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Just don't forget that "In order to the item can be fixed firmly, we suggest you to add some gummed paper or glue to fix it on the location which you set. Otherwise,the item can lose easily."
Soooo, you stick it on with gummed paper...
Check out the mock up photos - every Volvo should have at least one stuck on at a jaunty angle.
Had an excellent trip to the Exeter kit car show today!
Gary had finally made it with something resembling his sanity still in tact and with one of each kit in various build stages.
It was nice to finally meet Pat and see Skippy in the flesh. I have to say that it's made me realize that i may be over-thinking some things and being just a bit too picky on some areas and i just need to get the essentials finished and start having fun! It was also good to talk to him and Trevor and swap build notes as well as meeting the mad (in a nice way) Belgian who'd flown over for the show just to see the Spyder
All in all it was a good show i've come away with LOADS of good ideas and inspirations for things to try and i'm certainly going to try the "trim around the top edge of the cockpit" concept like some of the Cobra boys had, i think that may suit the Spyder?
I've picked up a new 'good' spray gun to re-do the Red and also a tin of wunderseal from Car Builder Solutions to do the under bonnet, although i've already used it all up and while it looks really good, i'm going to need another 2 to finish the job it
So if anyone is dithering about going down tomorrow, then if the sun is out then it's well worth it!
Sadly I only had a 1/2 day pass from the present Mrs M so i got there for just after opening time at 10, did some shopping, met up with everyone and then i had to leg it at 1. Pat did say you were around, so i'll have to make sure i say hi next time, hopefully by then i'll also have the car with me!
Fingers crossed i'll have it ready for the Classic Car & Restoration show at the Bath & West in a few weeks time and as long as the weather is good i'll be taking it there. I'll have to see if anyone else is going to be there as the autojumble is normally quite good!
I've finished V1.0 of the bonnet bulge and it's all primed, but when i was closing the bonnet to start masking everything off for painting the top coat i noticed a few cracks around the edges of the bonnet. grrr!
They're nothing too serious, but from a bit of tinkering they look like they've been caused simply due to the bonnet flexing with all the opening and closing while i've been fabricating the bulge!
I was always wondering how of a problem the flexing would be, so I'm going to fit some basic inner front wheel arches made from marine ply bonded and glassed in place in order to strengthen and brace the sides and then a strip of ply between them to help stop the flexing. Then i'll deal with the cracks.
after i primed my i had afew cracks show there ugly face a week later, around my rear tunnel, then it pleed up and opened like a little flower,,,, so i kinda feel for ya ...
As i'm learning to spray as i do this, and i only have an hr a night to do things in, this final phase is going a bit slowly.... If everything had gone right i would have been finished by now, but as they say "the devil is in the detail!"
The bulge is bulged and i've completely redesigned the bonnet hinges and welded new ones in place. It's worth explaining the reason i've had to do this is mainly due to how i've mounted my radiator and routed the piping. I kept the std radiator and dropped it 65mm, but it looked _way_ too low, so i raised it up until i was happy with how much it protruded and how much protection the bonnet gave it. I think it's gone up about 10/14mm. (i can check if anyone really cares) i've also decided to mount the original number plate on the bottom of the front air vent to give a little bit extra protection and to make it look better.
I've also got a GT6 engine and so it 'may' be different at the front, so i'll get some pics up to show what i've done in case it's of use
I have painted everything, but i've got a few ongoing issues.
1) There is a crack on the back of the bonnet on the drivers side where it flexes out where the bonnet strap goes on. This is simply due to the way that part of the bonnet it was molded i think and when i skimmed and painted it and then pulled it in with the bonnet strap the filler was under too much pressure and cracked.
I've tried bending it in, dremmeling a number of channels on the outside edge of the curve to release the stress and filled and painted, but i've just checked this morning and it's cracked again. So , so i've ordered some fibreglass and i'm simply going to chop off the entire upright and re-glass it so it doesn't kick out. (i'll get some photos tonight to try and show what i mean) It'll mean i miss taking the car to the Bath & West this weekend, but i'm not going to drop my standards right the the end!
2) Due to all the faff i've had fitting the bonnet to my satisfaction (it's quite low now!) i had to make up the trailing edge of the bonnet and also the top of the bulkhead.
The trailing edge has cracked on the passengers side curve as it needs some structural support under it (fibregalss on the way!) and i'm going to remove the bonnet, sand the bottom of the entire trailing edge down a few mm and extend the fibreglass. I'll do this at the same time as i alter the other part.
3) Also the mod i made to the top of the bulkhead had not blended in at all well and i've got cracking along the join line (we live and learn!)
I tried to fix it over the last few nights and it looks a lot better, but i've just checked it this morning and needs more work
Things i've learnt so far while doing the bodywork....
With only an hr a night, a small home garage and learning as i go, it takes AGES!!!! this part of the build has probably taken nearly as long as most of the rest of the fabrication put together.
Cheap suction fed spray guns can achieve a nice finish if you know how to set them up! It's taken me the large part of 5L of primer and 5L of top coat to finally get it set up and my spraying last night is worlds ahead of where i was a few weeks ago. The rest of what i've done is recoverable, but it will need more flatting.
I've also bought a gravity fed HVLP gun, but tbh i'm quite used to the suction ones now and i prefer how they operate. (at the moment)
You need LOTS of sandpaper and you need to use the right grade for the job DON'T just make-do as that will make things a lot harder!
Get all of the right masks. A proper spray mask for painting and decent dust masks for sanding. Paint mask for the obvious reasons, but the dust mask for the sanding i'd say is equally as important, especially in a confined space as otherwise you end up coughing up primer for days! trust me on this.
But a cheap set of painters overalls. they're <£2 and save a whole lot of mess!
With bodywork don't rush anything!
It'll go wrong.
There's no if's or but's about it.
If you try and rush any part of the filling, sanding, priming, sanding, painting, flatting (sanding with a posh name!) processes, it'll look rubbish!
You're doing a brilliant job of the car and for keeping us all upto date with what you are doing, its very impressive... photos of any of these problems will serve as great reference to everyone and how you choose to solve them. KEEPlane:
Things i've learnt so far while doing the bodywork....
It's taken me the large part of 5L of primer and 5L of top coat to finally get it set up...
Did you use thinners in the top coat or just spray it straight from the tin?
Some great advice you're giving here btw, especially about the trouble you're having with the back edge of your bonnet. When I collected my bodyshell from Gary I immediately noticed the rather wavy finish on the back edge and you've obviously found that filler 'aint the answer.
I've thought about putting a 'U' channel plastic chrome strip along the edge when I get to that stage but I'll probably try to do it properly with fibreglass instead: yet another untried skill I'm going to have to learn.
Anyway Dave, keep up the good work and just pray that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't an oncoming train.
I mixed paint/undercoat and thinners at the advised 50/50 mix.
std thinners for the undercoat.
anti-bloom thinners for the top coat.
I've finally half inched my wifes camera and got some long awaited pics:
The kick-out on the drivers side:
The crack
my shiny bulge, fannaar ( i've been waiting weeks to make this joke! )
Paint looks very light due to flash. you can also see at the bottom of the front grill the number plate mounts, so you can get an idea of where it's going. I think i'll be the only one without a stick on plate?
I think it suits the car, it is meant to be a sportcar after all! Inner wheel arches? are we fitting them because of stones flying up? or to strenghten arches. Keep thehoto:coming.
I already have made and fitted inner rear wheel arches made out of 6mm marine ply and I'm tempted to do the same for the front.
The rear ones sit on the rear outrigger and my new exhaust mounting bar at the back and my seatbelt frame at the front. They are then bonded and glassed to the main shell.
I've done front/back/innerv sides, but not the top's atm, although i've covered the inner top of the wheel arch with that black tar'y underseal.
The front's for the time being i've just coated the underside of the bonnet in "wunderseal" from Car Builder Solutions and painted over it until i finish hacking about with the bonnet and cracks. Then I'm going to add 'at least' some inner front and back arches, possibly inner as well.
I've finally managed to get the car out of the garage for the first time since i altered the bonnet and suspension. I'm very happy with how it's turned out!
Much better stance!
SO close now...
Note: the paint is dull atm as it's being flatted!
And as soon as i've finished flatting and polishing the paint, the interior is ready for the wall and tunnel cards and seats to go it. I'm almost certain to add and an alloy dash panel to hide some of my paint mistakes
Well Done Dave
I know its been hard but thats an amazing fix.
No one but us on here will know how much hard work went into modding the bonnet. It looks as if it was designed that way.
I like the much more aggressive look i cant wait to see her in real
Looking great! The stance is spot on. The color is great. What a blast she will be to drive. That's when it all becomes clear that the extra effort is worth it. Now, I just want to get started on mine!
Looking great! The stance is spot on. The color is great. What a blast she will be to drive. That's when it all becomes clear that the extra effort is worth it. Now, I just want to get started on mine!
I will sort out some pics for you this week , John ....its been crazy here , I thought things would ease a little after the Exeter show..........
Car is looking great Dave , sits nice and paint can be buffed , sanded etc so no worries there.....well done mate
KEEP
lane: 
