13-07-2019, 08:49 AM
Having built various specials over the years, I would advocate using plywood! Never mind the expensive aircraft grade stuff, we are talking about Austin 7's. I use normal birch plywood in 3mm and 4mm thickness, if you build up the edges by laminating so they are around 12mm thick you get an incredibly strong structure. I use Evostick Resin W glue (the waterproof variety).
The Pytchley Special was built this way, the floorpan was based on my RL saloon and was made out of a single 8' x 4' sheet of 10mm plywood with 1" x 1" ash timbers along the edges of the transmission tunnel and rear heelboard.
If I was building an open Austin 7 special, I would base the body on an MG M-Type or Austin 7 Mulliner, similar to Ian's car featured above.
I achieved a fabric finish by covering the plywood shell with thin curtain lining material glued on with varnish, then an eggshell paint finish. Much cheaper than a normal fabric finish and it does not have that plasticky over stuffed look. It has been on about ten years and does not seem to be deteriorating.
The Pytchley Special was built this way, the floorpan was based on my RL saloon and was made out of a single 8' x 4' sheet of 10mm plywood with 1" x 1" ash timbers along the edges of the transmission tunnel and rear heelboard.
If I was building an open Austin 7 special, I would base the body on an MG M-Type or Austin 7 Mulliner, similar to Ian's car featured above.
I achieved a fabric finish by covering the plywood shell with thin curtain lining material glued on with varnish, then an eggshell paint finish. Much cheaper than a normal fabric finish and it does not have that plasticky over stuffed look. It has been on about ten years and does not seem to be deteriorating.