'75 TVR M Ford 331ci V8

In reply to Slow_M :

Spicy!

In reply to TVR Scott :

 That was my Alfa's name. Well, Spezia was, which is the Italian equivalent. 

After a couple of years of trying to help it become reliable, I re-named it Peste Nera, which is also Italian, but so much more appropriate. 

Reconfigured to mount to the right hand side of the block.

New switch panel. 

I cut up the original mahogany plywood for weight savings and epoxied it to the back of the new panel.

I want the panel to be a lightweight piece and yet feel and sound solid. Hope I don't have to glue a strip of sound deadening material to the back. The switches are probably going sound pretty percussive. 

The switch panel is done, more or less. Not the hoped for level of quality. Fought the beefy vinyl for all I'm worth, but I definitely had an easier time when I did this piece in suede, a couple of decades ago. 

It looks pretty good from here!

In reply to TurboFource :

Thanks, Turbo. 

I guess I would have had to throw a ton of time at the factory fiberglass part, before I'd be genuinely happy with the result. 

If I ever get to that point of refinement, there'll be labels. Probably also lights, to show whether circuits are on, while driving at night. 

Thing is, labels aren't required to get this thing to move under its own steam. 

Soooo, this bit is done, for the time being. 

I added the starter button and some small scratches to the dash and then I added the master disconnect and a big, berkeleying gouge to the switch panel. The signal I'm getting from my back is knocking refinishing those parts way down the priority list. 

In all honesty, I botched the sequencing of the work on the switch panel. I should have countersunk the aluminum for the bolt head recesses first, and THEN made the hole for the key post. Doing it the other way around distorted the center hole. 

PIPES! 

Newly custom made for me a decade ago, but left on the car, outside, to rot, by me. Ugh!  Ground the rust off and gave them a fresh coat of BBQ black. 

You don't need indicators for those switches, the cover will be up after you select it on.

In reply to Grunion :

Yeah, but as it sits, there's no illumination planned, for that switch panel, so it'll be difficult to know what's up at night. 

Illuminated toggle-switches could be a way to go.

True, although I have a new love for dash jewelry. https://www.tti.com/content/ttiinc/en/apps/part-detail.html?partsNumber=S6AL&mfgShortname=NKK&utm=ga-shop1&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwps-zBhAiEiwALwsVYRPbk8ZJOzcyzrbzYXqBD_zI7KUgkViy8jdOvaKLq2PgKtvgAlh0KBoC0ygQAvD_BwE 

These effectively render the flip-up covers redundant. 

Edit: you have to check the box next to "Actuator" "Locking Lever!"

I was really hoping to be at least test driving this bottomless pit by now. 

One of the issues is packaging. The engine bay is getting very full, necessitating revisions to some previously implemented decisions. For instance, we decided to point the intake trunking straight forward, but there happens to be a distributor living in that area. I thought I could get a pancake cap, or what's called a "crab cap" in Chevy parlance but apparently, nobody's ever needed such a thing for a Duraspark distributor. 

MSD make two lower installed height distributos, but they won't play with TFI. 

It's all about the time available for research. 

Feeling like a kid at Christmas. 

One polished, natural ebony, 55mm sphere. Approximately 1/4lb. Maybe a bit more. 

It's black from most angles. You really have to play with it in direct light, before you see any color. Then it looks like you're staring into it, the grain is so deep. 

I'm thinking of drilling a hole and counter boring the ball to receive the non-radiused shoulder of that 1/2" x 20 titanium tube insert. Like this: 

Sorry about the E36 M3ty phone sketch, but I think it gets the point across. 

I was planning to scrape the mating surfaces with coarse sandpaper and then epoxying the parts together. 

Any thoughts? 

You guys may be thinking that I'm wasting way too much bandwidth on this, but I want the primary touch points and control interfaces to provide a tactile pleasure. To that end, I'm really happy about this decision. Kind of settled on the lever being a simple, brushed stainless steel rod. Steering wheel is most likely going to be a 13" black leather Moto-Lita with brushed spokes. 

I designed my "fender" vents. 

Grill opening, these vents, as well as the mesh at the back of the rear overfenders are going to be this double crimp Aluminum wire mesh from McNichols (@ 45°). 

That looks much better than TVR's solution of C pillar vents from a Cortina.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

Thanks. I'd like to think so, too. The shapes and texture of the Cortina ones fight all the other design elements around it. I'm trying to help make sense of them.

But also, and maybe more crucially, these will allow for more area through which to evacuate under hood heat. 

2x Mocal 19 Row, 235 Series Oil Cooler -12 AN Fittings 

From all I've learned, this dry sump system should should take care of some of the engine cooling duties, taking some of the load off the main cooling system. Going to use the original brass rad, and test that theory. 

Oil coolers located 

Oil cooler brackets made 

Idler pulley located 

Intake trunking partially laid out 

140 A altertuber/bracket need clearancing

On a sad note, that 3 1/2" intake pipe is cutting through the area previously earmarked for my musical horns (see page 1).

You are right, available real estate is minimal in there!

Today was about gathering parts in anticipation of visiting the car tomorrow.

This had been tossed into one too many bins, scraped up, and had too much masking tape stuck to it.
Bucket
Water
Scotch Brite ultra fine
1200
2000
3000
Metal polish

I'm normally not into polishing but this part deserves a little more pride. It's the starting point of the intake tract, right behind the air filters. I designed it based around research I read about different bellmouth shapes at a venturi intake vs none, and what shapes were most effective. It echoed what Gary from TWM Induction told me. Even if you have next to no space, you're still much better off with the smallest 180 degree bellmouth, than nothing at all. It's part of an overall attempt to not leave horsepower on the table.

These are all on their way to me. 

I'll drill this to match the other items. 

Just saw your shift knob project. I make custom shift knobs for different cars, so I've got some experience there.
 

I love ebony- its a Rosewood family, so it's high in oil content. Before gluing in the insert, wipe out the cavity with acetone. You'll get a much better bond.
 

Also, cut some 'teeth' into the gluing surface of the insert. At a minimum, rough it up with 60 grit paper.

In reply to oppositelocksmith :

Thanks for those tips. Especially the 60 grit. I feel like that's the kind of place I might self-sabotage. 

I'm 90% leaning toward epoxy and 10% Gorilla Glue. What do you use?