Papa's MKIV Roadster Build - #9115 (Post Grad) - One million + views!!!

[Papa]

Really looking great... I just started my radiator aluminum panels today. Have you fitted yours in place yet? Are you using the ones that came with the kit?

Thanks, Carl. I did a quick look at the radiator aluminum and will need to do some tweaks to get it all to fit with the Breeze lower radiator support. Not quite there yet, but soon.

Dave

[BadAsp427]

Thanks, Carl. I did a quick look at the radiator aluminum and will need to do some tweaks to get it all to fit with the Breeze lower radiator support. Not quite there yet, but soon.

Dave

I'm not real happy about the fit, they seem way smaller than needed to fill the gap up and down the sides of the radiator. The bottom front lip fits perfect. May have to get some fresh aluminum and fabricate some like EdwardB did. I just hate to waste my white powdercoat 20th anniversary panels. Oh well,,, it's just money!!!

[Papa]

I'm not real happy about the fit, they seem way smaller than needed to fill the gap up and down the sides of the radiator. The bottom front lip fits perfect. May have to get some fresh aluminum and fabricate some like EdwardB did. I just hate to waste my white powdercoat 20th anniversary panels. Oh well,,, it's just money!!!

You may need to tweak the angle of the radiator to get a better fit. If that doesn't work, they are very simple parts to fabricate as you already know. I really like what Paul did with his as well as Mike's setup, but figured I'd keep to the provided parts/design as there aren't may people that are going to stick their head into the front of the car.

Dave

[Jeff Kleiner]

Thanks, Carl. I did a quick look at the radiator aluminum and will need to do some tweaks to get it all to fit with the Breeze lower radiator support. Not quite there yet, but soon.

Dave

I'm not real happy about the fit, they seem way smaller than needed to fill the gap up and down the sides of the radiator. The bottom front lip fits perfect. May have to get some fresh aluminum and fabricate some like EdwardB did. I just hate to waste my white powdercoat 20th anniversary panels. Oh well,,, it's just money!!!

Although I've remade them totally when owners have used non-standard radiators they'll generally work out after some trimming and fussing. On the bottom panel I prefer to not use any solid attachment to the body (i.e. rivets or screws) and instead put an 8" or so long section of bulb seal on the front lip then let that hold it in place by squeezing it into the space between the oil cooler scoop and radiator openings.

Good luck!

Jeff

[Papa]

Although I've remade them totally when owners have used non-standard radiators they'll generally work out after some trimming and fussing. On the bottom panel I prefer to not use any solid attachment to the body (i.e. rivets or screws) and instead put an 8" or so long section of bulb seal on the front lip then let that hold it in place by squeezing it into the space between the oil cooler scoop and radiator openings.

Good luck!

Jeff

Great idea, Jeff.

[GTBradley]

Today I got my lights sorted out and working again. After sorting that little issue out, I decided to follow Paul's lead and started to create some templates to make some aluminum panels to cover the gap in the rear wheel wells along the edge of the cockpit. I will still want to use the expanding foam in there, but covering it with a metal panel just seems like a really good idea. I'll post pictures as I make more progress. I also got to meet another builder (GTBradley) and show him my car.

Thanks for taking the time to show it to me and all the pointers. I really appreciate it.

[GTBradley]

Thank you. It's starting to feel like a real car now.

Those wipers make it look like a classic car. Good work!

[Papa]

Those wipers make it look like a classic car. Good work!

Thanks,

If you want some NiCopp tubing when the time comes to do yours, just let me know. I bought a 25' roll and the wipers only require about 2-1/2'. I also have the Eastwood flare tool that makes perfect flares in about 10 seconds.

Dave

[GTBradley]

Perfect!

[Papa]

I got some more done today. I started with the doors. I'd already fitted them very roughly before, so nothing more was done in that area. Today I wanted to get the door latches installed. I'd already powder coated the spacers (gotta play with the new toys!). I followed the manual and measured & drilled and then installed the latches. They work, but will need to be adjusted as the door is properly fitted by Jeff.





After the doors were done, I reinstalled my trunk lid and tested the license plate wiring - all good there. I started trying to get the hood back on, but need a couple of extra hands that I didn't have today. Again, it's already been fitted and installed once, so it's just a matter of reattaching the hinges and struts to the hood.

I also e-mailed Mike Everson about getting one of his trunk strut kits. I'm already tired of holding the hood open.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dave

[BadAsp427]

I also e-mailed Mike Everson about getting one of his trunk strut kits. I'm already tired of holding the hood open.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dave

Hey Dave, did you know that FF has a nice strut kit for the trunk as well?

Merry Christmas...

[Papa]

Hey Dave, did you know that FF has a nice strut kit for the trunk as well?

Merry Christmas...

I did. I like to help out the vendors, too.

Dave

[Papa]

Looks good! Did your package arrive yet?

Jeff

Jeff,

According to USPS Informed Delivery, I should get the package tomorrow!

Dave

[BadAsp427]

I did. I like to help out the vendors, too.

Dave

That's cool as well....

[cv2065]

Looks great Dave. I may have to spring for the trunk strut or FFR piece as well.

[Papa]

Today I decided to fit my top and drill the holes in the body. Talk about nerve wracking even with no paint on the car. I was so worried about the pressure being applied to the windshield frame as the frame went together. I ended up loosening all the windshield bolts to allow things to move. I'll need to repeat this after the car is painted, but at least I won't be drilling any holes.









Carl (Badasp427): If you're looking at this, checkout the license plate on the wall just above my open hood. It's a fake plate, but I may try to see if it's already in use in Colorado and get them for real when the time comes.

[Fixit]

OOooooh... I feel your pain.
Mrs. Fixit is "thermally challenged" , but isn't convinced that the $4k for the top is worth it. I'm on the other camp for "not so fair-weather" excursions where it'd be nice to have some shelter.

[BadAsp427]

Carl (Badasp427): If you're looking at this, checkout the license plate on the wall just above my open hood. It's a fake plate, but I may try to see if it's already in use in Colorado and get them for real when the time comes.

Very Cool... That is one of the options I'm planning to get for mine... Still trying to figure that out... one thought.... "UMMVETT" LOL

[Papa]

OOooooh... I feel your pain.
Mrs. Fixit is "thermally challenged" , but isn't convinced that the $4k for the top is worth it. I'm on the other camp for "not so fair-weather" excursions where it'd be nice to have some shelter.

Believe it or not, the concern that drove me to get the top is the sun. Here in Colorado, the temps are very reasonable through the summer and not much humidity. However, at 5000+ feet, you can burn to a crisp very quickly. Also, the temperature change from my house at ~6,100 ft. to the top of the Continental Divide at over 12,000 ft. can be significant. It can easily be 20-30 degrees cooler at the top of the divide than it is on the plains.

[japollon]

Great looking work Dave. As always, your craftsmanship is apparent! Joel

[Papa]

Great looking work Dave. As always, your craftsmanship is apparent! Joel

Thanks, Joel. In this case, the real craftsmanship is provided by Rod Tops. The quality of the components is superb, as is the fit and finish. For anyone that has considered ordering one of these tops, here is some information you need to know.

Rod Tops offers some options that you won't be presented with when ordering through FFR. You can select a different material, different color, quarter windows, zippered quarter and/or rear windows, etc. When you place your order with FFR, immediately call Rod Tops and tell them you just placed an order for a top through FFR, and what options you want. FFR advised me to wait a couple of days, which I did. When I called Rod Tops, my order was ready to ship and they were able to stop it and modify my top as I wanted. They work fast, so don't wait! When you select different options from Rod Tops, there will likely be upcharges for those options, and you will pay them directly for those.

https://rodtops.com/index.html

[GTBradley]

Nice Dave. This I know will be a very appreciated option. I’m going to be doing the same, my only concern is that my wife will want me to put it up too much.

Question, is the back lower frame that rests on the car body only attached near the doors? I’m guessing the tension keeps it pressed against the body and keeps it from moving around? Also, I see where the fender flares start up, in the valley of the body there’s a gap. Will that still be there when the top is fully installed?

[Papa]

Nice Dave. This I know will be a very appreciated option. I’m going to be doing the same, my only concern is that my wife will want me to put it up too much.

Question, is the back lower frame that rests on the car body only attached near the doors? I’m guessing the tension keeps it pressed against the body and keeps it from moving around? Also, I see where the fender flares start up, in the valley of the body there’s a gap. Will that still be there when the top is fully installed?

Bradley,

The frame that sits on the body requires the two pieces of hardware that are installed near the door openings, and that's it. There are two rear tensioners that you twist to press the back of the frame down against the body and to stiffen the fabric on the top, and once adjusted, there is no gap. The rubber that comes into contact with the body is very soft and shouldn't cause any paint damage as long as the paint is clean and dust-free when the top is installed.

There are some good videos of the top's installation on FFR's website: http://www.factoryfiveparts.com/1519...ible-soft-top/

Dave

[Papa]

Once I finished my honey-do list, I was able to get out to the shop to work on the driver's side rear wheel well. I wanted to make a panel like Paul did on his 20th Anniversary Build to finish off the gap that gets filled with expanding foam along the front edge of the wheel well and the rear of the cockpit. I used chipboard to create a template of the rough shape.



After transferring the shape to aluminum. I was stuck trying to decide how to seal the edge against the body of the car. What I ended up doing was molding the panel along the 3/4" square tube with the upper half folded back inside the wheel arch.



I'll get some small bulb seal and trim the panel for a snug fit after the paint is done. I'll attach it along with the rear splash panel using nutserts and stainless steel screws.

Here's the rear guard sitting in it's location prior to drilling any holes.



It's time to get back to work tomorrow, but I hope to get back at it next weekend.

[Papa]

Today I repeated the panel fabrication for the rear passenger side.



After I was satisfied with the panels on the rear, I moved back to the front of the car and worked on the radiator aluminum.





The pictures don't show it, but I did some tweaking to get the radiator angle to match better with the side pieces and ended up bending the side panels a bit to get them to lay flat against the radiator. I'm going to leave these raw and just sand them to put a brushed look on them and then some Shark Hide.

Next task will be the roll bars. Maybe tomorrow.

[Papa]

Another great weather day in Colorado and some more progress to show. First thing I did today was get the roll bars installed.



I was going to install the Tangent wedge locks, but decided that Jeff would probably appreciate it if I left those out for now.



Once I was done with the roll bars, I went back to the rear wheel wells and powder coated the two gap panels I made. While those were in the oven, I decided to cover the chipped up rear cockpit corners with some Herculiner. I needed to do the rear splash panels anyway. Once the two panels I made were cured, I tapped some #10-24 threads into the 3/4 square tubes and attached the panels with some stainless steel screws.

[GoDadGo]

Those Little Cockpit Panels Really Make Sense!
Great Idea For Sure!

[Papa]

Those Little Cockpit Panels Really Make Sense!
Great Idea For Sure!

Thanks, Steve. I can't claim the idea as I stole it from Paul's 20th Anniversary Build thread. Without them, the only thing separating the rear wheel wells from the interior is some expanding foam.

[TomH33]

Hope to see you in the Rockies. I have ridden my Harley all over Colorado, mainly by myself. I am just finishing my 33 HR so my wife (of 41 years) and I can cruise the Rockies together. Do Roadster people have a problem with a 33 tagging along in Colorado? I plan to spend the whole summer cruising the state and enjoying my new ride. Have fun this summer Colorado is the best. See you in Estes, Independence pass or some other great little mountain Place.

TomH33

[Papa]

Hope to see you in the Rockies. I have ridden my Harley all over Colorado, mainly by myself. I am just finishing my 33 HR so my wife (of 41 years) and I can cruise the Rockies together. Do Roadster people have a problem with a 33 tagging along in Colorado? I plan to spend the whole summer cruising the state and enjoying my new ride. Have fun this summer Colorado is the best. See you in Estes, Independence pass or some other great little mountain Place.

TomH33

Hey, Tom. This roadster person doesn't have any problem sharing the road and a day cruising the Rockies with anyone.

Dave

[edwardb]

Thanks, Steve. I can't claim the idea as I stole it from Paul's 20th Anniversary Build thread. Without them, the only thing separating the rear wheel wells from the interior is some expanding foam.

I can't claim the idea as my own either. I saw something similar on the Dark Water Custom website way back when build my Mk3. After staring at the big hole from the rear wheel well up into the cockpit. Looked easy enough so just made my own. The situation is slightly better on the Mk4, but the filler just makes sense and does the job. First I've heard of using expanding foam in that location. The assembly manual only mentions the expanding foam up the outside of each footbox just forward of the door hinge.

[GTBradley]

I can see that becoming a standard on the kit in the future, good work.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Dave,
I've made several sets of those rear wheel fillers over the years. Don't be shocked if you find that they don't fit without some reworking after body fitting and paint. Just sayin'

Jeff

[Papa]

Dave,
I've made several sets of those rear wheel fillers over the years. Don't be shocked if you find that they don't fit without some reworking after body fitting and paint. Just sayin'

Jeff

Easy to adjust or recreate if needed.

[BadAsp427]

Dave,
I've made several sets of those rear wheel fillers over the years. Don't be shocked if you find that they don't fit without some reworking after body fitting and paint. Just sayin'

Jeff

Well this quote just freed up my weekend...

[Papa]

After plowing my driveway and a couple of my neighbor's driveways this morning, I got to tinker on the car. Earlier in the week I received my trunk support kit from Mike Everson, so that was today's task. First, I test fit the brackets that go on the 3/4" square tube just below where the seat belts enter the trunk. The bracket is designed to have the belt come in through the opening in the wall and then go down between the 3/4" tube and the trunk support bracket. I found that one of the brackets needed to be modified to get it centered on the belt opening and still clear the roll bar. Notice the rounded edge on the right side of the bracket.



Next. I removed the roll bars and the hinges from the trunk and drilled a hole in each hinge per Mike's instructions.



Next I marked, drilled and tapped holes for the trunk wall brackets and attached them.



After reinstalling the roll bars and the trunk hinges and lid, I installed the gas struts and marveled at the trunk sitting there open without being held!





Now it's time for a beer and some football.

[GTBradley]

Now it's time for a beer and some football.

My team won, how’d yours do?
Go Chiefs!

[GTBradley]

So Dave, I know you put your battery back here in the trunk and used the FFMetal kit (trunk looks great BTW), but FFMetal states on their website that Mk4s with IRS after July 2017 don’t work with that kit. I’d like to use the trunk location, but am considering the engine bay mod now. Can I ask why you preferred the trunk over engine bay?

[Papa]

My team won, how’d yours do?
Go Chiefs!

My team is on vacation; not really rooting for any particular team at this point.

[Papa]

So Dave, I know you put your battery back here in the trunk and used the FFMetal kit (trunk looks great BTW), but FFMetal states on their website that Mk4s with IRS after July 2017 don’t work with that kit. I’d like to use the trunk location, but am considering the engine bay mod now. Can I ask why you preferred the trunk over engine bay?

I don't know what chassis differences might have come after mine, but your car is IRS, so that may have the most to do with it.