NikwoaC's "Commitment Issues" Engine Build

[NIKwoaC]

Another shot. Obviously still need to clean up the cut edges (particularly where the hole saw broke through), and blend the tangent points. The vents will be screened with perforated aluminum sheet, attached with stainless hardware, and there will be internal water baffles so I can still wash the car and it can see rain without flooding the engine bay. The bulge itself will be painted a satin or semi-gloss black (for an almost-shaker-hood-like look), and the screen will be flat black.

FYI- jigsaw blades for wood do NOT survive cutting glass-reinforced material like this. I ended up doing most of the cutting with a HSS blade.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Hell yeah, I like what youre doing with the scoop. I have something different in mind for my hood using my scoop too. Juat have to get my damn car driving first. Cant wait to see your finished product.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Hell yeah, I like what youre doing with the scoop. I have something different in mind for my hood using my scoop too. Juat have to get my damn car driving first. Cant wait to see your finished product.

Thanks man!

 

[NIKwoaC]

Holes cleaned up, screen mocked up in place. Like I said before, all of this will be black, except for the hardware.

 

[RaggedGT]

I like it

 

[02 281 GT]

That's pretty slick looking.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

That's pretty neat Nick, I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Don't give me ideas to modify mine please........

 

[NIKwoaC]

Thanks dudes. I've been wanting to do a functional hot air vent on Moose's hood for a while now, but a lot of the aftermarket options were either way too expensive, or wouldn't look right on these cars, or both. After watching @Davedacarpainter restore his '83 hood bulge, I got the idea for this. It's period correct, but with a little bit of a race car look to it. With all the stuff I've done to the car, this is my first real body modification, excluding the '87+ GT spoiler.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Not much of an update, been super busy trying to get the house on the market. Got the bulge in primer, wet sanded, and just smeared some glazing putty on some imperfections.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Progress! The bulge is... Done...?

Well, kind of. I still need to install mounting studs, and then obviously cut, drill, and mount it to the hood.

It's painted with Rust-Oleum Custom Shop Matte Black. I screwed up on my first attempt and sprayed with the can too close, which resulted in runs and tiger striping. I sanded out the runs and repainted it, holding the can further away. I have to say, the results are pretty even, smooth, and generally impressive for a rattle can job. I would definitely use this paint again for other projects. At the right angle in direct light you can still see ghosting from the paint runs, I think it needs block sanded and painted a third time, but for right now I want to get it all finished and on the car, then I can decide if it's worth another paint attempt.

I used 1/2" polycarbonate corner trim to act as a water baffle on the underside of the bulge. The hole in the hood will also be baffled in a similar manner so that I can wash the car and drive it in the rain (on the rare occasion that happens) without water dumping into the engine bay.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Holes cut, baffles and bulge trial fitted. The baffles will get a skim of sealant under them before final assembly, and the bulge in these pictures still needs to come down a little tighter to the hood-maybe by about 1/8".

 

[General karthief]

Too cool!

 

[95BlueStallion]

Love it Nik. Cant wait to see it on the car.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Thanks fellas. I'm really pleased with how it's turning out so far. It was a huge sigh of relief to drop it on the hood and see it line up nice and symmetrically with the body lines on the hood. I guess I'm getting pretty good at making cardboard templates.

 

[hoopty5.0]

Aren't you an engineer too? I was poking fun at another buddy the other day who was an engineer for being ultra precise. I wish I had that gene.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Aren't you an engineer too? I was poking fun at another buddy the other day who was an engineer for being ultra precise. I wish I had that gene.

Haha yea, I am an engineer. I will say, it is a blessing and a curse. I rarely make mistakes the first time I try something, but it's only because I have obsessively planned, researched, and thought through it, sometimes for days. The next guy has tried, failed, retried, succeeded, and drank 3 beers before I've even finished planning my first attempt. My wife flat out refuses to go to Lowe's with me, because I will take 20 minutes deciding on a toilet flush valve seal.

 

[02 281 GT]

Haha yea, I am an engineer. I will say, it is a blessing and a curse. I rarely make mistakes the first time I try something, but it's only because I have obsessively planned, researched, and thought through it, sometimes for days. The next guy has tried, failed, retried, succeeded, and drank 3 beers before I've even finished planning my first attempt. My wife flat out refuses to go to Lowe's with me, because I will take 20 minutes deciding on a toilet flush valve seal.

So you're saying that our friendly neighborhood Gila-builder Do-it-twice-Mike is not an engineer?

 

[NIKwoaC]

So you're saying that our friendly neighborhood Gila-builder Do-it-twice-Mike is not an engineer?

Hey, everybody has their own process...

I can't judge, the dude gets more done in an hour than I do in a week.

 

[02 281 GT]

I'm just being silly, honestly. As if I ever got anything done in a garage.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

It's not like I just go out, get a grinder and some steel and build something,....then do it over and over till I get it right.

I give every project several hours,...sometimes several days consideration when in the planning stages. The difference between me and an engineer is the precision......

An engineer can build a bridge starting from each end, and the spans will meet in the middle +/- an inch.

If I try that, the spans might meet in the middle, but one side will have a twist to it.
And I'll have to put the one side in a bridge vise, and grab it with a big assed crescent wrench and tweak it.
Or the one side will be higher...
And I'll have to redo it.
Or one side will be too short...
And I'll have to weld a little section onto the span to make it reach.

Then, when I finally get the two sides linked up and secure.....
I'd slather JB weld on it, smooth it out, and paint that btch.

Seriously though,...that scoop came out looking great. Only I can't see how those angled pieces of poly are gonna keep water out of those holes.