The Shop > Wood & Stuff

Heres a 'wood' project for you!

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John Hill:
I made this little car about 30 years ago and it is now in a museum.

Basic Triumph Herald underneath though I did move the engine back and lower the rear suspension a little plus I lowered the floor to be level with the bottom of the chassis rails.  I also had to lower the oil filler cap as there is almost no clearance between the rocker cover and the bonnet (hood) skin.


The body frame is hollow rectangular steel skinned in plywood and wicker work for the finished effect.


Steering wheel and a few of the instruments came from a 1936 Morris 8, the radio control head is from the same era but it had a modern transistor set behind the dash.







The big lights are some cheap Taiwanese 'driving lights' and the smaller lights are headlights from a Fordson Major tractor, they used really good paint on those which was difficult to remove  for the chrome plating.  The radiator surround is sheet steel, chromed as you can see.

sbwhart:
Hi John

Great looking car,  :thumbup: love the wicker work, my first car was a Triumph Herald they had nice wooden dash boards, is the dash board in you motor an origonal ?.

Heralds had a real small turning circle and independant suspension if I remember right.

Cheers
 :wave:
Stew

SPiN Racing:
VERY COOL


That is a neat car!

John Hill:
Thanks guys, you are too kind! ::)

Yes, the Herald, also Spitfire and the GT^ coupes had all independant suspension with swing axles on the rear which was much maligned.  The steering lock was extreme and many times I would reverse into a parallel park using the full lock which was very satisfying but the camber of the road made it impossible to drive out of the same park!

The wooden dash is my own, just a bit of varnished ply with as many instruments buttons and switches I could find a use for.

bogstandard:
John,

Was it ever road legal, and did you do the wickerwork yourself?

I remember when wickerwork was taught a lot to visually impaired people, as it was a very tactile skill.
Sadly, not much of it about now, it seems plastic blow moulding and vacforming has taken over from it.

John

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