Well looks like the site as died since Daryl deleted himself

[Dave Taylor]

Last post 20th March, not counting this one that is.

Looks like he was keeping it going, Daryl come back the site needs you

[Andrew Pounder]

As new Dutton owner, I say Dutton owner more an expensive pile of part, I am now trying to find likeminded persons to, hopefully, assist with sourcing parts and providing advice. Again, hopefully  help is available from the ‘still here’ members. Do the Northern Duttoneers still meet up, if so where and when? If no they should do.

[Adrian Southgate]

As it happens Andrew, We're meeting tonight. Royal Oak on the A6 in weshoughton then on to the Waggon and Horses on the A6 for quiz night. (only because the waggon is having a kitchen refit) 

We'll be at the Waggon for 9pm latest.

Ade

[Andrew Pounder]

Adrian;

I’ve been away on holiday so missed your reply. If you let me know when the next meeting is taking place I will try to attend.

[Adrian Southgate]

2nd thursday of each month (with the odd exception) 

Venue is normally the Waggon and Horses on the A6 but they are having some refurb work done so this time we moved the venue.

We also do a 'tour' once or twice a year, blow our cobwebs out (and the cars) Have a run out on the saturday, stay over somewhere and a run back on the Sunday.
If you are in need of parts just ask, I own a motor factors and a rehoming centre for unloved Duttons so dependant on what the pile of parts is supposed to be when it's reassembled, may be able to help.

I also have PDF build manuals for all models.

[Andrew Pounder]

Adrian,

I will try my best to get to the next meeting. 

New member questions:

Can you still buy new hoods and side screens?

Can you still get the original foam seats or does anyone have some spare good examples?

is there a Dutton Register and if yes is 1376 still around?

Is the club still active? My original number was115.

Can you still get club merchandise, stickers sweatshirts, car badges, etc?

[Adrian Southgate]

Tops and Doors - Original hood were made bu Polyfacto, they got bought out by Monsoon who are still trading. They have some 'new' old stock hoods for certain models but no door frames on which to make new doors.(I forget which) but to be honest I think the most likely for a B is finding someone who has the tech to make new ones. I've been looking for a few years for a Legerra replacement in tan, even bought my own material, just need someone who can weld the back window in really.

Upholstery - for a B / s1/2 Phaeton - Set of rear seats from a peugeot 306 cc or similar, something with no split seat can be butchered adapted to provide nice comfy seats but skill with the sharp knives is useful when working with foam. I have known an electric carving knife to be used before now. Going for raw materials and doing your own is also an option dependant on required level of finish. We do have someone on our local skills list who does upholstery but he's in Ellesmere Port.

Dutton Register - for vehicles or club members?

Members (or ex members) are removed from the clubs computer records after 5 years if failed to renew or less if asked to be removed for GDPR reasons.

Vehicles Register... that would be me then :) 

Club declined for various reasons not least of all being the rise in social media. There are plans afoot but it's getting everyone to agree on what to do is an issue. I have my own ideas on how we should proceed forward but membership numbers are currently very small. The club does still exist as we have to for DVLA liason to function, but it does need to change and modernise. I will be able to get all your records from our paper files if your number is 115.

Yes, club merchandise is still available. Website is horribly out of date though. I believe Pete Loynes has our current stocks. I have club stickers for windscreens and some new plasma cut stainless badges in polished and black. - more on those to follow.

[097nxk8v3cggc]

I'm still here.

Making sporadic progress. I designed and then bought a ton of suspension stuff for my 5 link upgrade in the same vein as Mr Sheridan's beauty but got something slightly wrong and it won't fit correctly. Nothing puts a dampener on things than £300 worth of stuff you can't fit. I was actually really hoping Paul would be at Stoneleigh to compare notes.

On that note, I assumed (hopefully correctly) that the club is going to Stoneleigh? I shall be attending but unfortunately my car will not :(

I'm going to make more of an effort to report in here at least once a week. I'm subscribed to CKC magazine and one of the things keeping me from giving up is the sense of community there seems to be in the Kit Car world and I really want to be part of it. This ning has been a friendly and welcoming group and I really hope it survives and so I shall make an effect to do my part for it.

[James Doulton]

I know that sinking feeling in your stomach when you realise that the stuff you have bought won't fit. Luckily I can put it out of my mind by hiding it in my garage, behind all of the other stuff that I have bought and not used!

How serious is the 'not fitting' - is everything wrong or is it just a couple of things?

[097nxk8v3cggc]

The core design is seemingly wrong.

After hours of research into 5 links systems (previously having no knowledge about it) I came up with a basic design. Going back and forth and checking my dimensions for weeks as well as using Pauls build journal as a rough guide to check my thinking against, I decided on a very similar set up to his I then even went up and saw Dave Gallop from Track Developments about my ideas and to get him to cast a professional eye over my design before I started welding. He gave a few pointers and tips but said it was good enough for what I wanted so I left happy and ordered all the bits I would need for the first stage.

When offering it all up I realised that I had made a critical school boy error. All my designs and measurements had been taken with no body work on the chassis. When Clamped everything in position my gut feeling said to try and fit the body work again and good job too. The backside of the inner bucket fouls badly on the rods, but looking back over it all I have no idea why mine doesn't work but Pauls does. I really want to speak to him and ideally have a look over his car because I feel like I'm missing something :/

I was going to wait until the Stoneleigh show and hope that he and his car are there but if not then there are ways around it, it just means I'll have to remake and/or bodge a few bits to get it to work in a slightly different way.

[Paul Sheridan]

Need pictures Toby, can then see what we are talking about.

[097nxk8v3cggc]

I have created a separate discussion here.

Thanks

[Darren (Fl@pper) James]

Still about here too. Albeit no progress on mine for a while.