For Kiwi John.
Actually only one of the myriad of things, I do in my limited spare time.
I like restoring cars and I also like making things, so when it comes to spare parts time, it is nice to make parts which are unduly expensive to buy, or unobtainable, or just for the fun of it.
One trade I have been practicing for years and I am slowly getting better at, is metal casting. Specifically I cast aluminium parts, which are NOT part of a safety system such as brakes, steering and suspension.
Here are some pics; if anyone is interested, I can show the complete process for making a part.
Photo below; 3 thermostat housings to suit a Series 3, 6 cylinder Land Rover. They come from the same catalogue as rocking-horse poo and hens-teeth, as far as I can work out. This was the most difficult casting I had made up to that time, as I had to devise new processes, not just in moulding, but also in machining. Note the dodgy hole in the bottom left one; it went back into the crucible.

Photo below: Thermostat housing to suit my 1976, Rover P6B saloon. New ones were available for $90 each. This one cost me nothing.

Photo below; inlet-manifold heating-pipe for my 1951, Series 1 land Rover. This was one of the first parts I made for this car, I ended up making most of the parts in the cooling system. I think the previous owner, fed it a diet of salt-water.

Photo below; A customer who was having troubles with his Iveco daily 4x4, contacted me about making a better transfer-box mount. So I made the pattern from his suggested sizes and he did the machining; they have become very popular.

And now things are getting hectic; most of 2019 was spent doing a huge order for a customer based in Britain, still haven't finished it and I want to get on with making panels for the Land Rover, on my new-to-me English Wheel.
Photo below; part of a very big order; everything fits Series 1, Land Rovers from the 1950's.

Cheers Charlie
Actually only one of the myriad of things, I do in my limited spare time.
I like restoring cars and I also like making things, so when it comes to spare parts time, it is nice to make parts which are unduly expensive to buy, or unobtainable, or just for the fun of it.
One trade I have been practicing for years and I am slowly getting better at, is metal casting. Specifically I cast aluminium parts, which are NOT part of a safety system such as brakes, steering and suspension.
Here are some pics; if anyone is interested, I can show the complete process for making a part.
Photo below; 3 thermostat housings to suit a Series 3, 6 cylinder Land Rover. They come from the same catalogue as rocking-horse poo and hens-teeth, as far as I can work out. This was the most difficult casting I had made up to that time, as I had to devise new processes, not just in moulding, but also in machining. Note the dodgy hole in the bottom left one; it went back into the crucible.
Photo below: Thermostat housing to suit my 1976, Rover P6B saloon. New ones were available for $90 each. This one cost me nothing.
Photo below; inlet-manifold heating-pipe for my 1951, Series 1 land Rover. This was one of the first parts I made for this car, I ended up making most of the parts in the cooling system. I think the previous owner, fed it a diet of salt-water.
Photo below; A customer who was having troubles with his Iveco daily 4x4, contacted me about making a better transfer-box mount. So I made the pattern from his suggested sizes and he did the machining; they have become very popular.
And now things are getting hectic; most of 2019 was spent doing a huge order for a customer based in Britain, still haven't finished it and I want to get on with making panels for the Land Rover, on my new-to-me English Wheel.
Photo below; part of a very big order; everything fits Series 1, Land Rovers from the 1950's.
Cheers Charlie
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