Dave's la(te)st buggy build...

The A-pillar / windscreen protector tubes just arrived... :woohoo:

Excellent / quick service from Tom “tube-bender” on eBay once again...

And I’ve got a Screwfix order in for delivery tomorrow... I’ve worn my 44mm holesaw out, stainless countersunk bolts for the wheel arch mounts (bit early yet, but I wanted to countersink the holes to suit), repair (large diameter) washers to go underneath inside the plastic arches, and some paint brushes... thank god they’re delivering during the lockdown!

Some more good progress today, so much so that I've decided to knock off early and relax for once!

I started this morning, by making the front mounts for the "halo hoop" that goes around the roofline of the buggy...



And I was then about to weld everything together, when I double-checked everything looked right, and decided it needed something else before welding it in place...



Out came the pipe bender (notice the A-pillar tubes on the drive in the background)



Two pieces of 20mm OD 4mm wall tube bent and marked up..

(These were destined to become more Jimny steering spacers for bodylifts.. BUT, one discruntled customer on eBay contacted me questioing the manufacturing quality as one was 1mm (!) longer than the other in the pair he received off me (as ZookBOB on eBay), so I spat my dummy and decided not to bother making anymore, so I re-used the seamless tube for.... read-on! My parts are advertised with the tag-line "ZookBOB" with the BOB standing for my proper first name Robert, but more so "Bits On a Budget), so I told the guy to order some "proper" JimnyBits steering spacers and return mine for a full refund! :evil: So, I'd rather be working on the buggy than making inexpensive 'bits' for ungrateful customers! )

Anyway, rant over...



Cut to shape, can you guess what it is it?...



There, the halo hoop all welded in place, with these extra couple of tubes to protect the soft-top when it's thrown back...











So, halo hoop done, and the 'cage' is nearly complete...

I was then going to start the...



... A-pillar tubes, but instead, I brushed up, tidied up, updated the build thread, opened a Stella, and about to throw myself in the shower, and plonk myself on the sofa, and wait for my Roast Lamb Sunday Dinner...

Edit : Ahhh, ended up in the Hot Tub for half an hour, soothed my old aching bones

Bit more today...



I drilled and slotted the rear arch mounting plates...



Lined everything up, and then welded throygh the slots onto the rear tube loop...



I then measured, cut, and hole-sawed some 50mm box section...



To form the uprights to hold the rear hoop in place...



And then cut, measured, adjusted everything into place ready for a welding session on Sunday..



The rear (SJ/Samurai) light boxes need trimming and capping yet, so that they are...



... just wider than the guards for them.. I'll also make the end capping of the boxes protrude at either end backwards to also protect the light lenses...

The rear arches will be 10" wide * when I've cut some, so 5" either side of the tube centre line, so the rear lights will be the same width as the arches... As wide as the plywood template in the last two photos, sat at the edge of the tyre extremity...

* Luckily, the lorry wheel arches I have are 20" wide, so by cutting them in half I'll end up with a spare set to replace them if they get snatched by trees!

Thats a tidy looking back end Dave

Just needs a sexy exhaust to finish it off :whistle:

these guys are good (but shut atm for coronavirus )... www.304stainlessexhaustparts.com/

Riccy

Really impressive work.
Love to watch the build progress.

Riccy wrote: Thats a tidy looking back end Dave

Just needs a sexy exhaust to finish it off :whistle:

these guys are good (but shut atm for coronavirus )... www.304stainlessexhaustparts.com/

Riccy

Thanks Riccy! I do like a nice tight neat rear end :lol:

I've got some heat resistant silver exhaust paint? This one's a simple inexpensive build! :ohmy: :woohoo:
.
.
.

Scimike wrote: Really impressive work.
Love to watch the build progress.

Thanks Scimike !