#114 CCC

[ratrog64]

Ideas Realized

Rear valance assembled and hung on the back of the car. Pretty happy with the end results.

Hood scoops added to the finished hood. Only thing left is the latch assembly and hinges. Again pretty happy with the finished product.

Nice thing about having the molds is I can make extra parts and paint them to match the car to change the look of the car. I might make another rear and color match it to the body and just paint the rear center section satin black. *insane*

I won't do any of that until i have the car back on the road again.

 

[Peter]

I use this. Depending on the amount you use the paint is usually dry to the touch in about an hour.

And yes I've painted without it(to see how long it would take to cure without it) and by the end of the day the paint still wasn't dry

View attachment 7962

I think that is a "must buy". off to search.*thumbs up*

 

[ratrog64]

Got seat backs and center console sprayed today.

Working on rear visor and ground effects now. In between coats waiting for flash off.





Back to work tomorrow so I tried to make today count!

 

[ratrog64]

I feel like I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I know I still have a boat load of work to do but it feels like it is not so overwhelming anymore.

I will try and get some time in after work this week. I'd like to get the car back up on jack stands so I can be ready to spray if an opening presents itself.

 

[ratrog64]

I once heard a top custom car builder say, "The difference between a good paint job and a GREAT paint job is several coats of hand rubbed clear".

Love the finish you are getting, I am still torn as to go satin or hi-gloss black

Gloss black was my original choice for this car but, black cars in Florida are just brutally hot! The other problem with black is it only looks clean for about an hour after you detail it. But for that hour! *rock on*

I'm a big fan of satin black as well. Ron painted his (ronrules) satin black and in the photos it looked tough as hell!

 

[sector]

Where are the taillights?

 

[ratrog64]

Tail Lights

Where are the taillights?

A third brake light mounted top center. Below that is a led strip that is a running, brake, turn and reverse light. At the bottom is 2 rectangular running / brake lights. The 2 side markers are also visible from the rear.

 

[ratrog64]

Body Paint

New Years Eve was a day for paint. I got the body tape off and ready to be sprayed. After 2 coats of paint and before the 3rd I examined the body for any runs, sags, nibs etc.

Well shit! I found something I can't believe I missed during the blocking stage. *very frustrated*

This is the area where the old rear louver lift was attached. I guess I over sanded my repair and now I can see it again in the fresh paint. So much for spraying clear today! *explitive rant*

Most would have likely left it there but I figure I'm going this far, might as well fix it now. This will delay spraying clear as much as a week since I have a full work schedule this week. Oh well! *whaah*
Its not that the paint job is going to be perfect, I can find 100 other little imperfections, but major flaws I need to try and fix.

 

[Peter]

I would bee VERY happy to have as good a finish as that, (in black of course), one day*nothing to see*

 

[ratrog64]

Lower Scoops

Finally finished the passenger side lower scoop I started over a year ago. Dialed it in and got it into primer so I can make a mold of it.

I also dug out the drivers side pod I made (no easy task as it got buried in my car trailer) and started working on it so if I decide to use the scoops (which I likely will) I have both ready.

I really want to have all the body pieces made and finished so I can check the outside of the car off my list and can concentrate on the interior.

I never made the passenger side top side scoop but do have the mold made and ready to go. Hopefully I be doing some glass work this week evenings after work.

 

[ratrog64]

Top Scoop

I painted the drivers side top scoop to match the body to see if I might like it in body color instead of black. After placing the satin black parts back on the car I decided to stick with my original plan and go satin black.

 

[ratrog64]

Lower Scoops

Tomorrow is back to work so I got a full day in on the Sterling.

Started the day painting the back of my seat shells and under side of my rear visor in satin black. This was just brush applied Rustoleum from a quart can. This is the same paint I always use for the under side of dune buggies. It paints on easy, and touch ups blend very nicely.

Spent the rest of the day (about 6 hours) finishing my lower scoop for the drivers side and a little touch up on the passenger side scoop. Got both into primer as well so next step is a wet sand, polish and make a mold.

 

[vpogv]

I'm digging the scoops and the color. Keep it up!

 

[ratrog64]

Side Scoop Molds & Parts

Got the side scoop plugs wet sanded, waxed and pva'ed. Waxed and pva'ed the 2 top scoop molds.

Brushed on my tooling gel on the lower scoops and in the upper scoop molds. Next step is making the molds for the lower scoops and making a left and right top scoop. Top scoops will be made with tooling gel since I had it mixed already, No point in wasting it since they get primed and painted anyway.

Its a cool night here in Tampa Bay so its taking a couple of hours for my gelcoat to kick. I could have mixed it a little hotter but its been a while since I have done this so I didn't want to screw up. I gave myself plenty of time by using a slower catalyst.

I'll head back up to my shop and get everything laid up in just a bit.

 

[ratrog64]

Got the molds laid up and laid up 2 new top side scoops tonight.

Pull and trim up tomorrow and maybe lay up new lower scoops in the new molds.

 

[islandman]

You make it look easy

 

[ratrog64]

You make it look easy

Thanks David! I hate to say it but it is pretty easy. Time consuming yes, difficult, not so much.

The time is spent making the plug which you are well into finding out with your new dash. The key will be to spend as much time as necessary making the plug as nice as possible. By the time you are done you will have a couple hundred hours into making your first finished part. That's why I kept my dash design simple and used much of what was already there. As is was, I still had 30 to 40 hours in making the plug and about 25 in making the mold (3pc). The dash layup is another 10 by the time I pull and trim the part.

You are going to have to have a lot to think about when making your dash plug. You always have to keep in mind how am I going to get this thing out of a mold. That's where the experience really makes the difference. Make sure you get advice from guys like Brett as you move forward.

So yes, making a quick mold of a little air scoop on the Sterling is pretty easy. But, by the time I pull and trim up my first parts (lower scoops), I will still have about 16 hours into them. And keep in mind, I cheated, I started with the scoops I bought from the Sterling site. I stuck them down and piled on the filler to reshape them into my own design. If I had to start from scratch, I'd say add a few more hours each side. *pbpbpbp!*

 

[islandman]

I never thought about it in terms of hours spent, but now you say it I can easily see how the hours have piled up on mine and I'm only just at the starting point to make the plug.

 

[ratrog64]

New top scoops pulled from the molds and one part trimmed up and ready to be installed.



The lower scoops are all trimmed up and ready to start making some parts.
Here you can see the difference between the part I started with (purchased from Sterling site) and the new mold.



New molds attached to some plywood with a goob of body filler to make it easier to lay up new parts.

 

[ratrog64]

The side pod was covered with clear packaging tape to make getting the plug off the pod easy. A few wacks with a rubber hammer and a good tug and off she comes!





A little light sanding and its as good as new and ready for my new scoop.