jlcustomz
evil painter
Back to figuring on next mods on my el camino with the 2016 Camaro front &2016 z-06 vette rear. Need to get several things out back to blend in with the new late model vette bumper. Figured on cutting off the sides of my aluminum bedcover which have a 59' chevy concave fin profile & extending the sides of the quarters up to a new raised profile matching the quarter panel's curves. The bedcover will then fit between the raised quarters like a trunk lid.
While I'm at it, figured on doing a mild widebody shape. Nothing stupid, just mild curves such as the 69 dodge charger has.First thought about combining the upper portion of charger quarters with modifying my lowers out around 2", but that would be asking a lot to weld in the center of an 80" long steel panel with the new curves & control the warpage.
So I'm looking into making fiberglass overlays to the new shape. May also include the sides of the vette bumper into the quarter panel overlays for a seamless look.
If a local fiberglass race car body maker has anything laying around with a close enough side curvature I may bond the main section in with new parts. Otherwise I'm figuring on shaping the vehicle with wood, foam, filler, etc & making molds off of them before removing.
I know high quality molds are mostly made by laying new fiberglass over the shape along with reinforcing, but this is a one off (maybe?) and I can't spend forever doing this. So looking into ways of making much quicker molds, even if it means more sanding the final product. Experimenting with a few commercial spray foams from 20 oz cans sprayed with professional guns I have at work. Largest first issue is voids at the finished surface. Tried spreading a little foam with a bondo spreader first which thickens it & it helps a lot ,but is a little more painstaking. Poly filler can be spread on the dried foam .
trying to up my fiberglass skills particularly towards mold making. Any advise from someone knowing more than me is appreciated.
Here's vehicle now.
test by joe leleux, on Flickr
Here's a concept rendering of the new shapes. Not exact, but enough to give the idea minus not being able to see the widebody look from the side.
Stock bed by joe leleux, on Flickr
While I'm at it, figured on doing a mild widebody shape. Nothing stupid, just mild curves such as the 69 dodge charger has.First thought about combining the upper portion of charger quarters with modifying my lowers out around 2", but that would be asking a lot to weld in the center of an 80" long steel panel with the new curves & control the warpage.
So I'm looking into making fiberglass overlays to the new shape. May also include the sides of the vette bumper into the quarter panel overlays for a seamless look.
If a local fiberglass race car body maker has anything laying around with a close enough side curvature I may bond the main section in with new parts. Otherwise I'm figuring on shaping the vehicle with wood, foam, filler, etc & making molds off of them before removing.
I know high quality molds are mostly made by laying new fiberglass over the shape along with reinforcing, but this is a one off (maybe?) and I can't spend forever doing this. So looking into ways of making much quicker molds, even if it means more sanding the final product. Experimenting with a few commercial spray foams from 20 oz cans sprayed with professional guns I have at work. Largest first issue is voids at the finished surface. Tried spreading a little foam with a bondo spreader first which thickens it & it helps a lot ,but is a little more painstaking. Poly filler can be spread on the dried foam .
trying to up my fiberglass skills particularly towards mold making. Any advise from someone knowing more than me is appreciated.
Here's vehicle now.
test by joe leleux, on Flickr
Here's a concept rendering of the new shapes. Not exact, but enough to give the idea minus not being able to see the widebody look from the side.
Stock bed by joe leleux, on Flickr