Steve, We sometimes have that same problem with getting the wheel off on supermodifieds. Just FYI, one solution is to tap threads directly into the caliper holes and bolt the caliper bracket on the outside. That way it's possible to pull the caliper bolts out and remove the hub nut and everything comes off the spindle together. Gives you a little more room to work if needed.
Not much happening as winter is now upon us but i did have to put in a firewall behind the seats, was going to use aluminium sheet but decided using 3mm ply was easier and once it had some glass & resin on it it would stiffen up. Did it in 2 pieces for speed and ease. Heres the opening to block off First a template was cut and tried for fit. Next a layer of glass mat was applied to each side. All glassed in place, like a steel panel now. Also got my battery box made up & fitted. Also when i went to the chrome shop this week some of my cage/seat mounts had been done, He is doing it in between jobs so hopefully the rest will be done next week.
I've ignored my family for the better part of the afternoon reading these posts. Fantastic!! Your craftsmanship is without peer, my good man. I can't wait to see what's up your sleeve next!! Subscribed!
Thanks for the kind comments, hopefully I will have something to post shortly. Sent from my iPhone using TJJ
You are a machine...Its interesting to see the challenges that go along with a glass build! As usual you make it look way to easy!
Langy, I've been just lurking here for quite a while. I truely enjoy watching a craftsman build his car. I also have a "plastic" car that I built myself much as you are doing. About the stage you are at I began thinking of the interior. I'm pro Street rather than "gasser" and my car was created with the idea that it would be driven as close to daily as possible. To date a little over 2 seasons I'm at 17k miles. I'm not sure whether you are going with the gqsser spartan interior or a more conventional upholstered style. I'm split. Upholstered headliner and seats but aluminum sheet inside door skins. So far. Here are a couple of shots of the roof bows that I made. They are cut from premium oak and glued where necessary. I made the mistake of glassing 3 of them to the roof. Don't do this!! My body is thouroughly oven cured and I thought the new resin would not affect it. Not so. the outer skin or gel coat shrank enough that it caused ripples in my fresh paint job. I was able to cut them out and over the last summer the heat relaxed the mess and it is hardly visible now. The new roof bows are installed with silicone sealer which allows a micro amount of movement as the body expands and contracts. Just something for you to consider. I also bought an industrial sewing machine and spent a couple months learning to use it. I then created the head liner and carpeting along with a number of other car projects. Your build thread is great so I won't hyjack further unless you would like some of my thoughts.
Thanks dude, I guess having a few builds under my belt over the years makes it easier, but as you get older a different problem arises All the damage you do to your body when your younger comes back to haunt ya, I raced cars in my younger days and crashes were part of it all, these days i find the various breakages come back as stiffness in the joints, but you just have to ignore it and keep battling on i guess.
I gave my Mags to a machinist as the plan has changed slightly and i needed more accuracy than the old bridgeport i use has, I needed to come up with a pair of grease retaining caps for the outside of the hub so i spun a pair up in the lathe from 2.5" aluminium bar. Firstly i bored out the shape and then turned the outside shape into the bar, then the outside was sanded to a nice radius. The first one came out perfect But i screwed up on the second one by taking off to much material, these are only 1/16" thick so it was easily done I always say everybody screws up occassionaly but the important thing is how you rescue the situation and save the day by not having to remake another !!! Welding was my first thought, Now i don't do much aluminium welding and certainly not on something this thin !!! Anyway popped over to see my mate Gary and we decided to have a go at it, as soon as the TIG sparked up it blew a hole so it was decided to run 2 beads 1/4" apart with 1.6mm rod and then fill in the gap between with 3mm rod, It worked a treat although doesn't look pretty !!! Back at the workshop it went back in the lathe and the inside was rebored and cleaned out, then the outside was recontoured and sanded. A liner was made to be a slide fit inside so it could be gripped securley in the chuck. A quick wipe up on the polisher and the job was done, 3 equidistant holes were drilled for machne screws that secure it to the wheel hub.
For an old bloke - not bad, not bad at all! Shame your putting it aside for a while but then - I want to see your Coupe project as well.
I just found and read the entire build, I must say i am very impressed, especially since i am building a race car with a nearly identical looking pickup glass body and know some of the pitfalls you have encountered with the build. cant wait to read more and get more ideas from your build thanks from another old guy ...sam
i dont know the name but it came out of knoxville tennesse i think .. it looks identical to yours from the pics only iof course a pickup...
Had to paint some kitchen cabinet doors today so thought while i had the gun out i would do a test piece to see what my Blue flake was going to look like. I chose the master cylinder as I had already smoothed it out a bit. First up i gave it a couple of coats of Epoxy primer After it had dried it got a quick key up with 600 wet and a coat of Black epoxy on it, I've decided to use a Black basecoat this time as it will save me a lot of work when i paint the body, I can primer it in Black and then go straight on with the blue flake therefore saving money on bascoat and time.
hey Steve....looks great! as usual.... i've been down at my workshop this weekend starting to paint my 331 Cadillac engine that you got me the blue epoxy for....its very similar to what you've just done! hope all's well, and i expect i'll be down again soon with some more parts for chroming. cheers mate....James in Dalston.
Very impressive work, langy. Damn, if this is a low budget build, what would a "customer-writes-the-big-check" build look like?
Appreciate the comments, The higher buck builds i don't post pics of i'm afraid, the customers don't like it for some reason.
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