Another solid day’s progress today, I started with the belt cover pattern bases and nearly finished them. The object was to get a smooth base that matched the steps in the original belt covers where they mate to the engine.
I needed about 5 sq feet of 12mm ply and did not quite have enough so offcuts were jig sawed together and glued onto a base, this took longer than anticipated as I had to wait for the evo stik to dry.
This was covered in 3mm polypropylene sheet which has excellent release properties which was also glued to the base, so more waiting
Whilst I was waiting I thought would try and progress the crankcase front torque arm bracket. I spent a long time measuring and checking all the critical dimensions, as best I could with the engine not attached to the frame and the swinging arm absent. I used 10mm aluminium plate and am pleased with the result. The 10mm bolt in the picture is the wrong thread (too coarse) but is just “engaged“ so as to prove that the holes were drilled in the right place. The hole for the bolt which will attach the spherical bearing on the outside of the plate has been tapped 8mm so that I can use either a lock nut or preferably drill the bolt and put an R clip through it on the inner side of the bracket.
I only hope neither the bracket nor the torque arm will not foul the exhaust pipe, one of the perils of working out of sequence, although I am pretty confident it will clear, fingers crossed.
The second picture shows the belt cover mould bases with the covers themselves having had a first application of filler, not yet rubbed down. In the background is the Mk4 brake hanger bracket with a slightly more curvaceous design. Unfortunately cutting curves in 10mm plate is not compatible with jig saw blade life and I had to stop for the day when my last metal blade broke.
