Throw those curtains wide....

The sun came out for a while, so I managed to get a few jobs crossed off the long list. It looks a bit like its on stilts at the moment from being jacked up at the rear...

The Doors

Well, I broke on through to the other side...

...And now the sills sit on the subframe sills, Ive only offered the door into its gap for a photo - no hinges drilled or attached yet but its a tight fit. I need to roll it out of the garage and eyeball the side to make sure the back isnt sitting too high (which would close the door gap).

Chop Shop

I picked up some reinforced cutting wheels for the Dremmel, but didn’t get cutting on the front. I started thinking it may be better to relocate the bar under the dash, instead of cutting the inner panel, as the wiring and speedo go through near that area.

However, relocating the bar, would mean getting the body back off, getting someone around to weld some tabs on the door pillars to fit the bar which I removed from the old Chesil subframe.

So, whilst in the garage I put some attention to the rear of the subframe/body.

Even after removing the old chesil bonding, the rear seat area is still colliding with the subframe aswell as the front colliding.

Changing the rear subframe isn’t an option here, so I will need to cut a small piece out both sides of the rear seat to lower the body to rest on the subframe sills - which are still an inch too high at present.

So I’ve got even more fibreglassing to do. I just need to pluck up the courage and get cutting. The rear seat area will be covered in carpet so my fibreglassing skills or lack of will not be seen when the cars interior is finished. Although I’m treading close to the limit, I’m not quite out of my depth.. yet..

I took a few photos before giving up for the day...
The Chop Shop is on Discovery Turbo in an hour so hopefully Lipu's cutting, and Bernie's 'Get on with it' attitude, will inspire me for tomorrow *-).

A New Year is about to begin, and my car is still a long way from completion...

When I was taking it apart, I was anticipating it being back together within a couple of months. LOL. My motivation dropped after getting the body back in the garage. It should have had the reverse affect, yet the weathers been cold.

Santa Claus managed to get a new drill and accessories down the chimney this year, so with a few spare days off work I couldn’t relax for the guilt of not making progress on my car.

I finally went back in the garage after five weeks and cut the loom in order to thread it through the subframe, I will worry about getting a multiplug later.

With the wiring loom out the way, I could lower the very tight fitting body further down... but not to its resting position yet as the main bar across the front is going to collide with the fibreglass inner body.

About an inch needs to be removed across the width of my car 8-(.

On the old chesil subframe, this bar was bolted in place so could be removed. However, the pilgrim design is welded in place and uses a different inner tray under the bonnet.

I managed to break all the ‘thin biscuit like’ cutting discs I had for the dremmel when I cut out the footwell previously, I’m not sure what they were meant for cutting?. So I will go and buy a proper cutting disc and get on the case tomorrow, and take some photos!!

All Together....

The Body, subframe, and chassis are all back together! hurrah.

I still need to cut some more fibreglass from where the chesil subframe was bonded, as there isnt enough play to manouvre passed the subframes rear trailing legs, which are presently holding the rear up.

Still along way to go, but the end is in sight at last.

However, Ive all the wiring to reconnect, and steering column bracket to sort before lowering it, so with the body raised several inches, its handy at present.

In preparation for putting the body on, I obtained some primer adhesive for galvenised metal and smooth black paint to top it off. Although I plan to fabricate closing panels from fibreglass to give a more authentic look, the galvenised subframe would have still been visible in some areas.

Woops, I must have missed the door pillar when degreasing.

More drilling and tapping to come...

The subframe looks superb, a big thanks to http://www.wjbwelding.co.uk/ for getting it to fit.

The subframes final position is dependant on some body bolts... so I need to get the body back on the subframe and position it to fit two bolts through the body to the front beam.

With the body in position, I can then mark the hole positions for the subframe to floorpan, and door hinges. Oh joy! I can then drill and tap the door pilars.

I needed to cut the footwell out of the fibreglass chesil body, as the footwell's built into the new subframe. I much prefer this design as it adds a little weight and protection to the otherwise very light frontend.

Many Hands make Light work

Well it's sad to say Pilgrim have gone into receivership from what I understand, I found some links on the cobra forums confirming my thoughts.
So I've sourced another subframe which I think is a pilgrim or the same style at least, it's certainly not a chesil though as it doesn't have heating going through the sills. I will need to fabricate something to get the heat into the interior.
A big thanks to Frank Hand Galvanisers who are hot dipping it for me. They were very helpful and very quick turn around. Though I will want a black finish on the viewable areas I couldn't do without the corrosion resistance.

I should also be receiving the other headlight ring this week from Karman Konnection, they only had one in stock when I ordered. It's the tripple plated chrome ones. Ive been through three sets of cheap chrome rings overs the eight years of ownership. These ones will hopefully last 20 years plus.