working from the driver’s seat. I decided to fit a micro switch to the handbrake that would illuminate each time it was applied. Although the remote reservoirs do not

is standing outside you see the bigger picture and realise that it is a small, compact and very pretty car. With the cleaning and photo shoot over the car was back in the workshop for the start of the next job, the inner wings.

I’ve been looking forward to this, so unlike work on the fibreglass, no motivation problems here. I started with the nearside because I felt this would be the more difficult of the two because of the shaping that would be necessary around the air box.

I’ve been looking forward to this, so unlike work on the fibreglass, no motivation problems here. I started with the nearside because I felt this would be the more difficult of the two because of the shaping that would be necessary around the air box. Rather than try to cope with large unmanageable pieces I elected to make it in three parts, which would then be gas, welded together.

I started with the bit needing the bulge and this was formed easily using the English wheel. The second part I again used the wheeling machine to put some shape into the cross section prior to shrinking to make the curve. Having not done much gas welding for some time I was a little worried about whether I could still do it. This was a bit awkward because there was no way of clamping the two bits together.

However, I have to say at this stage how indebted I am to Trev D, one of my mentors from the Locost site. He told me how to clamp just one piece while holding the other in position and tacking by making a fusion weld. It worked, so I was really pleased, not only for the advice but also that I managed to do it without blowing a hole through the job. I think the most critical part of welding aluminium is the trimming of the mating parts so that they fit with absolutely no gap and achieving good tacks. The actual welding then is very straightforward. Problems arise when there are gaps but a gap free joint along its entire length is sometimes difficult to achieve.

However, it all went together with not too much drama and that left wiring the edges, a job I had never tackled before. The wiring adds a lot to the rigidity to the structure and produces a very nice rolled edge. I am using 3mm diameter wire and formed a 9mm flange. This was then tapped over the wire and finally clamped tight using a door-skinning tool. There was room for improvement but for a first effort I was satisfied. The next task is to make a second inner wing the same as the first! Some of you readers may have noticed that the over centre catch at the front end of the side pod is now been made inaccessible. This is a bit of a problem and I’m waiting for the best solution to distil out of the ether. Suggestions on a Postcard please!