Starting NEW Body Kit from scratch (Page 2/14)
Mailmule SEP 22, 01:23 PM
Got a little more done yesterday. Only 6 hours worth and it doesn't feel like it. Here are some updated photos on and off the car as I sand and build and sand and build......

I decided to change the shape on how the bottom scoop blends into the actual wide body portion. The previous pics show the wood at the opposite angle. I am working off a similar picture of the lambo. Changed some things around to accommodate for the lines on the fiero, but we will see how crazy it will get.



A few more off the car. So much easier to sand and shape. Also, I needed the car for a little while this morning. I am starting on the lower door and ground effect today. Will keep up the pics.
85SEnochie SEP 22, 01:34 PM
DITO! keep the pix as many as you can posibaly handle please. Love the work you have done.
3.6lvvt6spdgt SEP 22, 06:52 PM
looking good 8) whats that putty you are useing ontop of the foam and balsa?
Mailmule SEP 23, 10:59 AM
Thanks for the inspiration. The putty is just your run of the mill Bondo (Body Filler). I am trying to get it as good and smooth as I can at this point, so when I do finally start laying glass, I have an almost perfect surface. For the final product, I only want to use body filler to feather any edges and make it perfectly uniform. As we all know, body filler will only degrade over time and crack under constant driving. At the point it is at, I can lay all the bondo I want to get whatever shape I desire, because it is only the form. And what is great with the foam and balsa is it is so light (and fragile) but when the body filler is applied it kinda beefs it up a bit.

Here are some more pics: Any suggestions or ideas? Now is the time.....Anyone wanna start the driver side?????






Here is a project I started last year but havent finished yet. After figuring the cost it was less expensive to just go and buy the darn things:
85SEnochie SEP 23, 11:51 AM

quote
Originally posted by Mailmule:

Thanks for the inspiration. The putty is just your run of the mill Bondo (Body Filler). I am trying to get it as good and smooth as I can at this point, so when I do finally start laying glass, I have an almost perfect surface. For the final product, I only want to use body filler to feather any edges and make it perfectly uniform. As we all know, body filler will only degrade over time and crack under constant driving. At the point it is at, I can lay all the bondo I want to get whatever shape I desire, because it is only the form. And what is great with the foam and balsa is it is so light (and fragile) but when the body filler is applied it kinda beefs it up a bit.

Here are some more pics: Any suggestions or ideas? Now is the time.....Anyone wanna start the driver side?????




Are you going to do the same to the door? Will post pic when PIP is working again

[This message has been edited by 85SEnochie (edited 09-23-2008).]

InTheLead SEP 23, 11:58 AM
The thing I always worry about is I know I could probably pull off one side, but how is the other side emulated perfectly? I see custom kits and think "how the heck did they do it to both sides..".

Nice projects I put this on my favs.
85SEnochie SEP 23, 08:18 PM
Here it is Just a thought.
matchmade SEP 23, 09:08 PM
I agree with the people above, I want to see as many pictures as you have! I would like to learn how to do this kind of stuff. I've never touched fiberglass. The thing that has made me hesitant to try this is getting the two sides identical. You can buy a hot knife and hot wire cutter to shape the foam, if that's not what you are doing already. I have some small hot knives that I used when I used to make war game miniature scenery. But I know they make large ones even some set up kind of like a table saw. I've even seen tutorials how to make your own custom hot wire cutter for large objects. Anyway, good luck with your build. We are all looking forward to seeing this progress.

edit: to fix typos

[This message has been edited by matchmade (edited 09-23-2008).]

Back On Holiday SEP 23, 10:24 PM
i've been experimenting in fiberglass and have been wondering this... how do you fill in the mini air pockets and crap that are exposed when you sand it down? I bought this bondo putty stuff (general purpose) but im hesitant to use it... should I?
Mailmule SEP 24, 10:08 AM
Thanks again for your responses.
85SEnochie:::: I am doing a door piece, but not the exact shape as the ground effect. I wante to get the ground effect 90% before moving up to the door.

Everything changes as I pogress. As you can see below, I wanted the flow from the scoop to the ground effect more natural rather than just square.



InTheLead,matchmade::: It will definitely be a challenge, but as I make a shape or an angle, I am cutting out a template out of cardboard and also tracing the outline of the shape on a piece of cardboard pictured below: This will at least get me the same angles and shape, but as far as being identicle (I doubt it) But who can see both sides at the same time anyway: The foam is for basic shape and then I am using Bondo to tweak it the way I want.


Back On Holiday:::: Bondo is your friend. Lukily I had the chance to take autobody repair in school and had a great teacher. For this stage of my project, I am using the cheap stuff ($15 a gallon) But for the smoothing of the glass I will be using a much higher grade Bondo and using it sparingly because that will be the most crucial part. It also depends on the mold. For this, I am putting the glass on top of my mold, which is why I am making it a little short were it molds to the body. For that reason, I will have to use Bondo to make everything perfectly smooth and uniform after the glass is layed. If I had all the right equipment, I would be making a mold that my glass goes inside (almost like baking a cake) and would need much less bondo. Who knows. Maybe after making my first panel and it is to short, I may use the inside of that glass panel to make another (making the out-side smooth as a baby's but. It is all trial and error. I would love to buy Archies Kit, but $2500 is a bit much for me. So, If I were you, I would experiment with a very small object and make a glass mold from it and the the bondo, just to get the feel for it. Just remember that you must rough up the surface you are appling the bondo to. I use a 36 grit sandpaper to to this. After you lay the bondo and just before it dries (about 3 minutes or so) Use the cheese grater to shape it and knock down any high spots. You can see a picture of it above laying on top of the taillight. After it dries. sart with the 36-grit and smoothe all edges and then a sanding block for the rest. Then move to an 80 grit. You will see on the Bondo when sanding what spots are low because the sanding block isn't hitting them. Repeat steps until you have your desired shape. 36,80,180 then primer. After priming, sand with 220 and prime again(repeating a few times) If any additional scratches are present, you can use a different kind of putty on top of the primer, (just for small scratches) sand and prime again. When ready for paint sand with 400-800 wet or dry, wipe, tack and paint.....

Here are some more pics::