Newbie from the UK

[Neil O'shea]

Hi All,

My name is Neil O'Shea and I live in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire UK.

A brief summary of my background is

I initialy trained as a draghtsman when I left school, but I always had an unhealthy interest in cars and motorsport. After being made redundant when the company folded I needed work and took a job at a garage. Whilst working at the garage I became good friends with the guy next door ( Hywel Absalom ) who is an engineer and ran a race car team. I continued working in the garage trade but also worked for Hughie with the race cars off and on for a few years in various formulas of single seaters. After getting more and more dissilusioned by working for garages that ripped people off I decided to start up my own garage business. A few years ago I sold up and moved to my current location in order for my partner to keep horses and for me to have a workshop at home so I could finally get round to building myself a Hot Rod. I have spent the last few years building and tooling up the workshop and learning basic metalshaping ( and shoveling copious amounts of horse manure !!! ). I have learnt a lot about shaping metal but am still very much a novice shaper ( the biggest thing I need to learn is patience. I think I try to get too much shape too quickly and don't spend long enough plannishing and perfecting the fit )

I have made a start with my Hot Rod, but it is still very much at the mock up stage as I would be the first to admit that I have probably bit off a bit more than I can chew for a first project. The whole car is being designed and built from scratch and until you try this yourself you have no idea how difficult it is !!!. I got to a point last year where the mock up was taking shape but I just couldn't get the shape right around the scuttle area. I took a break from it for a while and when I got back to it I decided that the windscreen was the wrong shape and this was causing most of my problems. I have now sourced a new windscreen and mocked it into the car . I am much happier with the new screen and feel I should be able to make some progress now.

I hope to pick up some more tips from the members of this forum as I am always blown away by the craftsmen out there and by how willing they are to share their vast knowledge with others. Keep up the good work and hopefully some of your talents might rub off on me !!!.

I was going to attach some pictures to go with all this waffle but just realised I can't attach photos yet. I will post them later when the account is up and running.

[Joe Hartson]

Neil, welcome and thanks for the great introduction. Lot of information on the site and talented people to help you along as you improve your metal shaping skills. Thanks for joining us.

[HEATNBEAT]

Welcome to Allmetalshaping Neil!

[Landyplan]

Welcome aboard mate,

There are a fair few of us here in Blighty now, we should think about sorting a meet like the chaps across the pond do!

I envy you the workshop at home!

[Neil O'shea]

Hi Guys,

Here are the pictures I was going to attach last night.

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This is the shop when it was first built. It's not as tidy anymore, in fact it resembles a war zone at the moment, but a big spring clean is on the cards.

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These are the concept drawings that I am building the car to.

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This is where the mock up was at last year with the old windscreen. The chassis is going to get redone as I have now got an independant rear end for the car and the front end had some issues which involve a bit of a rework.

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Here it is with the new screen roughed in.

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And here are some new tools that I have just made.

I know these pictures should have been spread across a couple of different forums but I thought they ought to go with the text I posted last night. I shall endevour to stay on topic in the future and post things under the correct headings.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

EXCELLENT Neil. Really nice work. Thanks for joining us.

[David Gardiner]

Hi Neil welcome to allmetalshaping. Your workshop looks to be as big as mine and I am trying to make a living out of mine! (I currently have three cars in as well as my two wheeling machines pullmax two folders a guillotine several fly-presses Jennys, shrinker 8X4 bench etc. needless to say its cramped!) You are in the minority in the UK owning that much space!. (nice to see! I would love to be in that position) Looks like you have got quite a way on the car I hope you will be able to register it when you are done. The laws are getting tighter by the day.

David

[Neil O'shea]

Hi David,

The photos make the shop look bigger than it is ( although it is a good size ), and believe me if I new how the cost of building it would spiral out of control once the building regs people got involved it would have been the size of a garden shed !!!

The photos of the car flatter to decieve. As I said this is very much just a mock up. Everything that I have done so far will most probably end up in the skip. I am presently redesigning the chassis and suspension on my PC.

I am desperate to get this thing built as it seems every month a new regulation or test is required to register the thing. I am sure I will get it on the road one way or another, I just hope I don't have to make too many design changes in order to pass the regs.

[Landyplan]

WOW now I really am envious!!
Mines a 5x3m timber jobbie.
IVA is getting a nightmare at the moment, I do allot of work with Land ROvers and they are really cracking down on it now with this stupid points system. Anyway good luck and I hope you get it through soon as it look really cool!!!

Regards

[Neil O'shea]

IVA ? Thats a new one to me. I know about SVA and BIFA. If you modify Land Rovers can you not just keep the original registraion or do you build them up from bits. A friend of mine does off road competitions in Landies and they chop em up pretty good and do tray backs and all sorts and I'm pretty sure they don't have too much trouble with registration.