MIRAGE AUTOMOTIVE - Jimmymac & Alistair's Cars - Page 6

Jim Rosenthal · 03-01-09, 11:01 AM

VERY nice work. Who built the monocoques, they are really lovely. And the fit is terrific, I hope mine ends out that good. (it's looking better)

Frank Catt · 03-01-09, 11:32 AM

Fantastic, without doubt the best mono I have seen by far, and all built in the UK, WELL DONE RAY/JIMMY and all involved in the project. Frank

JimmyMac · 03-01-09, 11:42 AM

Jimbo,
Mirage built the monocoques in Poole, England (not far from the GTD works)
It's time to say that the quality of the fit gave us a bit of bother over these past two weeks. The jigs were made to original GAs of the plate-work, so it was all going well for some time. And as you can see, we got the screen in perfectly but then later found that a major section of platework made to the original drawings did not fit.

The boys were at their wits end, but luckily Ray and Steve had detailed dimensions from two original cars to revert to and they had to re-make four sets of plates to get the monocoques back to the 'actual' as-built prototype geometry.

I think that with those original clips fitting so well first time around, this validates the corrections to the GAs
So much for those original drawings

.

Frank,
Cheers friend.

JimmyMac · 03-06-09, 03:25 PM

Door handles
All of this stuff takes time but I get some satisfaction by doing it on my own.
I did these last week and they turned out twenty thou oversized for linishing and polishing.
Material is a super bright alloy.

Aaron L. · 03-06-09, 07:02 PM

those things are works of art!

JimmyMac · 03-07-09, 12:33 PM

Some flics from today's visit.
Alistair's monocoque is now on a table and my tub is in the jig for final topside assembly.
Not long now until the two chassis' are rollers.

JimmyMac · 03-08-09, 08:01 AM

Original Door latches and strikers.

just · 03-08-09, 08:13 AM

gratulation to jimmymac, your work is an inspiration, we all can see what some people can do if there thinking is the same,......
teamwork in one garage is the point to reach,.....

just

JimmyMac · 03-08-09, 10:14 AM

Doing some restoration this morning.
Radiator fans and bracketry (pretty naff at cooling but I will stick to the script)

JimmyMac · 03-08-09, 12:59 PM

No need for restoration with this piece.
It's time I got around to completing my engines.
Here is an untouched NOS alternator dated August 1967 with a spare XF numbered magnesium pulley.
This part will compliment my XE 289 engine as it is date coded perfectly.

JimmyMac · 03-09-09, 04:29 PM

A lucky day,
I opened a box last night and found another set of valve-train parts for the C6FE heads. There was also a Le-Mans cam and pistons heads.

This box was put in my store some time last year by my wife so it was a nice surprise. I thought it was standard HiPo stuff until I found that in one of the bags there came a set of mechanics notes and grinding instructions.
These will take some understanding for a layman like me, however it does give Manley part numbers for replacement donor valves and I was surprised to read that there are some "Chevy" equivalents.

The valves measured close to 1.88" and 1.625" and are notched at 0.25" as they should be.

Garry · 03-09-09, 04:49 PM

James,
Thank you for the posts. Great build so far. I envy you and the attention to detail that you are going through. I'll bet you are anxious as the rest of us are. Keep posting those pictures.
Garry

I LOVE GT40- Paolo · 03-09-09, 06:05 PM

just 2 questions Jimmy:
1-what will be the final color of this stunning car? (u are Scottish..I dream a Tartan livery now..

2-Where it is gone the wonderful gt40 pic u had for years in your avatar

?

JimmyMac · 03-09-09, 06:46 PM

Hello Paolo,
The dark blue car in my avatar was my favourite until recently.

I used my last can of that special tartan paint a while ago and the makers don't sell it anymore so presently it's anybody's guess.

JimmyMac · 04-01-09, 09:49 AM

A slight deviation from specification - an upgrade.
I have decided to ditch the rather temperamental MKI Lucas wiper motor and install the more reliable MKII car's Alco motor and converter.
These are also used on Boeing 707 aircraft and others.

JimmyMac · 04-01-09, 11:36 AM

I picked up my mag' wheels this morning. I will need these in only a few weeks time.

8"/10"/12" X 15"

JimmyMac · 04-04-09, 02:16 PM

Some more progress this week.

The roof skins fit well and we are all pleased with the way things turned out.
The hard work of recent months is mostly over and we are now into making fixtures for all the fit-out items.

I can now get that parts collection out of the cupboards. Check out the original SW fuel pump bracket and it's new twin.

CraigB · 04-04-09, 11:58 PM

Very nice indeed James,
I received my raft of photos as well

The inner skin looks superb. I should be home in about 3 weeks (maybe) so will have to head down there to have a good look in the flesh as it were.

It's all in the detail as you say! The work the guys there have done with the huge research is now really paying off.

JimmyMac · 04-05-09, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigB

It's all in the detail as you say! The work the guys there have done with the huge research is now really paying off.

It's been tough ~ eighteen months since the plan was conceived and a year since the design to make the new assembly jig.

We dropped an old engine onto the motor mounts last week and the transaxle bellhousing had a 60 thou' gap between the fixing faces and the rear collar, just enough for the washer.

We shall now see how the monocoque moves and flexes when it comes off the table.

JimmyMac · 04-05-09, 09:25 AM

This is how the pumps fitted, however the rubber anti-vibration ring is missing here.
Note this old pump came off an original GT40 (see the top fixings for the road car)
The other photo shows some of my new SW pumps with the rubber intact.