Right or wrong. This is how I did it.




Cut a chunk out of the body to accommodate for the shape of the side skirts.







Temporarily shot sheet metal screws in the skirts to hold them in place for the glass.







Glassed them in.




Added a little bondo





Here is a youtube video of my carpet solution.

 

Nothing really impressive this weekend, but I got a lot done that needed to be done.

I have decided to redesign the rear strut towers a bit. Originally the car was supposed to be open, but I got the FD shell after I'd made the suspension. Strut tower height wasn't a concern. It is now. I need to get the glass before I make a determination of how much to cut, but I don't think its gonna be a lot.







I got one of those "cool guy" spoilers. I always liked this style spoiler. Obviously I had to reinforce the bejesus out of it, cause my hatch isn't much more than a slim piece of sheet metal.






















Thats almost the last of the welding to the front. Thats all the structure I need to make the front bumper stiff, and keep the fenders from doing a floppy thing. The only thing I have to weld in the front now is the headlight brackets. YAAAY PROGRESS.














Cheap headlight covers. Or "Bespoke" headlight covers. I'm not exactly perfect fitment here.















And finally, a REAL tow bar to replace my redneck ****. Also, this bar can be used without having to remove the front bumper. I can't wait to get thousands of rock chips on my front bumper. LOL

 

Cool guy spoiler is cool.

Sorry for the dumb question, but is the intent to keep it MR and put the rotary where the porsche engine was? If so that'll be really interesting...

 

Sure did keep it MR. I made an adaptor plate from some plate steel. Then I bought a lathe and made a flywheel adaptor. She's been driven around, but I pulled the engine for the body work.

Here is a short I just made that I didn't want to post because of how terrible the car sounds. The rattle is the starter motor bendix dragging on the ring gear. Awful I know.







Oh, the glass really makes the car. I had to re engineer the rear strut towers a little but I think the effort was worth it.

 

Oh boy, I got that electric A/C!!!

Its not a heat pump like I wanted, but it has a heater core. Oh well, I'll just plumb some heater core lines to it.


Also, headlight brackets. Yes, they are going to be permanently in the half up position. No, I'm not gonna spend gobs of money on FD headlights then try to make them fit. It is what it is.

 

After 20 months of welding and 10 pounds of filler wire, I'm done welding this thing.


Behold the MOST bespoke rear view mirror EVER. Its welded to the body Also, electric air handler mounted.

 

I got rid of the little oddly shaped triangle in the corner of my front hood.

 

Keep pushing, looking good.

 

Cleaning up the wheels for powder coating. Electrolysis IYKYK.

 

James, that thing is really looking like a small FD. So cute! I bet the porch guys will love it too!

 

I wish I could get some hate, but its like they don't see it at all. Its so weird and different their brains can't take it in.


I REALLY don't like "Porsche" people. 986 and 914 people are O.K. for the most part, but Porsche people need to get their head out of their *** for the most part.

 

Wow! What an undertaking. This should be interesting to watch unfold. Going back to your first "towing" pic, did you really pull it to dgrr with the s10 missing multiple lug nuts? lol

 

Hey, I have 12 lug nuts on that truck... we good.

Actually I have recently up'd the lug nut count for that truck to 17.

 

First bit of primer on the outside.

The door had some weird sealer used on it and there was some adhesion issues I'm going to have to take care of before I can move forward. However, the body lines are just what I want. A little love and she'll be ready for some more primer and BASE COAT

















And a video for ya.

 

Will the front shock towers always be sticking up through the hood? Just curious what the plans are for finishing that. Looks better everyday!

 

Can't really do anything about them. The point where I decided to match the two machines (986 and RX7) is the bottom of the windshield. That makes for a few problems. One is the front strut towers. The other problem is the height of the bottom of the doors from the pinch weld. I hid the pinch weld issue my putting those side skirts on, but the strut towers were a whole nother problem. I could completely rework the chassis and I'd be able to get them to the point where they would be a concealable "hump". BUT that would take AGES and I'm DONE with this project (two freeking years MAN). So they will stick out. I'm not really gonna be fooling anybody with this thing.

All that said I have "tested"* the chassis and its good and solid, but I haven't taken it to an auto cross event or done REALLY hard use on it. It might break. Then I'd be obliged to rework the front towers.



*Tests include but not limited to:

Jumping on it.

Hitting it with hammers

Getting up to 45mph and SLAMMING on the brakes

Dragging it up I 26 through South Carolina (notoriously bumpy road)

 

Purchased my base and clear today.

Also, my wallet:

Purchased my base and clear today

 

Montego blue?

 

Naturally.

Its Diamont base. I can tell the difference in how the base stacks. I don't think its worth the price tag (I never had problems spraying Limco), but it is kinda nice.

The clear is just LC4100 high solids.

 

I think Rob Dahms 4 rotor has some competition here. Wow awesome and creative build man. My hat's off to you.

 

Thanks, high praise.

I've been at it but nothing visually spectacular to show off here.

All the paint should be on in a few weeks. Then I just have to do the windows and re-assemble this thing I've created.

 

I love a good flow coat.

Yeah, I see the trash right in the middle.






^^^^^ 1000 grit sand job after the third coat of clear.... then wait for the final coats of clear.















And the final coats of clear. Just fantastic. Now to do it for the rest of the car

 

More blue.

Flow coat to come on Sunday.

 

Got flaws... but I also have razor blades so

 

It's nice to see more and more guys painting their own cars. Great job on all the custom fab work. There is nothing more satisfying then seeing a project car run!!!!