Just a Little Filler

Greatest Years Sports Cars told me that the bonnet had "just a little bit of filler" to even out a low spot in the middle.  Well, the filler cracked while I was persuading the bonnet to fit.  That is what we in the amateur car restoration world call Not A Good Sign.

I figured I'd go ahead and clean it off since I'd have to do that anyway now... but there's more than just a little filler there.

 

 

It looks like about 1/4" of filler at its worst.  (Actually, it is.  I measured.)

I'm not surprised it cracked.  You can't lay filler that thick on a surface that will flex and expect it to hold its shape without cracking.  The funny thing is that it was pretty easy to pound the low spot out (up?) and get things pretty even.  It will still need filler, but now just a little bit.  Like I said in my last post.

But you know what... I am still really happy with it.  No complaints.

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Bonnet Bulge Be Gone

Well, what do you know... I made it fit.

 

I did what the Internets suggested and spent some quality time re-arching the wings.  I did this by bolting them in place securely, getting out my trusty dead blow hammer, and beating on them from the inside.  After about 4 hours of messing around (beat/close/frown/open/repeat), it fits really well.... best of all three.  It closes nicely, has decent gaps, and doesn't rattle around in front like the old one did.  It turns out I have nice new bonnet stops (well, 11 year old new bonnet stops) and they adjust nice and easy.

I am really happy with how it fits; just a little filler to even things out and it will look great.

It opens, too...

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Dilbert's Thoughts on Restoring Old Cars

Today's Dilbert daily calendar offering.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.

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Bonnet Bulge

I read on the Internets that the reason the bonnet may not fit (too much 'arch') is because the wings (you know, fenders) are too low in the middle.  Theoretically, bending the wings up in the middle to give them more curve should bring things into shape.  I had to flatten the rear wings to get the trunk to fit better, so that's not unreasonable.

I'm going to try it, first with the repaired bonnet, and then with Black Beauty (as I now call the black bonnet).  I would really, really like to use that one since it is really nice, and eBay or bulk trash the others.  But if it doesn't work, at least I've got something that will fit pretty closely.

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I Can't Leave It Like That

So the A post skin that I messed up while fixing it on the passenger's side is bugging me.  I can't leave it like that--even under filler, it's going to drive me nuts.  And the gap is uneven between the door and the pillar, which won't be easy to fix with filler.

So I bought new A post skins for both sides.  I might not do the driver's side, but I might because the gap there is also driving me nuts.  It does mean I have to remove the thing, which won't be fun.  But in the end I think it will be worth it.  It's just more to fix that I'm getting tired of fixing.

If it weren't for the fact that I'm having so much fun, I'd go crazy.

I am still planning to get busy with the filler soon, so I bought some along with sanding blocks and adhesive sandpaper.  

Evercoat Rage Ultra.  All the cool kids use it.

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Bonnets and Boots

I got over my obsession with finding hood hinges quickly by finding a great pair from Tom's Import Toy Sales. Now I don't have to try to fix mine, which are salvageable but I'm getting tired of having to fix stuff.

So I installed the hinges and proceeded to attach them to the beautiful bonnet I bought.  That was not fun by myself.  However, I figured out that since I have no pedals installed, the opening where they go gives great access to the hinges on each side.

With the hinges installed, I thought it would take care of the alignment that I was concerned about... but it didn't.  The hood has too much of an arch, like 3/8".  It looks like it bulges up in the middle, though it doesn't.  It's nice and straight and everything, but it just doesn't fit my car.

I was bummed.

So I got out the bounce house bonnet (the orange one) and installed it instead.  It fits really well, actually.  But it would need a lot of help to make it pretty.

So on to Bonnet #3, the one I bought years ago and found was rusted out in the front.  I had played with repairing it last year and while it's not perfect, it would be fine with a little filler to smooth out the front.  But that's not important right now.  What is important is that it fits pretty well, too.  Not perfect--there's about 1/8" of a "bulge"--and the front is a bit low, like 1/8"--but I think it is the best of the lot.  (Bonnet #4, the one original to the car, is just too trashed in the front to be usable.  But it haz parts I needz.)

Here's what It looks like...

 

I also got a new trunk seal and worked on getting the boot lid to fit properly.  I am very happy with the result.  It fits way better than before.

 

Do you know what this means?  It means that all the panels that came off the car are back on the car.  It's hard to believe but I'm almost ready to make things pretty.

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Fender Fun, Part 1

I spent my day today tidying up some stuff and getting the front wings to fit properly.  They're close, but not perfect yet...

I did work to get the nuts in the right spot and the bolts to go into them.  Tightened down, everything is flush and gaps look pretty decent.

I did do a little surgery on the passenger's side A post, pushing the bottom of the skin back about 1/4" to get a better gap on the front of the door.  It's much better for the door gap and the fender.  I'm not done making it look pretty, but it is better than it looks in the picture.  I did botch it up a bit, though, I admit.

 

I set the new, beautiful bonnet in place and found two things:

1. It's glorious.
2. It doesn't fit very well.

I'm hoping it's just some growing pains, getting everything lined up.  It is weird, seeing something with paint on the car... I forgot what that looks like.

NOTE: I fixed comment postings so they actually work.  Not that I expect the whole world is watching, but you never know.

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Stand

Since I'm almost done with the sheet metal work, I figured it was time to put the body up on something a little more stable (and off the ground).

So I made a little cart.

After some careful, accidental measuring, it's perfect.

Now I can work on things and not be worried I'll drop the body, and not have to crouch so much to work on the doors and fenders.  When the body's painted, I'll be able to install brake and fuel lines without killing myself.  

Wow, I can't believe I just said "when it's painted".  Could it really happen?

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It's Been How Long?

Eleven years.  That's how long it's been.

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They Close, Too

I spent time today fitting the windscreen and seeing if I can get the doors to latch.  Of course, I had to find the parts for the doors... which weren't where I thought they'd be (even though I reorganized all my parts not too long ago).  But I did find them.  I even did a good job when I tore it all apart, as the pieces for each door were together in nice little bags.

So after some cleaning and finagling, and fabricating a couple of extra shims for the strikers, the doors close and latch.  I had saved the old rubber for the door jambs, so things close nice and tight like they will when I have new rubber bits.

 

Open... and closed.

 

Things don't line up exactly like they did before.  But, everything is pretty close--close enough that I'll probably be the only one who notices, or cares.  It looks like the A post for the passenger's side is a little too low underneath where the windscreen attaches, by about 1/4".  But it's close enough, and I "made it fit" with my trusty Dremel to make holes a bit bigger.

What matters is that the doors and vent windows line up against the windscreen and there aren't any odd gaps.

My daughter told me that "it's starting to look like a car again".  I think so, too.

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