Got my bodywork at last!

Seems to fit OK - certainly better than i was expecting after all the horror stories on here!

A little annoyed that the bonnet are all now 'zetec' bonnets with a bulge on the side....

Bonnet also seems to be very long (about 3 inches to cut off)

I can't quite work out what needs to be 'adjusted' to allow the front corner zetec bulge to sit down on the nose cone.

Anyone fitted this type of bonnet and got any hints?

Also the returns on the wrap over part where you get in/out of the car are about 3 inches long. - just wondering how much to cut them down by? I can fit the body work and get it sit almost all the way down on one side and completely the other but there is a bit of strain on the returns so possible source of cracking.....

It looks almost like a car now!!!



bodywork1



Bodywork2

[Edited on 19/2/07 by DaveFJ]

should pass the SVA easily will all that bubble wrap, no sharp edges at all

what a relief not having to paint it

looks good

Nice one. I think the priority is to ensure the rear wheel arches are centred properly. I've got one of the earlier bonnets without the bulge, so I'm afraid I can't help . Maybe Tiger are improving on the bodywork of the Avon.

As per the returns on the sides, Mine were trimmed right back to about 15mm, enough to locate over the top tubing.

[Edited on 19/2/07 by ayoungman]

flash lines wll need quite a bit of work and there are a few defects but they are all in 'out of sight areas...

rear arches seem to wrong at first sight (not tried fitting a tyre) but it may be that, despite my best efforts, my wishbones are on wrong.....

Also my dash seems a little rearward.. i have seen other Avons with the Sierra hazard swith on top of the columnn nut mine sits halfway into the dash....?

so - some fiddling to do yet!



rear arch

now the fun starts

I wondered why you hadnt updated your website i presumed you already had the bodywork.

I'll photo mine tonight to give you some reference points if thats helpful. I think that no two Avons are going to be the same tho'
The pedal support bracket that goes up and over the top of the pedal assembly is flush with the bulkhead on mine. Don't cut anything yet until you've seen the rear wheel arch positions though. Resist the temptation to get the thing on until your certain about it being right. I put mine on and was probably a little too keen
My overlaps are like this, the grp is quite thick, so they don't fit onto the tubes enough.link to archive

[Edited on 19/2/07 by ayoungman]

Good to hear...

my bulkhead is against the support bracke so it sounds like it is in the same position as yours. Ihave not cut away the areas yet where the roll bar fits and the GRP lines up with the crossmember quite nicely - although about 5mm above it!

Has no-one else fitted the new style bonnet

I'm sorry but how can anyone be expected to pay any attention to your post when you have an avatar like that?

Pete

hmm why not double its size!! just for extra effect

Go careful with those luv otherwise you might av someones eye owt!

The Zetec bonnet has been around since the start.

Me and three of my mates were one of the first to buy Avons (pre-radiator brackets being fitted to the chassis).

One of them had a Zetec and bonnet was as poor a fit as any Tiger with the "engineered" gap to let under bonnet heat out on each side.

But it will go (sort of) with a bit of fiddling.

Like "ayoungman" said - don't do anything until you get the wheels on and base everything around getting the wheels central in the arches.

And when you get it on its wheels, don't swear when you realise that Tiger are still supplying front shockers that are too short and rest on the bump stops when the bones are horizontal - another Tiger feature.

I had to trim my sides where they lip over right back to the top of the tubes (read - no overhang at all). The internal diameter of the lip was less than the tube it was trying to hook over!

Good luck.

Pat...

coming along nicely dave . not quite so climbing frame-esque now . the bodywork looks like a big improvement on the early ones. hope to catch up with you soon .cheers scott

My Avon will have the Sierra hazard swith positioned ok becouse I modified steering supports, before it was like yours. So do not rivet it now becouse maybe you will have to remove it again.
A question: what is flash lines?

It looks the same colour as my one was. If its any help I found that the colour match was Mitsubishi Monza red.
If your bonnet is 3" long, that is a good thing as mine was a bit too short.
See my archive.

By the way, the guy that bought my car has knocked out 2nd gear. Hes putting in a 2005 engine. Thats engine no.3!

Gaaarrrrrggghhhhh

I don't know where I am going wrong now.....

The rear arches were so far out (tyre almost touching rear arch) that I figured the suspension must be put together wrong......

so.. I turned the bottom wishbone over so that the weld line was forward... this has resulted in no change in position except the rose joints are hard up against the rear of the mounting points......

tried flipping the top bone and it was way off lining up...

only thing I can think of now is trying to swap the rear hub carriers.... but they must be right surely because the calipers are where everyone else has them......?

really annoyed - thought I had the suspension sussed!

Welds to the back.

Pat...

Dave, I had the same problem with the wheel sitting too far back in the arch. There is a before and after pic in my archive. I also havs a sketch on how I have set up the wishbones and where the welds go... Looking good in red though

Dave,

In the book it quotes a distance from the front of the scuttle to the front of the battery tray. Check this and see what you have got. Mines resting on but the Ford hazzard switch is under the dash. Ive cut it off. At the rerar of the cockpit mine does not rest down on the rollbar tube. I spoke with Tiger who said that right. Im looking at how I undr fill this gap and get a finish.

Not had the courage to drill and fix it yet.

Ian

Well, I have had my suspension off on one side and tried every possible combination with no effect....

I have returned it all to the way it was because I beleive this was correct according to everything I have read on here.....

I tried moving the bodywork backward as far as i could sensibly and the wheel is better but still not central.

so i am puzzled. the rear lip is about .5" above the flat plate it is supposed to rivet to but if I lift it an extra .5" the wheel arch lines up beautifully!

seriously considering packing it out with a 1" piece of ERW.....

I am no where near final fixing yet because I still need to get a roll bar fabricated and need to do a few other minor jobs before it can finally go on for good. So I'm not really pressed to get it right immediately but, I wanted to get it fettled and into position so that it is ready when i am!

Happy days I remember it well. I'm sure the bodywork is supposed to if a different chassis. Glad to see some things haven't changed. I wouldn't like to give any advice on how to fit yours without seeing some decent photos but I very much doubt you need any 1" packing just more cutting and trimming.

Carl


[Edited on 22/2/07 by carlgeldard]

Photo 6 might answer some of your questions.

Avon bodywork

Carl

[Edited on 22/2/07 by carlgeldard]

How well did the test go did you pass first time?

Yes first time pass


Here!!!!!!!

Carl


PS This was a long time ago now.

Those smiley at the top soon changed !!!

And nobody believed me...

I tried to tell Tiger about all this right at the beginning, but they wouldn't listen.

Pat...

Don't get me wrong

I'm still really pleased with my Avon. I don't think that there is that much difference between my bodywork and everyone else's or my chassis for that matter. If there is a problem i am sure it is down to me and I will solve it....

It's just making the chances of getting it to stoneliegh even more remote... but I WILL be on the road this sumer

quote:

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Originally posted by DaveFJ
Don't get me wrong

If there is a problem i am sure it is down to me and I will solve it....

Strange that we've all had the same problems.

Carl

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DaveFJ - 24/2/07 at 12:57 PM

yup and a bit of buggering around has fixed it for everyone else so I see no reason why it won't be the same for me.......

Just not sure at the moment what that buggering around might consist of!

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Avoneer - 24/2/07 at 03:22 PM

Jim

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ayoungman - 24/2/07 at 11:14 PM

I'm assembling my rear suspension this weekend, I've already fitted my body tub, so if you think you've got problems, wish me luck ! I'll post pictures tomorrw night if all goes well

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carlgeldard - 24/2/07 at 11:21 PM

How did you line up your bodywork without your rear suspension built up

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ayoungman - 24/2/07 at 11:28 PM

very careful measurement from various reference points, oh.......and a shed full of luck

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ayoungman - 24/2/07 at 11:35 PM

Completed dry assembly of rear suspension tonight, rear wheels are centred quite nicely in wheel arch, sorry about the pictures, but I don't have enough space to move back far enough to get a decent picture !
Rescued attachment DSCF0044.JPG

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DaveFJ - 26/2/07 at 12:21 PM

Had another good look at the weekend, and also had a visit from another Avon builder based near me who is currently struggling with the bodywork...

I have 2 questions for those of you who have succesfully built your Avons....

1. at the front of the scuttle does the fibreglass go behind or in front of the diagonal pedal support? I think mine wants to actually sit on it!

2. at the back lower edge, have you attached the bodywork above the chassis lip or below it or right underneath onto the box section chassis member.

I think that If I move my bodywork slightly and get it sat down properly then the alignment will be fine
Only problem with that is my steering wheel will be so close to the dash that my knuckles will touch! SO... now in the process of removing my column to see if there is any room for adjusting the length (looks like I have half an inch to gain at the mounting collar)

Incidentally: The guy who came over at the weekend has been given the standard Avon bonnet with no bulge - and he is fitting a zetec! unfortunately his car is a dfferent colour to mine )

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soggy 3 - 26/2/07 at 12:39 PM

You could always paint the bonnet black?
Or try to get some paint to match the gel coat you might be able to get the RAL number from tiger.

[Edited on 26/2/07 by soggy 3]

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andrew.carwithen - 26/2/07 at 04:49 PM

quote:

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Originally posted by DaveFJ
Had another good look at the weekend, and also had a visit from another Avon builder based near me who is currently struggling with the bodywork...

I have 2 questions for those of you who have succesfully built your Avons....

1. at the front of the scuttle does the fibreglass go behind or in front of the diagonal pedal support? I think mine wants to actually sit on it!

2. at the back lower edge, have you attached the bodywork above the chassis lip or below it or right underneath onto the box section chassis member.

I think that If I move my bodywork slightly and get it sat down properly then the alignment will be fine
Only problem with that is my steering wheel will be so close to the dash that my knuckles will touch! SO... now in the process of removing my column to see if there is any room for adjusting the length (looks like I have half an inch to gain at the mounting collar)

Incidentally: The guy who came over at the weekend has been given the standard Avon bonnet with no bulge - and he is fitting a zetec! unfortunately his car is a dfferent colour to mine )

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I think the bodywork is designed to sit on the lip, but I have to say in order to get the rear tub to sit down properly around the rollbar mount area, it looks like on mine (when I finally fit it, for the last time!) it wants to sit underneath the lip (means I'll have to prise it over the lip which may cause it to crack!)
As regards the pedal assy bracket, I cant help you there as I removed all mine due to fitting floor mounted jobbies.
With regard to the close proximity of the dash to steering wheel, I had some spacers made up approx 30mm in length (by a guy on ebay) to sit under the mounting boss. I also extended the shaft by knocking the inner triangular section down out of the outer sleeve by an appropriate amount, until column shroud cleared the scuttle/dash.

HTH,
Andy.

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ayoungman - 27/2/07 at 05:14 PM

Yep, mine was a tight squeeze to get it to pop under the lip. Thats where it is riveted. clickyI've spent the weekend building the rear suspension, and it all fits and it is centred in the wheel arches

Here's the weird bit though, I followed the avon book on wishbone layout. My wishbones are exactly as per the book and it all fits together. Also, my driveshafts are dead staight to each hub !

As soon as I can wheel her out of the garage, I'll take some more decent pictures if that'll help your alignment issues.

[Edited on 27/2/07 by ayoungman]

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DaveFJ - 28/2/07 at 09:10 AM

Not that weird...

I tried re-building my wishbones the other day and when i had them as per the book the wheel sat only about a quarter inch back from when i have them 'the right way' round.... BUT it was much harder to line up the upper wishbone.....

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ayoungman - 28/2/07 at 05:48 PM

I got the top bones in first, then connected the hub carrier, then made the rose joint connection last. Used a "bit of effort" to help line them up

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DaveFJ - 11/3/07 at 07:06 PM

success at last...

after spending this afternoon examining tractor boy's Avon I got home abd attacked the bodywork. end result....



rear arch 2

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soggy 3 - 11/3/07 at 09:03 PM

My hair has only just started growing back from sorting my suspension out!!

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ayoungman - 18/3/07 at 09:59 PM

All part of the Avon building experience.

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