Another use for a laser pointer

[blueovalz]

Besides laying out perfectly straight lines on a contoured body, a laser pointer can be very useful for creating perfect wheel arches on custom bodywork or fenders (quarterpanels). I spent about 2 hours fabricating an adjustable arm that bolts onto the hub and holds the laser pointer.

[Guest Smooth Operator]

Awesome! Too bad it can't do the cutting too.

[Guest Drewz]

How about also mounting the plasma head to it for a smooth arc??

[spotfitz]

Terry,

This is a very good idea as a use for the lazer pointer, but wouldn't it have been just as easy to put the sharpy on your adjustable swing arm? I know that takes all the fun out of it and finding new ways to do it is almost asmuch fun as actually doing it, but I'm curious.

[Wagz]

Cool! I've been thinking about fabricating something like that to slip onto the output shaft of my T56 to help line up with the differential. It would (should) be easier to use than a solid drive shaft.

[TomoHawk]

one of those laser levels can paint a straight line the whole length of the car.

It seems kinda slow to follow the laser along with a pen.

[jhaag]

Terry: In one of the photos at your site (THE best site I've ever seen for Z mods!), you state the curvature of the flare on the rear fender " was designed as a constant radius curve on the front, centered on the axle sweeping up and then back." (http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/detailfs?userid={7DC317B0-8EDB-4B2E-A837-F708D07C9769}&ndx=5&slideshow=0&AlbumId={FB2CE89A-35F4-49B6-A639-66CB748F5594}&GroupId={7D05C450-0A20-4BFA-A1F1-410D8FDF3845}&screenheight=600)

 

I love what you did but I don't understood exactly how you did it. Is the laser pointer method you describe here the same method you used to mark the edges of the flare on the original body? Or is the photo caption descibing the curvature of the flare as it sticks away from the original bodywork? Thanks

John

[blueovalz]

Spotfitz,

The reason I did not use the sharpie mounted in the swingarm was because the flare moves toward and away from the swingarm as I rotate the arm around the circumference of the wheel opening. This required the sharpie (or any other marking instrument) to be able to slide in and out of the tool, which was a bit troublesome. The laser, when correctly aligned, shoots the beam perfectly so that the wheel opening will always remain perfectly round, regardless of the side contours, when viewed straight-on from the axle. This also allows quick reference by moving it from one side of the car to the other quickly to verify symetry between openings. It is important to note that the car must be at a level ride height, and the front wheels MUST be pointed straight ahead for these openings to be symetrical.

 

Jhaag,

The reference to the constant radius was as viewed from a tangent of a radial from the axle. It is roughly a 6" radius curve from the door skin, up until the tanget of this curve meets the tangent of the curve (roughly 4") that then sweeps the opposite direction around the outside edges of the tires. These two curves (as viewed as a cross-section of the flares front contour) create sort of a "S" curve, and remain the same from the bottom of the front of the flare up until they blend into the top of the quarterpanel where the panel's top is essentially a flat transition from the roof pillar down the the 4" radius curve that again wraps around the edges of the tire.