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December 10, 2006 - Project Update |
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I managed to take another video after working 8 hours on the car
today- it's a crappy video! But it give you a better feel for the shape and finish of the car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4X5p5LJzHI
Below you can see photos of the bodywork and interior bits coming together. many more photos in the Gallery HERE
In this first image you can make the outline of the headlamp
covers. Notice the windshield frame is back in place. Also you can see
there are some nice specular highlights that really show off the shape
well! I LIKE! :D
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The dash and the center console are coming together nicely. Both pieces
are made of 1" polyurethane board covered in 1 layer of fiberglass,
then upholstered with thin foam and marine grade vinyls. The dash vinyl
has a carbonfiber pattern to it while the center console is more like a
cloth material but very heavyduty. |
| I cut out the holes for the tail lights. I have been planning to use
some machined aluminum tubes but most recently I discovered that the
local hardware store carries a 4" black pvc pipe fitting that is almost
identical in dimension to what I need. This is of course much less
expensive than having a machine shop make the housings. Approx 1/20th
the cost! There is still some machining required on the pvc, but
minimal at best. |
| One of the issues I was coming up with was where to place the fuel
filler door. Adding a fuel filler pocket to the bodywork, and then a
door and hinge is extra complexity and expense I didn't want to deal
with. Since the rear decklid needs to move rearwards to clear the
rollhoop before tilting up, why not place the fuel filler under the
rear decklid? This following photo shows the decklid in the
intermediate rotation of the main hinge. It's really a natural position
for the decklid and I have a strong gas strut installed that helps lift
the decklid forward when closing. |
| Here you see the bodywork in fully open position front and rear. The strut rods are temporary and I am debating the use of gas struts to assist the lift. But the pieces are not really heavy and it's not hard to lift them. Still, it's the details like the hidden latches and the gas assist struts that will make the car feel more 'finished' when it's finished. |
| Finally, here you can see that long double jointed hinge at the rear
and the lower gas assist strut that helps lift the decklid when closing. It also helps push the decklid forward into the latching position. But it does not help keep the lid open. That's why I have the strut rod in this image. |
As you can see I've made significant progress, but the car is not finished by any measure.
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