Video Log Of The Restomodding Of My '76 RX-5 Cosmo (New Vid Jan 5/2023)
12-27-11, 08:04 PM
#228
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What's next? I'm guessing more cutting, welding, grinding that he's been doing since number 5. At this level of detail, it's going to take a while. The only car most people would give that much effort to restoring might be a pacific avatar, maybe. (Or the endless old musclecars) I can say one thing for sure, this car will be nothing short of spectacular when he's done.
12-30-11, 09:31 AM
#230
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What's next? I'm guessing more cutting, welding, grinding that he's been doing since number 5. At this level of detail, it's going to take a while. The only car most people would give that much effort to restoring might be a pacific avatar, maybe. (Or the endless old musclecars) I can say one thing for sure, this car will be nothing short of spectacular when he's done.
Funny about the old muscle cars because I was sort of thinking the same thing yesterday as I was drilling out about 30 spot welds. If I was building a '68 Mustang, all the sheet metal work would be long done. I could have just called up Eastwood, Dynacorn, NPD, Year One or any number of other parts houses and ordered floor pans, sills, inner and outer fenders, frame rails, or even a complete front end clip or full body if need be. Then after spot welding it all in, buying everything else off the shelf and bolting it in, paying the body shop to prime, block and paint, I could park it proudly in the row of 20 other '68 Mustangs at the local car show. Why would someone do that though? I just wish I could get some sheet metal. All those who have promised me sheet metal have gone MIA after a few PMs and email. A well known rotary vendor, who said to me "Aaron, if you need ANY parts for your Cosmo, I have several parts cars" came back with my requests for sheet metal with "We don't want to cut the cars and don't have time". Then why the hell are you parting them?! I've considered naming and shaming this vendor in a video but we have a small community and I don't want to burn bridges.
I really don't want to have to reproduce the inner fender pieces as it would take me a very long time. This sheet metal work has been trial by fire as before this car, the amount of sheet metal experience I had could be summed up in the two small 1" x 2" patches I welded into the floor of my RX-7. But as things progress it is getting easier. And there's always the option of dropping the rusted inner fender panels off at a local panel beater and saying "Make these and call me when they're done". Time vs. money vs. my insistence of doing every part of the project (minus final paint spray) myself.
12-30-11, 02:05 PM
#231
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But think about the stuff you could get done WHILE the inner fender pieces are being made. Might cost a few bucks and you won't be able to say you did EVERYTHING, but what you've accomplished so far considering the skills you started with is staggering by itself. At this point you have nothing to prove except to yourself, so in the interest of time and efficiency I'd recommend having a pro do it so you can get the easier stuff done. Your still responsible for 99% of the work that's gone into the car.
12-30-11, 02:56 PM
#232
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having them made would be no different than if you bought the pieces from mazda. just think of them as an aftermarket replacement for a discontinued part hahaha
12-30-11, 06:09 PM
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Funny about the old muscle cars because I was sort of thinking the same thing yesterday as I was drilling out about 30 spot welds. If I was building a '68 Mustang, all the sheet metal work would be long done. I could have just called up Eastwood, Dynacorn, NPD, Year One or any number of other parts houses and ordered floor pans, sills, inner and outer fenders, frame rails, or even a complete front end clip or full body if need be. Then after spot welding it all in, buying everything else off the shelf and bolting it in, paying the body shop to prime, block and paint, I could park it proudly in the row of 20 other '68 Mustangs at the local car show. Why would someone do that though? I just wish I could get some sheet metal.
12-31-11, 10:11 AM
#234
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But think about the stuff you could get done WHILE the inner fender pieces are being made. Might cost a few bucks and you won't be able to say you did EVERYTHING, but what you've accomplished so far considering the skills you started with is staggering by itself. At this point you have nothing to prove except to yourself, so in the interest of time and efficiency I'd recommend having a pro do it so you can get the easier stuff done. Your still responsible for 99% of the work that's gone into the car.
I know my limits when it comes to paint. Primer, filler, blocking and sanding is no big deal. However spraying the final sealer, colour and clear is another thing entirely. I'll do the engine bay since if it's not perfect, it's not a huge deal. But I've seen so many amateur metallic paint jobs turn out splotchy with tiger stripes that I'm not going to risk spraying a deep metallic myself. Then there are the obvious safety issues with modern paint systems, proper lighting, ventilation, a perfectly pure air source, proper mixing, etc. Unlike the priming, I can't do the final colour panel by panel. Paint will of course be one of the last steps, it will stay in various states of primer until all mechanical work is done.
12-31-11, 10:24 AM
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My Uncle could paint that for cheap when it comes time for that. He has a little shop in dorchester. he does paint jobs on the side. been doing it for 30+ years
he fixed that dent from when my throttle stuck and painted my FC
he fixed that dent from when my throttle stuck and painted my FC
01-02-12, 10:11 AM
#236
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There's a local body shop that I've worked with since the late'90s, so they'll most likely be the ones tasked with the final paint. I've already spoken with them a little about it and they don't have a problem with me filming in the paint booth and answering questions on camera. Plus they can give me instructions when I mix up the same paint to do the engine bay. 
It's most likely waterborn so just an engine bay is pretty realistic to do in my shop.
It's most likely waterborn so just an engine bay is pretty realistic to do in my shop.
02-16-12, 09:29 AM
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It's a busy time of year for me, but yes, I've been working hard. My intent is to get all the front sheet metal done in the next video so we can be finally done and over with the sheet metal for a while. Then move on to things like mocking up the engine, building manifolds, plumbing, front subframe, etc. Anything that isn't sheet metal.
Of course this Saturday will be about the first time I've touched the Cosmo in about two weeks due to a vacation and a few small side projects. I spent a week in Jamaica, my Geiger counter needed an external speaker so I built a small audio amp, I made glow in the dark clothes, and repaired a 12V cooler for a friend.
Of course this Saturday will be about the first time I've touched the Cosmo in about two weeks due to a vacation and a few small side projects. I spent a week in Jamaica, my Geiger counter needed an external speaker so I built a small audio amp, I made glow in the dark clothes, and repaired a 12V cooler for a friend.
02-18-12, 10:43 AM
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03-07-12, 12:00 PM
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Good for you Aaron, I spent my honeymoon in Jamaica, so I also tried several of those things + others, but not women 
Got to see the state cops "rectify situations" (because you know there's "no problem" in Jamaica, just situations to rectify) with their machine guns. Yep, none of that 9 mil BS in Jamaica, they're all armed with machine guns.
Anyway, been another few weeks, what's, uh, going onnnnn? as they say...
Got to see the state cops "rectify situations" (because you know there's "no problem" in Jamaica, just situations to rectify) with their machine guns. Yep, none of that 9 mil BS in Jamaica, they're all armed with machine guns.
Anyway, been another few weeks, what's, uh, going onnnnn? as they say...
03-10-12, 10:46 AM
#247
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There were definitely a few "situations" while I was there. One of them was a door lock that locked me out of my room the last night (when I needed to get some sleep to wake up at 5AM the next day to catch the bust to the airport). Took an hour to get into the room.
I'm still working on sheet metal. As I intend to make the next video the last sheet metal episode for a long time, I'm going to finish up the sheet metal before I release another video. Could be a little while to get that done...
I'm still working on sheet metal. As I intend to make the next video the last sheet metal episode for a long time, I'm going to finish up the sheet metal before I release another video. Could be a little while to get that done...
03-14-12, 10:32 AM
#248
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There were definitely a few "situations" while I was there. One of them was a door lock that locked me out of my room the last night (when I needed to get some sleep to wake up at 5AM the next day to catch the bust to the airport). Took an hour to get into the room.
I'm still working on sheet metal. As I intend to make the next video the last sheet metal episode for a long time, I'm going to finish up the sheet metal before I release another video. Could be a little while to get that done...
I'm still working on sheet metal. As I intend to make the next video the last sheet metal episode for a long time, I'm going to finish up the sheet metal before I release another video. Could be a little while to get that done...
Yeah, I'd rather wait and be done with the sheet metal after, too. Take your time
03-17-12, 10:40 AM
#249
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It was the Grand Bahia Principe, which overall was a great place. Such a door malfunction could happen anywhere. It was no problem, and I wasn't worried to much save for the hours delay in getting to sleep when I had to be awake early next morning to catch the bus to the airport. Only a small issue in the scheme of the week, the situation was rectified, and after that it was irie.
Still working on sheet metal. About to have some lunch, then head over to the shop to continue rebuilding the front passenger corner where the firewall meets the floor. That area of the car is currently missing.
Still working on sheet metal. About to have some lunch, then head over to the shop to continue rebuilding the front passenger corner where the firewall meets the floor. That area of the car is currently missing.
04-05-12, 07:22 PM
#250
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Part 21: Front Sheet Metal Extravaganza 1
Part 21 is finally here! It's been quite a while since the last episode, and a lot has been accomplished. Not quite as much as I would have expected due to a busy time of year. After a trip to Jamaica at the beginning of February kept me out of the shop for two weeks, we entered auto show season with an auto show every weekend until mid March. Now that's over with, I've been able to get back down to the oh-so-fun sheet metal work. This episode focuses on the mass amount of front end sheet metal repairs in the fender and passenger foot well/sill area. Episode 21 is actually only the first part to this set of repairs, which we will finish off in part 22. And after that, no more sheet metal for a while! I promise! Included in this episode: cutting out rusted metal, drilling spot welds, loads of patch panel fabrication, welding it all together, weld through primer, POR-15, grinding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDVgOoj9UM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDVgOoj9UM