Went down to the factory today to see how they were getting on with the build.

A week ago it was like this:



Today it was like this:



So what had been done in the meantime.

First, fit the alloy fuel tank:







Second, assemble and fit the CF dash:







Third fit the discs and calipers:

Here's the nearside front



Add a reversing and fog light



Get a shiny new Civic Type R engine:



Some of the Honda engine loom is then removed and replaced by replaced by part of Ariel's own loom and then it's installed in the frame:





You'll notice that the stock exhaust manifold has been removed and it's replaced by this:



The standard gear linkage isn't used. Instead they use one from a Mazda:



Another view:



Drive shafts are connected up and the rest of the exhaust, including for the purposes of the IVA a Cat, is connected up:







Once the IVA is obtained the Cat Bypass Pipe replaces the Cat - on the right in the last photo - and is then just replaced for MOTs in due course.

 

Rear Dampers are added:





Rear indicators/brake lights are added:



The radiator is installed in the front:



and the front panels:



Kelvin was installing the front dampers when I arrived:



The damper is connected at the front, then the spring is unwound at the front which allows the spring to be decompressed and connected at the rear - the compression is then reapplied.



You'll see that all the dampers are Bilsteins with adjustable compression and rebound on a scale of 1 to 10.

The build should be completed by the end of next week and then the car is taken to the DVLA/VOSA office in Exeter for the IVA which should occur the week after that so I am on track to take delivery in March assuming the weather improves.

 

Looks great

And how pleasant to be bolting all those new parts together!

 

Really does look wonderful.

 

 

looking cool. i want to see the final thing though, i'm rubbish at visualising what it will look like done (in that colour)

 

Imagine an Atom.

Now imagine it with white panels & a blue frame. And some token black bits.

Not to everyone's tastes, but a change from the inevitable red/silver like my old Gileras.

 

I'm loving this build thread! Great work by Kelvin!

 

You're assuming i have an imagination. I drive a german car and a jap one.

 

I'm an accountant and even I have an imagination.

Actually, a lot of the time I imagine I'm not an accountant...