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#Post#: 3248--------------------------------------------------
Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: sjc56
Date: November 30, 2020, 6:37 am
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I have been busy in the garage getting some work done on my
chassis, I’m building it out of aluminium channel, although this
should be lighter than steel, in this case I don’t think so
because it is quite thick but more importantly it was free,
can’t be that bad then.
The tub and body work is going to be plywood, I have gone with a
mix of 9mm and 4mm.
As this car has an off set body, I have made the chassis
slightly wider than Stevenson classic to try and keep in
proportion and allow me to fit in it. I was going to make it 66”
but again to try and keep it looking right, I have reluctantly
added 3” to the wheel base.
I would prefer shorter wheel base as this would turn tighter
corners better.
I managed to buy an engine on eBay, although my son collected
for me, I’ll get that next time I’m down south, I’ll need to
start searching for all the running gear now.
I got the floor and seat base in yesterday, keeping weight
distributions in mind, I will keep the seat back slightly and
more upright to help put more weight to the front, I plan to use
different thickness of foam when upholstering to adjust this
position.
The plan today is to start forming the bulk heads and ribs to
get some shape, I have done some basic sizing with thin ply to
get some idea where we’re going with this.
Here are some pic’s so far.
#Post#: 3250--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: Applejack
Date: November 30, 2020, 10:07 am
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Interesting you using alloy for the chassis will you be welding
or bolting the cross sections.
#Post#: 3251--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: sjc56
Date: November 30, 2020, 12:32 pm
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At the moment I have cut some of the channel up to make brackets
and bolted it altogether, it is all 6 mm and 8mm thick. The
floor is keeping it all in shape and I’ll cut some Ali gussets
for the corners later.
I am making the body so it can be separated from the chassis by
unbolting 12 bolts, only leave the floor in place. Once I reach
a certain stage I’ll separate it, and glue (with PU glue) and
bolt the floor to the chassis, then finish all the body before
painting the lot. Being able to separate it, then if I feel it
needs to be welded, it shouldn’t be too hard, although I would
have to get someone to do that for me.
The issue I am trying to deal with is the chassis is a bit soft
but I don’t think it’s because it’s not welded, this will
stiffen up as the body gets made. I’d rather it a little soft
when finished as it’ll be easier to stiffen rather than the
other way round.
#Post#: 3252--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: StefanN
Date: December 1, 2020, 1:43 am
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Really interested to see how you get on with the aluminium
chassis. It’s great we’ve got so many different approaches
being tried.
It looks from the pictures like the floor is at the rail height.
You’ve probably go this sorted, but just in case, it’s worth
noting the lessons that have been learned about keeping the
centre of gravity low - in particular, the driver. Some
designs drop the seat tub below the rails, others have an under
slung chassis.
#Post#: 3253--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: sjc56
Date: December 1, 2020, 4:20 am
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Hi Stefan,
Your right about the c of g, the floor sits on the bottom of
the channel and the back of the seat angles down from there to
sit below by 65mm, but I plan on using maybe 75 mm foam in the
upholstery to adjust the height. I have planned on 17” wheels
which proportions are based round, but there could be a tweak
there to adjust the c of g although this could be an expensive
tweak and possibly be getting away from the ethos of the
cyclekart thing.
#Post#: 3570--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: sjc56
Date: February 2, 2021, 8:19 am
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Hi everyone,
Although work on my Riley has taken a bit of a back seat until I
move house. Surprisingly the house sold quickly under the COVID
lock down.
I was able get the seat altered and upholstered over the
weekend. I stripped and altered an old cobra bucket seat I had,
then cut the headrest off to reshape the top to make it more
like the inspiration car and also made it a little narrower at
the front.
I had saved some leather from an old sofa I was throwing out, so
that worked out well. I would‘ve liked to dye it a different
colour but that’s for another time. Here’s some pictures.
#Post#: 3572--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: StefanN
Date: February 2, 2021, 8:46 am
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Nice work on the seat. What's the covering material? Any tips
for sewing heavy material like that? Is it a walking-foot or
regular sewing machine?
#Post#: 3573--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: sjc56
Date: February 2, 2021, 10:19 am
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Hi Stefan,
This leather is about 1mm thick, the foam is actually carpet
underlay as I didn’t have any 10mm blue foam that I would
normally use, for a seat in this situation it doesn’t matter.
When I retired I did a course in auto upholstery and set myself
up for that.
Yes, I have a commercial walking foot machine, it’s certainly
not the most expensive out there but more than adequate.
A domestic machine would probably drive a needle through soft
leather When only double thickness but not crossings over seams
try turning the machine by hand in these areas, another problem
is the amount the presser foot will lift. You also get needles
for sewing leather as they cut through as apposed to piercings
it.
Stuart
#Post#: 3574--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: crozier5
Date: February 3, 2021, 4:52 am
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Hi,
When making a new Touneau cover for one of the trikes I was able
to sew two thicknesses of "Double Duck and an edging Bias
Binding top and bottom. My domestic "Singer" coped well with
only occasional hand easing when starting.
Not tried leather but am confident that using the correct needle
the machine would cope well.
The amount of "lift" of the pressure foot can be a problem at
doublings and joints but I was able to faf about and get past
that point.
sjc56 How are you doing the ribbed back do you fold a seam and
stitch it then move 2inches then fold and stitch again etc
Billy aka Ayrflyer
#Post#: 3575--------------------------------------------------
Re: Riley Dobbs special
DIR By: sjc56
Date: February 3, 2021, 7:01 am
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Hi Billy,
The rib or flutes are done as you say by folding the fabric
over and sewing very close to the edge,
what you have to work out is the size between your guide lines
as the guide lines on the fabric will be slightly wider than the
guide lines on the foam, this is easily worked out on scrap but
use the same fabric as your finished work.
On this occasion I was able to use chip foam because the
leather would be stiff enough to bury into the chip foam. With
softer fabric like vinyl or Alcantara blue foam would be better.
You could also just stitch straight though the face but the
stitching would be visible unlike blind stitching like the
method I used.
Stuart
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