Dash Center Panel
 

Chiefy.......

Take an industrial heat gun to the non-conforming bends..


...:popcorn2:

Yeah I thought of that but everyone says you can't heat the automotive resins. Have you personally done this?

Heating carbon fiber resin?
 

Thanks for the info, I'm not sure of their manufacturing process but I have been in contact with Anvil and they are not sure why the curvature of their blank doesn't match my OEM dash. So the plan is to send back the blank AND my OEM for inspection …. maybe get a custom blank made to match my dash, we'll see!

Not to hijack Chief’s thread, but do you have any more detail on the CF tailights reproduction posted somewhere?

bretcopsey........sorry, nothing.
I rebuilt my '68SS fifteen years ago.

Used dental plaster to take molds off the original tailight housings and laid up cf copies. Dental plaster is the finest grade .....picks up ALL the surface detail but goes off like a $2 hooker!

CF fabric and Ultraclear resin are available at plastic supply stores and the process is same as fiberglass except that you have to be REALLY accurate with the first layer (cutting it, laying it and ensuring it doesn't move in the layup) cos it's what u see in the final product. You can of course clear 2-pack the end result. Portions of the housings that were chrome, I painted bright silver, so it's only the wide beveled surface that's visible.
CF materials are 30% more expensive than fiberglass......negligible.

Trick or Treat!
 

Happy Halloween!!! I did get a treat … picked up my parts from the powder coater!:thumbsup:


I did get correspondence from Anvil concerning the dash panel and they said I could use an industrial heat gun to bend their panel but I'd have to 'over bend' the panel to let it relax to fit the angle of the dangle. The jury is still out ….


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/5373/yx74k1.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/7528/Re9hIa.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/4981/qibhHY.jpg
Don't mind the dust … my bad!
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/3600/YeoNc6.jpg
This should look good … you think?
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/5893/0bXM8i.jpg

Now to find my heater for my shed here, we got lots of snow and it's cold out now!

Thanks for looking ...

Wow tons of progress and great pictures.

Car looks great and enjoying the updates.

Heck yeah!

Update 11/15
 

Thanks bunches, it is nice to have the car so close … even if it's in a closet!

Been wanting to do this for a long time, it's all original to the car so it should fit …. famous last words!




Well it took two shipments to get fenders from AMD that weren't banged up to much, the RH had suffured UPS idiots so a discount was in order. So while I was at my AMD dealer I asked him about his car, he hasn't touched it in 4 years … but it's pretty cool.

Some car porn …. oh, Jeff has a numbers matching 70 GTX to die for and an awesome 69 Charger too :king: Yes he does all his own work, including paint!!!


Think I'd give my left nut for his shops, this is three of 7 garage spaces!!!


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/3856/yGIfWP.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/1678/vbksae.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6265/A0LK90.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/636/gj7pOg.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/6030/i7shPv.jpg


So the RH fender has a ding and some stamping imperfections as expected but workable fer sure. Got the Finch firewall plate mounted and the VA evap mounted to the same so now I can move forward with the VA install.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/2070/bNYyj3.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9971/WzbSSV.jpg
Worked on the Entropy controller mounting options and I'm not happy with the radiator support option cuz the wiring plugs are perpendicular to the controller connection and it looks outa place … think I'll make a closeout panel where the battery was and get the wires parallel with the radiator support …. dang 10 ga wire, it will flow better and not put tension on the wires.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/1176/R5bo0M.jpg

I finished wiring my compressor … it works! So now I just have to run the air lines and get the drops down but it's been cold in the garage [dang the north facing garages] so I picked up a kerosene heater that should heat up my shed pretty well.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7084/JuxuHs.jpg


Thanks for looking, more garage time now with a heater :RunninDog:

Be careful that heater will choke you or at least give you a big head ache.

Thanks Wayne, I only lite off the heater before and I run a fan to circulate the fumes out of the cracked garage door, then I turn it off.

Update 11/25
 

Seems like when I think things are going well .... the ****e hits the fan. Well, since the last update, I got the holes drilled in the dash for the VA outlets. APITA cuz I had to buy two hole saws to get 'er dun.

Since then my AMD fenders came in, I was so focused on the external skin I waited 2 months to get a set with as little 'shipping' damage that I never gave thought that the fenders might BE STAMPED WRONG!!!

So over the weekend I put the fenders on and the driver's side fit as expected, not so bad, but the passenger's side didn't fit fer ****e. After gettin my OEM fender from the shed they didn't stamp it correctly. Go figure, it's AMD ****e :disgusted::disgusted: Called my AMD rep and he compared his pass fender and it was the same as mine ... so I figured I might as well find out why it's wrong.

For your viewing pleasure ....

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/1786/99xMBd.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/5410/mD3pu5.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6178/AnCKaC.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/8939/631q2M.jpg


It seems the inner brace with the hinges attached was not held in the jig properly and it actually was angled almost 3/4 inch high over the rest of the run to the back of the fender, so I cut out the welds and got her straight over the run.

I didn't have any weld thru primer tonight so I will get some tomorrow. Trying to get the front end together asap to get her to the body shop for some 'front end alignment ' the My Body Man is going to get the doors and the fenders/hood lined up and ready for final bodywork ....

Seems the snowstorm is going to hold things up some which works in my favor, who'd thought that they would stamp them wrong ...... oh yeah,me!!!


Thanks for looking ...

I haven’t bought a ton of aftermarket metal, but for my Chevelle, I had to cut my passenger “new” fender up to make it fit, but it was along the door edge, not along the hood edge. And then I had to cut the drivers fender extension all to pieces to make it fit. I figured that all of this “new metal was this way. I talked to my lifetime painter friend about it before I actually started hacking the stuff up, and he said that it’s all this way, part of the process. My hood did fit good, but it had 2 small dings on it, which was no biggie to me.

Fender misfit!!!
 

Thanks for sharing ... the AMD parts I have looked over and rejected the rep calls the headquarters and he gets the same old response, "we checked the back stock and they are all like that!" Well, duh ... you are stamping them wrong!
Oh, how's this for fender extension bolt "holes"?
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/2348/ymppNs.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/3014/wbTVfg.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/4021/sjtjIj.jpg


I will call the body man Monday and see what he wants me to do with the fender, thanks for looking ...

That's some annoying shizz. It just means that some of the best parts will always be found via junkyard or some dude's stash (or crash), rather than "legit" sources of new parts. Some things just can't be new . . .

The last pair of repop fender extensions I bought fit like crap. Luckily I found some originals.

Don

I feel your pain brother, replaced all sheet metal on my 68 Camaro but the roof. It took 2 years and I modified every piece :hairpullout:

That sucks they weren’t even close. They’ve been making these for how long? And still can’t get it right.

Repo fenders suck!!!!! Well. I think I can make em better ....

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/509/qGmQrt.jpg
Some clamps and some panel bond ....
http://imageshack.com/a/img924/6501/P9Ctpr.jpg
That'll do pig!!!


I'll finish the fender tomorrow after it cures ... gotta keep the temps which is hard to do ....


Thanks for looking ...

Mike, you are a warrior! Car is coming out great.... keep chuggin :thumbsup:

That sucks

Well, plan B ...
 

Yeah it does .... now to plan B the bonded AMD fender didn't fit. So plan B, use the original fenders that came with the car cuz I know they fit well!

So, the fun begins, stripped down the skin side to determine where it needs help ... what fun:shakehead:

The passenger side is the worst but not too bad, need hammer and dolly work in a couple of areas but it's not the end of the world. I ordered a patch panel and the brace from Classic so I'll get each fender prepped before the parts get here.

Take a look ....

https://imageshack.com/i/plS2NJwOj

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/276/Drbh9F.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/4098/M2tbxe.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/2267/myz1ki.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/699/Fc9DEF.jpg


Man I am so fed up with the repo sheetmetal :bang:

thanks for looking ...

Update 12/22
 

Mechanical abrasion is APTIA! Well. after 6 hours of d/a and fiber discs on the passenger fender, I realized I could never get the fenders as clean as I needed [read between the skin and the brace] so I sent them off to get chemical stripped.

Should have saved my time and sent them out sooner ... the driver's side did need some extra disc work to get the last of the lacquer paint off. Take a look ...http://imageshack.com/a/img922/3180/mSaub5.jpg
Still needs some work!
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/1313/pJCJeI.jpg
I could never get! this clean with fiber discs
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/4844/wGeqKE.jpg
Like working with new metal ....
http://imageshack.com/a/img923/9148/aEpvWN.jpg
Out with the old ...
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/6278/OWiVaI.jpg
In with the new ...


Well. that's all I have, for now, heading to NM for Xmas and some desert riding on the XR650R. I hope all have a great Xmas with those that mean the most ... thanks for looking!

SPT Inner Wheel Tubs
 

Since no one has posted up the process ... I'll post installing Speedtech Inner wheel houses for their extreme subframe. This is how I did it, which is not the only way to install the fiberglass tubs but this is how I did it.... couple calls to Vince to assist was helpful, thanks Vince!


Well, the Glasstek tubs are close they do need some attention, specifically, the radius to match the OEM wheel arch is not the best, in fact,
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7153/vGBG3h.jpg
the whole mold is too wide as compared to the OEM wheel arch. No biggy, I drew the arch on the fiberglass and sanded it down to more resemble the OEM arch.


I did grind off the OEM steel wheel lip by 3/16 and hammer and dolly the radius to vertical.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6325/OJVHce.jpg
As well as to hammer and dolly the upper mounts to the more horizontal plane to match the Glasstek tubs.


The Glasstek was a good mold for references such as the front drop off panel and the radiator support with dimples in the fiberglass that could be drilled out with confidence.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8655/GKlDfG.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5963/dG6fs2.jpg
The only real difficulty was the tub to fender attachment, while the inner had the clearance it still needed to mate up the top brace like the OEM, I even used the OEM fender washers.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/849/QrHqqk.jpg
Once fitted to the fender I fit the tub to the car and marked the location for the top bolts to the fender brace.

You do need to cut off the OEM fender brace coming off the firewall to allow clearance for the tub.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/6915/mo7m42.jpg
And my brake lines have to be redone because of the tub that came too close to the MC.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8347/PJDTrB.jpg
I bent the existing brake lines to exit the right side and enter the right side of the MC .... not sure I like them but for now, they'll do.

Of course, I repaired the OEM fenders with patches from Classic with the brace.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6756/XTGzaS.jpg

And then I mounted the entire front end ...
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5960/e2eFTk.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/931/vV4sdk.jpg


Thanks for looking ...

Well done!

Nice job ,you got it fitting pretty good.

Thanks, it was kinda intimidating at first but what the heck .... just jump in
:headspin:


Yeah I think it came out ok, just wanted to share in case someone else was intimidated looking at these without instructions :popcorn2:



Now I need some help .... trying to get the hood latch assembly to play nice with the header panel. The latch will not just "fall in place" seems the distance between the header panel and the core support (5.779") and the latch support reads 6.082 ....hmmmm.

The puzzling thing is all the parts on the front end are from this car, except the hood, didn't figure on this mismatch.

I'm no rocket surgeon so if anyone has suggestions fire away ...

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7774/R0dZ7I.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7659/2O5DuI.jpg

If I unbolt the fenders from the header and bolt the latch assembly to header and THEN bolt both to the core it pushes the header panel out past the fenders ...

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/1852/hJboqq.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/2011/aq0GGy.jpg



Suggestions ?? Other 67 measurements header to core support???


Thanks again ....

Cool pic
 

Beauty shot after a lot of work ....

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/8625/MoafWa.jpg

Wish I could help with the hood latch. You've come a long way. The car is looking great! Keep up the good work.

So what’s the new part? The Core support?
That’s my guess at the problem...

Let me know if you need measurements for anything

JD

Your aftermarket front clip should have 2 locations for bolting up the front core support. The first location (closest to the firewall) should be for 67-68 camaro and Novas and the second location a few inches forward should be for a 69 Camaro. I think you just bolted the core support in the 69 Camaro location. I may be wrong but on my Chris alstons frame it has 2 locations to bolt up the core support. If that doesn’t work I would just bend the latch assembly since that’s what looks like is pushing the header panel forward that 1/2” or so.

Install your hood without the latch in place. I think you might find the header panel crown is low and once you get that right the latch will fit better. At least that is my recollection from the last time I dealt with this.

Don

Update 1/21
 

Thanks, wished it was done already, lol!



Thanks JD, all the metal is GM except the AMD hood.


Thanks for chiming in, I double-checked everything ... read - loosened all the bolts and doubled checked the fitment. The fender can't go back any further cuz the bolt by the hinges,

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/5683/e06EY6.jpg

and the cowl and fender alignment is spot on

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7291/jRH10E.jpg

I aligned the AMD hood the best I can and the gaps seems ok, might need a little tweaking but overall not bad ...

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9237/EAtzfj.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/9189/j4a1wh.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9861/vyFzha.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9677/k9OuTg.jpg



Seems silly but I started pushing the car by the radiator support and by golly it flexed quite a bit so I bolted the latch support loosely and pushed the latch into place ... hmmm, who would have thunk it!

More progress today ... my body man said to use a BFH and a piece of wood to get the AMD trunk lid to sit flat with the window panel. So I beat on her til she's pretty close to being flush with the front and the corners came up to meet the quarters, "winner winner, chicken dinner" :lol:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/8859/matILn.jpg




Thanks for chiming in and thanks for looking ....

I helped my friend rebuild a Jag, took the parts from another Jag, when the hood didn't line up, I held the one corner and he pulled and jerked the hood into position, laid 4x4 on there and pushed on the corners all while it was freshly painted!

I know it's crazy how much the metal will move without distortion. Last week I would have told you that there is no way that latch would fit in that hole, but it did, guess GM knew what they were doing :smiley_smack:

Some fab work 1/26
 

Been overthinking an ECM / relay/fan controller mount ... so I just got some 22ga Al sheet and started fabbing something up that would fit in the passenger hole. I do thank Scott (SlowProgress) for his replies, I started thinking I could use the template he made ... but with the inners things were different.

So this is what I came up with, KISS, I will need to transfer dimensions to some thicker Al of course and use some rubber bushings to mount the fender side plate.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/6302/bnVuKa.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8901/dCzmTi.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6159/BFhAjc.jpg


Thanks for looking ...

Jeepers!!! I'm off Lat-G for like 5 min and you practically finish your car. I'm impressed with how far it's come and the level of detail. It's paying off HUGE!!!! Keep at it man!!


:captain:

Thanks bunches, as Greg has always said: "Just pick up a tool and get something done!" :gitrdun:



That came out just as I envisioned .... don't know if that's good or bad, but it's mine and I did it.

Got my Mittler Bros 2" punch and flare die this evening, so why wait, right?

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/5254/mcVFsl.jpg
Testing

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/7167/PDe5cl.jpg
Layout the best I could, nothing fancy!

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/87/MKY3RQ.jpg
Some Redneckery bench work, had to bend with a 1/4 radius ...

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/4276/mNbP9e.jpg
Think it came out ok, still need to drill and mount stuff.



Gonna be a shame to cover this up with equipment, but it did strengthen the Al quite a bit.

Thanks for looking ...

That piece came out great. :cheers:

Daniel