Ginetta G15 Restoration

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from Nick Jones

My concern would not be the quality of welds as such.  More that at the welds you'll have some (mostly compressive probably) forces from thermal expansion in combination with varying forces from various directions due to chassis  flex, which I think is agreed to be likely! This makes cracking at the weld edges rather probable in my view.  I'm also a bit doubtful about whether the tubes would really add all that much to the structure and thus be worth taking the risk of problems.

Nick

Agreed on all counts Nick; thank you.

I'm thinking about panelling in the underside of the chassis with NS4 18swg aluminium bonded and riveted. I'm hoping this working with the floor will help things. What do you think?

rgds

John

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Shear panels really can improve the stiffness of the chassis a lot. Worth investigating I think - better than welding in the coolant pipes!

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from Jonny-Jimbo

Shear panels really can improve the stiffness of the chassis a lot. Worth investigating I think - better than welding in the coolant pipes!

And the added benefit is that the chassis will be protected. I can leave the bit under the tunnel open or fit a hatch and put  hatch in underneath where the throttle cable goes onto the pedal. Sounds like we might have a plan. 😉

Thanks to everyone who has and is offering their thoughts. This is a joint project after all 🙂

[ferny]

Quoted from colmiller

I'm interested to know what filler wire you plan to use to weld in the stainless rad pipes to your mild steel cross members?

I've never had an issue of welding mild and stainless together with a normal MIG. I'd never risk it in a structural location though.

[John Bonnett]

I've put an additional cross member in to give a bit of support for the suspension mounting. It was an interesting exercise to put the sleeves in at the right depth and correct angle. Amazingly, the coolant tubes slide straight through without touching. Lucky or what? 🙂

[Mike Evans]

Looking good this one, doubt it's luck more skill.

I normally measure 5 times, forget the measurement, cut and tack it all in, try it, realise I got measurements wrong and try again.

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from Mike Evans

Looking good this one, doubt it's luck more skill.

I normally measure 5 times, forget the measurement, cut and tack it all in, try it, realise I got measurements wrong and try again.

Now that has a familiar ring to it Mike 🙂

[TedTaylor]

Quoted from Mike Evans

Looking good this one, doubt it's luck more skill.

I normally measure 5 times, forget the measurement, cut and tack it all in, try it, realise I got measurements wrong and try again.

I normally measure 5 times, still get the measurement wrong, still weld it in all the same ......... then preliminary adjust with the largest of my collection of 'ammers and then get a tin of pongo out for final adjustment.

MUT

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Quoted from Mike Evans

I normally measure 5 times, forget the measurement, cut and tack it all in, try it, realise I got measurements wrong and try again.

Glad I'm not the only one then haha.

[John Bonnett]

I've just been making up some new anti-roll bar brackets. I found a pair of polybushes which had the right O/D and width, just the hole in the middle needed enlarging to 3/4". I found that by pressing the bush into a piece of tube I could hold it in the chuck on the lathe and drill it out quite easily. The bushes would slide onto the ARB but I could see no way in the world to fit them into the Ginetta P brackets. So I made these hinged ones which seem to do the job.

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Hmm, not seen an ARB mount like that - we always mounted them in nylon blocks with a mounting plate with two nuts welded onto the chassis.

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from Jonny-Jimbo

Hmm, not seen an ARB mount like that - we always mounted them in nylon blocks with a mounting plate with two nuts welded onto the chassis.

My experience is very limited but the P brackets came with the car and are the same as the one on a local G15 and the one in the picture.

[John Bonnett]

Some of you may remember that I made a rotisserie out of a couple of engine stands. I've just dug it out and fitted the chassis to it. It should still work with the body fitted which will make life a whole lot easier when it comes to running the services down the tunnel. It will also be a great help when the underside is panelled. A bit of effort but I hope worth it.

[RedRooster]

John,
just how big is your garage, i've got a mild case of garage envy, mine doesn't have a fitted kitchen for starters... 🙂

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from RedRooster

John,
just how big is your garage, i've got a mild case of garage envy, mine doesn't have a fitted kitchen for starters... 🙂

I bought the units from Wickes when they were on offer Brad. Amazingly cheap and offer dust free storage. But there is never enough space is there? No need to be envious. I don't have room for two classics and another one being restored and still space to move around.

[RedRooster]

the mezzanine deck helps a lot, somewhere to store everything, but never enough room.

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from RedRooster

the mezzanine deck helps a lot, somewhere to store everything, but never enough room.

Mezzanine? Now you really are showing off!!! 😀

I found some more rust in the lower wishbone mount area so I've cut that piece out and it is now ready to have a new piece of metal inserted.

I could see no reason why Ginetta used a couple of four inch bolts for the lower wishbone mounts so I decided to replace the brackets. The new ones were cut from 40 x 40 x 3mm wall box section and worked out quite nicely. To make sure all the holes lined up the brackets were assemble onto the wishbone and offered up. Despite being tightened up the metalastic bushes prevented the brackets from sitting properly. So I machined up a couple of solid temporary bushes in brass which did the job. The new brackets are now tacked in place.

[RedRooster]

I'm sure a fitted kitchen, a lathe & an English wheel trump a mezz deck!

Nice bushes, i would be tempted to put in a grease point & just leave them in, nothing like a sharp front end.

Let me know when you are both across next, be good to see you again.

cheers
Brad

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from RedRooster

I'm sure a fitted kitchen, a lathe & an English wheel trump a mezz deck!

Nice bushes, i would be tempted to put in a grease point & just leave them in, nothing like a sharp front end.

Let me know when you are both across next, be good to see you again.

cheers
Brad

I certainly will Brad. It was a great shame it didn't work out when we were very close to you in June. But we have sent our entry off for the Grand Prix de Tours  23, 24, 25 June next year. It's based in Chinon now. The lunch on the Saturday is something you would never believe followed by afternoon tea at a winery in Chinon. Sunday there is a closed road circuit to hack round. Fancy joining us?

http://www.grandprixdetours.com/

[RedRooster]

Will be there if i can, just need to sort out the vapourisation issue once & for all.

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from RedRooster

Will be there if i can, just need to sort out the vapourisation issue once & for all.

And don't forget La Coupe Florio at Saint Brieuc end of August. A great hill for the Midget.

[RedRooster]

Ahmen, you mean Sprite.

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from RedRooster

Ahmen, you mean Sprite.

Sorry Brad. Quite so. I didn't mean to hurt its feelings. 🙂

[RedRooster]

Its probably sulking anyway as i've been spending most of my time with the other ones 😉, be good to chuck it up a hill to see what it/ I can do 🙂

Now back to your G15....unless anyone else wants to do the Tours thing with us.

[John Bonnett]

Quoted from RedRooster

Its probably sulking anyway as i've been spending most of my time with the other ones 😉, be good to chuck it up a hill to see what it/ I can do 🙂

Now back to your G15....unless anyone else wants to do the Tours thing with us.

Brad if it does work out and you can do the GP de Tours that would be really excellent. It is incredible value for money.

Right back to the G15.

I'm waiting for some box section to repair the rusty area where the right hand lower wishbone bracket are mounted but I was able to fully weld the ones on the passenger side. Whilst waiting for the material I turned my attention to the rear of the chassis. The piece of 2mm plate a sort of large gusset would be okay in tension but not great in compression. So I cut a enough of it away to weld in a piece of round tube and once that was in the rest of the plate came out. I've yet to cut and fit a couple of bracing tubes.