Hot Rods The Belly Button Bucket Build Thread

I’m gonna try to keep up on regular posts in order to stay motivated- the downside of this is you guys have to suffer through infinitely slow progress and see all my mistakes.

That curved layup I did the other day- I split that in half lengthwise- these will be building blocks for the left and right sub dash. I also cut some strips of straight pieces, which were remnants of previous layups.

Using the wire form as a guide, I developed a rough way to bond the pieces together in sections - here is the first part of that layup. I am using fiberglass filler to get started as I can easily mix it in small batches and it dries quickly. Sorta winging it, but tune in to watch the madness.

 

Getting further along. I managed to get the two halves into their rough shapes. Basically there are two straight sections bonded to a curved section in the middle for each half. I needed a little more bend in two areas, and I managed to cheat that out using a heat gun and light pressure forming it over the plastic pipe.

Now I’m thinking I make some flanges for mounting and trim to fit the car.

 

I love slow progress posts because they are where you -generally - find the new information on tech or trouble shooting.

it was busted then I fixed it is cool but down the road it doesn’t really help anyone. Thanks for all the tid bits

 

Crafty work Tim. Nice to see the updates.

 

Sweet! I haven't ventured out much since, well you know!
I should probably go back and read through everything again. Your build lit a fire.

 

Well my wire form lied to me, so I will need to likely re-do the layup for these pieces. It’s close but not quite there. I could scab in a couple sections, but I think it’s best to start over with what I learned on the first try.

Here’s sort of an idea of what I’m going for - it makes it look like it’s crowding your feet but the waterfall piece lives about 4” off the floor on the trans tunnel, so your feet have 13” from the floor and 6” from top of toe board to the sub dash. I couldn’t get a good picture from in the car because I would need about 6 hands, so this will have to do:

 

Had a thought last night about making a complete new layup- I will likely just be using it as a template, so I decided to re-use the various pieces laying around. I have family in town for the weekend, so I will be spending time with them, but this morning I was able to get a couple pieces laid up. I’m really excited to make this work as it will solve a number of issues hiding things, as well as satisfy the aesthetic I’m hoping to achieve.

 

Well, still getting my taint kicked in on this but I’m learning a little with every kick. I should be able to do another layup tonight and transfer this template over, planning ahead for extra material to account for the large gaps in a couple places. I’m starting to see the shape I have in my head.

 

Dad, Tim said "taint"!

 

Got the passenger side sub dash fitting pretty decent:

 

Today, bravery took place.

 

You are a brave man, Tim!

 

Ouch!! But I know it's going to be even better!

 

I just took a 2nd look at the picture above, and noticed that your pedals are shaped similarly to the ones I used. Great minds think alike. I don't have an excuse how we did that! Quantum entanglement maybe?

Both of us wondering how to get feet to fit 3 pedals? I can't explain it...

 

"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?" Sherlock Holmes

It's the only placement that's right. Of course you both came to the same conclusion.

 

I just hope Tim's feet aren't 8E width. You have normal feet, no problem. Ducks feet, that's a problem...

 

Well, I devised a way to hold the dash in place to evaluate placement. With the dash centered in the car, the ends look wayyyyyyy wrong. So, I think I am going to be lining it up where the ends look correct, then figuring out a way to make the waterfall in such a way that the centerline skew is not obvious.

While the dash is out, I can figure out defrost vents, glass in the firewall brace, mount the heater box, and tend to a few other small issues before sticking it back in. I’m toying with the idea of making the dash removable, but for right now I’m going to focus on the other items mentioned in this paragraph.

I took this week off work, in an effort to make some progress on the car, as well as spend time with family. To make things easy for me, my daily/only running vehicle has decided the transmission’s time to die is very soon, so I’m gonna be taking it into a shop in the morning…. On one hand, that’s good timing in that I don’t have to commute to work, but on the other hand, I’ll be making skateboard trips to the hardware store lol. Oh well, should be an adventure at least.

 

"Everybody's Side-Walk Surfin'..." .
Marcus...

 

At least it’s not January I suppose.

 

Tim, I've got a poorly scabbed together flat panel in mine. I have been watching, but now I'm going be following very closely. I don't aspire to your level of design, fab and additions, but will have to do something.

 

Hey RSR, I'm thinking that a better way around our problems would be to invite Tim for a weeks visit. You're closer to needing his help, so that way he goes west first. I'm just saying...

 

This would be a pretty economical and reasonably easy way to swap out your dash when the time comes:

 

I do believe I had my name in the hat first!

 

Okay so you're first, RSR is 2nd, and I'm 3rd. PNW, SOCAL, east coast, should be a good workout for Tim's t.

 

He's close enough to me he could go home for lunch, I guess I could spring for a burger.

 

SHHH! pretty soon he will want us all to feed him!

@Tim_with_a_T see the latest post in my build. I didn't want to clog yours.

@Dave G in Gansevoort not CA, mid AZ! Close enough from way over there.

 

Got the daily dropped off at the transmission shop and managed to wake up early enough to scheme a last minute hardware store run on the way there. I probably looked like a drug dealer to my Uber driver with my baggie of nuts and bolts stashed in my hoodie. I’ve got a breakfast pizza cooking in the oven and a cup of decaf… gonna head out to the garage after a bit and turn it up to 12. Hopefully this week is not wasted.

 

Also, I wouldn’t mind assisting with various fiberglass projects. I’m slowly getting more comfortable, although I feel I still have a lot to learn!

 

I'm sure you have plenty to keep you busy Tim, but I'll PM my address in case you get bored with yours!