AydinZ71 Posted May 30 Author Share Posted May 30 This is what a 5-hour job looks like I felt like something was missing in the rear strut towers. The series one has a tendency to “taco” under torque. Removing the bench behind the seats would just make it worse, so I added a 16-gauge 1.25” tube at 90-degrees to the roll bar. I really need to get back to body and paint 😕 IMG_8647.MOV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AydinZ71 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 (edited) Polycarb windshield has been cut, mounted, and removed ahead of bodywork/paint. Came-up 1/2” short on the ends (these are hard to do!) so I made some fabricated stainless flanges on each end which serve as a cover for the gap, and also distribute force from the mounting bolts. This should also help a bit with the “bubble” effect from single point forces on the plastic, when viewing from an angle. also had the doors media blasted. Uncovered a poor door-handle delete job which only had a handful of tack welds holding it in place. Fixed it, but also had some wicked metal deformation to deal with. Used my MIG setup to heat-shrink the bowing spots and hammer-dolied the rest to a reasonable curvature. Converted the passenger door skin’s failing Dsuz fittings to all quick-latch. spent hours trying to align and get them all yo click without any pre-load or binding. Was happy with the results! Back to bodywork. PS: the video shows me removing it with the quik-latches. cut the length so it can post. IMG_8753.MOVIMG_8738.MOV Edited June 13 by AydinZ71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkspeed Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 That's a creative idea for the windshield. I always cut oversize to a template I have and then work it back down with a sander. If I ever mess that up, I will copy you for sure. If there is 1 thing I learned building the tube car, it's adapting what you have to what you need. Try your best to mount it flush with surrounding metal. Which it looks like you side panels do that. If you can, try to get the window to have a smooth transition onto the roof. Depending on what you end up with, maybe some caulk or rtv to smooth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AydinZ71 Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 (edited) You read my mind. I have 1/4" wide #8 alluminum spacers in different lengths precisely to offset the windshield from the sill and make it as flush to the bodyline as possible. The stainless bezels do a great job of creating a nearly flat transition on the ends of the windshield as well. What I REALLY want to find is 2-component outdoor urethane rubber to fill the gap between the polycarbonate and the sill. 3M makes a single component moisture-cure product but nothing beats the durability and strength of a 2X urethane. They must not sell it to the general public because I keep coming up deuces. I KNOW they make it, since its used in manufacturing. The floppy urethane bumpers sold by MSA are made from vacuum mold injected 2X urethane. PS: you always FK up your first one... Its super hard without a template for sure. its very difficult to estimate the length with the curvature since the geometry is kind-of complicated and you have to take-into account the offset from the sill. Edited June 14 by AydinZ71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AydinZ71 Posted June 17 Author Share Posted June 17 Updates: - sanding the previously-applied epoxy primer in the engine bay. Tried using a small sanding block and quickly realized this need to be done with fingers alone. Ahhh the joys of paint & body. I burned-through in a few spots so il do some spot application when I spray the interior as well. - the passenger door skin is only 20-gauge sheet with a folded lap joint on the outside edge. The rear of the door was off the body-line by about 3/8” so I used a single adjustable bump stop to make the correction. I could have worked the metal to make the adjustment but I like the idea of applying constant force outward on the door. Will help with vibration and keep the door flush over-time if the steel exhibits some warping. -color. I’m going with Malibu sunset in the top and silver on the sides. Silver interior with flat black where the drivers eyes meet the windshield and rear hatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AydinZ71 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 Shakotan Marugen fares are in. Anyone know which ones go in the front? Two are wider than the others. Are there only two distinct molds (front/back) or is there a left/right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusion Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 I just installed mine. The fronts are obvious and easy to tell which side is which. Rears are much more subtle. From my research and fitment, you want the flares oriented with the wider portion towards the front of the car. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AydinZ71 Posted June 22 Author Share Posted June 22 13 hours ago, fusion said: I just installed mine. The fronts are obvious and easy to tell which side is which. Rears are much more subtle. From my research and fitment, you want the flares oriented with the wider portion towards the front of the car. Hope that helps. It does help, thank you! No experience with flares. I'm going out on a limb and assuming the wider flares in my picture are for the back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusion Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Yes. The fronts are skinnier and have a more pronounced bend to contour the fender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AydinZ71 Posted June 27 Author Share Posted June 27 First time spraying base-clear urethane. Made lots of mistakes and have a lot of runs, but live and learn! To be fair, painting an engine bay with added stiffeners and sharp angles is tough, even for the experienced. Sprayed epoxy. Sprayed silver urethane base coat 8 hours later, followed by clear. Masked off the urethane and scuffed the overlap yo give it some “tooth” for the asphalt (3M) undercoating. All still within the epoxy cute window so it should harden rock solid. Working on prep work in the interior but it’s hot as heck out here! Stay cool my friends. IMG_8831.MOV 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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