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Sunbeam 2000 build
- Thread starter belmateo
- Start date
tigretr
Donation Time
Hey Belmateo.
I haven't spent much time on the forum lately, but I decided to pop back in and see what was going on. I was catching up on your progress and I came across some of your gripes about tri city glass, a fab shop in Belmont and a picture of your ride in front of Alice's Restaurant. Turns out we are neighbors. I live in Mountain View. Highway 84 up to Skyline (Alices) is my all time favorite fast drive early in the morning on a weekend (Highway 9 is a close second place). Then north on Skyline. Some really awesome uphill twisties! Maybe after this crazy smoke is gone we can go tear up the mountains in our Alpines.
I would love to see your ride. With masks and social distancing of course. Ugh. The new norm!
I haven't spent much time on the forum lately, but I decided to pop back in and see what was going on. I was catching up on your progress and I came across some of your gripes about tri city glass, a fab shop in Belmont and a picture of your ride in front of Alice's Restaurant. Turns out we are neighbors. I live in Mountain View. Highway 84 up to Skyline (Alices) is my all time favorite fast drive early in the morning on a weekend (Highway 9 is a close second place). Then north on Skyline. Some really awesome uphill twisties! Maybe after this crazy smoke is gone we can go tear up the mountains in our Alpines.
I would love to see your ride. With masks and social distancing of course. Ugh. The new norm!
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
My car did not come with the CD Changer wiring, fortunately I was able to get the radio plug from the person I bought the car from and trying to make my own cable. Very unsure as to some of the wire labeling shows 3 grounds and two battery sources. More research to do.....
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
This part of what I am dealing with. Up to 2003 used one type of 14 pin connector on the radio head unit. I have one early radio and a later one. Trying to match the wiring has become quite a challange as even the FSM I have does not have detailes of the wiring color code. I will find it that is for sure, it will just take some time.
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
Started Tig Welding the bumpers today (Fingers Crossed)
My concerns are
1) No experience welding Tig
2) No experience welding Stainless Steel
3) Too much heat = blowout
4) Too little = warpage because you are welding longer
P.S. I hate that POS that cut the third bumper into four pieces.
My concerns are
1) No experience welding Tig
2) No experience welding Stainless Steel
3) Too much heat = blowout
4) Too little = warpage because you are welding longer
P.S. I hate that POS that cut the third bumper into four pieces.
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
worked on the rear bumper that required TWO welds ( thanks to Ahole stated above) with the Tig welder. Even with a thick piece of copper behind the weld, it still warped and shrank. Got PO'd and hit Airgas up for some Stainless Steel wire for my Mig welder. Did the front bumper with the Mig and it came out PERFECT. No warpage, no shrinkage laying down one solid bead. Should have done that from the get go.
What's that old saying "If you want something done right, DO IT YOURSELF"
LOL
What's that old saying "If you want something done right, DO IT YOURSELF"
LOL
Last edited:
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
New bumpers are on the car as I can do the polishing with them mounted. Finally found the "Overriders" and got them mounted as well. Pictures coming soon. Still dialing in the new suspension now that it has settled in place, had to raise the car about an inch which is typical for aftermarket springs.
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
Spent some time taking the door cards apart to add an accent panel to match the shifter boot. Time spent unstiching, glueing and re stiching, fortuneatly my Mother was a seamstress and I paid close attention to what she was doing. Put my old black Singer™ sewing machine to work, but I had to do the top stitch by hand as it got too thick to put through the sewing machine. Next step is to glue (wait 24 hours to cure) and make the cutouts. Pics attached.....
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
Here is the finished passenger door panel installed.
What do you think of the accent against the black?
As I was polishing the bumper, there was a hairline that failed to polish out. So I am redoing it slowly to prevent overheating the joint. Stainless Steel holds heat very well so I need to be careful.
What do you think of the accent against the black?
As I was polishing the bumper, there was a hairline that failed to polish out. So I am redoing it slowly to prevent overheating the joint. Stainless Steel holds heat very well so I need to be careful.
loose_electron
Donation Time
I understand the idea that this is supposed to be a Y2K Sunbeam Alpine. Now the question is - How did you create some of these shape formed elements? Scavenged from a different car? Or? This interior looks nothing like what you would expect inside a Sunbeam. For that I complement your skills at making this look nice.
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
Jerry,
Thank you for your kind words.
By chance the high school I went to offered auto shop, woodworking and metal fab as well as welding. So I could gas weld and stick weld and some time ago got the teach myself how to use a MIG welder. The Tig welder I purchased recently and still figuring out how to use it correctly. I didn't buy the correct size welding sticks for the bumpers so the MIG welder has been used to do them until I get the smaller sticks.
To answer your question, the door panels are original for the S2000 Chassis. My Mother was a seamstress and her sewing machine was in the TV room. As a kid I watched and asked some questions to understand what and why she was doing things a certain way.
Back to the interior, the only modification that you can buy changes the perforated panel insert. I went a different direction and changed the solid panel and actually like it better now that it is in the car. The insert is screwed onto the door card and the material is glued to it. Pulled it off and used the old as a template to cut the new material and got some thin foam and Glue from Joann's fabric store. Glued the material to the foam, let it fully set and cure for 24 hours then I could sew them together. The top stitch was too much material for my bullet proof old Black Singer sewing machine so that had to be done by hand. That little accent makes it right, same as I did on the shifter boot. Now the center console piece will get the same top stitching to match.
As far as the body modifications, the rear quarter panels had to be blended (hand formed) at the door jam and I also made new wheel houses before putting them on. The trunk panel was made by using the front edge of the NC Miata, a majority of the Sunbeam "boot" and the side extension were formed by hand and everything was welded together. The front ended up using only the headlight housing grafted onto the Honda fenders. From the headlight to the windshield was sheet metal hand formed to fit. On the larger areas I use MDF or plywood on curved 2x4's cut and sanded to the shape wanted and fit the metal to it.
Guy
Thank you for your kind words.
By chance the high school I went to offered auto shop, woodworking and metal fab as well as welding. So I could gas weld and stick weld and some time ago got the teach myself how to use a MIG welder. The Tig welder I purchased recently and still figuring out how to use it correctly. I didn't buy the correct size welding sticks for the bumpers so the MIG welder has been used to do them until I get the smaller sticks.
To answer your question, the door panels are original for the S2000 Chassis. My Mother was a seamstress and her sewing machine was in the TV room. As a kid I watched and asked some questions to understand what and why she was doing things a certain way.
Back to the interior, the only modification that you can buy changes the perforated panel insert. I went a different direction and changed the solid panel and actually like it better now that it is in the car. The insert is screwed onto the door card and the material is glued to it. Pulled it off and used the old as a template to cut the new material and got some thin foam and Glue from Joann's fabric store. Glued the material to the foam, let it fully set and cure for 24 hours then I could sew them together. The top stitch was too much material for my bullet proof old Black Singer sewing machine so that had to be done by hand. That little accent makes it right, same as I did on the shifter boot. Now the center console piece will get the same top stitching to match.
As far as the body modifications, the rear quarter panels had to be blended (hand formed) at the door jam and I also made new wheel houses before putting them on. The trunk panel was made by using the front edge of the NC Miata, a majority of the Sunbeam "boot" and the side extension were formed by hand and everything was welded together. The front ended up using only the headlight housing grafted onto the Honda fenders. From the headlight to the windshield was sheet metal hand formed to fit. On the larger areas I use MDF or plywood on curved 2x4's cut and sanded to the shape wanted and fit the metal to it.
Guy
loose_electron
Donation Time
Thanks for the in depth insight into the methods used. For all practical purposes here you are creating a concept car. Impressive!
belmateo
Gold Level Sponsor
I was not happy with the way the rear bumper looked (too long and narrow). The solution is to make a provision for the license plate in the center. Seems alot of Alpines just don't know where to put the plate....under.....on the boot.....not good. The challenge is the lights for the plate.