Being a metalworker I'm surprised at the choice of birch ply for the skin. It is strong, light and usually good quality material, in fact we specify it as the only suitable ply for bar tops that we clad, but I would have thought aluminium would be a better and easier to work material.
I suppose that if it gets a ding it won't bounce back as ply might but even so, 1 or 1.2 mm ali would be my choice.
More information please...

Location: Ripon

Hi Ruairidh

You're right Tom is the authority on Brooklands construction.
I'll give him a call.

I'm pondering how much of a replica my own project is to be
It may turn out to be more BG than GE !

The pinned, screwed and glued ash frame here is immensely strong
Even without the outer skin whatever that might turnout to be.
With an alloy skin it would only be a little heavier and could still be fabric covered

Your birch ply body is a work of art and I can see why you are so pleased with it.

However there's a local lorry builder near who has lots of alloy off cuts!

Regards

Bill G

Location: Scottish Borders

Was the skin in ply on the original Gordon Cup model? If so, what thickness was it and will you use the same?
My interest is really more academic than anything else. I've always taken an interest in "Engineering in Wood" since I found a factory by chance in the Lakes 40-odd years ago and I had to go in to see what Engineers in Wood did.
They were making aerofoil sections for light aircraft among other things.

Location: Ripon

Hi Duncan,

It is my understanding that the frame on GE Cup Models were originally skinned in ply.

Peter will be using 1.5mm birch ply to skin the frame in the photos above.

I hope we get to see photos before the Rexine goes on please!

Location: Ripon

Absolutely!

Complete - very happy I am!

This is almost A7 pornography...

Location: Gard, France 30960

A lovely job, I'm most impressed. ! In my local we call it cartography...

Location: Ripon

its always a pleasure to see a job done properly.

tony

Location: huncote on the pig

That is stunning R!

Wow - that is the best cup body construction I have seen.
This gives you the amazing opportunity to have a truly superb car which I am sure it will be.

Location: The Centre of the Universe

Superb job R, I'm quite jealous!

Location: Near M1 Jtn 28

A stunning piece of workmanship! Can't wait to see the completed car! Ashley

Location: Upside down at present

Lovely workmanship and style.
I'll be interested in where and how you place the padding over the rear bootlid, to minimize the barebones/gaunt look. Perhaps a retaining upstand around the inner circle? congratulations, Russell

Location: oz

The boot has an aluminium skin Russell - a work of art on its own.

Thank you for all the comments on Peter's work he is aware of them and pleased to get such positive feedback.

Well that makes perfect sense. I see you have followed Colin Chapmans advice and added dollops of lightness. It should fly.

Location: oz

I see the hand of a small assistant in the lower right corner, starting young eh?

From day 1 Duncan!

I collected the Cup body from Inver Models in Nairn on Saturday and brought it back to my workshop.

Peter took some nice photos of the new and old bodywork I had collected together:

Ruairidh,

Looks fantastic! Have you worked out where to get pink rexine from yet?

For everyone elses benefit... in John Bolsters book "motoring is my business" he describes two cups owned by him and his brother in the 30s. One pink and the other made by an employee of fraser nash from an ulster running gear and cup body.

Bolster also describes the strengthening straps on Ruairidh's chassis. The chassis with added braces were supplied by the works as a spare for rebuilding cups after the first chassis had expired!

R

Location: The 3D shed, Tewkesbury

Salmon Pink - hmmmm :)

They were certainly bright, Art Deco, colours?

When I saw my friend's '29 Rosengart this summer the colour scheme appealed.

What do you reckon Rob?

What a shame to lose the excellent patina the original body had...and thing about all those poor homeless woodworm!

I have to say the new body looks absolutely superb...how about going for the mottl;ed effect that appeared on cups in those early photographs? Now that would be proper art deco...

Nice job, what are you going to do with the original body?

I recently weighed my Cup and Dad's Chummy using my Mum's batheroom scales. (I gave her a very vague explantation when I asked her to lend them to me...). I measured each corner in turn with the other wheels on blocks to keep it horizontal.

I can't remember the exact weights - but I think it was around 410kg and 425kg respectively. In any case, I was surprised that the Cup was only marginally lighter than the Chummy. I suppose that a large proportion of the weight is in the running gear so you have to have a very light body to have a major effect on the overall weight.

Beauty of course is in the eye of the beholder but should you choose to decorate your Cup à la façon de cette petite Rosengart I might be tempted to never speak to you again. It looks like a pedal car. (IMHO)

No offence intended.

Location: Gard, France 30960

It's a lovely looking job Ruairidh, can't wait to see the finished article.

Location: Stretham, Ely

Neither can I and thank you.