Another day of attaching aluminum panels to the framework. There are literally hundreds of little bolts that hold the panels. Each one has to be located, drilled, countersunk, backplate welded, tapped, dimpled and installed. It seems like that's all we've done for the last few months. Today saw the last of it. All the panels are now attached. All the crew is relieved. Heres a few pictures of the final shape of our lakester. Not a one of us knew how to form panels, but with a lot of trial and error, as well as lots of helpful tips from HAMBers we've got it looking pretty good. There is still a lot of hammer and dolly work to do, but we know we can get through that just fine. Its an interesting task to take on something that was previously out of our abilities. As a buddy once told me, "you gotta mutate or die". I hope these pics give you a sense of what our project will look like. We are looking forward to not spending scores of hours tapping more holes.
Close guess. I do work in the amu*****t business, and I guess it's just kinda in my blood. Here's a view of that side of the shop.
Chaz, nice progress. I have a question though. Where is your peripheral vision? Have you just not added it? Wayno
Thats a cool shop! Thanks for the car updates Chaz, make sure we get video with sound someday! I wanna see / hear that thing run!
We do have 120 degrees of vision out that window. That was what was required a year ago when we started the project. The new rule just says "Adequate" vision. (I guess there wasn't enough grey area in the rules the way they were) I gotta tell you though, after looking at that Jocko Johnson streamliner on ebay last week, we've discussed adding side windows just for that "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" appeal. That car rocked!
Funny you mentioned that EBay Jocko missile. I took a good first hand look at it yesterday. One of my Customers won it, flew to Vegas to get it. Needs alot of work to finish it, though. Looks like it will get a small displacement turbo motor. Next year.........
After looking at that on ebay I started poking around the history of both the cars and the man. Looks like Jocko was a strong starter but a poor finisher. If talk could have completed the car It'd be done. Good luck with it I'm sure you'll prolly have a hand in it before its all done. Its an eyecatcher and deserves to be on the salt. Looking forward to seeing it in person.
The tank's lookin' great Chaz, good progress. I stopped by the shop on my way back from Missoula last week, but didn't catch you.
I agree side windows would be a nice addition. Not to mention a way to see crew and others around you at the start/staging area.
So... what color you guys painting it? Flat black with red wheels, right? () Oh yeah, it's still the coolest front wheel drive car I've ever seen.
Chaz, you don't have one hair on your *** if you don't paint it like this. http://www.rotten.com/library/culture/ambiguously-gay-duo/
Chaz, It looks GREAT! I still can't get the "Baka Bomb" idea out of my head, but you could always paint it like a Gee Bee, either in Doolittle's white and red combo, or the Granville Bros. yellow and black.
The Jalopy Journal
