Hello!
Thank you for your messages and advice as it is much appreciated.
Right! Since i last posted i've put right the front tread plates and repositioned the running lights etc. I have also remade the headlamps using DIY vacuum forming. A process that i will explain.
The 'Aber' tread plate arrived in the post last week and the first thing that struck me about it is that its very thin.(see below). Cutting and glueing it requires a great deal of patience and as it turns out multiple attempts! I went from being "upset" that one sheet would have done both sides to "relieved" that i had ordered two.
The damaged areas were scrapped and sanded smooth. This needs to be redone if your first attempt fails as every lump and bump will show through the tread plate.
The way that worked for me was to use 'Zap a Gap' quickly spread over the area to be covered. A cloth for removing the excess was handy. I positioned the plate along the outside edge of the fender along the line of the original molding. This is the crucial part as this is where using a thicker super glue gives you those vital seconds to get positioning right. Once this is done its a case of pressing down inward away from the outside edge.
Second attempt.
Fourth attempt. Getting the hang of it now.
To summarise, i've had more fun spending £22 but i'm already considering repeating the process for all the areas with moulded on tools.
I had to remove the toolbox on the right, facing, of the tank to replace the tread plate. This would have been removed and turned anyway as it faces the wrong way out of the box. The hinges should face forward.
The 'hasp and staple' are made from 0.5 flattened brass rod.
Plastic rod for hinges.
Next up the headlights.
As you can see the 'after market' upgrades are an improvement but painted red they would still do 'noddy' proud. To be honest its not so much the lamp as the thickness of the upright that really lets it down.
In order to remake them the first job was to remove the LED and stalk from the original light.
Once removed the damage was repaired and the front cover reattached. This is going to be the pattern used for vacuum forming. When forming semi-spherical shapes additional height is crucial unless you want your shape to resemble a trumpet. What you need is enough excess to remove the flared part at the base of the mould. The finished pattern is held in place on the vacuum box with more double sided tape.
Anyone put off at having a go at 'vacuum forming' shouldn't be! What should be remembered is that it is a "trial and error" process that doesn't always produce good results every time. This aside when you find your rhythm it is rewarding. (PLEASE! I don't advocate anyone putting plastic under a grill unless its done "WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTION" and in a "WELL VENTILATED" space)!!!!!
I made the vacuum box from an old kitchen base unit end panel and some rubber draft excluder. Rather than use PVA to glue the edges during assembly i used bathroom silicone sealant. (A trip to the shed). The draft excluder helps produce a good seal between the box and frame.(pictured) The frame is A5 in size. This means one sheet of plastic will be enough for two moulds. Each mould will cost around 65p.
I use 'double sided' tape to attach the plastic to the frame and then cut the plastic to size using the frame as a guide. I use 1mm thick sheet. The plastic is going to stretch over and around your pattern and will end up much thinner than it started, so don't go too thin!
When putting the frame and plastic under the grill the instinctual thing to do is to put it in plastic up, DON'T. Place the plastic down on a dish. If it does go horribly wrong the plastic won't go everywhere! This, more importantly, will stop the edges of the plastic curling up as it warms up. You need enough space between the grill and frame to be able to see what the plastic is doing. The grill i use is electric, set to 100. Remember your softening the plastic "NOT" melting it! As it warms up the plastic will ripple and sag. This is fine. "KEEP" watching and the surface will then go taut like a drum skin. I count to two at this point and remove it! As you can see in the photo the vacuum box has 2"1"PSE on three sides at the top to allow quick and precise location of the frame. Locate the frame, start your hoover(Dyson) and press down.
Done successfully this is the result! "Keep it clean please"!
Here the mould has been removed and the excess sanded off.
X2
Brass tube(2.3mm) added and wires fed through ready for new LED's. I'm going to replace the 6mm originals with 3mm.
The moulded mount was removed and sanded flat.
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A new location point was made with 3mm plastic and aluminium tube and glued in place inside the hull.
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And filled.
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Brass tube sanded into a cone and plastic mount base added.
Finally the best bit.
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I've rewired the running lights and horn with brass wire. Where the wire meets the cable housing i drilled a hole diagonally inwards towards the hull and pulled the wires through to give the impression that they go into the cable housing.
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