AC Owners Club Forum

AC Owners Club Forum => General Forum => Topic started by: markn on March 06, 2007, 12:11:40

Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 06, 2007, 12:11:40: Are there any bare AC ace chassis's out there! I made a new aluminium body for one and now wouldn't mind one for me
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 06, 2007, 16:55:39: Buy a Kirkham chassis, 99% same as original, 3" & Leafsprings or 4" & coilsprings as you wish!. Emmanuel [:)]

http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Fritz on March 06, 2007, 21:52:16: better you go for www.4race.info or contact info@kirkhammotorsports.eu
This is the official dealership for Europe.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Japanalysist on March 07, 2007, 06:21:04: You made a new aluminum Ace body!?![:0]
   That's too cool.
   Can you please post (or link to) some pictures?

   Thanks,
   Rob
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 07, 2007, 11:40:23: Hi Rob, here are some pics of Ac ace body I made at my shop./Users/marknugent/Desktop/Mark cars/DSC_1795.JPG/Users/marknugent/Desktop/Mark cars/DSC_1797.JPG
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: nikbj68 on March 07, 2007, 12:15:43: Mark, you`ll have to upload the pics to something like PHOTOBUCKET (http://"http://www.photobucket.com") and then put them here.
(See the 'Posting Photo`s' (http://"http://www.racecar.co.uk/acoc/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=145")thread, 5th post down, for more detail.)
Nik.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 07, 2007, 12:24:16: Would anyone know how to successfully post an image on this forum!
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 07, 2007, 13:25:16: Thanks Nik, so once I have uploaded my images on photobucket, do I just email it to this forum!
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 07, 2007, 14:08:53: Here are some pics, if this works.
(http://)http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t210/markn_photos/DSC_1795.jpg(http://)
(http://)http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t210/markn_photos/DSC_1797-1.jpg(http://)
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 07, 2007, 14:09:01: markn, go directly to Kirkham in the US and you surely will pay less than if you buy from a reseller in Europe! Anyway, good luck and let's see these photos! Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Japanalysist on March 07, 2007, 14:20:28: Wow Mark,
   That's really impressive.
   Did you form it over a buck?
   And how long did it take?

   Wishing I had a garage,
   Rob
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: SB7019 on March 07, 2007, 14:20:53: markn

Body looks fantastic!
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 07, 2007, 14:41:38: Yes Rob over a buck. the owner had two aces one needed a body off restoration and the other was rolling chassis. So I took the body off the first one cleaned the inside out and took a glass mould a framed up a buck and took patterns of complete inner panels to make a new alloy body for the second car. I worked at Crailville coachbuilders in London.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: nikbj68 on March 07, 2007, 15:33:53: One set of {IMG} tags too many! Here for everyone`s benefit are Mark`s pics:

quote:
Originally posted by markn

Here are some pics, if this works.
   (http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t210/markn_photos/DSC_1795.jpg)
   (http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t210/markn_photos/DSC_1797-1.jpg)


   Beautiful work, Mark....Can`t be many folk your side of the world capable of that level of craftsmanship!
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: jbottini on March 08, 2007, 00:23:09: unbelievable, if didn't know better I'd say factory plus craftsmanship. Beautiful work.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 08, 2007, 02:17:19: Thanks for your comments Nik and James, I did go for a job once at AC cars at Vickers lane as a bodymaker, but I think at that stage the whole operation was slowing down and nothing came of it.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 08, 2007, 14:35:51: Gorgeous! Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: twogreens on March 08, 2007, 17:24:18: quote:
Originally posted by markn

Thanks for your comments Nik and James, I did go for a job once at AC cars at Vickers lane as a bodymaker, but I think at that stage the whole operation was slowing down and nothing came of it.



   That body is truly a thing of beauty - I hope the owner didn't spoil it by adding paint. Mark, I take my hat off to you, what a fantastic job.

   Regards
   Two Greens
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 08, 2007, 21:57:23: Twogreens, it was painted a cream/ivory colour and I think has a racing stipe up through the middle of it now. One thing that really got me hooked on ace's was just how light it was to push around when I needed to move it.
Mark
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 08, 2007, 22:46:46: It looks like it already has a chassis, It has wheels, tubing supporting the dash, a steering columm! tubing to support the doors, how did you build it that way? Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: SB7019 on March 08, 2007, 23:18:43: Emmanuel. If you go back to Mark's first post you will see that this is one he has already made on an existing Ace chassis and is now seeking to replicate another one for himself - or am I missing something?
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 09, 2007, 04:46:04: I get it, Never mind! Awsome! Markn, you should make a business with these skills! come to the US!
Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 09, 2007, 06:40:27: That's right Peter. Two ace's were supplied to me, one to restore the body and one to make a new body. Both real ace's, even the grille had to be made.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: nikbj68 on March 09, 2007, 14:47:06: quote:
Originally posted by Emmanueld:
Awsome! Markn, you should make a business with these skills! come to the US!
Emmanuel
I somehow doubt he does it purely for the theraputic joy of pounding tin! [:o)]
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 09, 2007, 16:48:16: What I mean is that there is a lot of money to be made here in southern California for a good metalsmith. There are a few good people but they are very expensive. Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: jbottini on March 09, 2007, 20:26:16: the reason the are expensive is because there a few of them. Keyes called this "supply and demand" pricing
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 09, 2007, 23:56:35: I do have a small shop of my own Emmanueld. Though I do miss working in England because I worked with a lot of skilled guys, and you don't find those skilled guys anywhere else really. In the states you find a few good ones dotted around, but the U.K had a refined pedigree of coachbuilders and bodymakers which filtered out from sixteen hundred shops at its peek to about roughly ten to twenty great shops left today in the U.K.
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Englishman on March 10, 2007, 00:14:14: Hi Mark,

   Where are you in Australia, I am in Terrigal on the Central Coast NSW and am having a Frua restored up in Ballina, we are strggling a bit with doors right now.

   I have two sets of doors, one from a fast back and one set from a convertible niether of which is in good repair.

   I have written to Geoff Dowdle, the AC Owners Club rep here in Australia, just to make contact and see what's what. I too am a pommie having moved here for the second time in Jan 2006.

   Cheers Peter
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 10, 2007, 00:44:26: Peter, I was approached about a fabricating a frua bonnet. I will email you
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 10, 2007, 02:55:35: Hey Peter, I am looking for an inside door handle, primary the plastic insert! would you have an extra one by any chance?

Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: Emmanueld on March 11, 2007, 02:44:41: quote:
Originally posted by jbottini

the reason the are expensive is because there a few of them. Keyes called this "supply and demand" pricing



   Part of the problem is that Americans think the know everything! After 6 months working at a trade of some sort, they become "experts" when in reality, they know nothing. I have seen it time and time again. It take years to become an expert in a field. In the US most body shops know how to unbolt panels and replace, thats it. If you want the good guys and there are a few around, it will cost you dearly! In the old world, things are different, it take years to learn a skill as an apprentice and eventually you graduate and become an expert. Unfortunately, the pay scale is much lower than in the US. I am not trying to put down the US, I have been here a long time and I know the culture. [:D]

   Emmanuel
Title: Chassis Frame
Post by: markn on March 11, 2007, 05:13:40: That's correct Emmanuel, the pay is much better in the US with old world skills and shops that produce premium restorations for the well heeled can mostly name there price, good on em I think. The demand for perfection with an automobile restoration is very very high and the shops that can achieve it would right off hundreds of hours in losses on every job.
I'm sure it happens in the US too, where skilled craftsmen have business's and one day they just fold up, I think this happens because the man behind the work isn't a businessman at heart and its only half for the honest "traditional" craftsmen about the money, and more about creating.