Hillman Imp 998cc cylinder head gaskets and shims

With the recent assembly and building of a new 998cc engine, a  cylinder head shim was required to sort out pistons that were proud of the block.

This was done in alloy but we can have them made in steel and copper, or a mix of materials and a composite using some quite exotic fibres.

Postage world wide is easy.

Roy

Dix Design Jig Saw Joints

Dudley Dix has now introduced a jig saw joint into his cut files, this enables the larger panels to be joined without scarph joints.

This speeds up the panel assembly process by some margin, it also means the skill required to plane the scarph joint is no longer required.

Saving you time, its nice and easy!

Roy

Jaguar 3.8 S type

This was a longer project than I expected, we owned it for thirty two years!

The car was sold last May and last we heard had done a rally across South Africa and was for sale in Johannesburg?

The car was sold with an engine that had been fitted with new pistons, plus a crank regrind and new bearings.

The licence number was kept!

Roy

ADT after sales service????

Rubbish is a good place to start.

We asked for a quote on a new alarm and zone sensors, the sales rep was here fast enough, we paid as required and expected the installation the next day as promised.

That never happened, the job was done five days later, its a pity the zone sensors are faulty and we can not use them.

A removal and full refund from ADT in Cape Town , South Africa has been requested.

Would you use this company?

Roy

British Seagull 5 hp restoration

This was started last March, it was a bit of a wreck back then.

This is a 1974 model and has a clutch.

The main parts were there but the tank filler had been cut off and thats not a replacement part, so a new neck was turned up from solid brass, looking at the work then involved a complete yet dented tank was imported from the UK, postal strikes in the RSA saw it arrive months later.

Today it was started for the first time, possibly for decades?

Its running in this picture.

All parts are imported, stripped into its main parts the unit is then inspected and rebuilt as it requires.

The pictures will enlarge if you click on them.

Even the tank, which was rather battered has been epoxy faired, painted and had a transfer applied, then we apply coats of clear gloss lacquer to seal it off.

Allow a decent sum of moey for this kind of detailed restoration, thats as long as you have a British Seagull for the work to be done on, more if the engine required a rebuild.

Two British Seagulls are in stock, we can offer a world wide service by arrangement.

How easy was this, try it yourself and see!

Roy

The Goat Island Skiff

This is a popular design by Mike Storer, we can supply you the plans and the kit.

Simple to Build Modern Performance - Sails rings around most "character boats"
Light enough to handle on land by yourself Easy to follow plans - step by step instructions.  96 page manual.
Length - 15'6" (4.73m) 
Beam - 5ft (1.52m) 
Hull Weight - 128lbs (57kg) - Gaboon (Okoume) Ply 
Sail Area - Lug 105 sq ft (9.75 sq metres)

For purchasers of the plan there is a new birdsmouth mast option

They look complicated but in fact are very easy to assemble yourself, we even supply the assembly jigs!

G.I.S PDF Plans by email - $100

Roy

Freds Cape Henry 21 kit build

This is where Fred is at right now.

Hi Roy:
Moving right along. :)

Cheers!
Fred

Superform (tm) bending ply arrives

I was busy adding lables to the various packs of Superform bending plywoods for our retailers yesterday, this is still the best such product as far as I am aware.

Superform bending plywood can now be supplied in a fire proof grade to special order.

Contact me for the specification sheets.

Roy

This is just what keeps the likes of people like me going.

I think I have mentioned 'Bad Obsessions Motor Sport' before but with the Binky program now having reached stage eight its well worth another look.

Project Binky

It was a dark and stormy night…
Safely ensconced in a shed in deepest, darkest Shropshire, two men with their faculties dulled by liberal dosing’s of Jack Daniel’s finest No.7 brand embarked upon a journey that would change their world.
Project Binky was born.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. Take one rotten 1980 Mini 1000 and one Toyota Celica GT-Four and use all their guile, cunning and skill to graft them together to create a Frankenstein’s monster of a car.
Not content with just the trifling matter of shoe-horning the entire running gear from the Celica and grafting it into the little Mini, they also decided it might be fun to film the entire journey and post it on YouTube for all and sundry to see.
The goal is to create one of the fastest Mini’s on the planet but also one that looks just like a fast Mini. The brief is simple; we can’t lengthen it or widen it – save for the arches – but the 2.0l turbo-charged engine, 4WD transmission and all the suspension from the Celica must go inside the Mini. We never said it was going to be easy, it was always going to be a difficult project, but Bad Obsession Motorsport has never shied away from a challenge.
So far it’s taken hundreds of hours, thousands of cups of tea and not an inconsiderable amount of grey hairs, but it’s coming.
Track the progress on this page and check back for irregular updates.

 http://www.badobsessionmotorsport.co.uk/category/projects/project-binky/

Now on part eight, its worth starting from part one.

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian

Now in red!

The sticker advises you to leave a 1" (25mm) slack in the fan belt, this is so as not to stress the bearings in the water pump and dynamo.

The details like badges and related stickers can really make the car.

Roy

A red paint day for the Hillman Imp Californian

Early days but progress!

This car is a pleasure to restore.............

Roy

Project Hillman Imp Californian by the Rootes Car Co, Scotland 1967.

This one has been with the family over two decades, then sold and bought back six months ago in mid July 2014.

The car is dated 3rd February 1967, a rare export model, it was found with Mozambique plates on it some many years back.

It was originally white, then sprayed red and right now its in an automotive twin pack grey primer and almost ready for some red paints.

Soon to be red again.

The car is licenced and even has its original engine so the numbers match, not only that but the crank still has its original bearings (they are perfect) and the pistons are the originals also!

Roy

Barry's Proteus 106 build

Barry took delivery of his Proteus 106 kit last May, he has made great progress since then.

The fact he has a suitable covered space is a bonus, he has reached the stage where the cabin roof will be constructed.

He also fabricated his own forward cross beam, it looks good to me.

Roy

The International Mirror dinghy class kit is available ex stock

We have a number of these here In Cape Town right now, this far we have produced ten (10) kits and they are the first ever cut in the fifty year history of the Mirror with a CNC machine.

To enable our customers to understand the size of the kit and what it contains we have produced a Word document with a decent description of the kit and with lots of pictures.

Please email me and I will forward the Mirror Word file and pricing right now.

Roy

Hout Bay YC marina members

Seen here yesterday is John and Athol on the far side of the marina.

As you can see we have really nice weather right now.

Both yachts in the pictures are wooden classics designed by Wm Garden.

Roy