Dutton Kit Cars and their owners

IMG_0355

Chassis painted up and axle trial fitted.

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Comment by Adrian Southgate on April 21, 2016 at 17:53: I think the apprentices had actually learned to weld by the time the Legerra's were being built. Didn't stop them from missing bits completely though !

Speaking from experience of cold and wet weather in one of these... make a demister system that works. The holes in the top of the dash go through into a duct which in turn connects to one side of the heater... totally inadequate airflow for something that IS going to get cold and possibly damp...

Also from previous experience sort out some controlled airflow for your feet. Driving one back across the pennines while it was sleeting wasn't much fun as I couldn't feel my feet, my passenger said that he was toasty as the heater leaked air downward into the passenger footwell.

Comment by Scott Grimson on April 21, 2016 at 17:09: Thanks for all the info guys, Car came with a highly race tuned X-flow that was sold on as i wanted to go more modern so it'll be getting the 1.8 zetec out of the Rickman i'm currently pulling apart.

When i got the car it came with boxes and boxes of parts so i have just about everything to complete including both hard and soft top, the only thing it doesnt have is the Dash but that's quite ugly anyway so will be doing my own, also going to look at making the whole front end removable to get at the engine, a mate has just done this to his Autotune Gemini and it's so much easier to work on now.

Going to be trial fitting the engine in a few weeks so we can play with the engine mounting points and gearbox bracket mounts then. My mate will do the welding for me while i do his GRP race seats for the Gemini, we work to our strengths!!!!! will post more pics when progress is made.

Comment by Steve Kerswell on April 21, 2016 at 15:35: I put 20x20x3 under Nicks, full length with a kick and long stitch welds it in and out, we jacked it under the doorway to cause a small deflection before welding and he was impressed. Could jump in and close the doors without hitching up and the hardtop lined up with weight in the car and without.

Comment by Adrian Southgate on April 21, 2016 at 14:59: Played with this in paint...

Yellow arrows indicate where the bracing needs to fit. Under the main chassis rails.

I've chatted to the welder next to my unit and he suggested 40x20 box seam welded on both edges, fitted under the existing rail along the un braced part. It would have to follow the existing rail so would need a bend or welded cut in the 'middle'. Marked with yellow arrows.

Your gearbox mounts are higher that mine which will make engine removal a right pain in the arse with the body on. It will also cause the engine to 'tip forward' in relation to the plane of the carb when bolted to the manifold.

Both of mine look like this.

This is 'standard' for a crossflow chassis however looking at the engine mount on the right, your support brace is further outboard which may be a factory solution to the column fouling issue I had on the green one. This may mean yours is a pinto chassis. What engine came with the car?

Comment by Steve Kerswell on April 21, 2016 at 13:39: I tried to point it out on his photo Ade but it didn't work :-(( Simple enough to do in that state of build too.

Comment by Adrian Southgate on April 21, 2016 at 13:26: That chassis hasn't been braced, if you don't brace them then they flex when you sit in them and make it difficult to open and close the doors as they foul on the tub in a big way.

I don't have pictures of a braced one yet.

The rear shock mounts are pissed and will need aligning so the bushes don't distort. (factory fault)

The front ARB mounts are out of alignment (another factory fault) This causes the front ns wheel to be 'pushed back' in the wheel arch. which is why this happens...

Once you start putting it all back together it will become apparent when viewed from above. the bolts welded to the chassis are further back on the ns... schoolboy error.

Simple fact is all four ARB bolts are 'wrong' and need moving but it's hard to do without the body on. I'll try to get you some measurements.

Comment by Steve Kerswell on April 21, 2016 at 12:19: That's a fair old project Scott, I expect Ade will be "enthusiastic" over that one :-)) pictures have given me a strange feeling though :-))

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