John's Late Tiger 1

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:59 pm

Hi John

Looking very nice. Well done.

Best regards
Tim

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:22 pm

Thanks Bob, thanks Tim,
Tim, doing some work on my wheels at the moment. Have the front hubcaps finished. I can see in your wheels you use 3 kit fasteners to secure the front wheel and 3 brass screws through from the hub through to the hub cap. I'm complete to this point. Is it just these 6 fasteners to attach hub to front wheel and rest of the holes in the wheel blank? I will connect the back wheel to the hub with scale brass fasteners. No dummys there.

I'm going to try the gusset detail on the pannier floor. No problem following your drawing. Just have to find a way to cut the aluminium strips with basic tools. Should be fun.

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:52 pm

Hi again John

Yes, three countersunk fasteners hold the center hub to the rear and front wheel. The three brass screws facing forwards are for the hub cap. the rest on the hub cap are non functioning. This way it's only three to undo when removing a wheel. We have Steve Norris to thank for this method.

Keep up the great work.
Tim

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:00 am

Thanks Tim and Steve for this fix. My first 8 hubcaps are finished and look a lot better than stock version. I liked the idea of easy hubcaps removal from the start. I'm copying Steve's lowered deck also. Copying Kent's rolled steel. I must try to come up with something of my own.
Thanks everybody for posting on the forum.

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:28 pm

I have fitted the gusset detail to the underside of the pannier floor. Thanks Tim for posting the dimensions. This was quite time consuming with basic hand tools and my Dremel but I'm glad I gave it a try. Lots more practice on welds.

Now I will get back to my turret and fix that turret wrap. Gill sent me a piece of aluminium bar which I will cut and grind into place and attach with some countersunk bolts.

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 3:36 pm

I have started my wheels adding extra detail.

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 3:47 am

Nice job John.

Wheel looks very nice!

Keep up the great work.

Kindest regards
Tim

simon_manning · Post by **simon_manning** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:02 pm

well done john for posting this detail, i have a set to alter at some stage, keep the updates coming, regards simon manning.

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:52 pm

Thanks Tim and Simon.
Simon, I can let you know how many of each fastener and size used if you need details and also supplier details. I ended up ordering too many and some that were not suitable. The excess might come in handy for a future project.
I'm just finishing the outer wheels at the moment. Great work on your Panther. Hope I can pick up some painting ideas there.

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:25 pm

I have now detailed the outer wheels also.

I have fixed the turret wrap with a piece of aluminium bar cut and filed to size and held in place with a couple of countersunk screws.

More welds to front.

My Dremel is getting a bit hot. Hope it will last.

Phil Woollard · Post by **Phil Woollard** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:38 am

I think the same about my misses and she's in her 50's

Robert E Morey · Post by **Robert E Morey** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:13 am

John,
Excellent details to the hull. Really nice Tutorial on wheels. Your turret repair looks perfect. Going to be an excellent Tiger. The first
Tiger build in Ireland?
regards,Bob

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:11 am

Thanks Bob for the nice comments. Actually I don't think it's the first. There are a few Armortek owners in Ireland. I think at least one Tiger.

I started lowering the rear deck. Thought I had it done and it was easy then realised I fitted the shelf at the wrong height. Had to start again. Not looking forward to grinding down the rear armour plate.

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:03 pm

I have decided to do some work on my kit mudflaps. I would love a set of Mike Stannard's ones but the cost is outside my budget at present. Here is the result of my attempt on the front flaps.

Rear mudflaps will not be as easy. The kit parts are not really correct for a late Tiger as far as I can see. I will have to think about them for a while and how to modify them.

John Fitzsimons · Post by **John Fitzsimons** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:51 pm

Thanks to Steve Norris I can attempt to lower the rear deck with my basic tools.

There is a gap between the side armour and the drills. Should the grills be moved to the side or the gap filled. Any ideas? See last photo taken from above.