Matt in MN's Roadster

[mrglaeser]

Last Winter John Ibele was good enough to give my daughter and I a quick lesson in powder coating(thanks again John!). I really was intrigued with the process and ordered up an Eastwood kit, some powder (black in flat, semi, and gloss) and started playing around with it. I would say about 80% of the items come out right the first time 10% need a touch of paint to cover some small nook, and 10% need to be stripped and coated again. Those numbers are improving but I'm pretty happy with the results. But there has been a bit of learning.

First... Acid. I tried using Muriatic Acid to strip the chrome from parts. It worked in some cases. In others it dissolved the pot metal that was under a thin layer of some other metal. So for anyone else out there the Lemans cap (I did not ruin), the mirror post, and the lock bases are pot metal... Don't use Muriatic Acid to clean or un-coat them.


The bubbles mean something is happening it if looks like it's boiling pull out whatever is in there.



Actual Metal parts come out great


Pot metal... Yikes


One of the skills I'm getting better at is making funking hooks to haning the parts on. Here is a front turn signal bezel.


Anyway I have about 10 more parts to do and 1 to re-do and then on to the next thing. The Windshield and headlight bezels are to big for my oven so those will get sent out.

[mrglaeser]

Well 5 weeks since I wrote an update. Not a lot of progress at the moment. A lot of life keeping me out of the shop. I'm sure a lot of folks here know what that's like.

I did get the tire tires install on the wheels. Nitto NT555 G2s. For some reason I didn't take a photo of them out, but the shop wrapped the tire/wheels in bags and I thought it looked funny in the back of the truck.



I also fitted all the accessories, plugs, and sensors to the engine. Later I also got the belt installed again I forgot the photo.





Also I had an issue thinking 3 dimensionally and cut the hole for my dimmer switch in the dead pedal I made on the bottom.

[mrglaeser]

I guess that lets me say that I make'm nice because I make them twice.









Unfortunately my Black and Decker rotary tool gave up and died. And they don't make it any more. It was my 3rd one in 24 years bummer. The Harbor freight one was 20 bucks so I picked on up. So far so good. I bought an actual Dremel a few years ago and it was the worst of the lot and lasted just a few months.

[mrglaeser]

Finally we made one attempt to marry the Engine and the transmission. And by attempt I mean 2 hours of wrangling. We had a gap of less than 1/16th of an inch but couldn't push it in any further. The instructions say not to draw it in with the bolts so we pulled it a part to try again another day. I looks like the centering ring might have some imperfections so I'm thinking of polishing the inside of the ring and looking for any imperfections on the TKX where the ring/transmission should slide onto. It was so close to being on I am pretty sure that the splines line up. So the other think was going to look at was maybe the pilot bearing.

[mrglaeser]

Pretty good day on the roadster. Finally got the engine and transmission bolted together. Took quite a bit of effort. Gave up on using the floor jack and suspended it from the engine hoist. Way easier. Also putting the motor on dolly was nice for moving it around and lining things up.



And bolted together



I also cut out 6 1/8 steel spacers for the transmission. I've read that to get the pinion angle folks are using 5/8-3/4 inch spacers. So no I just need to drill a few holes and coat them and they are ready to use when we drop the motor and trans in.



Also a few weeks ago I got all the brackets, accessories, belt, and thermostat housing lined up and installed but I didn't take a snap. So here it is now.

https://mattglaeser.smugmug.com/Home...er/i-DPcvsd7/A

I also did a bunch of small things as well.
-Fixed a Zerk Fitting on the lower control Arm (Drivers side not that it matters)
-Powder coated one of the headlight trim rings
-Powder coated the dead pedal
-Fixed the Koolmat on the driver's footbox
-Reinstalled the now powder coated trunk brackets

I also broke a couple banjo bolts.. oops.

[JMD]

I'm enjoying reading through your build. Some great work done and I'm definitely stealing the 3M strip caulk idea to seal seams in the aluminum. Keep it up!

[gbranham]

I'm enjoying reading through your build. Some great work done and I'm definitely stealing the 3M strip caulk idea to seal seams in the aluminum. Keep it up!

For sure! I bought a 15 foot roll of butyl 'rope tape' on Amazon for $12. It's been awesome for filling in seams, especially in the upper trunk side wall area.

[mrglaeser]

For sure! I bought a 15 foot roll of butyl 'rope tape' on Amazon for $12. It's been awesome for filling in seams, especially in the upper trunk side wall area.

I actually had not thought about that area yet. I'll keep that in mind. Good hint.

[mrglaeser]

Ok still moving slow. Found the right bolts for the transmission mount. I find it strange these aren't in the instructions that come from 1/2 - 13 x 1.25 of 1.5

I finished the spacers for the transmission mount to transmission support. I created 6 1/8 inch spacers so I can stack them for whatever I need. I probably spent as much on drill bits as It would have cost to just order Forte's parts.



After some powder coating in the sandwich oven


Next I've always liked the look of wrapped headers. So I bought some stainless steal Fox Body headers and gave it a go. I think they came out pretty good. I'll do the J-pipes too soon.

Anyone else prep parts at the breakfast table?






I also greased the Zirk fittings on the front end, adjusted a power cable that was getting in the way in the transmission tunnel, and took the car off the dolly and on to jack stands. I just need to test fit the trans support, do a couple things on the brakes, put the wheels on and drop the car onto wheel dollies and I'll be ready to drop the engine in.

Also last weekend we had an open house at the Garage Condo Complex. Here was my version of a factory five 'in progress' display.


Got a lot of attention even though there were a lot of exotic cars to look at. Ferraris, Lambos, Lotuses, a Gullwing Mecedes, one family owns a whole building that has something like 100 Corvettes.

[mrglaeser]

20230805_094419.jpg20230805_093435.jpg

Here a couple shoots of the garage i talked about in the prevous post. Sad thing is none of it ever gets driven.

[mrglaeser]

I got a little more shop time this weekend. I test fit the Transmission support under the chassis. It will take a little work to get on of the front bolts in but should be doable without modification.

What was a lot of fun and satisfying was putting the Lemans cap back together. Started with a lot of freshly powder coated parts.



Top Done




Add the bottom





Next put the trunk and hood handles back together

[mrglaeser]

I was going to put the indicators together. They are pressure fit ordinally and don't seem to hold at the moment. I might try bend the metal out slightly or I might just use super glue. Also notice the powder didn't stick on one of the bezels so it needs to be stripped and redone.





Another evening meal of exhaust wrapping.