage to work things through to hold onto your lovely car, Mark. It's a cracker!

Hi Mark, What you doing with your Mk2? Got some piccies? We all love piccies!

Saw a Mk2 similar to this trundling through Tolworth today. Sorry didn't get the number plate. But, it most definitely orange! Anyone on here?

Ha Ha! Yeah! Oh, just remembered I had an aubergine 1600E around 2000 until my wife reminded me she needed a car that would start EVERY day, not just when it wanted to!

Yes, enjoyed that.......!

I think I might have covered some of this "history" in my introduction (Howdy from Surbiton - sorry not worked out how to link to other topics!). But, anyway, I thought I'd throw in a few photos to add some, erm, colour to that intro... Unfortunately, I don't have any (or haven't found any) photos of my first ford (Mk1 Cortina 1500 Estate) or my '55 Mk1 Consul. But, I do have a few of some of the others. So, here we go.... I bought the Mk1 Cortina estate when I was 15, which gave me time to do it up and get it road legal for when I passed my test. My dad and I GT'd that with 28/36 DGV (I think), a fast road cam, GT head, GT manifold, Lotus Cortina rims. Looovely. But, rusty as hell - that fell apart in a couple of years. Second of my Fords was a lovely white 1600E; lowered a bit on 170lb springs and standard leaf springs, tuned a bit (32 DCD (I think), fast road cam, bit of head work). Really enjoyed this car... So, while I had the 'E to blast round the roads of NW Norfolk, I fancied something altogether, erm, slower! I found a pair of sit-up-and-begs (one Pop, one Anglia) in a fellas garden / garage. The Anglia was a bit of a basket case, but had a few useful spares for the Popular, which came in what can only be described as honest, original condition! It came with most of its components stored inside the car. But, with a little persuasion (plugs, points, condenser, new battery and a tow down the road), it fired up and became an absolute hoot to rock around in - and I mean literally rock around! Having nailed all of the bits into most of the right places, it was treated to a pretty special hand-paint and stayed in completely standard form until it was sold a year or two later (I was off to university and this was not practical student transport!). I think it is still knocking around somewhere... Before: After (and that's my brother's 1300E in the background): The 1600E stayed on as my student transport, blasting around Uxbridge and the surrounding areas, including the obligatory Chelsea cruise. That was until it, basically, just fell apart - rotted away underneath and ended up in Ford heaven. To think they didn't seem worth saving back then! It was 1988.... But, I managed to stay on the straight and narrow with a 1955 Mk1 Ford Consul - lovely green , with green interior, 3-speed column change, visor over the windscreen and headlamps, lowered on whitewalls, blue dots, Raymond Mays cylinder head and tubular manifold (pretty much straight through exhaust, too, which was popular with the neighbours when I rocked up past midnight!). I can't really remember what happened to that. I think I sold it or swapped it. And, apart from a quick foray into kit car racing with a Pinto-engined Dutton Melos (they are not meant to be racing cars!), I have sinned and not partaken of old Fords until my present jalopy: the Mk2 1300 Cortina Deluxe. I plan to keep the Cortina and slow-build it. I'll keep it pretty standard for now. But, I suspect, plans will move.... The Dutton: And the present project 1300 Cortina....

It's definitely got that 70s' stance!

Nice one, Mr Kiwi! (I'm with Col on the rear. It might also be the different size number/licence plate?)

Love a rusty bare shell... It makes me feel like I've got mine in concourse condition! (Plus, it's great to see how far you've come when you get to roll it out for the first time......)

I now realise why I can't get hold of any decent narcotics....!