I spent the weekend working on the DD. my body man flaked out on me so I am stuck with the finish body work
I hate sanding, he still has 2 parts of mine and I tried to catch him 4 times this weekend to get them back so I could work on them myself. I will try again today
to get them back from him. so anyway I spent the weekend sanding, priming and sanding again. I ran out of primer so I will have to go to the paint supply today and get more so I can get this car done.
I was hopeing to have this car at the paint shop this weekend but now it looks like I will be working on this myself so it will be a few days of this before I can start the Lambo build.
it may work out better this way because I may move into a shop as early as next week and if I do I would rather not have the chassis cut in 2 and then have to move it.
D.

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: I hate sanding, D.

I don't think anyone loves sanding.

quote Originally posted by Amida: I don't think anyone loves sanding.

LOL!

well here is BIG! news for all, I found a shop the other day and today I talked to the owner and signed a deal with him. I will be starting to move in this weekend this will make it so I can work on several things at once without triping over things. I will keep you all posted.

I now have way more room to work on your cars send me a PM if I can help, I will work on anything with wheels and a motor.
D.

Congratulations Dean !

I think everyone here in the fiero community will do all that we can to help make your venture successful.

Congrats!

Congrats.on the shop maybe you could work on a rear clip like the held one! Independent suspension ( not using stock strut towers) for a longitudinal swap?

we will see, I will be finishing my DD then start working on the Diablo. I am also working on a few parts that I will be selling once I get them done.
I will not say what they are yet till I have at least 2 made.
D.

last night my best friend that I grew up with came to town, he drives a big rig OTR. and when he was on the road his front bumper that was made of fiberglass had broken one of the mounts so he had it tied up to keep it in place. we took it off the truck last night and I was able to grind it all out and re glass it for him. it turned out great and was a fairly quick fix. this morning we will reinstall it back on the truck. I just kind of got a kick out of it because I had posted here before that I would work on anything with wheels and a motor, I never thought it would have 10 wheels

well, my friend is back on the road and I was able to get back to work on the DD today. I finaly got to pick up the wheels today so I will take them to be mounted on monday. I was also able to get most of the car in primer today and finish sanded for paint. I am still waiting on 3 more parts at the body shop so I will work on the main body of the car this week as well as getting my 13" brakes mounted on the car as well as the wheels and tires.
I will keep you posted with more later this week I hope with pic's as well, I can't find my camera since I have been doing so much lately but I know it is around here somewhere.
D.

I droped the wheels and tires off at the tire shop this morning to be mounted I will be picking them up later today.
with the snow we had around here is has slowed down getting in to the new shop but we will be starting to get cars in today. first up will be the Diablo kit I am starting on I wanted to get in the shop before I started on the chassis so I would not have to move it once I started. I found my camera so I will get some pic's of the new shop and some progress pic's of the DD this week.
D.

Congrats on the new cave Dean-o

Can't wait to see the DD in it's new coat and shoes!

\/\/

[This message has been edited by infinitewill (edited 02-15-2010).]

sweet! and again congrats!!

I found my camera so here is a big update for all.

first off my best friends truck that I had to fix the fiberglass front bumper on.





last night I was working on the DD when the wife came home, I was in the middle of doing the brakes and she decided out of the blue she wanted to help
she does not like working on cars so I just had to get a pic of it
I was also able to get the tires mounted on the wheels yesterday. I will have to fix a few spots on the paint but I expected that.

today I will be moving cars to the new shop all day.

anyway here are the pic's
D.

well, yesterday I was able to get the Diablo kit, a 3800sc car and 2 mustangs over to the shop, now today I need to move 4 other clasics over then I am going to try to get back on the DD to get it done.
I only have a few things on the DD to finish up before it goes to paint. once I get it done I will finish getting the shop setup and get to work on the Diablo Chassis.
still pushing hadr to make the show
D.

bump for anything new ?

body work, finish sanding, and paint!
I am still working on the back deck, tail light panel, rear bumper and the hood the rest of the car is ready for final blocking and paint.
the hood should be done in the next day or so and the body shop has the rear deck and rear bumper. the tail light panel is the only part in question. I still have a lot of work to do on it but with any luck I will be able to get the light mounts and the panel mounts made and have it fitted and in primer by the weekend.
the car is getting very close now. I have talked to several people about the new shop and over the next few weeks I will be getting 4 cars that I will be working on.
I have few things that I am working on that will be big news around here but until I get the first ones made I will keep it to myself

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: I have few things that I am working on that will be big news around here but until I get the first ones made I will keep it to myself

This is going to be good !

Well today I worked on the DD. I wanted to have the car painted by a painter in a booth but it is not going to happen.
with money being tight I just cant afford it and still make it to the show. so today I whent to my friend that works at PPG and he hooked me up with some paint.
so back to my garage I went paint in hand. I spent the morning wet sanding all the parts that where ready for paint (the whole car except for the rear deck lid and bumper, still at the body shop
this afternoon I was able to get all the take off parts shot and I will be doing the top of the car in the morning with the color. it is not looking bad for being shot in my garage but I think I will redo it at a later date. at this point I just want paint on it for Daytona.
once I get all the color shot I will get the clear on the car and start putting the car back together. I should have most of the car back together by the end of the weekend.
I will get pic's once I am done with the paint.
D.

My first thought was dust & fumes...dust & fumes. My neighbor sure didn't like it when I painted my bumper in the driveway. Clean Air Agency actually stopped by my place to wag their finger at me.

[This message has been edited by Amida (edited 02-25-2010).]

whodeanie.....just out of curiostity, I am gonna paint my car myself too. I do have access to a paint booth at work here. You mentioned you had a pal in the paint industry, what color did you go with and what kinda deal did you get? I have been wanting to paint my car back red again but that is the most expensive color. I called sherwin williams automotive paint in knoxville and they actually told me the paint supplies for my car for a base clear would be over 900 bucks!!!! I almost laughed, I know paint can be expensive but gimme a break. I am in Maryville, Tn and I am getting ready to start working on the body of the car very soon. IF you can help me here I would sure appreciate it. I can also maybe help you somehow, I have a CNC milling machine and a lot of welding and machining equipment. Thanks and peace

Pete

quote Originally posted by Pete Matos: whodeanie.....just out of curiostity, I am gonna paint my car myself too. I do have access to a paint booth at work here. You mentioned you had a pal in the paint industry, what color did you go with and what kinda deal did you get? I have been wanting to paint my car back red again but that is the most expensive color. I called sherwin williams automotive paint in knoxville and they actually told me the paint supplies for my car for a base clear would be over 900 bucks!!!! I almost laughed, I know paint can be expensive but gimme a break. I am in Maryville, Tn and I am getting ready to start working on the body of the car very soon. IF you can help me here I would sure appreciate it. I can also maybe help you somehow, I have a CNC milling machine and a lot of welding and machining equipment. Thanks and peace Pete

Red is the most expencive color for some reason but it should be nowhere near that much to paint a fiero.
at the most you will only need 2qt's of color and even on the high side should cost no more than 200 for that with reducer you get a gal out of it.
the clear you can get by with 1qt. again becouse it is 1 to 1 so you get 2qt's sprayable and that should be no more than 80 bucks even for a highline clear.
the other suplys like primer, tape, masking, and sandpaper do add up a little but not that much. I would find another paint supply company that sells to shops that you can buy from.
it sounds to me like they are trying to get full retail + from you. you might also try a body shop and ask where they get their paint from. wait you did say you have a paint booth at work, where do they get paint from?
I could get the paint here for you but I can not ship it and by the time you drive here to get it, it would not be worth it.
D.

WHodeanie,
Yeah we have a decent automotive paint booth at work and it is used to paint custom high end cabinetry we built there. My employer occasionally lets us roll a car in there on the weekends. What color are you gonna paint your car? I do not know if you are right about that paint costs, I would like to come on down and see your shop sometime and meet you and that would be worth the trip anyways, what kinda paint are you using? If you were to get me the paint and clear and associated reducers for a good price it would make it even more attractive to come on down to see your car and your shop. I had also considered painting the car a nice orange color kinda like randy' s car, dunno if that would be cheaper or not.... If you get a minute gimme a call at 865-363-9218 and we can chat fieros and body mods and stuff... peace

Pete

sounds like a plan. the paint supply I use is right down the street from my shop.
my DD project I am painting a tiatanum Lotus color the same color as the outer lip of the wheels in the pic's here.
I wanted a nice clean color that would show the body mods well and for my DD I did not want to go wild with it.
I will give you a cal in a little while.
D.

Whodeanie....
Hey man sure was nice talking to you on the phone today, sure as hell sounds like I am gonna hafta pay you a visit in my fiero and see your beautiful creations. That choptop looks wicked!! I also noticed in the pictures some glancing shots of a yellow ferrari!! Dude I gotta see that beauty.... you are now officially my hero!! peace

Pete

LOL! thanks Pete
if you come by in the next few weeks I will have 2 or 3 355's at the shop I am working on.
the choptop has a long way to go still but I will get it done.

I was able to get the DD painted yesterday except for a few parts I still need to do a little more work on. today I have to go pick up a Trans Am I will be working on as well as one of the 355's
D.

Is it possible to temporarily remove the windshield weatherstrip for painting or does the whole glass have to come out?

quote Originally posted by Amida: Is it possible to temporarily remove the windshield weatherstrip for painting or does the whole glass have to come out?

you will need to cut out the old one and get a new push in one that will have to be glued back in. I pulled mine out so I could paint the car but I left the windshield in place so i would not have to mask off the area but I am installing a new windshield and wrap under molding once I am done. the windshield in the car now is not broken but it is pitted bad from years in the car.
D.

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: you will need to cut out the old one and get a new push in one that will have to be glued back in. I pulled mine out so I could paint the car but I left the windshield in place so i would not have to mask off the area but I am installing a new windshield and wrap under molding once I am done. the windshield in the car now is not broken but it is pitted bad from years in the car. D.

So there is actually a different push-in type of strip?

quote Originally posted by Amida: So there is actually a different push-in type of strip?

yea, the OE type is a push in but it can be a PITA to get to lay in correctly.

yesterday I was able to work on the car a bit more and got the roof painted. then it was off to the new shop where I was going to meet up with a guy that was going to bring his car but it would not start so he did not make it. but while I was there I worked on the lights and found that it was a bad breaker so I got it changed out and now have light in the shop this week I will be setting up the shop and getting started full time. I will still be working on the DD but at night and weekends to get it done. I have 3 cars at the shop I need to get going. one long build, finish a car, as well as another project I will not post till it is done
D.

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: yea, the OE type is a push in but it can be a PITA to get to lay in correctly. D.

I see, if it's too tight or calking in the way. I may have to just pull out my new glass .

quote Originally posted by Amida: I see, if it's too tight or calking in the way. I may have to just pull out my new glass .

the only way to get it in would be to cut the urithane out with a razor knife. the molding you need looks like a tree it has fingers that grab the body and windshield.
use urithane and run a small bead around the windshield then push in the molding. you will want to heat the molding a little so it will lay in the corners. once you have it in use tape to hold it in place for a day untill it sets up and you will be good to go.
D.

ok, here is a big update
this weekend I had a lot going on working on my DD as well as a customer with a 355 I will be working on.
I was finaly able to get some pics of the shop and a few of the cars I will be working on as well. I will be moving tools over to the shop this week so I can get set up and running.
I will be working at the shop full time by the end of the week.
anyway here are some pic's





project #1 at the shop



and project #2



and the rest of them





and back at the house work continues on the DD. getting real close now. I am still working on the hood, rear deck lid, tail light panel and the rear bumper but the rest of the car is well on its way
to being done. so with any luck I will have it back on the road within the next 2 weeks.
D.

Wow !

Dean the DD looks awesome ! looooove the color ! You are very talented !

It looks like the shop is falling into place as well. You are going to do very well. So many of the other shops are up north or out west, we needed somebody down this part of the country.

P.S. what is up with the red GT ? i spy fiberglass nose ! In for mods ??

[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 03-01-2010).]

Looks real good Dean! Nice color.

thanks, guys

the red GT is a parts car for now. it has a 3800sc motor on an 88 cradle that will be going into a 355 kitcar. then I will install a stock drivetrain and fix the front end and sell it.
D.

Oh Dean,..btw those mirrors i was sketchy about at first,..look great ! Good choice.

quote Originally posted by exoticse: Oh Dean,..btw those mirrors i was sketchy about at first,..look great ! Good choice.

yea, they look way better in person than in the pic's

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: and project #2

I wondered what ever happened to this car...at your shop now. Installing the top?

quote Originally posted by Amida: I wondered what ever happened to this car...at your shop now. Installing the top?

Yep, it got here yesterday. it will take me a while to get it done I have a lot of fab work to do to make it work.

I was wondering what happened to you? Now I see you've been REAL busy. The DD looks great! I like your shop too. Is the shop located around Woodstock? I'll buy a shirt the next time I see you. but, I've dropped 20 pounds and am hoping to lose about 10 more, so I'm not sure that I'm still an XL. Maybe you better save me a large.