1066 bc

[gwellwood]

Primer is done. Will get some painting in tomorrow, prior to the meet-the-teacher night.

 

[Terrick down Under]

Looking goooooood.

 

[gwellwood]

Getting paint done!

 

[1/2 Cup]

Looking great

Regards

 

[gwellwood]

Sold my drywall-lifter-up-inator and the extra lifter-upper-higher-extenderizer for $150.

I paid not a whole lot more for the both of them way back. Makes for a cheap rental.

 

[2011cummins]

I just read all 7 parts of your Firefly build, very cool stuff I had a GT ****** I thought would be cool with a RWD setup but lacked motivation to go past the idea stage.

 

[Styx]

That's a great deal on the drywall hoist... I had to rent a scissor lift and pay some guys to do mine...lol... OK I didn't have to but it was way easier...lol...
Place is looking great keep us posted...

Cheers Randy...

 

[gwellwood]

Larval cabinets:

Second coat of Basement & Masonry Waterproofer. The hardware store had suggested that drywall primer would have been fine.....

 

[gwellwood]

Stem wall colour:

 

[Styx]

Looking good Greg you will be finished long before me...

Cheers Randy...

 

[dhubbard422]

Just stumbled onto your thread... and I was surprised by the similarities of our workshop builds: size, floor and the occupants (7s). However, your rate of progress is a bit faster than mine...

Tell us about your 7!

Don

 

[gwellwood]

It's "The Lethal Locost," completed in 2006, to the tune of $5700CDN.

Basically a "Book" chassis ("Build Your Own Sports Car," Ron Champion), with Toyota Corolla GT-S drivetrain. I used to be very active on the various Locost sites as "SkinnyG."

Since completion, I added a factory LSD, twin Wilwood masters and a balance bar, and MegaSquirt with GSX-R ITB's and Ford EDIS. Never dynoed (it's all stock, otherwise), but I imagine it's pretty low. My G-Tech Pro says 93 to the wheels. It's fun, but I need more.

I did a few seasons of autocross with it, mainly locally, but I did the Canadian Nationals once.

The build is detailed here:

http://www.gwellwood.com/project-cars/the-lethal-locost/

While 99% of the population doesn't know what it is, much less that it's a fake, 99% of the car bothers me because it isn't "correct" enough.

So....

A few years back I found some drawings by Pat Prince of a Series 2 chassis. Using those, plus a plethora of pictures of Caterham, DSK, and Fraser chassis designs, I began building a new "dimensionally-correct" chassis, with enhancements/reinforcements that make sense to me.

I will likely continue to use the Curtis Unlimited 'glass, but I have also acquired a Caterham scuttle, and original Lotus windshield/frame/stanchions, Caterham doors, and Caterham top. The new one will use a 2.0L Duratec (I pulled one in 2008 from a 2006 Focus), mated to a 240SX transmission (pretty sure it will adapt real slick-like). I will likely continue with the stick axle, for simplicity.

The build is detailed here:

http://www.gwellwood.com/project-cars/the-lotus-seven/

 

[CDNflatlander]

Well that was a great read over my supper break! lol...and desert and when I should have been doing dishes haha
A great account of your build; thanks so much for sharing and being a good story teller.
I do like your concrete finish, I will consider that for my refinish project of my attached garage/hot rod store room.
Maybe tomorrow's read will be on your sports car.
Cheers!
Greg

 

[gwellwood]

Cabinets coming together. Two more eight-footers to go. I have a stainless countertop coming.

 

[jb3]

Great thread! I really like the size and utility of this garage

 

[dhubbard422]

Thanks for posting the build links! I enjoyed reading your 7 build threads, v1 & v2! The Firefly is pretty dang cool too, will this be a future GRM 2017/2018 challenge car? I didn't try to add up the expenses you mentioned, but I had the feeling that your expenses are pretty minor and well under the current allowed budget $.

The cabinets are also looking nice! Looking forward to seeing them finished.

Thanks for sharing,
Don

 

[gwellwood]

The Firefly is somewhere north of $1800CDN, which currently is $1345USD, so I should be able to finish it under budget. Yes, the goal is to compete in the GRM Challenge, but practically - getting it to Florida, in October, giving up salary as a teacher, is not practical. Philosophically however, I can still build it!

Glad you enjoyed the threads - I enjoy documenting them.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Subscribed!

 

[gwellwood]

Stainless countertop.

 

[gwellwood]

Upper cabinets:

 

[Styx]

Very nice. Did you build those yourself???

 

[gwellwood]

I did. I'll be cutting the doors and shelves Wednesday. Lots of help with the wood shop teacher. Apparently I **** and designing something that makes the most of a 4x8' sheet.

Rona had 4x8' birch for under $40 a sheet. I bought 19 sheets.

 

[Styx]

I had the wood teacher build cabinets for my laundry room in our last house back when I was teaching... it's nice to have all the cool tools...
I got 7 sheets a while ago on the same blow out... Should have got more...lol...

Just re read that... the 7 I got were maple and right around 30/sheet... Great for bench tops but might be a bit much for cabinets... But I'll use them...lol...

 

[gwellwood]

I work with wood under duress. Wood is for subwoofer boxes, wheel chocks, and protecting my drill press table.

 

[gwellwood]

Cabinet doors are hung, shelves drying... soon, all of this junk will be ~away~

 

[Styx]

Looking great there dude, very nice colour choice...

 

[jbmatth]

I keep typing this but it is very true, I go away for a month and everyone seems to make great progress and way ahead of when I "left". Congrats on the paint and cabinets! I'll have to read about the 7 builds later.
JB

 

[gwellwood]

Cabinets done. "Chair Rail" (although, technically, it's baseboard) fastened around the shop. The dark gray is Behr's closest to Tremclad Flat Gray, they call it "Amphibian."

 

[1/2 Cup]

gwellwood absolutely fantastic work..


Thank you for the update.

 

[gwellwood]

 

[gwellwood]

Finished the window casings and trim, as well as the machine-shop attic access panel w/insulation and trim. Just need to paint.

Put in the speed-switch for the ceiling fan. Full-Speed was a bit "intense."

Did a LOT of tidying, and putting stuff away. Some of the tools are brought in (misc power tools, bead roller & stand, grinder & stand).

Hope to bring in the band saws, tube bender, and shrinker/stretcher tomorrow.

Will finish door trim probably Tuesday.

 

[gwellwood]

Lathe found its new home. I modified the original table I had made for the lathe - this version is a bit taller, more rigid, and better shelf below.

Tool board will likely be painted green, as will the bottom and the rest of the cabinetry I will make for it to close it in.

 

[gwellwood]

The Milling Machine took a bit of time, because it had to be disassembled. I picked up a screaming deal on a fold-up engine crane (with engine leveler) at Princess Auto for, yet again, less than the cost of the materials to build it. I used the PA crane to load the mill from the garage into the truck, and the crane from work to unload it into the shop. Saves loading and unloading a crane with every machine, as I did with the lathe.

 

[gwellwood]

Prettied up the lathe cabinet and added doors. Gotta pick up the magnet-holder-shutter-nators tomorrow when I'm in town.

 

[dhubbard422]

Looking good! An amazing amount of progress!

 

[jbmatth]

Those cherry pickers are very versatile, I can't even begin to count how many times I've used mine in the past year since I got it working again. It has probably saved lots of future back issues as well. I like the lathe set up as well, is the back stop coated in anything to keep it from getting to grimy?
JB

 

[gwellwood]

Mill bolted down. Plotting out air lines.

The back splash thingie for the lathe is just painted wood. I can clean it, and/or repaint it over time. I might regret the paint later, but right now, I love it.

 

[1/2 Cup]

gwellwood progressing well..

Regards

 

[gwellwood]

Figuring out what parts of the air line system I forgot to buy...

And assembled my Shrinker/Stretcher. No instructions, how odd....

 

[Terrick down Under]

I think the back splash for the lathe is a good idea.