Robert's Rochdale Olympic Repairs

2002: The bump

To be fair Robert had just spent 4 years restoring this Olympic from a wreck. It must have been pretty devastating to break it again. Also he banged his head - a significant factor perhaps in his decision to rebuild the car once more.

2002 in detail: Background and the bump

2003: A rear diffuser

The floor was practically the only part of the car that wasn't damaged.

So it made sense to start off the repairs by completely replacing the floor with a new one which incorporates a rear diffuser.

2003 in detail: A new floor with rear diffuser

2004: A fiberglass front subframe

Rochdale Olympics originally had a steel tubular front subframe. It was a horrific design and only loosely bonded into the car.

Robert decided there would be none of this nasty steel in this latest incarnation of his car, so spent 2004 making a glassfibre subframe.

2004 in detail: Building the subframe and some panels arrive

2005: The roof and front end

Supply of new panels had been a bit of an issue, but they arrived at the end of last year.

I think we might see a reasonably complete Rochdale Olympic appear by the end of this year.

2005 in detail: Fitting the roof and front end

2006: Completing the bodyshell?

It seemed about there already. If if were me or you we'd throw some paint on, fit an engine and drive around a bit. But it turns out things are much more complicated.

We probably wouldn't consider the need for a bonded in windscreen, and some slackers might not have bothered putting in half a year of work to save a couple of kilograms from the doors.

2006 in detail: Finishing the body

2007: Latest news as it happens

In a surprise start to 2007 Robert learned to weld, and quickly went on to fabricate some new upper wishbones and put some wheels on.

Perhaps we'll see a bit of paint in the summer of 2007. Who knows. Check the detail page to see what happens.

See 2007 in detail