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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 5:14 pm
by Adam Wright
How you learn how to build a car, do the grunt work, let the master do his thing, and end up with something special. That's me on the left, Wray on the right.

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 7:08 pm
by Adam Wright
It was a fun weekend at Wray's with a couple of milestones. The first being we hung the rear clamshell, probably the first time those hinges have been used in my lifetime! From there we worked on the fender wells, replacing the metal that was cut off, ice racer maybe? The work this weekend wasn't as dramatic as past weekends or as speedy but a lot of what we had to do was unknown, with lots of fitting of moving parts. But it's nice to be making real progress on the car, on the chassis, rather than years of building panels in a vacuum.

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2022 10:05 am
by Adam Wright
The engine has arrived, built by Vic, thanks Vic!!!!!

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:51 pm
by Adam Wright
The engine is starting to take more shape.

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 11:35 am
by Adam Wright
A marathon is sprints and slows, right now we're in the slows. Fitting the inner fender with the outer fender as well as finishing the outer fender. Much of the metal is original but we had to add a lot too. Trying to get it to all be friends as well as interact with the chassis and wheel is a lot of little moving back and forth. So no sprints this weekend, but I'm still running with Wray!

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 2:15 pm
by Mike Wilson
Great progress, Adam!

Mike

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 5:30 pm
by Gordon White
Wray is a real craftsman
He fabricated some repair panels for my XK 120 some 20 years ago and they fit like a dream.
Great project, Gordon

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 9:38 pm
by Adam Wright
Gordon White wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 5:30 pm Wray is a real craftsman
He fabricated some repair panels for my XK 120 some 20 years ago and they fit like a dream.
Great project, Gordon
I agree, I don't think there is anything he can't do. I even got a rare picture of a smiling Wray, after 7 years working on this one we're still having fun.

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 9:46 pm
by Adam Wright
Ran out of day, but we made good but slow progress. One fender flare is done, the original inner finder fit right in, so we knew it was spot on.
Started on the other side but time is never enough.

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Mon May 30, 2022 9:18 am
by Puygranier Antoine
Always great to see updates on this project!
Antoine

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 8:21 pm
by Adam Wright
I've finally documented the origin cars of all the original pieces I'm using for my build.

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 1:17 pm
by Mike Wilson
Glad to hear it's coming together and that parts of the other 550's live on.

Mike

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:00 pm
by Adam Wright
My wife took the kids to FL to visit their Nana so me and the dog went to Wray's to weld and shape aluminum. A very productive weekend, the rear clam shell is almost completely repaired from it's years of racing abuse and is fitting nicely to the rest of the body. Wray got all the fun jobs like shaping and welding, I got all the not so fun jobs like cleaning the old aluminum and using the cutting wheel. But that's how you learn, you do the grunt and let the master do his thing.
Archie made himself right at home in Wray's shop, I guess he is used to coming to work with me everyday.
The #10 made it's first appearance in decades, a little light sanding brought it out.
Happy 4th everybody!

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 11:02 pm
by Mike Wilson
Archie doesn't seem very interested! Ha!

Great progress, Adam!

Mike

Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 4:20 pm
by Adam Wright
Received what is hopefully the last of the metal we will need for this project. Bruce Kimmons made jigs for every part of the 550 so for some of these pieces it is a lot easier to have him make it, then for me and Wray to try and get it right. This is the inner front fenders and the surround for the hood lip.