Neandercar...OT?
Rob Brophy Niagara Falls
>Hi All,
(hope this isn't too far OT...lotsa handtools were used)
I've been working on this for a few weeks now and thought I'd share a couple of photos while you can still see the wood construction. It's a loose copy of a 1918 Napier London Taxi and will be driven on stage by actors in a new production of Pygmalion later this summer.
The drivetrain and some suspension parts were liberated from an old electric golf cart, the steering rack was swiped from my old Triumph's spare parts pile, and the rest was fabricated, from the steering wheel to the brass grill. Power comes from four forklift batteries mounted under the driver's seat. The running lights were a lucky find at a local antique shop but the main headlights will be made from scratch.
The majority of the body is built from thin wall square tube and skinned with 1/4" luaun plywood to keep the weight down. Seats, firewall, running boards and hood assembly are all constructed with poplar ply. The fenders are "wobble-wood" laminated with fibreglass. I did get to use a few handtools though...the arched roof ribs are all hand planed as were the louvres on the hood and the rear window trim. The body still needs several curved mouldings and shadow lines that will have to be made by hand tools :-).
Both seats will be upholstered in vinyl, as will the door and interior panels. Door handles, latches and grab bars will be added later. The windshield and visor will have lexan installed...real glass is a no-no on stage.
Roof rack, spare tire, handbrake lever, taxi meter, and license plates still have to be made.
Old car sound fx will come from speakers installed in the grill, radio dimmers will operate the headlights and we may install a fog machine under the floorboards to simulate exhaust smoke.
Some days it's real hard to drag myself to work in the morning ;-)
