Build Thread My 1986 T-top Build - Lasting Memories

I had to stop working for a little bit. I can do the quiet things early, but grinding welds will make others not so happy.
So I made some bacon pancakes for the kids (regular pancakes with a butt load of bacon bits in it). Man, that was tasty. Smothered in syrup.
Kind of feel like a bloated whale now though. Gonna hurt squatting down and grinding, would somebody call me a whaambulance?
 
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I had to stop working for a little bit. I can do the quiet things early, but grinding welds will make others not so happy.
So I made some bacon pancakes for the kids (regular pancakes with a butt load of bacon bits in it). Man, that was tasty. Smothered in syrup.
Kind of feel like a bloated whale now though. Gonna hurt squatting down and grinding, would somebody call me a whaambulance?
Bacon pancakes....:drool:
 
Got the insides of the shock towers ground down and sanded. I'm just using POR 15 on the insides and the back of the new SR panels.
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So, I got Doby up on four jack stands.
This gives me a chance to look around the trans tunnel. The left transmission mount is tweaked and torn. The right side is fine
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So, what do you think guys, hammer it back to where it should be and weld the tear?
Is there a replacement I should put in instead?
My brother dropped the drivetrain out so I missed this, I'm glad I saw it now.
Is there a reinforcement kit or something I should use with the mounts? It sure looks flimsy.
 
I've definitely had worse. Unless it's going to drive you nuts, I'd hammer it straight, tack it back together and go..
Nah, hell, I'm ok with doing just that. I was going to start coating the undercarriage tomorrow morning.
My wife is taking one of our granddaughters out for some chick thing shortly. I might just have to crawl under there while she's gone and beat it back in place, clean it up a bit and weld it.
Thanks Allen
 
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Diggin the progress. And still hating the finish work on my hood insert. Just as I was spraying my top coat, it started spitting rain on me. Yet again, dry, sand, spray for the 5th time. You guys are crazy.
I got something you'll want to think about. If you spray too much paint on a panel too many seperate times, it'll begin to fail on you and split apart. What it will look like at first is little tiny cracks. These get larger as time goes.
What happens is the different coats will shift due to heat, and they will all shift at different times (by shifting, I mean swelling and shrinking due to temperature change).
So you have, for example, the top layer swelling as it warms, the next coat down hasn't started yet because it hasn't heated up as much. The bond between the two begins to break.
It's not usually a problem with two to three paint jobs, but when you start getting four and more on a panel, especially a hood, it's just a matter of time.
Only way to fix it is to strip it all off. I've seen this dozens and dozens of times. Tried to fix it by just removing a couple layers, no joy.
So, when you say sand down your hood, I hope you're sanding most of that paint off.
Hate giving you crappy news, maybe you have already considered this, if so, don't mean to sound overpowering. You're a homeboy, got to watch out for each other.
 
Haha, I appreciate that. ^ its a carbon fiber insert that I decided to paint to keep from looking like a rice mobile. Their clear sealer wasnt thick at all, and the thing just soaked up primer like no other. Ended up smearing a super thin layer of bondo, sanding it almost all off, then filler primer, sanded smooth, sealer primer, sanded with 800 grit, sprayed gloss black top coat. Mind you this is all spray paint, even though I own a paint gun and compressor. If all else fails, I will strip it and have it wrapped in a decal of some sort. Ive considered a hood decal before, but dont want to get too "race car" with it.
 
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Wife is away, bent that bracket back into good enough shape, welded it up, ground a little bit.
It's so much nicer to weld thick metal, wire just flows out so nice.
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could have been a little prettier, good enough for me, I'm easy:rolleyes:.
 
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Haha, I appreciate that. ^ its a carbon fiber insert that I decided to paint to keep from looking like a rice mobile. Their clear sealer wasnt thick at all, and the thing just soaked up primer like no other. Ended up smearing a super thin layer of bondo, sanding it almost all off, then filler primer, sanded smooth, sealer primer, sanded with 800 grit, sprayed gloss black top coat. Mind you this is all spray paint, even though I own a paint gun and compressor. If all else fails, I will strip it and have it wrapped in a decal of some sort. Ive considered a hood decal before, but dont want to get too "race car" with it.
Oh duh!:ack: You're just talking about the insert?! Right?
Couldn't miss a chance to pretend to be knowledgeable, sorry man.:leaving:I'll just go hide now.
 
Doubt your ride is gonna get judged at Pebble Beach, so I say that looks mighty fine as well. PS, I may just get a hood decal like your painted hood, pretty sure American Muscle sells em. Pay a little homage to my fox days on my '11.

Dang, suspension on. Gettin to it today!
It's the coolest decal on a fox body IMO. Your hood is a bit longer than mine, but I think it would look trick as hell man.
My wife has afforded me opportunities to work on it. She keeps needing to do stuff,and she didn't get up till about 9:30 this morning! Good day for Doby.
Tomorrow will be pretty good for the old gal too, Doby, not my wife. Another early morning though.
I am absolutely loving this build.
First Monday of April it will finally be painted the correct color! Should be back in my garage within one week, then I begin the mini tub.
 
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Haha, I appreciate that. ^ its a carbon fiber insert that I decided to paint to keep from looking like a rice mobile. Their clear sealer wasnt thick at all, and the thing just soaked up primer like no other. Ended up smearing a super thin layer of bondo, sanding it almost all off, then filler primer, sanded smooth, sealer primer, sanded with 800 grit, sprayed gloss black top coat. Mind you this is all spray paint, even though I own a paint gun and compressor. If all else fails, I will strip it and have it wrapped in a decal of some sort. Ive considered a hood decal before, but dont want to get too "race car" with it.
I've painted carbon fiber parts for dirt track racers before, you are soooo right about it sucking up primer. It seems manufacturers of carbon fiber parts might offer gel coated pieces for those that want to paint them. Guess it kind of defeats the purpose of the lighter weight though (and boy are they light).
 
@davethecarpainter When my car decided to hurl itself off my trailer it caught and bent the trans cross member mount. I'll be fixing mine too when I install my stuff. Very good work man. I'm about to buy stock in por15.[emoji106]
 
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It's the coolest decal on a fox body IMO.

Truth. I had an 84 I did back before LMR had those decals. I made pencil rubbings of the hood, fender and decklid decals, and took them to a print shop to be done in vinyl. The car was orange and black. It came out great... Wish i had pics of that thing.
 
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