The race is on - Namrups 65 Daytona Coupe build

[Namrups]

Spotted your car on the "walkaround" video! Love the fact that you're getting out and driving it I'll be looking forward to seeing you again at the "Real" 2024 Open House!

Jeff

Looking forward to seeing you also!!

[Namrups]

Since attaching the plates on June 6th I have put 2300 miles on the coupe. The goal was to drive it this season to work the bugs out. I am pleased to say that there were very few bugs! In this area of NY you can find a cruise in, car show, fun run, gathering of some kind every night of the week and multiple on the weekends. I received two top 25 trophies and one best of show trophy with an unfinished car. Now is the time to put the beast to bed for the winter and finish all of the items still waiting to be completed and then look at bodywork and paint. It was in the upper 70's today and will be again tomorrow and Saturday. It's hard to convince myself to put her to bed.

I had the following issues during the season.

My Sniper started acting up. The RPM would hang between shifts when I pushed the clutch in. I adjusted the IAC per the Sniper manual but it didn't clear up. Thru another club member I was introduced to a tuner and took the car to him last night. He did his thing and tweeked a few things and the car is now running great.

When my engine is hot and I shut it off (at a gas station for example) it works real hard to start up again. I have covered the starter with a heat blanket without much help. My tuner, who is also a big time drag racer, suggested a group 65 battery (Turbo Start s12v3465 is what he uses) and to switch to a Power Master high torque starter. He also suggested Rev Limiter. Three things added to my winter list...

I found out that I am not a very good at upholstry as some of mine has lifted and will have to be redone.

My voltage gauge backlight has gone out. Hopfully it's just a loose wire.

Things I need to do this winter before bodywork and paint:

Hood vent screens need to be mocked up.
Headlight covers need to be mocked up.
Fog lights need to be mocked up and wired.
Lizardskin heat and sound material needs to be applied to interior panels.
Side windows need to be mocked up.
Door pockets need to be designed and mocked up.
Door panels need to designed and mocked up.
Ride height needs to be reset.
Shock settings need to be verified.
Alignment needs to be checked.
Wiring should be tidied up.
Hood needs final alignment/adjustment.
Fluid changes.
Possible dash redesign.
Raptor applied to underside of body.
Remove windshield.
Install carpet.

I'm sure I will add to this list.

[burchfieldb]

That is fantastic! I am still in the building stages and hope to be driving sometime next year. Like you, I plan on shaking it down for a while before paint.

[JimStone]

That's a pretty good list to keep you busy over the winter. I'm glad you were able to enjoy the driving season and you got the Sniper problem worked out.

[Namrups]

That is fantastic! I am still in the building stages and hope to be driving sometime next year. Like you, I plan on shaking it down for a while before paint.

I have had so much fun driving this that at times I have found myself thinking "Who needs paint!" Another local coupe owner told me that a build such as mine "deserves" a decent paint job. He's right.

[Namrups]

That's a pretty good list to keep you busy over the winter. I'm glad you were able to enjoy the driving season and you got the Sniper problem worked out.

I'm glad I did it this way. Luckly I didn't have a situation where I needed to do something that would have damaged the paint but it was always a possibility. I have the confidence now that everything is working as it should and I can move forward.

[Namrups]

Hood vents

The vent screen didn't fit real well as furnished. It is a very pliable material so bending it to make it fit was no big deal.



I used Rotaloc bonding fasteners and HSRF to attach the screens to the hood.

[Namrups]

Popsicle sticks were used to hod the screen in place while the HSRF cured.

[Namrups]

I checked out Modeltoycars.com and found a 1/18th scale coupe in red. I will use it as a display at car shows. I am looking at this for a final paint job also.


I also found 1/64th scale coupes in the blue livery. I bought 10 of them to give out to kids at shows. It makes their day.

[Skuzzy]

Very nice Namrups!

[Namrups]

Putting the coupe up for the winter. Have a Sta-bil question. The label states "effective in all ethanol blended fuels". I use non-ethanol premium fuel. Should I still use the Sat-bil or is it not required when using non-ethanol fuel?

[David Williamson]

probably not required with the gas you have but it can't hurt. We get premium gas with no ethanol here in Alberta as well and most years I use some Sta-bil. I think EFI systems are more forgiving... but why not use it.
David W

[Namrups]

Finally convinced myself that I needed to put the coupe up for the season and start the process of completing it. In the process of mocking up anything that I ignored, removing everything that needs to be removed for bodywork and paint and starting the bodywork process.

[Namrups]

Finished body work.




Next step is to remove the hood and apply the Raptor bed coat to the underside.

[Joel Hauser]

Your lines and gaps look great! and your shop is still clean.

[JimStone]

Are you planning to do the paint yourself or do you have someone in mind? Still thinking red with white stripes?

[burchfieldb]

Scott,
How did you temporally hold in your windshield?

[Namrups]

Thanks Joel! A closer look will show a lot of dust on everything. Tried to keep the dust in check with the vaccuum.

[Namrups]

I'm working with on of our Upstate Cobra members for paint. Yes, still looking at red with white stripes.

[Namrups]

I used actual windshield sealant in 6" sections. One on each edge and three along the top. The rest was filled in with a 1" wide foam weatherstrip tape that was adheared to the body only. I only peeled approx 1" sections of the tape off the foam to get it to stay in place until I set the windshield on top of it. I also added a 2" strip of black on the windshield to "hide" it all. It worked like a charm except when it rained. The water did find it's way thru because it was not a perfect seal. Also the wind had started to penetrate and created a thin film of dust on the dash. I think it was actually wearing the foam away. It served it's purpose.

[burchfieldb]

Scott,
Your body looks in better shape then mine. I have a lot of air pockets. How long did it take you to do the body work?

[Namrups]

Scott,
Your body looks in better shape then mine. I have a lot of air pockets. How long did it take you to do the body work?

I started the last week of November. Any time the weather was above 32 I would try to spend 2 - 3 hours in the garage. Lost all of last week because of the cold. I feel my body is one of the better ones which is good because doing bodywork is also a first for me. I got lucky when one of the club members gave me all of his left over bodywork supplies. Saved me a lot of money.

I'm working with another club member that has agreed to paint the car after I apply the Raptor bed liner. We have been trying to figure out how to make sure the stripes line up. Right now I have the car sitting on jack stands. I have marked spots on the body cowl and the hood that will be our alignment marks. I also plan to build body bucks that mimic how the car is sitting right now height wise. We should be able to bring the two halves together just like it sits now and line up the marks to lay out the stripes. Fingers crossed.

[rhk118]

That is a lot of work, but looks great Scott!

[Namrups]

That is a lot of work, but looks great Scott!

Thank you Sir! Portland Maine might be a nice weekend getaway this summer!! Put some miles on the coupe.

[rhk118]

Thank you Sir! Portland Maine might be a nice weekend getaway this summer!! Put some miles on the coupe.

Happy to have you here if you decide to make the trip!

[Namrups]

Finished applying the Raptor bed liner on the hood today.

[Skuzzy]

Did you do something to create the inner liner for the hood? My hood does not have any inner panels and looks pretty dreadful.

[Namrups]

That is the black inner liner that came already glued to the hood. If yours doesn't have one I would call FF.

[drewr]

Looks good1 Did you spray or roll it on?

[Namrups]

Looks good1 Did you spray or roll it on?

I used the cheapest disposable paint brush I could find to apply it where I knew a roller would not reach. Then used a small 4" roller (fine mat, not the course that comes with the kit). Finished up with a sponge on the brushed areas to match the roller look. I didn't have the room nor the weather to spray. Many do. I am very pleased with the result.

[Skuzzy]

That is the black inner liner that came already glued to the hood. If yours doesn't have one I would call FF.

No, mine did not come with any type of inner liner. I cannot get FF to respond to issues with my body/hood. I just thought they stopped putting the liner, but your kit came after mine. Maybe I can buy the inner liner from them.

[lewma]

No, mine did not come with any type of inner liner. I cannot get FF to respond to issues with my body/hood. I just thought they stopped putting the liner, but your kit came after mine. Maybe I can buy the inner liner from them.

I would definitely press FF to address this. I may be wrong but that inner liner adds to the rigidity of the hood overall, unless FF changed the process of how the hoods are made and the liner is no longer required.

Its a shame that FF don't improve on their customer service either.

mark

[Kbl7td]

Just got mine a few weeks ago, I have the liner.

[Namrups]

It needs the liner. The gas struts that hold the hood open attach to it.

[Skuzzy]

It needs the liner. The gas struts that hold the hood open attach to it.

I am going to be doing an electric hood lift, instead of using the gas struts. I had already planned on installing a metal support for that lift mechanism. I already bought the foam, matt, and roving to correct how ugly the hood looks on the interior.

The hood is still under cover, in the backyard. It has been there for over two years now, while I have been addressing the issues with the body. I am not looking forward to working on that hood. Not a big fan of working this much with fiberglass. Finally getting to the last layer of matt on the body and that should take care of all the structural issues.

The hood is another ball game. Not looking forward to that. Then again, if the hood had an inner liner I would not have known about the spotty lack of matt in the resin. It is like a patchwork quilt.

I would definitely press FF to address this. I may be wrong but that inner liner adds to the rigidity of the hood overall, unless FF changed the process of how the hoods are made and the liner is no longer required.

Its a shame that FF don't improve on their customer service either.

Short of lawyering up, I am not sure there is much one can do to press a company to acknowledge they screwed up. I am not going to waste time, money, and energy on it. It is what it is. I just have to figure out how to make it work.

I know the guys in the Cobra Club here who have shown an interest are no longer interested in building one. My Wife did want me to build her the 35 truck, but has since threatened divorce if I buy another kit from FF.

Anyway, I'll reach out to FF and see if they will sell me the inner liner for the hood. Hopefully they will respond to that. That should help save some time. Thanks guys.

[burchfieldb]

Scott,
How much product did you use to coat the hood?

Brent

[Namrups]

Scott,
How much product did you use to coat the hood?

Brent

1 1/2 bottles. Two complete coats and a third coat in the wheel wells.

[cunfewzed]

Hey Scott. Just wanted to let you know that I read through your entire build thread over the last few days and I'm so happy that you've gotten to do this build how you wanted. Here is to your continued good health. Feel like I made a friend! Will keep watching.

[Namrups]

Hey Scott. Just wanted to let you know that I read through your entire build thread over the last few days and I'm so happy that you've gotten to do this build how you wanted. Here is to your continued good health. Feel like I made a friend! Will keep watching.

I thank you for your post! I have been lucky that my health has held! The cancer is still in remission. The pills are still doing their job and grants from the Leukemia Society have helped pay the $156,000.00 yearly out of pocket expense. Goal now is to "finish" the car by early summer and then enjoy it for as long as I can.

[rhk118]

No, mine did not come with any type of inner liner. I cannot get FF to respond to issues with my body/hood. I just thought they stopped putting the liner, but your kit came after mine. Maybe I can buy the inner liner from them.

Sorry to hijack your thread Scott --- but Scuzzy keep trying to get in touch with FFR. I found that there are times they are more responsive than others (and they are pretty busy there). Once you get someone they have taken care any issue I've ever had, its the getting someone that can be frustrating. I'd call/leave a message (not once have they picked up) and email once a week to every 2 weeks. I think our kits arrived on a similar timeline, mine has the liner as well.

LOL on the "My Wife did want me to build her the 35 truck, but has since threatened divorce if I buy another kit from FF." ...The coupe is involved in retrospect, I'm completely impressed by Namrups build and timeline, but have to admit find myself looking at the roadster builds and planning myself, anything to get out of wiring haha...

Scott that liner turned out great! Are you going to liner the aluminum parts around the wheel wells also? Do folks recommend doing some of the initial prep work on the body BEFORE doing the spray liner?