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ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR FFR ASSEMBLYBy John Minton 15 Feb 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
·
BATTERY
·
BODY PREPARATION AND
PAINTING
·
BRAKES
·
COOLING
·
ENGINE
·
EXHAUST
·
FINISHES
·
GAUGES
·
HEATER
·
MAINTENANCE
·
PEDALS
·
REAR END
·
ROLL BAR
·
SEATS
·
SUPPLIES
·
STEERING
·
TOOLS
·
WIPERS TOE IN ADJUSTMENT The adjusters, no matter whose kit, are not incorrectly machined. They
are incorrectly named! They (we) call them couplers. The coupler is assembled
to the rod end and held with the jam nut. On our coupler, there is a hex
section for the purpose of tightening the jam nut. When assembled, the unit is
the same as a standard outer tie rod end, with right hand female threads. Front Suspension Do It Yourself Alignment Article, http://www.ffcobra.com/FAQ/irs.html Front End Alignment Specs: (GL) "Align it to 1 degree neg camber, 4 degrees pos caster, 0 toe. I am assuming you are using 17" tires. Tire pressures should be 23psi front and 27psi rear on a good gauge." - Solid axle car. [FFR]:
Camber Simplified Camber is the tilt of the tire as viewed from the front of the car. If the top of the tires lean toward the center of the car then you have negative camber. If the top of the tire tilts out away from the center of the car then you have positive camber. Adjusting camber can have a dramatic effect on the cornering of your car. Most oval track racers run negative camber on the right side of the car and positive camber on the left. Optimum camber settings will result in more speed and ideal tire wear. Camber is measured with a caster camber gauge and is usually easily adjusted with shims or adjustable upper a-arms. Always check the toe when making camber or caster adjustments. The amount of static camber that you should run is a result of testing, pyrometer measurements, front suspension geometry and discussions with your car builder. Remember that poor camber settings will cause excessive tire wear. Camber settings set to extremes can reduce the braking ability of the car. Caster Simplified To understand caster you need to picture an imaginary line that runs from through the upper ball joint and extends through the lower ball joint. From the side view the imaginary line will tilt forward or backward. The tilting of this imaginary line is defined as caster. Caster is measured in degrees by using a caster camber gauge. If the imaginary line described above tilts towards the back of the car, at the top, then you will have positive caster. If the imaginary line tilts forward then you would have negative caster. Positive caster provides the directional stability in your racecar. Too much positive caster will make the steering effort difficult. Power steering will allow you to run more positive caster. Negative caster requires less steering effort but can cause the car to wander down the straightaway. For oval track racing most racers run more positive caster on the right side tire than on the left. The caster split helps pull the car down into the turn, helps the car turn in the center and helps it stay hooked up on exit. How much caster should you run? The amount and split depends on the type of car and track conditions. The details should be worked out with your car builder and through testing. Toe Simplified Toe is the pointing in or pointing out of the front wheels as viewed from the top of the car. If the front wheels point in, toward the engine, at the front edge of the wheels then you have toe in. If the front wheels point out at the front edge then you have toe out. In general, racecars are set with a small amount of toe out. The toe out provides directional stability. Toe out pulls on the tie rods taking out the tiny clearances that are built into the tie rod ends. Depending on the type of car typical toe readings are 1/16" to ¼" out for tracks under ½ mile in length. Toe should be checked often as any contact with other cars or retaining walls is likely to change your toe setting. Changes in ride height can have an effect on toe as well. Toe can be set with a pair of toe plates that are rested on the sidewalls of the tires. A tape is placed on the toe plates in front of the tire and an additional tape behind the tire. When using toe plates a smaller tape reading on the back tape indicates toe out. For a very precise reading you can scribe a line in each front tire. Use a tire scribe and spin each of the front tires to get your straight line. You can then measure between the two scribed lines with a tape measure or with a toe bar. As with toe plates, a smaller measurement at the backside of the tire indicates toe out. Some racers use a toe bar to measure the toe that lies against the sidewall on one side of the racecar. On the other side, this toe bar extends past the sidewall by a few inches. A tape is used to measure from the toe bar back to the sidewall. When this system is used a smaller tape reading at the front of the tire indicates toe out. You will notice that this is opposite the two other methods described above. Setting Toe Properly You will get better more consistent results adjusting your toe in settings if you go the extra mile to eliminate variables. You must first decide which technique that you plan to use to take the measurements. Each technique offers different benefits and drawbacks. The methods discussed here will be the Toe Plate method, Toe Bar Method and Tire Scribe Method. If you understand each toe setting technique you will be assured of repeatable results. Before you begin taking measurements you must insure that the car is race ready. Ride heights set, weight percentages correct, driver weight accounted for, bump steer set, camber and caster set, Ackerman set, air pressure set, stagger correct....you get the idea. You should also inspect the steering components and replace any that are worn or bent. Center up the steering before you begin. Center the drag link or rack so that the inner control pivots and inner tie rods are centered to each other. Tie rod lengths should be adjusted to match you lower control points if possible. String the right side of the car to line up the right front to the right rear. By lining up the right side and starting with the right front in line with the right rear you will eliminate any Ackerman effect that is in the car. If the wheels are turned away from straight when you take your toe measurement the Ackerman effect can add toe out that will not be present when the wheels are straight ahead. Take the time to string the right side and you will get more precise results. Make sure to settle the car and roll it forward just before taking a reading. By rolling forward the caster in the car will pull the front wheels take any clearance in your suspension components all in one direction. Be sure not to let the car roll back after you have rolled it forward. By rolling the car forward each time you will get more accurate repeatable results. Be sure to roll the car back then forward after each adjustment to relieve any pressure in the tire and suspension components. When taking toe measurements that utilize the side wall it is a good idea to spin each front tire and mark the high spots on the side wall with a piece of chalk. Jack up the car and spin the RF wheel. Hold a piece of chalk on a jack stand about 1/8" away from the sidewall. Spin the tire and see if the chalk hits anywhere on the sidewall. If the chalk does not leave a mark then move the chalk gradually closer until you get marks on the high spots. Then find the uniform spots on the side wall and orient the tire so that those points will touch the Toe bar or toe plate when the car is on the ground. Lower the car and repeat the process on the other side. Toe Plate Method: Toe plates offer fast and easy measurement of the front end alignment. When using toe plates be sure to have the toe plates resting flat on the ground and centered on the tire. You should always be sure to have the toe plates flat against the side wall. Make sure that the plate is up against the side wall evenly on both sides. Air up the tires so that there is not a bulge at the bottom of the tire in the center due to under inflation. Go the extra mile and mark the high spots of the side wall with chalk. Use a tape measure to check the back of the tire and the front between toe plates. The toe plate method should give you a smaller number at the back of the tire if you want to have toe out. Remember that any bent wheels or imperfections in the side wall will affect your settings. Toe Bar Method: When using a toe bar make sure that the toe bar is held in the same place on the side wall each time on both sides of the car. Make sure that the toe bar is straight up and that equal pressure is place both front and back. Chalk the wheels and take your measurements. Measure the difference from the toe bar to the side wall on the back and on the front. To have toe out you will need to see a larger measurement on the back side of the tire. This is opposite of the toe plate and Tire Scribe measurement techniques. Any wheel run out or side wall imperfections will have an effect on your readings. Tire Scribe Method: Start by scribing a line in each front tire. By spinning the tire and scribing a line with a tire scribe you will take out any variables to bent wheels or side wall wobbles. Measure the front and back of the tire. A smaller number at the back side of the tire will produce toe out. Regardless of the method used you should use care to adjust the tire rods equally so as to keep the geometry of the front end correct. Be sure to tighten all jamb nuts and other steering components as well as visually inspecting the steering system. All three methods can give you good results if you take your time and eliminate as many variables as possible. RIVETING I've been reading Carroll Smith's book, "Nut's Bolts, Fasteners,
and Plumbing Handbook". He devotes an entire section on rivets and
riveting techniques - a subject near and dear to our hearts. Also a subject
that I didn't know there was so much to know about! Using 1/8" drill bits instead of #30 bits: a constant aggravation. (Forrest 1) On a side note we never use 1/8 in bits, we use #30s as they are .03
larger than an 1/8 and make for almost never having to redrill a hole. Richard
Oben) If I may suggest an inexpensive alternative to all the welding and
epoxying being suggested, I just used 1/8" stainless rivets instead of
the cheezy aluminum ones. I realize that the silicone does the work of
bonding, but the steel rivets pulled everything together more tightly before
snapping than the aluminum ones did. I was also careful to run a thin
(1/8") bead of silicone right across the rivet holes, so it sealed them
up as it spread across the joint area. I used GE silver colored silicone and
it actually looks pretty good. If you have some cheesecloth and denatured
alcohol handy, the GE stuff cleans right up when fresh. You can use the cloth
and alcohol to fillet all the joints and clean up excess silicone. It cleans
up better when fresh than it does dry. (Joe Leone) RIVNUTS My son thinks I must have stock in the rivnut company. Every time I
look at something I wonder if it would work better with a rivnut. RIVNUTS are super little gizmos. But, like all things mechanical, there
are a few tricks you'll want to use. Don't over pull them, because the threads
rip out pretty easily. Just before you put them in for the final time, put a
little dab of JB Weld or epoxy on them. Once they are installed, the JB Weld
will act like a "key" so they won't spin. Finally, before you mount
whatever it is you are using these for, run a screw or tap through to
straighten out any threads that distorted during the installation. (Joe Leone) DRIVER FOOTBOX ALUMINUM ASSEMBLY ORDER The "book" says that after installation of the donor pedal box , the builder should seal and rivet the front driver foot-box panel...if this is done....it would make it impossible to install the rest of the driver foot-box aluminum....is this a mistake in the book (page 53 step 8) or am I misreading the instructions? (Gordon Levy replies) Install the front, inside and bottom of the
drivers foot box. Leave off the top and the outside panel until you are ready
to install the body. BUILD SEQUENCE I installed the all rear cockpit aluminum (the big piece) before I
installed the upper trunk floor. Fortunately, I had Russ's trunk kit - so I
was able to cut out the hoop and get the piece in that way. (John Hudson) Was very careful in aligning, drilling, and clecoing all of the aluminum for the foot boxes and floorboards before riveting. Everything was perfect until I tried to install the front vertical piece that ties both sides together. Lots of flexing of that piece to finally get it to fit (it actually cracked on one corner). If I had it to do over I would definitely include that vertical piece in the alignment process before doing any riveting. (David Douglas) TREATING ALUMINUM PANELS I'm using a process from the aircraft industry which is quite simple and inexpensive. Etch and alodine. Both processes are water based, easy to do and provide corrosion protection. The chemicals can be obtained from any of the aircraft suppliers. The only drawback is that the aluminum takes on a slightly gold tint when done...doesn't bother me. E-mail if you need a source for the chemicals. (Bob G) BATTERY FLOAT CHARGER On the boat, and I will do this on the Cobra build as well, I installed a 12V accessory jack directly to the battery through a 10 amp fuse, nothing else on the circuit. I then bought the charger that Wal mart sells, (small black potted unit for about $23) and wired a standard 12V plug to it. When I put the boat away for a time, I just plug into the jack and leave the charger on. It charges the battery to float voltage, then a red LED comes on to indicate a full charge. The last set of batteries I bought for the boat are over five years old now and still going strong. (Rick Harper) I use one on my Optima battery. In fact, I just
posted on another thread the advantage of having a power outlet connected
directly to the battery on the rear cockpit wall. I can use the battery
disconnect switch and cut of the rest of the system while I use my trickle
charger to keep the battery topped off (John Hudson) Uses a model called Battery
Tender. DOOR PANEL TIP I used 5/32" hardboard treated for waterproofing. This can be found at your local upholstery shop. The foam was about 1/16" or so and then vinyl over that. Cushy soft.(WeenDoggy) PREFERRED METHOD OF PLUMBING DEFROSTER VENTS http://www.cobraforum.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=3276;start=0 HOMEMADE DEFROSTER DUCT I couldn't figure out any
way to get a standard plastic defroster fitting to fit behind my AutoMeters,
so I crafted my own fiberglass ductwork. Not real purty, but it seems to work
ok. FIREWALL INSULATION That Home Depot stuff is Mylar coated polyethylene intended for
household use. It might make you feel good thinking you've provided some heat
protection, but only real heat shielding will do the job right. You need a
double faced aluminum/ceramic fiber sandwich at least 3/16" thick to
provide heat resistance 2" from the headers. I did the foot boxes,
firewall and tunnel with such a product and the floors with a 1/2"
automotive sound barrier. I only used the Home Cheapo crap for the rear
bulkhead to provide a little extra cushioning. Here's a good starting point,
but there are many other sources. BRAKE VENT BOOTS http://www.ffcobra.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=013293 (Cobra Earl) CARPET UNDERLAYMENT I think I'll go Thermo-tec on the foot boxes/firewall, Dynamat on the floors and transmission tunnel, and the Home Depot roof stuff on the rear wall. How much of the Thermo-Tec insulation should I buy for the foot boxes and firewall? How much Dynamat should I buy for the floors and trans tunnel. No problem with the Home Depot stuff as I could do the house for $100.(Tom ) CLEAR FENDER GUARDS http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17840&highlight=rear+fender+guard+clear HOOD AND TRUNK LIFT SHOCKS Actually Excalibur did all the science... TIP FOR MOUNTING INTERIOR DOOR FINISH PANELS Use "Christmas tree" type studs into predrilled holes DOOR PULLS Europa Specialist Spares, UK... page 17... item stock
number (BSGH)... Chrome swivel grab handles (2) @ £11.00 ea = £22.00 =
$35.20 + shipping and handling (Back in August 2000). They’re a little
pricey... but they do the job... in keeping with the vintage style of the
chrome MGB/carriage door latches (they’re probably more reliable too). (Bob
Aruba) FOOTBOX VENTS The ducts I used were from Lefthander chassis, (815)389-9999. They are 5x9.75 and available with 3" hole centered or offset. Part #102-7009 is offset and 102-7022 is centered. Trimming is required to fit the face to the curved opening, then glass it in. $18.00 each, ask for a catalog...400 pages of good stuff! You can go into Portland to Race Central, <http://www.racepartsnow.com/>,
and they have lots of ducts that you could rig up behind the front end. Cobra Restorers Ltd sells fresh air accessories......every thing you need. I just installed aluminum blast gates from Grizzly and will use 3"
aluminum flex tube to the brake vent holes. I have not gotten to the
connection at the front yet but will probably use modified heat duct if I
can't find something in fiberglass. SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS ANGLE Seriously! Use your shoulder belts! But mount them correctly! We’re
talking about incredible G-force loading should you ever experience an
unexpected frontal impact, which can be (read) thousands of pounds for a
typical male 170-250 pounds. And to contribute to minimal spinal compression
injuries attempt to make sure the belts are at the very least mounted at least
5 degrees above the shoulder line to eliminate compressive forces in a frontal
impact. TIP FOR TRUNK CARPET TEMPLATES If you are planning on upholstering the interior of the trunk, and you
are not planning on buying one of the precut carpet kits, I've got a tip for
you. BEFORE you install the aluminum trunk floor pieces, take 5 minutes and
make a template of them...complete with all the holes for roll bar and belt
mounts. It's five minutes that'll save an hour or two of trying to make
templates by cutting little bits of poster board around all the obstructions. SHORTENED ROLL BARS I shortened mine by about 2.5", and I think it's still more than
2" above my head. The original front mounting points stayed where they
were, but the rear mounting stub had to be moved forward about 3" to fit
without rebending anything. I can give you exact measurements as to the length
of the uprights and diagonal if you want. Once the cuts are made, you simply
slice the rear stub off the frame with a sawzall and move it forward until it
fits the diagonal brace and weld it there. You also need to relocate the hole
in the body, but that's just trial and error. Joe Leone) INSTALLING SEATS I have the Sube Cobra Classics and love 'em. I always felt like I was
sitting on a barstool in the FFR seats and got a sore back after a few hours.
With my new seats I've driven eight hours straight no problem. Like others
said, you should pay $190 from any Sube dealer, not $250. I bought mine
through Whitby. HOOD HINGE MODIFICATION http://www.cobraforum.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=3175;start=0 I used the hinge from onlinecobra.com to do both trunk and hood. Easy
install and works great.(Joe Leone) WIND WING ATTACHMENT I'm about ready to start the install of my Wind Wings. However I
remember reading earlier that people recommend not useing the existing screws
in the windshield frame for attaching the Wings. My instructions say to do
just that. What is the reason not to use these screws? (Duane FFR2704) The screws that hold the sides of the windshield on are threaded into brass (about 2 threads). Drill new holes (at the same place just toward the rear) and put nuts and bolts on the wing window mounts. This will make them fit nicer too. (Jeff Hamilton ) Best bet is to drill and tap threads. I found that easier and less
stressing because I did not have to worry about cracking my windshield. For a
flush fit, one can cut the supplied bolts to length and avoid using the acorn
nuts on the inside of the frame. (Jose Borja) Of note, Bill has a good method to avoid cracking the wind wings and visors. He uses nylon washers on both sides of the wings. This goes a long way in preventing any cracking. (Duane FFR2704) THROTTLE PEDAL Russ Thompson's pedal is highly recommended.
Contact him at rtcobra@attbi.com FENDER WELL GUARDS I put "Devinicel" or something similar to that word inside my
wheel wells while building my new car. It's foam sheet, scribed into 1"
squares, so you can form it to the contour of the inner fender. You glue it
down, then glass over it. There are some pics at Foam
inner fender <http://www.webscando.com/phoenix/phoenix15.htm>
and a written description of that procedure is somewhere in the build diary,
hey I just found it: Foam install
<http://www.acuraworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=676&perpage=20&pagenumber=4>
go to the 6-16-02 entry. I'm sorry I don't know the exact name of the material
used; it came from my fiberglass expert friends, but it's available at
fiberglass supply shops. 8,000 miles so far on my new car with no visible
fender damage, even over lots of dirt roads. Hope that helps. John Phillips) UNDERCOAT TIP For those undercoating their cars with truck bed liner products here is
a good tip... Complete the under-liner first prior to painting the body. I did
it the opposite way and taped off all openings real nice like so the shiny
part would not be not so shiny. Turns out the underside of these bodies are
real porous and the bed liner product soaks in like a sponge. Any pinholes or
thin spots (mine were around wheel openings and headlight openings) bled up
through the shiny side. If you were to apply the under side first the body
prep to the top layer would cover the black.. My fix was with a small detail
spray gun and it was a pain in the but! Joe ) Body Work Steps PRIMING no real reason to use an epoxy primer over the glass, and definitely
not over the body filler. PPG used to recommend priming anything that you
worked on first with DP primer. then do your filling over it. I cannot get
their old DP primer here in Cal, only their DP LF (lead free) version. definitely
don't use it over or under your filler. anyhow, do your bodywork, fill as many
pinholes as you can find, then prime with Featherfil. block sand that, and
re-fill any leftover pinholes. if you are satisfied with the work, prime again
with k-36. if not, do some more filling and fairing work. it's ok to do minor
filling over Featherfil. anyhow, when it seams pretty smooth and wave free,
prime with k-36, 2-3 coats. the k-36 will seal in the polyesters and give the
body a smooth surface. block sand that with 280, then follow up with 400. if
you don't burn through, you won't need to seal it. if you do, just shoot one
final coat of k-36 reduced 10% with urethane reducer. sand it with 600 and
you're ready for paint. good luck, cheers, SRP SANDING BLOCK RECOMMENDATION I use a sanding block made by Dura-block. it is high density foam
rubber and it's about 1" in diameter. Eastwood sells the assortment of
blocks including this one for $50. cheers, SRP BODY PREPARATION VIDEO To order, please send $15 to: WHEEL WELL COATING I used the brush on bed liner. It worked very well. Although brushing it
on takes longer I felt that I could do a neater job and not worry about over spray. Be sure and paint on a good coat of black epoxy to seal the glass surface
before spraying/rolling the bed liner in the arches to seal the glass
surfaces. If you do not do this, when stones or whatever loosens the liner it
will create a void that will possibly fill with moisture that can possibly
capillary thru to cloud the glass/paint at that point, depending on the amount
of FGRP crazing. UNDERBODY PAINT I bought a gallon of paint on bed liner from Wal-Mart. The body is yellow
w/ white stripes and the black wheel wells look great. Even better the stuff
really works. It prevents any kind of road abrasion. I did the entire under
body. SEAM FILLER I know why you want to use the flox and balloons since it's what you know. I thought the same thing before I started my seams. Don't worry about it. Do it SRP's way. Just get the 3M blister repair to fill the groove, and the Rage to do the top and shape it all out. It's just as easy (easier actually) than working with the epoxy, flox, and micro balloons. A couple of weekends and you'll be 90% done with the seams. (Advil) I use Featherfil. some guys use slick sand, some use K-36 or K-200. if
the body guy is comfortable using his product, it should be fine. just make
sure that he doesn't change the seam filler. use only west system's epoxy, or
3m Vinyl ester repair filler. if he uses any other product for the main part
of the fill, he will be re-doing it in a couple months. good luck, and as
always, Cheers, (SRP) I use Rage Gold. it matches the gel coat better than the 3m fairing
filler. gel coat is polyester based. the main lay-up of the body is vinyl ester,
hence the reason to use the vinyl ester for any deep filling. fair it out with
Rage Gold. it sands easier and costs quite a bit less. cheers, (SRP) Don't go much deeper than 1/8". also make sure you taper the ground out area to avoid a sharp edge at the top. sharp edges picture. neither the flox or micro balloons are like Rage Gold. Hetonite and talc is what is in Rage Gold. both are compatible though if you plan to use Rage Gold over west systems. cheers, (SRP) It is this stuff, called High strength repair filler #046014 a unique vinyl ester formulation. cheers, (SRP) SRP, After many calls and visits to a few marine supply stores, I
picked up 3M Marine Blister and Repair Filler #46013. In your earlier response
you mentioned using #46014. Are you aware of any big difference between the
two? Can I use the 46013 to bond my hood hoop? It may seem trivial but I
rather not be picking my hood up off the road. (Vermont Cobra) The item number is different on the quantity: HOOD HINGE BONDING Oldguy, use the blister repair filler for your bonding agent. if you
prefer to avoid using mat, then do the following. drill 4 to 6 1/4" holes
in the plates that will attach to the body, (assuming you're using some type
of different hood or trunk hinges than FF). the on the side not being bonded,
use a countersink and taper those holes out to about 3/8". grind the back
of the plates with a 40 grit disk. sand the corresponding area of the body
with 80 grit as well. then, using the blister repair filler, bond the plates
in place. the filler will ooze out the holes you drilled. spread the filler
over the tapered hole. when it cures, it will not be removable, so make sure
you have it right. hope this helps, Cheers, (SRP) FIBERGLASS CRACK REPAIR Ouch, materials: 3mblister repair filler or Mar-glass, Rage or Rage
Gold body filler, die grinder with 40 grit grinding disc or dremel tool, wax
and grease remover or Comet, 40 grit, 80 grit, 180 grit, and 400 and 1000 wet
or dry paper. urethane primer, fiberglass mat, either polyester or vinyl ester
resin with catalyst, adhesion promoter Dupont 222s(if you are going to attempt
a blend), base color, clear coat. ok you need to make sure there's no wax on
the surface, so clean with wax and grease remover, or comet/scotchbrite and
hot water. find the end of the crack and drill a 1/8" hole through the
body to stop the crack from going any further. with a die grinder and a 40
grit disc grind the crack into a V shape. then sand the surface about 2"
beyond the crack with 80 grit. if the car was painted you will want to have an
area about 1/2" on either side of the crack down to bare glass tapering
out through the layers of gel coat, primer and paint to about 2-3". blow
off any dust, and place masking tape on either side of the crack so that only
the bare glass and crack are exposed. fill to just below level with 3m blister
repair filler if you can find it, or Mar-glass. remove the tape and let cure.
scuff the filler with 40 grit and skim coat the area with Rage or Rage Gold
body filler. you will want to scuff sand the back of the crack at this point
with 40 grit. make sure the area is clean before you scuff. cut a
2"x4" piece of mat, mix up the resin and lay-up one layer of resin
and mat. go back to the rage and rough shape it with 40 grit, final shape with
80 grit, and then final sand it with 180. sand the surrounding area about
6" diameter) with 400 wet). then prime. let it set a few days. sand the
primer with 400 wet, if the shape is good, then sand about a 12" area
with 1000grit wet. now you're ready for a blend. if you need this info, let me
know and I'll walk you through it as well. cheers, (SRP) BONDED PLATES FOR BODY MOUNTING I'm torn between two choices here. One the one hand, I'd be happy to
leave the bolts as the primary fastening if I could get a really trick looking
bolt. On the other hand, it'd be nice to have no bolts at all. Do you think 3M
Blister repair is strong enough to bond stud plates to the inside of the body?
I figured I could make up the plates (with plenty of holes), bolt the plates
to the correct orientation, and then bond them to the finished body. I
intended to use nuts on both side of the frame mounting plate instead of
spacers, so I could jack the body stud plates right into position before
bonding. What's your opinion? (Joe Leone) That's precisely what I do. make sure you have them where you want
them, once the blister repair filler cures, you would have to cut them off.
also, do it before you paint. the blister repair filler generates quite a lot
of heat when curing. it could bubble the paint. cheers, (SRP) I use a piece of 1.5" x 6" 1/8" steel with 2 5/16"
studs welded to it for each one. Cheers, (SRP) SRP LONG BOARDS As for long boards, I use several. if I catch the filler as it is curing
and not too hard, I use an 18"durablock with stick it paper. if the
filler is hard, I use a 18" aluminum shoed board. it has a thin layer of
holy rubber on the paper side with a handle. if it is really hard, I use
either my air file, or orbital air board by Hutchins. I use a shorter block
for the tight areas, about 6-9" long, and a round block for the inside
curves. those are made by Durra Block. good luck, (SRP) ROLLED BODY EDGES http://www.ffcobra.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=000062#000002 UNDERCOAT TIP For those undercoating their cars with truck bed liner products here is
a good tip... Complete the under-liner first prior to painting the body. I did
it the opposite way and taped off all openings real nice like so the shiny
part would not be not so shiny. Turns out the underside of these bodies are
real porous and the bed liner product soaks in like a sponge. Any pinholes or
thin spots (mine were around wheel openings and headlight openings) bled up
through the shiny side. If you were to apply the under side first the body
prep to the top layer would cover the black.. My fix was with a small detail
spray gun and it was a pain in the but! Joe ) BODY SEAMS like John said, I use 3m's vinyl ester line. I use the blister repair filler for the main seam work, then follow up with Rage. I haven't used the premium vinyl ester filler, but I'm sure it would work fine. I use Rage for the fairing after the main seam work, as it more closely matches the first primer that I use which is Featherfil. either way will work, but make sure your main fill is with a vinyl ester filler. cheers, SRP this is the stuff. part # 046014 by 3m marine. cheers, SRP PAINT PRODUCTS Use Rage Gold for final fairing. Featherfil or Slicksand for you major
blocking. if you can get it, move on to PPG k-36 for your final prime and
block. I use Dupont color and clear, although I don't like most of their VOC
compliant primers and I can't get K-36 either. I use Spies 2k primer, but any
high quality 2k urethane primer will work for that step. block it with 280 and
then seal. scuff sand the seal coat with 600 then spray. hope this helps,
cheers, SRP RAGE GOLD FAIRING FILLER Is this the stuff you use? If so, how much do I need to do the new body?
The guy that is going to paint mine also said I need to get some 2 pat epoxy
stuff to finish it...any idea what he may be taking about? Rage
Gold <http://shop.papaint.com/browse.cfm/2,148.html> LONG BOARD RECOMMENDATION I would keep it in the house so that the temp stays around 60-70d. if
it gets too cold or too warm, it will separate and get lumpy. as for long
boards, I use several. if I catch the filler as it is curing and not too hard,
I use an 18"durablock with stick it paper. if the filler is hard, I use a
18" aluminum shoed board. it has a thin layer of holy rubber on the paper
side with a handle. if it is really hard, I use either my air file, or orbital
air board by Hutchins. I use a shorter block for the tight areas, about
6-9" long, and a round block for the inside curves. those are made by Durra
Block. good luck, SRP GUIDE COAT PAINT Use only lacquer based paint in a rattle can for guide coat. PAINT QUANTITY I normally use 3 quarts, but buy a gallon for the main color. 1 quart
for the stripes, and a gallon of clear, plus the activator and reducer.
cheers, SRP SPRAY GUN FOR PRIMER also, yes a cheapo for your primer works good. Harbor Freight has a
Central pneumatic that is decent for primer. about $75. cheers, SRP PAINT RECOMMENDATIONS | ||||||
