More metal

Well, I came to do the seat mounts, turned out it's going to use a fair bit more metal than I thought. It's amazing how such short lengths become big lengths when there's quite a few of them. So I had to get some more, but getting back to Camp Steel is challenging, especially with work and Birmingham traffic.

So I found Steel Express in Wolverhampton, round the back of where Strykers used to be on the Stafford Road. A length of 1 inch and one length of 3/4 inch cost just over £40 for the pair. They're actually longer than the Camp Steel ones, 7.5 metres, so the price is a bit more expensive than Camp steel but less fuel (and time!) to pick up.

I just needed to take my hacksaw and chop it up into 2.5m sections. Interestingly, my SEAT saloon was able to take 3 metre sections, whereas the Mercedes estate can only take 2.5m max!!

So now I have sufficient metal to continue, but as ever the time available is limited. Once the seat bars are fitted and I can put the seat in, I'll be able to gauge the position of the steering wheel and pedals.

Then again... am I going about this the wrong way? The seat is adjustable, but the relationship between pedals and steering wheel isn't. Perhaps that is the 'magic number' I ought to be considering.

I'll have a think about that...

(Later that day)

OK, I've thought about it. If I sit on the floor with my feet and hands in roughly the right place, I think there will be 70 centimetres from the pedal box rear panel to the steering wheel. The same 70 centimetres works for the Merc so it seems like a good number. Therefore it doesn't really matter where the seat will be, as long as the distance between feet and hands is maintained.

Let the cutting begin!