RADICAL CUSTOM
I made the brackets myself. The boot
frame is steel, but to save weight the
actual lid is GRP. There are gas struts.”
"As with the doors, and f lip front, I
wanted a smooth look, with no exterior
handles etc, so I've fitted electronic
release mechanisms that are operated
remotely. The locking mechanisms are
from a Ford Focus MkI."
"And, although I painted the bodyshell,
it was my very understanding wife, Lucy,
who with her feminine touch, applied the
large Honda decal to the roof."
Rhys may be someone who embraces
such bold stylistic additions, but he hasfrom an electric armchair. I found it in a
skip, and the metal struts are from a
pasting table. Waste not, want not!"OPEN AND SHUT CASE
"After designing the f lip front, I was
pondering what to do with the doors
when Kevin, a good mate of mine,
suggested suicide doors," grins Rhys.
"That was it. I'm always up for a challenge
so I decided to go for suicide doors and a
side-opening bootlid for good measure.”
"To cope with the door stresses, I
strengthened the B posts. With the boot,
the hinges are from a late 1990’s Audi A4.“Barely a week goes past without me
having done some mod or another...”
Spot the standard part! The
floors get a regular mowing
to keep them tidy...TECH SPEC
BODY All-steel (with exception of GRP grill
and bootlid), laminated windscreen, Autoplas
rear louvre.
ENGINE 1797cc, B18C4 V-Tec 16-valve, Skunk2
inlet manifold, 4 into 1 Japspeed exhaust
manifold, P72 ECU, Fireblade silencer.
Power:190 bhp.
GEARBOX Five-speed Honda S9B LSD, Watson
Rally remote master cylinder.
SUSPENSION Hi-Lo's front and rear with GAZ
dampers and polybushes.
BRAKES Mini Sport alloy four-pot calipers,
EBC Green Stuff pads, dimpled/grooved discs,
Superfin rear drums, dual-line master cylinder,
Goodridge braided hoses.
WHEELS AND TYRES 7x13 inch Starmag
wheels with 175/50/13 Yokohama A539 tyres.
INTERIOR Alfa Romeo GTV seats, Autostitch
doorcards and gear lever gaiter, Wired by
Wilson switch panel, digital instrument panel,
centre binnacle, modified S2000 speedo,
show cage."Recently, I modified the way the f lip
front operates. I prefer to engineer things
myself. And, if possible, I like to use
things that other people have discarded.
I'm a commercial electrical engineer by
trade, and visit many different sites
during the course of my work. The
concertina hinges that raise the front areCustom lights hide behind Autoplas louvre.Luxurious seats lifted
from an Alfa GTV.RADICAL CUSTOM
I madethebracketsmyself. The boot
frameis steel,buttosave weight the
actuallidis GRP.Thereare gas struts.”
"Aswiththedoors,and f lip front, I
wanteda smoothlook,with no exterior
handlesetc,soI'vefitted electronic
releasemechanismsthat are operated
remotely.Thelockingmechanisms are
froma FordFocusMkI."
"And,althoughI painted the bodyshell,
it wasmyveryunderstanding wife, Lucy,
whowithherfemininetouch, applied the
largeHondadecaltothe roof."
Rhysmaybesomeone who embraces
suchboldstylisticadditions, but he hasfromanelectricarmchair.I foundit ina
skip,andthemetalstrutsarefroma
pastingtable.Wastenot,wantnot!"OPENANDSHUTCASE
"Afterdesigningthef lipfront,I was
ponderingwhattodowiththedoors
whenKevin,a goodmateofmine,
suggestedsuicidedoors,"grinsRhys.
"Thatwasit.I'malwaysupfora challenge
soI decidedtogoforsuicidedoorsanda
side-openingbootlidforgoodmeasure.”
"Tocopewiththedoorstresses,I
strengthenedtheB posts.Withtheboot,
thehingesarefroma late1990’sAudiA4.“Barely a weekgoes past without me
having done some modor another...”
Spot the standard part! The
floors get a regular mowing
tokeepthemtidy...BODY All-steel (with exception of GRP grill
and bootlid), laminated windscreen, Autoplas
rear louvre.
ENGINE 1797cc, B18C4 V-Tec 16-valve, Skunk2
inlet manifold, 4 into 1 Japspeed exhaust
manifold, P72 ECU, Fireblade silencer.
Power:190 bhp.
GEARBOX Five-speed Honda S9B LSD, Watson
Rally remote master cylinder.
SUSPENSION Hi-Lo's front and rear with GAZ
dampers and polybushes.
BRAKES Mini Sport alloy four-pot calipers,
EBC Green Stuff pads, dimpled/grooved discs,
Superfin rear drums, dual-line master cylinder,
Goodridge braided hoses.
WHEELS AND TYRES 7x13 inch Starmag
wheels with 175/50/13 Yokohama A539 tyres.
INTERIOR Alfa Romeo GTV seats, Autostitch
doorcards and gear lever gaiter, Wired by
Wilson switch panel, digital instrument panel,
centre binnacle, modified S2000 speedo,
show cage."Recently, I modified the way the f lip
front operates. I prefer to engineer things
myself. And, if possible, I like to use
things that other people have discarded.
I'm a commercial electrical engineer by
trade, and visit many different sites
during the course of my work. The
concertina hinges that raise the front are
Custom lights hide behind Autoplas louvre.Luxurious seats lifted
from an Alfa GTV.