Creating Bessie

[domvar]

Hi All,

I have moved the references and contact details for Dean and his old website out of view for the moment.

The website in question has been taken down and as such Dean may not want to be contacted or that address may well be out of use.

I will try make contact with him as I knew him from Loose Cannon years back and ask him if he would like to contribute or answer questions.

Thanks

Dom

[cdngoose]

Last night the rims and hubcaps were cleaned off and today they are now painted. I went flat black due to the fact that I want them to be unnoticeable and allow the yellow hubcaps to stand out. Which I still have to make. I'm hoping Jim will have some free time and be able to help out on that avenue

[cdngoose]

A lot of woodworking this week, but the outcome is looking great, I just finished installing the windshield frame onto Bessie, now to stain and varnish and then off to the glass shop on Monday.

[fivefingeredstyre]

The word 'Like' does not do this justice...

[cdngoose]

The rest of today has been on fender placement and getting the measurements for installing the frames additional support metal, also spent the morning getting 4 temporary tires that will do fine until I can affor the outrageous cost of the actual tires I will need to have on to get this car certified.

[cdngoose]

Yesterday my neighbor dropped by for a chat, we were talking about my failure to procure a rad from the auto scrap yard, seems I'm 30 years late trying to find a style of rad I needed. However, he suggested I look into a tractor recycler and this morning I did just that with a local yard and found exactly what I was looking for and the size seems almost perfect!
When I was asked what kind of tractor I needed a rad for I described Bessie, showing pictures and my plans for this car and when it came time to pay for my new found rad. I was informed it was a donation to this build!
So I have included their card and if ever anyone need a part of a retired tractor send them an email or give them a call.

[cdngoose]

Wow this diary is getting bigger than some of my Dalek builds! But I guess it is a car after all, but funny enough I will still likely have more construction hours in Dreadnaught than Bessie


The last two days have been fitting and welding new frame pieces to support the body and running boards, not that any cosplayer is overweight but to ensure the running boards can support two Cybermen.


Cdngoose

[elkad]

Theirs a couple details I was wondering you might add. Just for show. The Super Drive lever from the "Time Monster" & the Anti-Theft switch from "Ambassadors Of Death". I'm thinking the overdrive is just the throttle for the engine & the anti theft would be a sound effects switch with the force field sound from the episode.

[cdngoose]

I have no plans for the super drive due to leg space it takes up and in the future this will be a driving car I want to take to events and just enjoy on Sunday drives. But the anti theft switch is a definite, however it will be connected to a very loud air raid siren, this will tell me when someone is playing with my car when I'm not around! Really who can resist flipping such a marked switch? Not only will it scare them but it will be able to alert me from almost a kilometre away. Evil, yes but I am a Davros!

[cdngoose]

Well surprise the frame welding took an extra day! I ran into a problem where the front support I was connecting to on the drivers side was so rotted that I had to rebuild the whole section. That alone took 3/4 of the day and then I was able to finish off the rest of the frame tonight. Tomorrow is back to the Triumph floor to weld in new pieces to replace the rusted sections and to bring back some semblance of strength.

[galacticprobe]

Wow. This replica Bessie is really involved. (Maybe that's why the friend that offered to help me when I was thinking of building a Bessie replica vanished off the planet after he got transferred. He knew what lay before us, and just didn't want to tell me he was backing out. )

Just from the test fittings I can tell this is going to be an amazing work of art that you can drive! (Controlling the urge to heave up another "ENVY!" is almost overwhelming! )

But the anti theft switch is a definite, however it will be connected to a very loud air raid siren... Really who can resist flipping such a marked switch? ... Evil, yes but I am a Davros!

Yes: it is evil... and I like it! Though, that switch (toggle) is labeled "ANTI THIEF DEVICE" (in what looks like a Times New Roman font, white letters on a bright red rectangle)... which would make it all the more tempting for someone to flip it! Oh yes; very evil!

Dino.

[Rox]

Is there any chance fibreglass parts may be available to people in the future?  Bessie is the no.1 prop I've always wanted (aside from my TARDIS, of course).

[cdngoose]

Yes there is a very real chance for Bessie parts to become available. However it won't be for the next 5 years in North America.

Cdngoose

[galacticprobe]

Yes there is a very real chance for Bessie parts to become available. However it won't be for the next 5 years in North America.

Like the comment, but the timeframe is sad. (Not that I could afford such a thing, but it's still a sad wait.)

Dino.

[Rox]

Longer or shorter for good ol' Blighty?