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New remanufactured aluminium surrey backlight just like the original ones


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Hi All

 

Just thought I'd share this post that showed up on my facebook page incase anyone is interested, they have made two and are looking for interested parties to make it worthwhile and cost effective to manufacture, I must admit they look good and If they are as good as they look I may well be interested myself when the time is right on my resto.

 

Have a look and see what you all think?

 

Gavin

 

https://www.facebook.com/revivalmotorsport

 

This is a copy and paste of one of the pricing questions = after initial enquiries with a castings specialist, based on 10off, they would be approximately £900 each. They will be exact copies of the original. Thanks, Ben

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Heartwarming for sure, but all the same the original kits ( comprising glass and lid besides ) are still a bargain at triple that amount. Five pressings for the lid, all rolled and welded into one plus the glass for £2-300 will be hard pressed to come in anywhere near ( prove me wrong, please ).

 

I suppose TRIUMPH lost their ...ses on them. A paltry £150 for the option <_< ...

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Looks as if these are cast from the original. There is likely to be a 3% shrinkage when you do this.

 

This does not matter with small things, but on this will show up significantly I feel, even if this is made in bits like the original.

 

Also the fasteners were cast-integral. Dont know if there is enough material for a thread.

Edited by AlanT
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The originals were made of (4) castings welded together in a jig. I don't know if it could be done in one casting unless the form were re-created for each piece. If these are made piecemeal as per originals the shrinkage could be compensated in the welding phase.

 

There is ample meat for threaded inserts like HeliCoil to retain the studs, i.e. 1/2" or more.

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Although you could partly compensate for shrinkage when you fit the parts, and I expect this is what they try to do, the shrinkage will be everywhere and not all will get corrected.

 

This is an awkward thing to make in small quatities and that's why they have to cost.

 

When my friend had these rear-lights cast locally, I actually contemplated this project myself, but only for a short while!!

 

https://flic.kr/p/oxSzfR

Edited by AlanT
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FWIW I have been following this for a while. The one you see illustrated is actually made up from hand formed sheet sections and welded together, it started out as an outer skin only section for race cars. I dont see why it couldn't be cast as per original using the sand cast technique if someone was willing to donate an original for dissection.

Stuart.

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Hello, Ben Ferguson here, owner of Revival Motorsport Fabrications and fabricator of the Surrey frame in the photos on Facebook.

 

As previously mentioned here, these have been fabricated from sheet aluminium, using the original frame as a buck. This means they come out 1/8" larger overall, but this is of no consequence.

However, it was not my intention to make many frames in this way as they are incredibly labour intensive.

 

I have previously enquired about re-casting these frames- The original would be 3D scanned, then CAD models made, then oversized moulds made, to allow for shrinkage during casting. This is a very expensive process, so would require at least 10 orders to justify.

 

Once I have confirmed the cost of tooling up and casting a batch, I will announce my plans formally to try and get an idea of numbers. Watch this space!

 

Regards,

 

Ben Ferguson

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Hi Ben,

 

Welcome to the TR Forum. Good luck with your endeavours, I will be watching with interest. :)

 

Cheers

 

Graeme

^^^ this ^^^

 

I love it when out of the blue (for me, this is) there's an entrepeneur with the guts to take on a project like this, or one of the others on the fb page!

 

Menno

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I wish you well with this. That is the way to go.

 

The original process was not all that accurate and often the glass now available does not fit well.

 

Even if you get them exactly right you are likely to get some moaning.

Its not so much the glass doesnt fit, its the fact that the original glass was toughened which will bend considerably to allow you to fit it in a less than perfect frame. The new ones are laminated and will not take any bending/distortion at all and will break very quickly so the frame needs to be a perfect shape with no tolerance..

Stuart.

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Hi Mark,

 

The Surrey top ( so-called; this now refers to the whole kit ) option gives the same driving experience with side windows down and roof off that the soft top version does, i.e. plenty of wind beating you about the head and shoulders <_< .

 

With windows up however, the Surrey cockpit reduces the wind buffeting by ~ 70% ;) . Conversation at 60 mph is almost normal.

 

Hardtop on the car is transformed into a coupe and feels altogether more rigid. Conversation at 80 mph is almost normal. Then there is the appearance... :rolleyes:

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Hi All

 

Just thought I'd share this post that showed up on my facebook page incase anyone is interested, they have made two and are looking for interested parties to make it worthwhile and cost effective to manufacture, I must admit they look good and If they are as good as they look I may well be interested myself when the time is right on my resto.

 

Have a look and see what you all think?

 

Gavin

 

https://www.facebook.com/revivalmotorsport

 

This is a copy and paste of one of the pricing questions = after initial enquiries with a castings specialist, based on 10off, they would be approximately £900 each. They will be exact copies of the original. Thanks, Ben

Thank you for that. Your products look good on the Facebook link

Peter W

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I do like the look of the Surrey top on the TR4 but like most I have a problem forking out for all the kit (backlight,lid,soft top and infill frame) in one big hit to the pocket as you find them on ebay etc.

Then there is the paying over the odds for something thats in short supply and dare I saw a bit worse for wear. So I'd welcome the opportunity to buy the component parts as the pocket can afford and if Ben does decide to go ahead then it may open up the market here and overseas and it has the benifit of being brand spanking new as per the original and not something that has been botched or damaged like the ones you have seen on ebay over the past few years.

 

I'd be really be interested in seeing what happens and as long as the quality is there happy days, and it gives an alternative to the fibreglass version and the over priced second hand originals.

 

Gavin

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