MadaboutKitcars

Glad the windscreen trim was successful. I think it is a super addition!

Thanks, I do like to mess about with the detail bits.
Cheers, Bob.

Nearly finished the high level rear light now. The red plastic surround is now black and has the mesh fitted over the top. I'll try to sort something to go around the edge to make it look more like an air vent. I'm at Newark auto jumble on Sunday so will have a poke about for anything suitable.

Look even better. That trim sets it off

Dave

Bob - Which trim did you use and from where? I fancy doing that to mine too.

Hi,

It's a boat trim from Walker Rubber in Norwich. I bought all 15 metres that they had in stock.

I can send you enough (plus a bit extra) for £12 with post. Just pm me if you're interested.

I taped it in place first and by the next day it held it's new shape which made glueing it much easier. It also needs a tiny bit trimming off the wiper/vent cover plastic panel which is easily done in situ with a sharp knife.

Cheers, Bob.

I have pm'd you.

What glue did you use or does it come with adhesive attached?

Reply to pm sent.

I stuck it in with Stixall from Tool Station but I expect any of the body adhesive sorts of stuff would work.
Cheers, Bob.

I would be tempted to stick a flat rubber trim to the windscreen first and then the chrome trim on top in the centre. This would make it look like a traditional rubber windscreen mount and you could also make the top section a little thicker.
One of the few design flaws (due to necessity) is that the windscreen is too tall, this would give the impression that it was shorter.

That was my first plan. Speaking to the guy at the rubber supplier he showed me some flat rubber but warned that it goes brown after a few months, I've seen this before.
The other trouble is getting a chrome trim to bend round the corners without a groove to help hold it in place.
It will look great if you can get it to work though.

Cheers, Bob.

Safe to use a heat gun on a low setting to help it bend?

You won't need to, it curves round so easily and keeps it's shape if you tape it for a while

Is the trim the plastic chrome type material ? You can also get half round aluminium profile that would work.

Yes, I've used a plastic trim, fine for me but I'm sure an alloy one would look really good if it was bent nicely.

If you can TIG weld aluminum, the half-round is great. Simply kerf the half-round at the severe bends and weld it back up. A bit of
smoothing and polishing to complete. Works a treat!
I did this on a past project, really looks the part.

I bought a cheap stick welder the other week to teach myself to weld.

It will be a while before it goes anywhere near one of my cars. Check the weld smoothness on my first attempt
20161012_175727 by WCA!, on Flickr

A tip given to me which helped a great deal - keep the sticks in the airing cupboard! If they are kept in the garage they absorb moisture and are difficult/impossible to get a good weld.

Thank - I will try that

Definitely keep the welding electrodes dry. I have been known to place a handful in the oven for a few minutes. Practice and more practice is the key. Eventually you'll develop "your hand" at it.

I tend to only use my arc welder for thick plate steel , 6mm and above. MIG is more flexible and far better for thin material in vehicle work. I just need to master TIG for those special jobs in ali and stainless !

With arc welding you will only make holes in car bodywork, you need to use mig and don't go for gassless as it is too hot and again you will tend to blow holes through the car bodywork.

I have been playing with various thicknesses of metal and various different metal.

I have perfected the lacy edged non-penetrative weld

I am thinking of patenting this as the ideal way to make two pieces of metal smaller and appear to be joined until you release the clamp.


Fortunately my welding is currently just for garden art. I have successfully created a 4 creature from a car suspension spring and a couple of track rods.

If you can get your arc box current low enough, you can weld thin material (0.8mm - 1.5mm) easily enough assuming you're using fairly small sticks, and have a reasonably good amount of metal area for heat dissipation.

MIG definitely easier to do with practice, but thin stock arc is easy enough.

Finally got around to trying to fit the sliver trim you so kindly supplied and...

...it is quartic profile on the back. That works great for the 250SWB with the pillars down the side of the screen but less so for the Z300S with the flush mount windscreen.

Grrrr...

Plan B I guess

That's a shame but as the rest that I bought has sold to 250 owners on here, I'm sure it will resell easily.

Keep searching, something suitable will appear.
Cheers, Bob.