RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Bob Purton on May 05, 2014, 06:24:03 PM
-
A nice sunny bank holiday Monday, what better a day for un-mothballing Thumper for the summer season. upon arrival at my rented garage I found part of a roof panel had blown off at some time and rain had been pouring in for who knows how long, good job my Isetta was also wrapped up in a tarp! Usually with its first start up and drive home I encounter some problem or other, one year the brakes had jammed on, another the choke plunger tip had come off so the engine wouldn't tick over but I'm happy to say that this year the little chap drove home without incident. Dare I say it but could Thumper be "fully sorted" at last?
Just changed the oil so we are all ready to have some fun this summer.
I know its almost unconventional these days but are there any other RUMSTERS driving there microcars this year?
-
well done bob pleased to hear about Thumper - i do actually hope to join you later this year but if i do it will be in my new purchase _ still to come to fruition
-
Is this the --C ---d ---i --r?
-
Almost there Bob! Just finished fiddling with bits of fabric fitting out the interior - It's non-standard and far from perfect, but 100% improvement on the one strip of rotten hardura the car came with. Hopefully ther'll be lots of sunshine and I won't need a roof.
-
That's sounding promising!
-
The Bond looks great .
Bob c - d - i - r - ? is that meant to be an anagram of cider ? i think you've been on it !
-
Is this the --C ---d ---i --r?
Wash your mouth out, sir! It's ------r, as one word! ;)
-
Ah but how do you know we are talking about the same car?
-
Got it. The Bond Denchir. The one with the grand piano shaped bonnet for the older owner. Puts a smile in your face but shakes your teeth out. Done in Milk Stout colours. The nearest thing to an IC that is not an IC, in fact. Now did I find that on the web or in a dream after eating Camembert.
-
Its looking good Malcolm. Are you going to fit the little hammocks in the back or leave as loading space? I had forgotten that strange angle of the steering wheel, brings back memories.
Also good to hear you will soon be joining the MDC [Microcar drivers club] as opposed to the Microcar dreamers club! ;D
-
Seats on the Bond look great. Did you make these? One of my next jobs as the bodywork is nearly done. Any advice very welcome!
-
Remember this --C ---d ---i --r Bob? ;D
-
I can only assume its our old one Rob. If so the dash must have changed after it left you. It was just painted when in my ownership and also as I remember had a green dealership badge mounted on it in the left hand corner.
Thinking about it this must be my old car as it has the rare glove box. Am I right?
-
Well here is the dash from the museum website as I remember it, I don't know where I remember the green badge from, maybe a different car but a union jack badge has appeared which I don't remember. Funny how the memory plays tricks on us.
-
Here she is in 1963-4 taken on a box camera.
-
Still not getting the C-d-i-r question bob so spit it out
-
Ok. I heard a rumour that you may be acquiring a MkC. and as I thought it may have been top secret I used that cunning uncrackable code! If its true I'm jealous!
-
Baldrick had nothing on you bob , cunning plan eh ?
-
Seats on the Bond look great. Did you make these? One of my next jobs as the bodywork is nearly done. Any advice very welcome!
I'll probably leave it without the rear hammocks for the time being. Although useful in their day, they'd be unlikely to see much use in my hands and when I heard there was originally a tonneau cover available as an optional extra I thought I might have a go at making one of them somewhere down the line instead and just use the space for storage. The only bit of the front seat that came with the car was a wooden former for the seat back, but I was told that the rear seats from a Mini Traveller would drop in. Unfortunately Mini Traveller rear seats seem to be even less common than Bond seats these days, and I thought getting a proper seat made would probably have meant delaying things, so I resolved to make something myself, temporary or otherwise. I came across the back seat from a Morris Traveller very cheap (£15) and in good nick and never having tackled upholstery before, bought it on the off chance that it might give me a good starting point. I've basically chopped down the innards to fit and contorted the outer covers til it all looks reasonably presentable. The Morris seat base and internals look very robust and the seat feels like it was made for the job. the only difficult bit was contorting the inner wire frame of the seat to reduce the seat's width without destroying its integrity. But a good blow torch, some welding gloves and a couple of hours of metal wrestling was all it took.
The glove box was standard on the Mark C, but wans't fitted on the Mark D. Probably due to something glove related.
-
I think both the glove box and an arched seat back were inherited from the A and B . Later C's got no glove box but a handle to help get in and out and a straight topped rear to the seat - more bracing for the body I think ?
-
I've got a tonneau cover amongst the pile of parts that came with the car. No idea if it original or any good (not really looked at it) but it might be useful as a pattern.
Busy 2 weeks at work so won't get much done for a wee bit but will try and look at it soon and send you pics. AR.
-
That'd be fantastic, thanks Basket case. You're right about C glove boxes of course Richard. I haven't seen one with an arched seat back, but I can't think of any other reason why they'd change it other than bracing.
-
Seats on the Bond look great. Did you make these? One of my next jobs as the bodywork is nearly done. Any advice very welcome!
I'll probably leave it without the rear hammocks for the time being ... and just use the space for storage.
I'll send you a diagram, of how to make a false floor, without any holes being drilled in the car - you then have a hidden lower layer for battery, tools, oils, etc, and an upper layer for your picnics and shopping!
-
Sounds a good idea did you do that on the A dave ? Bigger battery for your starter motor ?
-
Seats on the Bond look great. Did you make these? One of my next jobs as the bodywork is nearly done. Any advice very welcome!
I'll probably leave it without the rear hammocks for the time being ... and just use the space for storage.
I'll send you a diagram, of how to make a false floor, without any holes being drilled in the car - you then have a hidden lower layer for battery, tools, oils, etc, and an upper layer for your picnics and shopping!
Fantastic, thanks Dave
-
Sounds a good idea did you do that on the A dave ? Bigger battery for your starter motor ?
Exactly that reason, Richard! (And flinging spanners in the back, across those battery terminals, seemed not a good idea ...)