Metalmaker's build thread begins

[RM1SepEx]

how good did you get the coverage with a single arm?

I just went through my archive of emails from you, can't find these photos, tons of others tho!

[Frank818]

These pix of the wiper solution don't seem to interfere with Mike Everson's brake reservoir relocation kit, which is a good thing.

[metalmaker12]

how good did you get the coverage with a single arm?

I just went through my archive of emails from you, can't find these photos, tons of others tho!

Page 15 post #567 is a video, plus I just emailed two to you from my youtube archive. Happy building man!

I am glad FFR came up with a solution, but to me a single wiper is the way to go if your state allows it. I just don't really like the fact of having to cut into the hood and change the look of the car so much. I don't think it looks clean, rather an afterthought that took way to long to create. This is along with the fact at the open house the 818's looked in need of proper body aligning and kinda showed me the car has taken a back seat to the 289 respectively. The 818 to me is there coolest car because it truly has the potential of being there best competitor, at the lowest cost.

[Frank818]

Maybe you don't know, but is the 1 wiper solution covering substantially less than 2 wipers? I mean is the 1 wiper covering about 80% of the view angle on the windshield? Of course you can't easily calculate, but as a guesstimate what's it like?

[Jaime]

I'm more concerned about the park position. From the video, it looks like the wiper is visible when it's off.

[metalmaker12]

If your going to drive in the rain wear wipers would be needed ( I would never drive a FFR in the rain unless caught) than the one wiper is not going to cut it as far as full coverage. Also with more modification I could have had the wiper tuck under the hood, but in my case it was purely to get plates and than I took it off. I am installing the R windscreen on my registered S to get proper airflow to engine and IC.

[Frank818]

Ok tnx for the info. I guess I'll have to look around or design something, as I don't want to cut the hood either but I need at least 80% of view angle coverage + all the washing fluid system in order to get my stupid plates and in order for a cop to not fine me or get me towed. It needs to be complete, working and permanent, so I think I'll have some thinking there.

[metalmaker12]

Ok tnx for the info. I guess I'll have to look around or design something, as I don't want to cut the hood either but I need at least 80% of view angle coverage + all the washing fluid system in order to get my stupid plates and in order for a cop to not fine me or get me towed. It needs to be complete, working and permanent, so I think I'll have some thinking there.

Really crazy, down here, it is just to get plates, after they I am pretty sure it won't be to big a deal with the law unless I get caught being a race car driver on the street.

[metalmaker12]

Voids voids and more voids on my driver quarterimage.jpgimage.jpg. image.jpg

I have been using an epoxy filler known as six ten for the heavy filling and then rage gold and evercoat fiber fill, evercoat lite weight filler and USC iceing for the voids. The combo has work on fiberglass show cars in the past and is working this time as well. These voids just have some epoxy filler to get the party started and than I will use some fiber filler etc etc

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[Aloha818]

Voids voids and more voids on my driver quarterimage.jpgimage.jpg. image.jpg

I have been using an epoxy filler known as six ten for the heavy filling and then rage gold and evercoat fiber fill, evercoat lite weight filler and USC iceing for the voids. The combo has work on fiberglass show cars in the past and is working this time as well. These voids just have some epoxy filler to get the party started and than I will use some fiber filler etc etc

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It seems like once you think you have found them all another one pops up! Looking good! You are finding some in places I didn't have and I have some that you didn't apparently, must be random issues?

Keep at it, so satisfying to see paint on the panels!

[Boog]

Seems crazy that there are so many voids. What process are you doing to find them? or are they just popping up/breaking free as you sand and prep?

[metalmaker12]

I used a motion light bulb which is super bright, behind the panels. Also there will be a small voids ( air pockets between cloth and gelcoat)that become larger as you try to break it down to the cloth. It is not too uncommon in fiberglass work, but I bet as time goes on that FFR and it's sub contractor will improve this if they have not already.

[metalmaker12]

It seems like once you think you have found them all another one pops up! Looking good! You are finding some in places I didn't have and I have some that you didn't apparently, must be random issues?

Keep at it, so satisfying to see paint on the panels!

I know it's crazy at times. It is mostly on the sharpe edges, where the cloth did not seem to meet the gelcoat and created an air pocket. What bothers me, is we both found a lot, but did we find them all??? The booth is busy to the week of July 7, so I gotta wait

[metalmaker12]

Mixed a couple tints I kinda like and did base clear sprayouts, (I might go darker)I might paint my dash this color and use for ascents on the white, no sure yet.

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I also got a set of spal fans, very well made in Italy for 60 bucks on amazon
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[wallace18]

Looking good Man!

[metalmaker12]

Looking good Man!

Thanks, I am painting some of it this week the base white/ clear and than trying to get all the body work done on the rest of the panels. I think I am going to tint it darker like the FFR cobra charcoal with the yellow strips. I am picky with colors and I change my mind till the last second, good thing I have a paint system to use when I need to. I like custom made colors more cause than I can say it's my own batch. On this car I really like the bright white with darker accents.

[waruaki]

I also got a set of spal fans, very well made in Italy for 60 bucks on amazon
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Glad you like them. This is where I purchased mine http://www.ultrarev.com/30100403-spal.html $48 dropped shipped directly from SPAL's
US location in Iowa if someone wants to save a few bucks.

[C.Plavan]

Glad you like them. This is where I purchased mine http://www.ultrarev.com/30100403-spal.html $48 dropped shipped directly from SPAL's
US location in Iowa if someone wants to save a few bucks.

Just picked up 2- thanks to both of you for heads up.

[metalmaker12]

Thanks War ,Welcome man, happy fourth to you all

[metalmaker12]

Two coats of Base on first batch of panels. About to go add more base and than clear em, post more pics lata or in morning. All my filling and blocking have paid off cause panels look straight and smooth. I am very happy with there outcome. I am just adding my base color and than I might work in some other effects, with color and some vinyls.
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[RM1SepEx]

How many layers of matt (I assume) did you add where the hood pins are? It looks really beefy! Did you do the edges of the hood, engine cover, trunk too?

[metalmaker12]

Three extra layers of mat and west system epoxy. I have vinyl ester resin also, but I like the epoxy better because it seems to bond the same or better while flexing better and is much more durable. Some might not agree, but the chemical makeup of epoxy adheres to the vinyl ester very well and has much stronger properties. I wish FFR could have given us an option to use epoxy resin instead of the vinyl ester as an upgrade. It would make these panels ten times stronger and flex better without potential cracking etc. I would have paid more for it. I added mat and even tape in other areas to strengthen up these panels. I also am using a high build primer that seems to add some more rigidity to the panels. It's all been on the car and driven and no new stress cracks etc have shown up...yet.

[metalmaker12]

Parts came out great, I am loving the white even more now that it is much brighter and full gloss. They have zero dust and very little peel. It it really bright in the sun and with my projected carbon fiber, gunmetal and gloss black accents this theme will really work for me. The straightness of these panels, I could have gone black, but I love my white.

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Just phone pics, so it's not capturing how it looks in person, but I love white so I am happy with the perfect lay down of the paint. Hugo I copied your GTM!!

[Aloha818]

Parts came out great, I am loving the white even more now that it is much brighter and full gloss. They have zero dust and very little peel. It it really bright in the sun and with my projected carbon fiber, gunmetal and gloss black accents this theme will really work for me. The straightness of these panels, I could have gone black, but I love my white.

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Just phone pics, so it's not capturing how it looks in person, but I love white so I am happy with the perfect lay down of the paint. Hugo I copied your GTM!!

Fantastic!!! Looks great. There is nothing like seeing all your weeks of hard work all come together in the booth!

[wallace18]

Beautiful work! you should be proud!

[Frank818]

There is absolutely no defect on these panels. I wonder how many hours you spent to get them perfect.

[metalmaker12]

Some panels were harder than others in this batch. I charcoal guide coated and blocked each panel with 150 dry to find all the uneven spots to feather in icing filler. In the filling areas I blocked it with 80 to make filler grab hard.used a fog light on the backside to find all the voids and fiber filled all these voids and feathered out with bodyfiller/icing. I also V'd out any stress cracks and filled etc. Any large buildup/ crack was done with fiber filler and than skimmed with iceing. Once all the panels were blocked,void's filled,built up in areas, I sanded the panels with 320da, 400da with a soft pad to not effect my lines.i than red scuffed, blew off, washed with dawn, than pre cleaner tacked and primed.

I found west system six ten filler worked best for miss placed holes.

Second batch is one panel to still be primed, mostly all wetsanded and ready for paint.

For paint prep sanding, I wet blocked (hard block for flat areas, softer block for curves etc) with 400, 600, and than dry with 600

1 1/2 hours to paint half

I have about 80-100 hours in and I am 75% done. I have made some mods which take time for glass etc.

Once all painted I am going to mask off panels and use a brush/roll bedliner to cover under sides, install lights, grills etc and store away and onto motor teardown and rebuild.

[wleehendrick]

with my projected carbon fiber, gunmetal and gloss black accents this theme will really work for me.

Looks great! I like the 'stormtrooper' theme; now you just need to drive around in this:

[metalmaker12]

Lol, too funny!!!thanks but I am going for this image.jpg

I tried some roll on bed liner on the bottom of the trunk image.jpg

[metalmaker12]

Put vent mesh in , looks pretty killa image.jpgimage.jpg

[sponaugle]

That looks fantastic. Even though I know next to nothing about fiberglass, I am looking forward to screwing it up a few times on my car.

[metalmaker12]

That looks fantastic. Even though I know next to nothing about fiberglass, I am looking forward to screwing it up a few times on my car.

I have confidence you will be ok, just practice like everything else.

[metalmaker12]

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Rear cover painted, pre-assembled, bed liner,black powdercoated mesh, carbon wrap on lower mesh edge, stainless screws, washers and locknuts, glass in SS studs, lights, light harnesses,FFR plate bracket, plate.

[Aloha818]

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Rear cover painted, pre-assembled, bed liner,black powdercoated mesh, carbon wrap on lower mesh edge, stainless screws, washers and locknuts, glass in SS studs, lights, light harnesses,FFR plate bracket, plate.

Looking great! Can't wait to see it all together.

[metalmaker12]

Motors finally being extracted to tear it down. image.jpg

[Frank818]

A lot of protection around!

[metalmaker12]

Yeah the jdm intake manifold sits much higher than any others so my room is even more limited

[JWilkins]

Where did you get the mesh you are using in the vents?

[TahoeTim]

Looks good. Are the rear vent openings necessary? I am considering leaving mine solid. From photos here it appears that FFR doesn't cut them out before shipment so I am assuming that I have the option to do what I want with the openings.

[metalmaker12]

Where did you get the mesh you are using in the vents?

From FFR, they will sell you extra