Mechie3's 818S

[RM1SepEx]

The sleep depravation can last much longer... my daughter is going to be 18 in August LOL

[Mechie3]

Clearly...I mean, it does take two to tango...

Hahaha!

Congrats on the incoming addition to the family. If this is your first then start stocking up on sleep now. The first 12 weeks are rough on sleep. My son is almost 4 months now and just starting to allow me to sleep more at night. A great adventure overall though.

My wife's dog is giving me good practice. Last night he woke me up at 4am to go out, Monday night he woke me up at 2am to go out (we didn't even get to bed until midnight). :unamused:

[Mechie3]

Old video from February I never posted.

https://vimeo.com/91300658

[longislandwrx]

Can we take up a collection to get you some new pants?

[Mechie3]

He he. I already have a new (wrecked) pair. The knees are just as bad but the crotch is intact. Hahaha!

[Mechie3]

Video from this weekend is still in process. Here are a few pics:

Did a rough cut of the back:


The issue I was describing earlier with uneven door gaps (not to mention I can't even open the doors more than 12" without them simply hitting the fenders and stopping).
Passenger side:


Driver side:


Gaps at the front of the door. I've seen some others that have added fiberglass in these areas to fill it in. I might need to do that. This is the passenger side. I didn't fully trim that fender and the door can open more than the driver side. The driver side I fully removed the lip on the inside edge of the fender and the door can't really open. I need to mess with that and see why.


I test fit the side bezels and decided against them. I think Metalmaker was the first to do this, so we'll call it the metalmaker mod. I found all of the bezels don't quite match the bodywork 100%. For example, on the hood, the radius on the innermost edge of the bezel doesn't match the radius of the hood indent. The straight pieces match up pretty well. What you end up with is a nice 1/8" gap around the flat edges and then random gaps around the corners that make it look like the part was made wrong.

On the side bezel, the bezel itself tapers to a point and doesn't quite flow, IMO. The top edge is also mostly horizontal while the body tapers up and out thus making for a bezel/body mismatch again. I used a hole saw (1.25") for the bottom and a 1/2" diameter sanding drum to make the upper corner radii. Rough cut with a air saw that kept binding up and then filed it smooth. The outside flange is ~1/2". I'll mount some sort of screen behind it. It'd be cool to have a bezel like on teh aventador.





Lastly, the disposable masks were letting some dust in as my nose felt dry afterwards. I got this bad boy on Amazon. It's the 3m 7500 series size medium. It's actually pretty nice.

[RM1SepEx]

Craig, how tight is your engine cover to the roll bar tubs? I'm thinking the 5/8 dimension is too short, even the photo on page 349 looks more like 3/4 inch!

[wleehendrick]

Luke... I am your Father!

[Frank818]

Your door opening issues seem quite of a problem.

[Mechie3]

Craig, how tight is your engine cover to the roll bar tubs? I'm thinking the 5/8 dimension is too short, even the photo on page 349 looks more like 3/4 inch!

It's decently tight, certainly rubs (it also rubbed from FFR during shipping and made wear makes through the PC to the steel).

If you move the body back, the doors won't reach the hinges. Ithink that's one of my problem.s The sheet metal on the front of the passenger firewall was flared out slightly (maybe 1/16"?) so when I measured my 5/8, it ended up being closer. That's why the passenger door fits well and the driver doesn't?

[Mechie3]

Messed up one pic above. It should have been this for the side vent:

[icky]

it looks like the gap is tighter at the bottom than the top. Maybe lifting the door hinges and tilting the door down a little so it still hits the striker?

[Mechie3]

Yeah, I'll have to try somethign like that. I'll need to mess with slotting the mounting holes some more.

[RM1SepEx]

It's decently tight, certainly rubs (it also rubbed from FFR during shipping and made wear makes through the PC to the steel).

If you move the body back, the doors won't reach the hinges. Ithink that's one of my problem.s The sheet metal on the front of the passenger firewall was flared out slightly (maybe 1/16"?) so when I measured my 5/8, it ended up being closer. That's why the passenger door fits well and the driver doesn't?

I need to look at a completed car in that area to see these areas. Can you measure the distance from the front edge of the rear firewall (FFR's thick one) to the fiberglass between the humps? That will help us understand the body position issue.

I think that if we move thr rear back it will be easier but as you said the doors and fenders will become an issue.

I also think that 6 months sitting flat didn't help our panels. I need to figure out the middle support for the engine cover and trunk

[metalmaker12]

Yea take some measurements and side pics etc, to me it looks like your front end needs lean back further to close the gap or the quarters need to go further forward . Maybe a little of both. What's you measurement of the quarter panel ( lower flat well of it, not the lip)

[Mechie3]

Can you measure the distance from the front edge of the rear firewall (FFR's thick one) to the fiberglass between the humps?

I posted this picture on your thread.

Yea take some measurements and side pics etc, to me it looks like your front end needs lean back further to close the gap or the quarters need to go further forward . Maybe a little of both. What's you measurement of the quarter panel ( lower flat well of it, not the lip)

What do you mean the lower flat well, not the lip? The quarters are 5/8" from the front firewall. Even if that side panel moves forward/back, the fender is lined up with the triangle mark on the side body that matches the V crease of the fender so that doesn't help the door not being able to open.



Cleaned some of the permanent marker off so the shape of the opening shows up better.


Installed one of the carbon fiber side skirts.


The instructions say put in a few rivets to hold the body as the rivets that hold on the side skirt will also hold the body to the frame. My side skirt is a good 1" away from the nearest frame member. Maybe the made a change? Not really sure. Either way, I lined up the bottom edge of the body with the edge of the frame (it was already close) and put in a few harbor freight rivets. I use these rivets when I plan to drill them out later. Cheap, and quality doesn't really matter. For the side skirt I clamped the rear end and used a jack to hold up the front as there is no clamping surface. Started in the corner, then about 3/4" in from the inner edge I put in a rivut every 6". I then put a matching rivnut in on the outer edge about 3/4" in from the outside of the body. I then added marks to attach the body to the frame in this same line. I ended up with 3 bolts/rivnuts in a row every six inches. The side skirt is attached to the body only. I used 10-32 rivnuts and button head screws (don't come with the kit).

[longislandwrx]

Guessing they cheaped out and shrunk the side skirts. Your solution looks good.

That picture makes it look like you are rocking snow tires.

[Mechie3]

They are snow tires. lol.

I actually like this way better I think. This way you can remove the sideskirt without removing the body and vice versa. I like it when things are independent so you're not trying to line up 3 things at once.

[Erik W. Treves]

Yeah be careful how far "out" you put those side skirts...yours look good... your "natural" approach to the car has you stepping right on the side skirt as you lean over to open the door! None of my cars ever had a side skirt so my habits had to change and it was HARD to do...I still catch myself almost stepping right on them!

[Mechie3]

Thanks Erik. I tried to make them flush front and back as there were no other alingment marks. I did imagine I'd have issues. Not just with me, but with passengers! I've considered making "no step" stickers for the sideskirt and the inside door frame and a "no handle" sticker for the windshield so they don't try to hoist themself out using that.

[metalmaker12]

I meant the curved part of the front lower section of the quarter, the one the aluminum wheel attaches to. 5/8 is good, can your tops of your fenders lean back at all, or the tops of your doors go in more?

[Mechie3]

ders could lean out a little...maybe. I have supports there already that pull them outwards a bit so they'll clear the hood. My doors actually contact near the bottom of the fender not the top. Doors could go in some but the fender crease is already further out than the matching door crease.

[wleehendrick]

Yeah be careful how far "out" you put those side skirts...yours look good... your "natural" approach to the car has you stepping right on the side skirt as you lean over to open the door! None of my cars ever had a side skirt so my habits had to change and it was HARD to do...I still catch myself almost stepping right on them!

Easy solution... since you're an aviator, you must be used to seeing these, right?



Seriously, that is something I'm worried about (passengers stepping on them, that is)

8008-1_nostep.jpg

[Mechie3]

Well, this thread is coming to a bit of a pause.

Lorelai decided to surprise us Easter morning, about six weeks early. She's doing pretty good and breathing with minimal support on room O2 levels. We leave the hospital tonight but Lorelai has to stay several more weeks.

I still owe a few people parts from Zero Decibel. My goal is to get them out by the weekend as I should have some down time then. Didn't want anyone to think I forgot them or was trying to rip them off.

[wleehendrick]

Craig,

Beautiful name! Best wishes for for having her home soon with no complications... take care of your family.

[Frank818]

That's awesome Craig! Another "delivery" for you!

[thestigwins]

Congrats Craig! My son was born 6 weeks early as well and is currently in the nicu. We are hoping to take him home this week. It's hard leaving the kid to head home, however I am sure you guys have a lot of loose ends to tie up like my wife and I did. Get some rest while you can.

Grant

[Scargo]

Best of luck with the newborn. Life is full of surprises, isn't it?

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Congratulations Craig

[indiana818]

congrats on the new addition!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Santiago]

HUGE Congrats Craig!! That's really a surprise entrance!

[AZPete]

Beautiful name! Best of everything for you all.

[Canadian818]

As everyone else said, love the name. Congrats!

[metros]

Congrats on the addition to the family!

[Xusia]

Congrats Craig! And I seriously doubt anyone thought were ripping them off. You are a stalwart of the 818 community!

[Aloha818]

Congratulations on your Easter Surprise! The FFR community will still be here when you have time to visit and get life back to normal, or should I say, the new normal, with the addition.

We all wish you the best and especially Lorelai!

[longislandwrx]

Congrats on your wonderful surprise. Hopefully she's home soon.

[GUNS]

Congrats!

[nikbrewer]

Congrats! Our twin girls came almost 9 weeks early last year. Tey both weighed 3 lbs, 14 oz. THey were in NICU for 1 month and came home at 5 lbs. THey just hit 8 months and1 is almost 18 lbs, the other 15.5 or so. The NICU is hard, but they are the most caring nurses and doctors ever. n a couple of months, you will miss having someone watch them and change the diapers for you! Trust me, i know. If you have any questions about premies' or the NICU, just shooot me a PM

[ehansen007]

https://vimeo.com/84042208

Video. You can see how many times I had to fit, trim, fit, trim, repeat on the headlight bucket the first time.

This is great. I had to do this today with my spiders. Thanks for posting this.