Aluminum 550 Spyder build

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#136 Post 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.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#137 Post 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.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#138 Post by Adam Wright »

The engine has arrived, built by Vic, thanks Vic!!!!!
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#139 Post by Adam Wright »

The engine is starting to take more shape.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#140 Post 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!
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#141 Post by Mike Wilson »

Great progress, Adam!

Mike
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Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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Gordon White
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#142 Post 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

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#143 Post 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.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#144 Post 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.
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Puygranier Antoine
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#145 Post by Puygranier Antoine »

Always great to see updates on this project!
Antoine

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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#146 Post by Adam Wright »

I've finally documented the origin cars of all the original pieces I'm using for my build.
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#147 Post by Mike Wilson »

Glad to hear it's coming together and that parts of the other 550's live on.

Mike
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#148 Post 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!
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#149 Post by Mike Wilson »

Archie doesn't seem very interested! Ha!

Great progress, Adam!

Mike
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Adam Wright
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Re: Aluminum 550 Spyder build

#150 Post 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.
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