298 replies to this topic

[gingerjon]

I thought at this point it would be rude not to try it with the coupe in place

 

I'm hoping that joining the inner sking will add some strength to the rear part of the coupe and ensure it doens't sag!!

 

It wouldn't fit directly as the top vents were in the way. I knew this would be the case as i had noticed when i 1st got the hinges the vents would need to come out......so out they came

A trim of the inner skin and we are getting somewhere!

 

Question :

This is the view if i put it into place :

will this just rip off when i strat driving with the air being forced through and then hitting the support bar?

Am i better cutting it off?

I was going to reroute the air filter anyway for the scoop, but concerned it will cause issues with the air coming in?

 

[gingerjon]

Bonded in the "Big head Fastners" onto the cut down inner skin for the new roll bar cover

 

Then came the moment :

 

I have never ever ever ever ever fibreglassed before.....but i have watched some youtube tutorials! equipped with the main parts i caracked on wondering what was the worst that could happen!!

 

To fill the newly cut holes in the coupe i guled in some corrugated plastic sheet (As per youtube!) and waxed it so nothign woudl stick. Then glued them into place on each side

 

I pre cut all the matting and mixed the resin and catalyst.....i weighed it out but christ knows if it was as correct as i worked out!!

Lay the matting and resin it up

 

While i was on a roll.......i did the Roll bar cover too!

 

Lets just hope it works!!!

 

I checked the coupe sections before i left and pulled the plastic away. It was already pretty solid so fingers crossed i might have actually done it!!

 

 

@ FLD - Please don't judge me. I can't take the critisism!!

[gingerjon]

that was it for work today, my fingers were stuck together and i had inhaled so much GRP and resin fumes i thougt it best to call it a day.

 

Bought a new jack this week as my old one broke, Seems pretty solid for £110! Although the Jack to car Size ratio is a little out!!!

 

Lastly i got my Rear light lenses from GMS.

Even have the markings to spray up

 

I thought it worth posting as they are great quality and i am really pleased with them. I paid £92 posted 1st class and they will save a lot of people sizable chunks of money with broken rears. Thanks GMS!!

 

That'll do this week. we shall see if its held together when i head back down.......tense!!!

[FLD]

Great progress.  You should feel proud of yourself!

[Graeme Lambert]

Yup good work mate. now hurry up and get it completely finished so I can copy it...

[gingerjon]

I really need to get this finished.....

 

Back to the roll bar today, after a couple of weeks off the resin and sealent had cured nicely. I peeled off the tape and crossed my fingers.....

 

 

Hurrah....it worked!!!

 

I needed to trim off the excess i had added  seems my "just incase" layer was a little thicker than i thought...

 

All trimmed back and sanded smooth, much neater!

 

After the Tiger seal had dried on the inner skin i tried it on the car

The Gap is bigger than OEM so need some more trimming....

I trimmed off the thick layer of fibreglass on the leading edge as it was sitting much higher than normal on top of the metal roll bar of the car itself 

[gingerjon]

The inner skin was still sitting proud so i needed to trim the front edge and the corners to compensate for the raised fibreglass area i had now created with the join

 

Sits much better but still not brilliant

 

So more trimming of the front lip and then Voila!

 

Sits pretty much as OEM. Thank goodness!

 

[gingerjon]

Time for the final part of the roll bar before i move onto the brackets.....

Re tightend the new big head fastners in the inner skin so its in position. A mixture of Poly Resin and Tiger seal to ensure a good seal goes on

 

And there we will leave it for a week.....and hope it works like the others!!!

 

Back to the rear part where i had sanded back the copious amounts of resin i had used.....better safe than sorry!

Added this P38 ready to sand flat. i think it will need a few layers after being sanded back to bring it flush with the rest of the panel.

 

 

[FLD]

All the making it fit takes ages doesn't it.  It is also what makes it look good in the end so take your time

[gingerjon]

A few years ago my car was broken into and the little bastards pulled the window down an smashed it...... but not after tearing the fibreglass outer skin in the meantime. I have just had a small strip of black tape on it since it happend (One of those "I'll get round to it" jobs) and that has coped pretty well but today was the day i finally got round to it!!

After a sand down with the Dremel to leave me a groove (The fibreglass dust smealt damp so i went a bit deeper than i was going to at first

 

I have used some fibreglass bridging resin....never used it before, like most of these new products!!......but it seemed in the description to do as i needed. Again i have probably used more than needed but hey ho.....least it should hold!

 

Thats it for today, good progress but its slows you down having to wait for things to cure. Hopefully next week i can move on to the brackets for the hinges on the roll bar cover and then begin to look at the rear brackets too.

 

Meanwhile.......I told myself i was buying no more until the coupe was done.......I failed.

 

Sticky, FLD and DG are totally to blame :

 

Gaz Gold Pro's

AP Racing 4 -Pots (Yes, i know you don't need them and they don't make you stop better, but i have always wanted them and they look great behind ATS's!!)

Ali Belled front Disc's

A Carbon Fibre thing of beauty in a TMS Rear wing

 

Can't wait to fit them......but need to finish the coupe 1st, need to finish the coupe 1st, need to finish the coupe 1st, need to finish the coupe 1st, need to finish the coupe 1st, need to finish the coupe 1st, need to finish the coupe 1st,need to finish the coupe 1st....................

[gingerjon]

Yeah Matt.........it's crazy lining it all up when you create new parts. I have NO IDEA how Darcini has the patience with his rear lights and body work!!

[TazN]

Cannot wait to see this project finished, the attention to detail is looking very promising.

 

I used the bridging paste and found it to work very well but was a right pita to sand back. Air sander and a 60grit was the only way I found it to be even remotely quick.

[gingerjon]

Thanks Taz, and then Not Thanks for already making the door repair slide way down the jobs list! Looking forward to fitting the Gaz's after the recent topics.......sort of.

[Sticky]

Wing does look good

[gingerjon]

Couple of weeks off as we have bene in the process of selling our place and buying an new house.....with Garage this time!!!  Although it does mean the money i had for the SC is gone, so a little gutting from that point of view!!

 

Back to the Coupe.

 

I made the brackets from the Alu sheet

 

Removed the middle of the inner skin part as all had set in place

 

Had to remove a couple of sections in the skin to to fix the brackets too and the big head fastners

 

I had filled and sanded the "Vent" which was i removed for the hinges

 

[gingerjon]

After the sealent had gone off i added the hinges into their new positions

 

All looks good so far, the hinges clear the rear window and the movement doesn't interfere with the roll bar. Time to put the 2 pieces of coupe together to try and line up the hinges on the rear part.

I used a Hot Glue Gun and some corrugated plastic to join the parts on a tempory basis

 

The inner skin i had before in place......this is where things became difficult and took a turn for the worse

 

The angles were all wrong now everything was in place and worse than that.....the hinges are not totally flat due to the curve on the roll bar cover meaning they wont just hinge up in a straight line

 

[gingerjon]

After a couple of hours of man thinking and trying to work out how to not waste the last 2 months worth of effort and expert engineering (Bodging) i set about making some bracket holders which would enable the bolts to slide outwards when the rear part rises

I was in the "Zone" so not many pictures.......who knows if it will work but its all i could think of at the time......other ideas definately welcome!!

 

Sealed the Alu into place under the inner skin

 

The theory is :

 

Fibreglass the rectangles into place on the rear coupe section, then bolts through into the hinnges, when the rear part lifts and the hinges twist, they will slide along the channels but still secure with the bolts.....who knows but i was pretty hacked off as i was hoping it would be simple. The other option is to some how re angle the hinges on the front roll bar flat so it doesn't have the issue (REALLY wish i had thought of that earlier after 2 hours of work rather than now when i am writing it up!!!!!!!!!!!)

[gingerjon]

Had a nightmare with Suspension.....but that is in another Thread, so after stressing witht he coupe i moved onto something i knew i could do!!!

 

Before :

After :

 

That'll do it for today. Need to get the engine back in and running for when we move tot he new place so the coupe may not change for a while....however that measn i have to retackle the Slave Cylinder.........Will this never end!!!!!!!!!!????????

[Exmantaa]

After a couple of hours of man thinking and trying to work out how to not waste the last 2 months worth of effort and expert engineering (Bodging) i set about making some bracket holders which would enable the bolts to slide outwards when the rear part rises

I was in the "Zone" so not many pictures.......who knows if it will work but its all i could think of at the time......other ideas definately welcome!!

 

 

Sealed the Alu into place under the inner skin

 

 

The theory is :

 

Fibreglass the rectangles into place on the rear coupe section, then bolts through into the hinnges, when the rear part lifts and the hinges twist, they will slide along the channels but still secure with the bolts.....who knows but i was pretty hacked off as i was hoping it would be simple. The other option is to some how re angle the hinges on the front roll bar flat so it doesn't have the issue (REALLY wish i had thought of that earlier after 2 hours of work rather than now when i am writing it up!!!!!!!!!!!)

 

 

 

Sliding bolts on the hinge plates??

 

Better properly allign the hinges!!

My idea; make a long rod that you can stick through both hinge pivots, so these will keep properly alligned. Fill out the gaps you will now have beneath the hinge attachment. points.

When that is cured and fixed there, move to the back coupe section and fill out those attachment points. When finished, remove the long pivot rod and re-mount the normal hinge pivots. Should work,,,

 

Edited by Exmantaa, 16 August 2014 - 10:14 PM.

[FLD]

You have the hinges misaligned in the roll bar cover part which is making them splay when moved.  You could just file the holes in the hinges to allow a little 'fitting' to be done.