Emerges blinking into the light of day...

[Roger King]

...off to JR fabrications for the middle section of the exhaust system to be made up and fitted. Gave me the chance to wash it properly for the first time in 4 years!

[StewbieC]

Looks stunning Roger, have you got a finish date?

[Roger King]

Looks stunning Roger, have you got a finish date?

When are they ever finished? I'd like to have a first-fire-up before the end of the year, but there's still loads of details to do. Everflex weather gear to get made, Correct 'Raydyot' stamped mirrors to change over, trim details, no doubt a lot of fiddling with cooling system settings etc.

Anyway, here's a definitive photo of an absolute, utterly correct, as-factory RHD UK market leafspring r/p 289 Cobra dashboard:*



with right-side switch gear:



Note dash is attached by 2BA chromed brass slotted machine screws and cup washers. Covering is skived (split) leather.
Glovebox - I'll write an article for Phil on gloveboxes. This one has the correct aluminium sheet glovebox, made from a drawing of an original, with the original-spec 1/4" birch ply door and cotton wadding, not foam padding.

* this week - depends what I find out next. Also 'F' switch, fan override, is not original fitment but necessary, I think.

[CobStang]

Nice AIR push knob !

[allan horsfall]

Morning Roger,

Car is looking fantastic, but with that dashboard how do you get it through IVA???

You previously asked on the forum if anyone new of a pipe bender to make the front nudge bar, I assume from the photo that you found someone. Can you share the secret with us! Ive been trying to find one for 2 years and Gerry still cant give a likely availability or a pattern that I can try and get copied?

Allan

[Roger King]

Morning Roger,

Car is looking fantastic, but with that dashboard how do you get it through IVA???

You previously asked on the forum if anyone new of a pipe bender to make the front nudge bar, I assume from the photo that you found someone. Can you share the secret with us! Ive been trying to find one for 2 years and Gerry still cant give a likely availability or a pattern that I can try and get copied?

Allan

Allan, I never found anyone who could bend the upper half of the front nudge bar as it needs compound curving in two planes. However the upper half for Gerry's was good, it was the lower section that 'hung' too far down, presumably to suit the FIA style front opening. The lower section is easy to bend for most tube bending companies, so I got this done to how I wanted. I had one of Gerry's bars, so cut the top off, made up new side mounting brackets, and welded it back together using my new lower section. Got it chromed, and it's pretty good, I reckon.
Some of the US suppliers (Finishline, etc.) sell a 427-style bumper, which might be OK to cut up in the same way - it's an expensive piece of guesswork, though. I don't know if the top curvature would work with a 289. Gerry's was very close indeed and the lower tube could be hidden by the numberplate.

[Marsh]

Roger

Absolutely spectacular - it looks, well, utterly period perfect; and from one anorak to another, that's very high praise indeed.

Can't wait to see it in the flesh.

Lee