Body alignment

The body for the roadster is one piece.  The directions for the car really only tell you to put the body on and then install the bumper bolts and that should get the body where it is supposed to be.  Well, that didn't work for me.  The door jams did not wind up in the correct spot, the hood opening did not sit correctly on the driver side and the driver's front bumper bolts did not line up.  I found some posts that help to get the body lined up, but I still couldn't get it where I wanted it.  I was trying to get everything lined up before paint and was very frustrated.  One of the biggest problems was that I could not get the windshield in.  So, I called the shop that I wanted to do the body work and paint and he told me it was a common problem and that he would get it lined up.  But, there were a few things that I needed to do before I could bring the car to him.  Three months later (December 12th) I finally got the car to the painter.  Unfortunately, another Cobra got to him just before mine did.  So, with the holidays and the other car in the way, I didn't get the chassis back until the end of February.

Let me explain how the painting process goes on a fiberglass bodied roadster.  First, I take the chassis with the body on it to the painter, along with the doors, hood, trunk, rollbars, exhaust and everything else that could affect the alignment.  After the body is lined up, he puts the doors, hood and trunk on and sets the gaps so that the paint will fill it in perfectly.  Then, all the fiberglass comes off and I pick up the chassis.  While the painter finishes sanding, filling, sanding, priming and painting I install the carpet and the rest of the interior.  Then, when the body is done, I go back up and the body gets put on.  This process usually takes about 3 months.  I thought it would work out and I would get the body just before leaving on my trip to Arizona, but it was delayed and should be ready when I get back.

This is when I had the body on, but you can't really see any of the issues.

 This is a pic the painter sent as I was on the way up to pick up the chassis.  There is no way I could have gotten things to line up that well.

The paint shop I am using is New Reflections in Howell, Michigan which is about an hour and a half from my house.

Finished Dash

The stock dash covering from Factory Five is a thick padded vinyl.  When the gauges are installed it compresses the padding and neither of us liked the look, so we went with something that wouldn't indent.  We chose a marine grade vinyl.  It leaves a much cleaner look in my opinion.  I used the standard gauge layout and the switch holes that were already drilled in the dash.  I had to add a couple of switch holes for the heater, wipers, and a push button ignition.  We also added a grab bar for the passenger.  (It adds an aesthetic element to the empty side of the dash making it look better, in addition to being functional to hold onto.)  We used Weldwood contact cement to adhere the vinyl and 3M-90 for the vinyl as it wraps around the back.  I did a lot of experimenting with different types of adhesive and left them outside for a week in the sun to see what worked best and was the easiest to do.  This is right after the vinyl was attached, with the gauges temporarily mounted and the switches not installed.  You can see the switches in some pics that I will post soon.

Driver side footbox access hole

When I purchased my kit, it did not include access into the top of the driver's side footbox.  It is a necessity so that I can have access to the pedals and the clutch cable for any repairs or replacements should the need arise.   I did what many other builders do, I made my own access hole.  I put the body on and made a line to show what part of the box I could get to after the car was done.  Then, I cut a hole and made another piece for a panel.  I added rivnuts to the panel to make the lid easy to remove.  It has since been powdercoated the same anthracite color as the rest of the engine bay panels. These pictures were taken prior to powdercoating.  If I were to purchase a kit NOW, it would come with an access hole already built into it.

Driveshaft safety loop

I set a new record for not updating my blog.  The body of the car is at the painter and the chassis is ready to install the body, so this is a great time to update.  First, is a picture of the driveshaft safety loop.  It is a solid metal hoop that will protect the driver and passenger if the driveshaft should happen to come loose.  If it were to come loose at speed without the safety loop, it would be a bad day for anyone in the car! The driveshaft is very close to the people and there is only a thin piece of aluminum and some carpet in between.