Okrasa Special

[RichardinNZ]

More amazing work.  Thanks for continuing with the updates....I look forward to them.

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

[Steve Wright]

They say the eyes are the window on the soul, and when it comes to cars they make or break the look of the thing. So it was with some trepidation that I opened this weeks email update from Vic and Gary at Mouland & Yates because I knew this was the big one. The best I hope for each time the car has more work done to it is that it hasn't taken us backwards: that we've at least maintained what we had in terms of design and overall aesthetic.

So, the first step was for the lads to offer up the headlamp bowl to the outside to give them the exact shape to cut...



And then check it and check again...



Then, they dived in with the cutter. This shot is a long way on from the first cut as they've created the back of the headlamp bucket, welded it to the tube, welded that to the wing, and recessed the outer rim to take the Plexiglas cover...



You can also see the front beginning to take shape now Jefferey (the chap doing most of the work) has welded the headlight assembly into the wing and the wing together with the front nose panel. This shot also gives a view of the shape of the front detachable panel, a simple single skin affair that will sit on a recessed lip and be held with period correct Dzus fasteners that Ian has managed to acquire from a friend who restores WWII aeroplanes for a living.... The lip of the panel will be wire rolled to give it some stiffness....



Now for the money shots. I'll let you decide whether the latest work detracts or moves the design forward. To my mind it's definitely the latter... Enjoy.

[Neil Davies]

Yep, that works for me!

[Dalland]

Ooooo, what a beauty!
For me, this must be one of the most beautifully designed cars in the world. (please read that with Jeremy Clarkson's voice)
Brings on some hints of the Ferrari GTO's but in a smaller and more nimble package.
So looking forward to the rest of this build! A big pat on the back, and good luck (not needed) to the rest of the project.

[Steve Wright]

Thanks Dalland, high praise indeed! We've tried to mix a number of influences in the design: Abarth, Porsche, Ferrari and Lotus. The thinking was we would've looked around at what was being produced in the late 50's, early 1960's as inspiration. I didn't want to lean too much towards one particular car otherwise it just looks like a poor copy. So if you see hints of one car or another then we've achieved what we set out to do... 

[WhiteTrash]

The thinking was we would've looked around at what was being produced in the late 50's, early 1960's as inspiration. I didn't want to lean too much towards one particular car otherwise it just looks like a poor copy. So if you see hints of one car or another then we've achieved what we set out to do... 

I think you've archived that really well. I was looking forward to how the front would look. Reminds me of my Puma GTE. The Puma's designer, Rino Malzoni had the same thoughts when he styled the car in 1968 and borrowed cues from Ferrari's 250GTO and Lamborghini's Miura.
The E-Type is another style icon of that undoubtedly best decade for Sports/GT car design.

[Wout]

Really really nice!
Like the wooden air intake under the front, maybe you can use that design 

Keep up the good work!

gr
Wout

[Lids]

Really really nice!
Like the wooden air intake under the front, maybe you can use that design 

Keep up the good work!

gr
Wout

Yeah they make it look like its got teeth, monster monster!!

[Steve Wright]

Well, another week and more great progress at the coach builders :


All the work this time has been focused on the front of the car. First up is the finished headlamp, complete with tabs to hold the Plexiglas in place as per the Porsche RSK. Ignore the washers, they're just holding the tab in place 3mm off the recessed lip...



Next up was the tricky job of deciding on the oil cooler shape, size and location. This is one of those jobs like headlamps, that if you screw up messes up the entire car. No pressure then. We made up a multitude of paper cutouts, none of which looked right, before realising that your eye is drawn down by the shut line of the bonnet to the nose of the car. We ran two lines of tape down the nose...



And hey presto, a oil cooler aperture that looks right to the eye...



It's smaller than intended but looks right. There's a separate solution for the brake ducts which I think is both ingenious, simple and elegant, so the aperture for the front is dedicated only to the oil cooler itself. Speaking of which, we got the positioning of the cooler sorted today...



The oil lines will run through the centre tunnel to the middle of the car, avoiding the need to run them underneath along a sill - a much neater solution that doesn't seem so much of an after thought.

There's only one concession to the modern world with this car and that's the battery (if you overlook the roll cage and fire extinguisher!). The car originally ran a six volt battery, but there's no way we wanted to risk the chunter of a slow winding, high compression motor in the pits when you're trying to fire up a hot motor and wanting to get back onto the circuit. So we've plumbed for an Optima25 in the front left corner of the car...



And here's design as it happens! a brief discussion, a few ideas, a drawing and hey presto, the boys from M&Y just magic it up from there!



Speaking of magic, we deliberated for quite some time on the need for a towing eye. It obviously needs one, but there's no way I'm putting something horrible and modern on the car, and we decided after much discussion to do away with the original sub-frame to put it right in the nose. Instead we plumbed for something more in period and likely as it would've been; an after thought! Again drawn out on cardboard after a few minutes discussion, to be mounted under the car to the front of the main subframe...



Next up wipers. Or more correctly, the trailing edge of the bodywork. The challenge with a steel roof and scuttle, and an aluminium body was always how to join them. Again we decided to make the problem a design feature, with the aluminium sitting slightly proud (about an inch) to vent hot air from the oil cooler out over the windscreen instead of under the car (creating lift) and leaving a neat gap that could be flared, to also create a slight air screen for the wipers much like the Porsche Abarth GTL. The 10mm return will be used to wire roll the edge of the ally, so we'll end up with about a 1 inch gap all the way along the bonnet edge...



Finally a major design flaw with the owner of the car: at six foot four inches (191cm) I'm no dwarf, so goodness knows why I love racing small cars. Anyway, we had already put the seat base almost as close to the floor as we dare, without putting it directly on the floor. If we had done that a steel insert would've been prudent in the event of an accident. With a helmet on I needed another 3/4 of an inch in roof height - bugger! So we have opted for a Gurney Bubble, named after Dan Gurney who needed a bubble put into all his closed cars. Here we're measuring up...



Before decided on the profile for the bubble itself, which will be a teardrop. I've been told not to turn up when they do this job as the roof needs to be heated up and bashed with a very big hammer...





And finally the big news of the week. The car (at least the bodywork) will be finished next month. M&Y need the space for the next car so the pace will be upped for the final push in March. More updates next time...

Cheers, Steve

[Steve Wright]

Well here's something to warm your heart on these cold and bitter winters evenings... the latest instalment on the build of the Special. M&Y have like the rest of the country being battling Australian Flu (nasty thing especially the Australian variant  :wink: ) and blizzards preventing travel to work. Despite this tremendous progress has been made over the past fortnight, so much so that I fear I'm going to be the bottleneck, unable to get down to them in time to provide input on design and problem solving.

Anyway. Something as simple as a battery case demonstrates the unbelievable skill, experience and craftsmanship the guys from M&Y put into absolutely everything they do. As you're no doubt aware the battery has to be secured well. For optimum weight distribution it's also best if it's as far forward in the car and over to the left (opposite side to the driver), but within the wheelbase of the car. Oh, and it's got to be easily accessible to put a charger on it or be inspected by a scrutineer. It's also got to be light and if possible, elegant. No point seeing an ugly old piece of angle iron holding down a battery.

So here we are...


We've gone with a modern battery as the power and light weight just can't be ignored. Nothing worse than an original six volt battery chuntering away slowly in the pits while a race slips away...


The finished product before installation...


And insitu.... Notice how the base has the lovely arc of ally the same radius as the lower torsion tube, to hold the battery against something substantial, rather than resting it on the ally floor, where it would inevitably fatigue the rivets and cause it to bump up and down over time...


Next up is the oil cooler installation. We've spent a LOT of time figuring out how to make the oil cooler work, and optimise the airflow over and out the oil cooler. Here's a series of photos to give a view on this. The first is the bulkhead that will support the nose of the car: it needs to maximise rigidity so the front bodywork doesn't flex...


Next up is the oil cooler itself installed...


Now the clever bit, creating all the panel work around the front of the car, firstly the panels that sit on top of the sides of the bonnet...


And here they are installed...


And then the liners are added...


Before it's all welded together...


And hey presto, the front of the car is tied together in one cohesive piece...


Now, onto a small but important detail on the headlights. In a slavish nod to the Porsche RSK we've copied the headlight cover fixtures. I can only justify this by claiming that it was in period; David Small would've been looking around for inspiration on how to attach the covers; it's an elegant engineering feature to solving the fixing problem; etc. etc. Or I could just admit that I thought it cool and wanted to add it to the car...


And finally, while we're talking of inspiration, the GTL has lovely 'shields' that reduce drag just a little more, for the wipers, so we've emulated this on the Okrasa Special...




More in a couple of weeks, where I've no doubt more progress will have been made. I don't know about you, but I can see the finishing line to the build of the car. In an interesting twist, I dug out the original letter I have from David Small: the build of the car was started in 1958, so it HAS to be finished this year, exactly 60 years later...

[speedwell]

car looks totally different with the  headlamps holes , i like it steve

[Steve Wright]

Thanks, too late to change it now! 

[Wout]

Love it!

Don't know about the wiper inserts, prefered it without the litle bumps.

Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the finished product.

gr
Wout

[Steve Wright]

Another month, another update.... Little details now to finish off the build....

First up is the towing eye for the front of the car. this will be mounted to the subframe for the oil cooler. It needs to be bolted on as it needs to be removed prior to the front body work being removed....



Next up is an action shot of the already-completed Gurney roof bubble... Glad it's not me putting that curve in steel. It took three hours with that machine...



The next shot is one of my personal favourites for the whole build of the car. It's the lightening holes put into the tops of the sills. Not really required, but it all helps with weight saving, adds a bit of much needed access to the sill if we run pipes or wires along them, and looks just f*^king cool I think...



Another lovely shot here... this is the inside of the door. We decided a long time ago to put cut-outs in the door, again partly for weight saving, but also to give a bit more elbow room when you just need the space to 'crank the wheel'. Rather than put a simple rectangle in the door skin though we decided to follow the spaceframe...



Next up is the finished fuel filler cap. God this was a pain in the arse. The FIA requires all cars with a screw or Monza style filler cap to now have a modern threaded cap inside which is just horrible. Safer for sure, but horrible nonetheless. But this only applies if the cap sits proud of the. bodywork (it's in case the cap is ripped off in a crash...) so M&Y located it just under the bodywork line...



Here's the final make-up of the front bonnet and oil cooler ducting. So simple in it's final form but boy did this take some head scratching to make work. I'm pretty pleased with the final design, which ducts air over the oil cooler, through the bodywork, and vents it over the wipers, avoiding the need to dump it under the car and thereby creating lift...



The final few shots are of the doors, which are under final construction. Here's the VW bus rear latch push buttons in place, which we're using as door latches...



No door handles on this car, too much drag! Instead just small indents to get your fingers behind the door edge...



The latch needs to be floating to allow for adjustment of the door. An often overlooked detail on a special but crucial if you want gaps to be good all around....



Penultimate shot today is of the door latch, again made from scratch...



The final shot of the doors and indeed this session is the locating indent in the door for the Karmann Ghia/Porsche 356 door locator, that makes sure the door lines up square and shuts positively against the latch. All details but ones that mean the car will be a pleasure to use...



We're now into the final furlong, working out the myriad of small details, prior to me picking up the car and Ian installing the original engine that will be used for shakedown testing.... More in a month's time.

[Tobi/DFL]

Thank you for the update, Steve! This build is getting more and more impressive!!

Tobi

[Steve Wright]

Well there was a distinctly different vibe in the Mouland & Yates workshop today. A quick 'hello' and a cup of tea, and then it was back to the jobs they were on. A sense of urgency and purpose pervaded because there's a deadline that everyone is working to now. The cars first race (the Chateau Impney Hillclimb), is a little over eight weeks away. Nothing like a deadline to focus the mind! So we're now into the details, the snags, the little things that finish the car off or make it work. Here's a selection from today:

First up the workshop when I arrived. The bodywork has been gone over with a orbital sander and then scotch pad to flatten off the panels and put a decent dull to them.


Next up is Jefferey fitting the headlamps for the last time...
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Next up is Jefferey fitting the headlamps for the last time...
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The last time we'll see the door mechanism as the skins will go on this coming week. Nice and strong, and light as a feather...
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The last time we'll see the door mechanism as the skins will go on this coming week. Nice and strong, and light as a feather...
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Venting the oil cooler has been a monumental effort, both from a design perspective but also in making that design work. I didn't want to vent the air to the underside of the car as it increases lift, so we've ducted it through the boot area and then vented it between the scuttle and the edge of the bonnet. Good if it works...
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Venting the oil cooler has been a monumental effort, both from a design perspective but also in making that design work. I didn't want to vent the air to the underside of the car as it increases lift, so we've ducted it through the boot area and then vented it between the scuttle and the edge of the bonnet. Good if it works...
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The bodywork has turned out to be massively stiff. We didn't plan on having to rely on the bodywork for torsional rigidity, that's taken car of by the chassis and roll cage, but it's nice to have the bodywork strong. This shot gives you an insight into why it's so stiff...
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The bodywork has turned out to be massively stiff. We didn't plan on having to rely on the bodywork for torsional rigidity, that's taken car of by the chassis and roll cage, but it's nice to have the bodywork strong. This shot gives you an insight into why it's so stiff...
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here's the finished clamshell for the rear, minus the liners. This has been a big bit of work but turned out beautifully...
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Next up is Vic Mouland briefing Ian on how to remove the front bodywork. We hope we don't ever have to take it off, but just in case, it's only a matter of 10 bolts and a bit of giggling...
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Next up is Vic Mouland briefing Ian on how to remove the front bodywork. We hope we don't ever have to take it off, but just in case, it's only a matter of 10 bolts and a bit of giggling...
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Thought you would like this. How to scuff up a perfectly good shiny panel!
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Thought you would like this. How to scuff up a perfectly good shiny panel!
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Ian and Tom fitting the quarter panel for the last time (this time permanently) with filler cap, hose and breather all done...
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Ian and Tom fitting the quarter panel for the last time (this time permanently) with filler cap, hose and breather all done...
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The door latches have been a bastard to make work. Here's a final shot of the latch and lock mechanism. Hats off to the M&Y team for making it all work...
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The door latches have been a bastard to make work. Here's a final shot of the latch and lock mechanism. Hats off to the M&Y team for making it all work...
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The car will occasionally get driven on the road so needs to be road legal. Here's an insight into how much craftsmanship and experience goes into making the details work. 1950's VW/Porsche indicator mounts, fitted as though they were factory...
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The car will occasionally get driven on the road so needs to be road legal. Here's an insight into how much craftsmanship and experience goes into making the details work. 1950's VW/Porsche indicator mounts, fitted as though they were factory...
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The guys at M&Y are as anal about the details as I am. Notice how the notch in the Dzus fasteners all follow the edge of the panel...
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The guys at M&Y are as anal about the details as I am. Notice how the notch in the Dzus fasteners all follow the edge of the panel...
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The rear quarter panel getting it's final fettle before being riveted in place and lining up perfectly with the clamshell...
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The rear quarter panel getting it's final fettle before being riveted in place and lining up perfectly with the clamshell...
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All hands to the pump with just 13 working days till the car goes to Ian for fitting of engine and general fettling for our first race!
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All hands to the pump with just 13 working days till the car goes to Ian for fitting of engine and general fettling for our first race!
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I thought this shot gave a great perspective on the car, plus it also gives a lovely view of the M&Y workshop and the rear of the Special, complete now with cut-out...
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I thought this shot gave a great perspective on the car, plus it also gives a lovely view of the M&Y workshop and the rear of the Special, complete now with cut-out...
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And finally, photographic evidence that I've had a hand in actually doing some coachwork. I only held the dolly for about 3 seconds while the rivet was tapped flush, but at least I can hand on heart now say I've been involved in the coachwork!
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And finally, photographic evidence that I've had a hand in actually doing some coachwork. I only held the dolly for about 3 seconds while the rivet was tapped flush, but at least I can hand on heart now say I've been involved in the coachwork!
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Next instalment will be the final from M&Y, in 3 weeks time...

[dannyboy]

just amazing work ...

[Neil Davies]

Is the event you're aiming for the 7th and 8th of July? Might try to make it across for that, Worcestershire isn't far from me!

Edit: wrong date - one day out!

[Steve Wright]

it is indeed. come see it in the flesh 

[Neil Davies]

Its on the calendar now, may even get the wife's bus sorted for a spot of camping...
Good luck with getting it ready, it looks stunning.

[brewsy]

Hang on!!!

Where and when?

it is indeed. come see it in the flesh 

[Steve Wright]

Sorry should've mentioned. Car's debut will be at Chateau Impney Hillclimb, 7-8 July, Droitwich Spa (just near Birmingham England). We'll only be running the original Okrasa engine and standard gearbox, so I don't expect anything quick, but it will be nice to have the car out, and putting the 48th mile on as a race mile! Obviously you're all more than welcome to come and see it and say hello....

[Steve Wright]

So we're now into the final stretch. The big push. The last furlong. In what has been an epic journey. So let's start with the easy bit first! The rear window is 4mm perspex as per FIA requirements, but because it's pressurised (the air is being drawn in via the side windows) we need to ensure it doesn't get blown out and deposited on the track. So ten Dzus fasteners (the same as used for the rear window and front 'bonnet') are used to hold it in place for relatively quick access to the engine. Notice how all the fastener heads line up with the line of the window (much admired obsessive attention to detail)...

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Next up is the exhaust. We wanted something period, made from mild steel and while absolutely functional, also a work of art - Gary volunteered. The specification proved to be a bit of a nightmare as Gary had to maintain equal length primaries, bring them into the collector in firing order, and weave it around the gearbox, chassis, and roll bar. Gary made it to Ian's design, but with a bit of his own magic, making it along the lines of the Ferrari Sharknose one he did last time....

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Next up is the exhaust. We wanted something period, made from mild steel and while absolutely functional, also a work of art - Gary volunteered. The specification proved to be a bit of a nightmare as Gary had to maintain equal length primaries, bring them into the collector in firing order, and weave it around the gearbox, chassis, and roll bar. Gary made it to Ian's design, but with a bit of his own magic, making it along the lines of the Ferrari Sharknose one he did last time....

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I thought I would dive right into the build of the housing for the rear lights just to give an insight into how much work has gone into this car. I found a set of amazing period Bosch lamps at the Heissech swap meet last year and decided they would be perfect for the rear of the car. Here's a sequence just to show the fabrication work on the housing, something that won't ever be seen as the liner that fits into the rear wing will completely obscure it...

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I thought I would dive right into the build of the housing for the rear lights just to give an insight into how much work has gone into this car. I found a set of amazing period Bosch lamps at the Heissech swap meet last year and decided they would be perfect for the rear of the car. Here's a sequence just to show the fabrication work on the housing, something that won't ever be seen as the liner that fits into the rear wing will completely obscure it...

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Next up are the doors. Anyone who has tried to fit a set of doors during a restoration will know that along with fitting the headliner, this is one of the most tricky things to get right. And it has to be absolutely right; from the line of the panel looking down the car, to the shut lines, to the door mechanism working seamlessly and without ever being a problem. Here's a sequence showing Jefferey doing his magic...

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Next up are the doors. Anyone who has tried to fit a set of doors during a restoration will know that along with fitting the headliner, this is one of the most tricky things to get right. And it has to be absolutely right; from the line of the panel looking down the car, to the shut lines, to the door mechanism working seamlessly and without ever being a problem. Here's a sequence showing Jefferey doing his magic...

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The next photos of the car will be taken in my workshop - we pick up the car this Friday....

[peach_]

  Looks awesome! I be the old guy that orginally started the build would be very impressed!  
 
Can't wait to see it finished! What the plan, Hill Climbs?

[vwhelmot]

Wonderful , just as it should be.

[bean]

looks amazing - hats off to you for taking this on and sticking to an awe inspiring attention to detail.
much respect for the team for all the skills they've put into this project

[Steve Wright]

Well it was a pretty momentous day yesterday. After 15 months and some 2,000 hours of innovation, craftsmanship and experience, the Okrasa Special rolled out into the English sunshine for the first time as a finished car. To say I was pleased would be a huge understatement. A massive thanks must go to the team at Mouland & Yates who have pulled off a small miracle frankly. They 'got' the car from the first day and have brought something special to the Special. I'm indebted to them for making the car a reality - thanks guys. Just one shot of the car (and team) outside their workshop, before the car was whisked away by Ian to get it up and running for it's first competitive outing at Chateau Impney in four weeks time....

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[andy198712]

amazing job!!

[Tobi/DFL]

Fantastic result!!!

[Wout]

Wow, just wow!!!