PAG 22, page 2
One One Eight, It’s that bloke from Bristol
By Richard Angell-Alpass
Hello me again, last time I wrote I had got the Grasshopper onto three wheels, and since then I’ve managed to finish the project, not without problems of course. I did not meet my ambitious deadline of June but managed it by November, makes sense really finishing an open topped car by winter?
The construction went largely to plan, what amazed me was how easy it was to produce body panels with just a jigsaw, masking tape and patience. I did buy Phil’s seats, I had the wheels cleaned and
powder coated, I bought Phil’s Stainless Silencers, the engine breather was replaced and a lot of stainless was purchased so to be honest I reckon it might have cost around £2500-£2800 to build.
The progress was almost as Phil suggests but I wish I had installed the engine and control cables before adding the offside side panel, as it would have been much easier to fit the cables. The front mudguards proved easier than thought to make but they still took four hours of work for three people. The other obstacle was almost four weeks of pi**ing about with a reoccurring electrical earth problem finally traced to a dodgy cable from the starter to the dash. I broke the dipstick tube but simply made the dipstick shorter and it fits in the engine just fine. The steering lock was damaged on the 2cv so I cut this down just leaving the bracket, do not do this as the MSVA says that a method of immobilising the car must be built in during construction, but the SVA dude suggested fitting a battery isolation switch where the cables could not be reached by a would be thief. I can wholly recommend the BMW engine breather from Steve Parrish telephone 02380 892071 £25 well spent.
Better instruction’s would have been in order as this was my first attempt, but all my worries prior to each stage were soon dispelled as soon as I got stuck in, probably more time was spent worrying about things than actually doing them, so in fairness the instructions are OK as a guide otherwise we would have Pembleton clones everywhere. Body panels were swiftly bent or rolled and within quite a short space of time a car took shape. Plenty of photographs were downloaded from the web site; also John Ward’s comprehensive site on his Brooklands was of great inspiration and assistance. Much use is made of the Forum as I check this nightly for hints and tips, a few enquires were also made.
The progress went roughly as; January the rolling chassis. February floor pan, foot wells and rear floor. March front bulkhead, bulkhead top, glove box, dash, instruments, steering column, handbrake lever and gear lever. April, rear side panels, battery tray, master cylinder, pedals, engine/gearbox. May, fuel tank, fuel lines, front side panels, rear top, rear upper bulkhead, number plate mount and static seat belts. June, the lights, copper cowl bonnet. July was spent solving electrical faults and adding idiot lights to dash. August, mudguards, carbs and linkages plus first engine start,
September I started the finishing touches. What was great was the first engine start, a colleague from work turned up with his video and we got it all on tape, then some weeks later I could not resist a drive around the block so my son and I made a couple of trips, then my daughter and
finally a neighbour who kindly donated a smaller steering wheel as things were a bit tight in the cockpit.