so i accidently bought a car and started a challenge team last night. have questions.

90% of the resin i applied yesterday is now hard.

I think i didn't put enough activator in. I picked up a cheap measuring cup at tje dollar store today, so i can actually mix by ounces like the directions say to. Yesterday I was using a red solo cup. Im pretty sure i know what happened. We'll see what the next coat does tonight/in the morning.

Dusterbd13 wrote:

Crackers wrote: Man, it'd be cool to see those wheel arches welded back in. That's a lot of work in too little time though, probably.

And require metal working skills far above what we have.

There's that too. I'd lend a hand if I wasn't so far away.

Im pretty sure i know what happened.

Too high of a Mtn Dew:Hardender ratio? Maybe use a clean one next time? LOL

In reply to Crackers:

Not enough mt dew. Brain fart on ratio. Stuff i just mixed and applied is already hard.

I need to work properly caffeinated from now on....

Never understood why but with Glass I really have to work Fast to get what I see looking like I want, but the trick is to be prepared enough that you don't have to hurry, I always have to Hurry!

We're going to call the current surface finish " hammered dog E36 M3"

But i ordered 50 feet of mat today. Hopefully subsequent laters get smoother and nicer.

I agree, I really like the way those look.

It's turning out better than i expected. Now to see if i can make the other side of the car look the same. Thats going to be difficult.

cardboard vertical templates to get the profile the same at the wheel centers...

stafford1500 wrote: cardboard vertical templates to get the profile the same at the wheel centers...

Good idea! Thanks!

Got started mocking up the other side this morning while on a conference call.

in order to be a great challenge competitor, you must learn to multi task

Pssst Dbd13.....hey I saw a blue bottle with some letters on it and a knob in the back with the battery....secret weapon?

Nope!

Thats a 32 doll5mix and match kit.

Oh OK......wink wink. Nobody will notice with these killer flairs anyway.

Trust me. The secret weapon is berking OBVIOUS when you see it.

The nice thing about fiberglassing that i learned today: once the initial shape is made, layers and reapplication of resin goes quick. Not looking forward to sanding though.

Glad the resin thing resolved itself. Mine sat for a week and wouldn't harden.

Nick (Bo) Comstock wrote: Glad the resin thing resolved itself. Mine sat for a week and wouldn't harden.

Stampie wrote:

Nick (Bo) Comstock wrote: Glad the resin thing resolved itself. Mine sat for a week and wouldn't harden.

Thats comedy, folks.

And definitely glad the free resin is working. Almost out, though....

What is holding the stretched cloth in place?

This is giving me ideas for making interior panels for the Molvo.

The cloth is glued to the painters tape with some permatex spray glue. Same with the wheel lips. I tried hot glue, but that didn't work. Same with duct tape.

The stretched cloth, once saturated with resin, retains its shape pretty well. Its still flexible to a large extent, so it needs strength from actual fiberglass mat. Which is tonight's show.

In reply to Dusterbd13:

I like that way of doing it very much. It gives me lots of ideas that I have no money to implement.

I wonder how much the fabric would serve to help keep the flares from exploding should they get damaged by a tire failure or the like.

Maybe it only ends up ensuring the whole thing gets ripped off.

Maybe I should stop giving them bad ideas....

Id think it would contain the fiberglass shrapnel to a few large pieces. Kina like laminated glass. I don't know, thpugh. Ive never seen bodywork done this way, but plenty of sub boxes.

Just read the whole build. This is awesome! I cannot wait to see the finished flares.