Well one thing I know for sure is if anyone can do it properly, it's you.
BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
I can also see in that reference that sucking sucks.
So, I’ve been busting a$$ on the firewall center section for the past 2 days, and it’s starting to come around. No one likes bodywork or wants to see/discuss it, but since you’re my captive audience and misery loves company, I’m dragging y’all along for the ride. Like it or not.
I should preface this by saying I realize I’ve been a little vague and less than forthcoming about the details on the rear firewall. Absolutely unintentional I assure you, it’s just that I’m trying to keep my options open as much as possible when it comes to the final finish on it. I just simply don’t know how it’s all going to play out at this point.
Ultimately, I’d love to be able to wrap the entire rear firewall in black leather to match the front Corbeau seats, either with or without a thin layer of foam underneath it. But since I’m not exactly an automotive upholsterer, I don’t know if it’s even going to be possible at this point. Sure, I can spray some glue on stuff and start sticking a hide on it, but when it comes to the corners and oblique angles, I don’t know how it would all play out. Could potentially be an expensive endeavour if I screw it up, so it’s likely something that I’ll consult with and leave to the professionals.
That being said, I gotta leave my options open. I’m bodyworking it to not only make it straight enough that no imperfections show through the leather, but also good enough to paint if that becomes my only option. If I end up painting it, I will likely go with a nice semi-gloss black that will match the rest of the interior and not look out of place.
The idea is to have it be a subtle understated focal point, not something that jumps out and slaps you in the face.
I remember now why I stalled out on this 5+ years ago now, it is anything but enjoyable. I figured the best way to tackle it would be to break it down into small manageable stages. So think of each area and plane of sheetmetal as a “stage”, there are 7 stages to do on this.
Stage 1 is the entire middle inside recess, and the worst part. Stage 1, done:
Stage 2 was this lower angled plane on the passenger’s side.
Also now done.
Stage 3 was the vertical brother to it.
Done:
Stage 4, the other lower horizontal plane on the driver’s side.
Also done.
The body guys will already know this trick, but the tape is there to keep the excess filler from ending up where I don’t want it. Applying body filler isn’t exactly a precision process. It saves so much time being able to peel the tape and the excess off rather than having to sand it all.
I just finished stage 5 tonight, the vertical plane on the driver’s side. Some of these areas take 5 and sometimes even 6 rounds of applying and block sanding to get right, it’s not so much the straightness of the sheetmetal, but more how effectively the filler goes where it’s needed and how it spreads out.
Hard to believe that’s 2 days of work, but there you have it. Time consuming AF.
The final 2 stages are the flat outer faces, and arguably the most important to get right. Those are up next.
Ole Rktpwrd here will be another year old today as you read this, now one year shy of the big half-century mark. Hard to believe. I’ve booked the entire week off to get away from work for a while, so I think I’ll be celebrating my birthday in my happy place, The Skunkworks while everyone else is at work.
Hopefully I can get a good portion of these last 2 stages done tomorrow!
D.
I should preface this by saying I realize I’ve been a little vague and less than forthcoming about the details on the rear firewall. Absolutely unintentional I assure you, it’s just that I’m trying to keep my options open as much as possible when it comes to the final finish on it. I just simply don’t know how it’s all going to play out at this point.
Ultimately, I’d love to be able to wrap the entire rear firewall in black leather to match the front Corbeau seats, either with or without a thin layer of foam underneath it. But since I’m not exactly an automotive upholsterer, I don’t know if it’s even going to be possible at this point. Sure, I can spray some glue on stuff and start sticking a hide on it, but when it comes to the corners and oblique angles, I don’t know how it would all play out. Could potentially be an expensive endeavour if I screw it up, so it’s likely something that I’ll consult with and leave to the professionals.
That being said, I gotta leave my options open. I’m bodyworking it to not only make it straight enough that no imperfections show through the leather, but also good enough to paint if that becomes my only option. If I end up painting it, I will likely go with a nice semi-gloss black that will match the rest of the interior and not look out of place.
The idea is to have it be a subtle understated focal point, not something that jumps out and slaps you in the face.
I remember now why I stalled out on this 5+ years ago now, it is anything but enjoyable. I figured the best way to tackle it would be to break it down into small manageable stages. So think of each area and plane of sheetmetal as a “stage”, there are 7 stages to do on this.
Stage 1 is the entire middle inside recess, and the worst part. Stage 1, done:
Stage 2 was this lower angled plane on the passenger’s side.
Also now done.
Stage 3 was the vertical brother to it.
Done:
Stage 4, the other lower horizontal plane on the driver’s side.
Also done.
The body guys will already know this trick, but the tape is there to keep the excess filler from ending up where I don’t want it. Applying body filler isn’t exactly a precision process. It saves so much time being able to peel the tape and the excess off rather than having to sand it all.
I just finished stage 5 tonight, the vertical plane on the driver’s side. Some of these areas take 5 and sometimes even 6 rounds of applying and block sanding to get right, it’s not so much the straightness of the sheetmetal, but more how effectively the filler goes where it’s needed and how it spreads out.
Hard to believe that’s 2 days of work, but there you have it. Time consuming AF.
The final 2 stages are the flat outer faces, and arguably the most important to get right. Those are up next.
Ole Rktpwrd here will be another year old today as you read this, now one year shy of the big half-century mark. Hard to believe. I’ve booked the entire week off to get away from work for a while, so I think I’ll be celebrating my birthday in my happy place, The Skunkworks while everyone else is at work.
Hopefully I can get a good portion of these last 2 stages done tomorrow!
D.
I’ve had good luck with cut pieces of acrylic for small detail sanding. I also have a small set of detail blocks I got from big kid blocks. They look like they’re a little big for the area you’re working in though.
And that is one of the many reasons why bodywork is so expensive. If there doing it cheap there not doing it right.
Nice work D how's the hand cramp lol
Nice work D how's the hand cramp lol
Yep, that and the exorbitant amount they want for materials and supplies. I was at the auto parts store the other day and saw Rage Extreme Gold Premium body filler for $158 + tax for a regular sized can!! 😮😮😮 I guess they think if they add more words to the name they can ask more $$$ for it. I about fell over seeing that.
Then I priced out a box of 3M 8” 40 grit discs for my big wheel from my supplier, $200 + tax for a box of 25!
I said no thanks and walked away. The prices for this shjt are getting out of hand.
