V8EK4us- 383 SBC,4 link,Torana f/e - 12 months on...

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:19 pm

Here is the update on the dash mod...... I used aluminium, 4mm plate and 63.5mm x 6.5mm alloy tube (cut to 40mm lengths). Firstly I marked and drilled the holes in the 4mm plate the cut and welded the 40mm lengths of tube in place prior to cutting the plate to shape, this helps reduce twist and buckling in the alloy plate as aluminium has a bit of a mind of its own. Very happy with the way it polished up, used the Jabsco buff and the "green" polish stick.

Tubes tacked in place.

Fully welded and polished.

I tried to make it look "original fitment", pretty happy with the way it turned out ...... needs a bit more polishing as there are still some marks in it that don't show up in the photos.

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:33 pm

Looks good!!

ekdave1962 · Post by **ekdave1962** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:09 pm

what can i say wow .,, im loving watch this build just as i did mel's .
hmm since my 1 st project is nearing its end maybe time to thing about the next 1 .,, some thing a little more wild ,

maybe a convertable ,, lol ,

hmm mind you i still want build a 4 door gts hq like i had when i was a kid

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:10 pm

Bloody Show-Off!

Looks good though.

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:33 am

Going to have a go at making the guard flutes out of aluminium to be different..... I will make sure I take more pics this time as I do it

Got too excited with the guage pod and finished it without taking heaps of progress pics

.

DNA · Post by **DNA** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:01 pm

that looks the goods.........

Would be sweet if you could "knurl" a pattern similar to the dash on the plate......

wish I had half your skills.........cant wait to see it the update pics in a weeks time......simply amazing!

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:56 pm

Had a go at the alloy guard flutes, still some finishing touches ie; trimming edges and final polish to do.

Did a rough mock up of it in the guard (spray can black paint

).

Cardboard template:

Parts cut and bent from 3mm plate

Clamped down to pre-curved 5mm plate to match the curve in the guard then tacked together:

Fit and tack weld angled flutes:

Turned over to check what it will look like

Fully weld:

Grind, sand, sand, grind and sand again and again:

Polished and fitted into very rough mock up guard

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

(AUST)Mod · Post by **(AUST)Mod** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 6:05 pm

Bloody great new years present!

EKSPCL · Post by **EKSPCL** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:02 am

Looking great V8EK4us

I have been watching, but having problems with the computer(won't show me any pics)!
Finally saw the pics of the trims etc.
This is what I'm hoping to do, the $$$ are holding me back at the moment.
What type of material did you use under the fibreglass?
Obviously something stretchy, but what is it called?
Keep these posts coming.....

J · Post by J » Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:21 pm

oh mah gawd!
im loving the regular updates - keep me inspired!!!!
dont slow downnnn

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:35 pm

Hope everyone had a great new year (I did ..... still got the headache to remind me, no grinding or hammering today

).

EKSPCL the material is called fleece, the stuff we used is what they make kids pajamas out of (If you look at the pics of the door panels closely you can see the little Lions, Giraffes etc...

it's about $6/m) Sue got it from a store called "Spotlight", this is their website http://www.spotlight.com.au/store_locator . It is surprisingly easy to do, just staple under one side then streatch it over to form the contours required and staple all around the back of the panel. Mix up fibreglass resin and brush it on so it soaks through the fleece, we did 4 - 5 coats then sanded back with an orbital sander. Hardest bit is making the panels and frames to support the fleece in the desired shape. We have designed ours to use the original s/s door trimmings (curved one at the top and the one that runs through the middle. We also added arm rest on the rear doors and shortened the middle trim so it stops at the end of the arm rest like the front one does.

EK JAY · Post by **EK JAY** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:03 pm

looking really TUFF mate you've chose the right color
with all the changes there could be no other color then
Back in BLACK

Jay

EKSPCL · Post by **EKSPCL** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:47 pm

Thanks V8EK4us.
We have about 5 or 6 Spotlights within 20min of here

I'll let you know what animals I end end up with on my trims

axeman · Post by **axeman** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:59 pm

man i was a bit worried when you said ally flutes . but after seeing them finished and in the guards, id have to say they set of the guards very nicely are you still putting in the bowtie at the bottom?

Keep up the good work. looking forward to watching this project progress

Cheers Axeman

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:58 pm

J, I don't have time to slow down

6 months to the Nats!!

EK JAY, Back in Black would be a great song to play on her first cruise

EKSPCL, your welcome, looking forward to seeing your doors done (maybe you will get little elephants

.

axeman wrote:man i was a bit worried when you said ally flutes . but after seeing them finished and in the guards, id have to say they set of the guards very nicely are you still putting in the bowtie at the bottom?

Cheers Axeman

Thanks Axeman, yes to the bowtie, just not decided on which way to do it .... my thoughts are:
1/ Bowtie badge in Black, red or gold.
2/ Bowtie Billet badge
3/ Bowtie engraved into flute and painted in the engraved area to match the car colour.

Originally was going to get "HOLDEN" engraved at the bottom and paint it.

Any other ideas/comments welcome.

4 Link turned up and looks good (McDonald Bros Racing parallel bar), I will get it together and take some pics tomorrow.