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This
picture was taken |
in
1977 and shows the |
terrible
shape of the |
interior.
Someone had |
tried
to make things a |
bit
more tidy by using |
a
splash of white paint |
here
and there. All that |
was
stripped, but was |
all
covered with wood |
or
leather as well. |
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|
After
making a test |
instrument
board from |
foam,
I made this board |
from
pine. These type |
of
trial efforts save |
the
expensive final |
wood
from being |
wasted
due to mistakes |
or
changes. I was also |
able
to try the cut for |
the
glove box door |
used
that makes the |
grain
match. |
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|
The
instrument board |
had
an ash tray put |
where
the clock once |
fit.
That and other cuts |
required
a new board. |
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|
The
final mahogany |
instrument
board did |
have
changes to the |
layout.
Note the light |
was
centered over |
three
instruments in this |
finished
board. The |
glove
box door is |
shown
installed in |
later
pictures. |
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|
Only
front seats were in |
the
car and were bad at |
that.
Everything had |
a
very bad smell. |
|
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Aaah! THE SWEET
SMELL
OF NEW LEATHER UPON
OPENING THE DOOR!
A
view showing the |
business
end of the |
drivers
compartment. |
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|
The
leather about to be |
stretched
on the seat |
frame. |
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The
seats being trial fit |
for
height and distance. |
Note
the front seat base |
gives
good height and |
has
two drawers for |
handy
stowage of tools |
normal
use items not |
fitting
in the glove box. |
The
hand crank is kept |
in
one of these drawers. |
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|
Interior
wood trim |
being
varnished. |
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|
A
shot of the rear |
compartments. |
Another
picture of the |
large
items like the jack |
is
in the tools section. |
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|
Rear
seat grab bars |
being
made. This is |
showing
the TIG |
welder
about to attach |
the
handle to the base. |
|
The
TIG welder is most |
useful
for precision |
welds,
particularly on |
aluminum.
These |
parts
are steel and were |
polished
for plating. |
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|
The
steel foot throttle |
was
worn and had to |
be
welded to have a |
flat
pad. Then the |
groves
were machined |
back
in with this |
carbide
blade used in |
my
horizontal mill. |
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|
The
sliding sunroof |
being
measured and |
disassembled.
Only |
the
aluminum skin and |
hardware
was reused. |
All
of the wood was |
replaced
and had |
compound
curves. |
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|
With
the coach upside |
down,
it was time to do |
the
insulation and |
supports
for the |
headliner
upholstery |
board. |
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|
The
coach upside down |
on
the rotary stand for |
fit
of the headliner |
upholstery
board. This |
view
is from the sunroof |
opening
towards the |
rear.
The coach had |
been
wired for the dome |
light
and fully insulated. |
(see
next page). |
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|
Showing
the headliner |
complete
and the sun |
roof
in. |
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|
Showing
the sunroof, |
rear
view mirror, and |
the
top of the windscreen. |
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|
Located
on the front |
passenger
side just |
above
the carpet is the |
Chassis
ID Plate that |
was
installed by the RR |
factory
in 1929. It is due |
in
part to this ID that |
so
much history on RR |
and
Bentley cars has |
been
documented. |
|
GEN
36 has orig. engine, |
transmission,
and other |
major
parts documented |
on
the build sheets done |
at
the time it was built. |
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|
While
seat upholstery |
is
beyond my capability, |
I
decided to try carpet |
binding.
I acquired an |
industrial
walking foot |
sewing
machine. The |
supplier
of the leather |
did
strips to use on the |
carpet
edging. Here, |
the
machine is set to do |
the
final stitch right |
next
to the leather so |
as
it will not show. |
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|
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|
The
industrial sewing |
machine
was also used |
to
stitch the heavy door |
stop
straps. |
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|
I
made these straps so |
that
some of the strap |
slides
back as the door |
is
closed. That way, |
the
loop is smaller and |
not
in the way. |
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|
Nearside
door, and |
front
passenger area. |
|
Note
the position of |
the
chassis ID tag from |
the
factory just under |
the
manual starter foot |
pedal. |
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|
The
glove box under |
construction. |
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|
An
accessory common |
to
these cars is the |
trouble
inspection |
lamp.
It has a crank to |
roll
up the cord after |
use.
The cord has a |
plug
to fit the plug-in |
on
the switchbox on |
the
instrument board. |
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|
The
Lucas spare bulb |
holder
is a handy |
accessory.
It is solid |
brass
with bulbs of the |
assorted
sizes in each |
end. |
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The
glove box door |
installed.
While |
mahogany
does not |
have
intensive grain, |
the
match of the door |
to
the board is seen on |
close
inspection. |
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|
The door post from the |
interior
with the hand |
strap
shown. |
The rear door is a |
"suicide"
door that |
must
be locked when |
the
car is being driven. |
As these doors open |
from
the front, violent |
damage
would result |
from
wind assisted |
opening
when underway. |
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The
rear seat grab |
handle
with the leather |
wrap. |
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Also
shown is the dome |
light
switch. It is orig. |
from
a 20 HP RR and |
cost
$120 on E-bay. |
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The
front seat, hand |
brake,
shifter, and |
carpet
are shown here. |
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