With the mold seams ground...
With the mold seams ground down and the body scuffed, it's time for KR Performance and Restorations to start working its magic on panel alignment, panel filling, and some custom touches we requested.
It took quite a bit of organization, but our Factory Five Racing Cobra replica finally made its way to KR Performance and Restorations in Nebraska for paint and bodywork. It was no easy feat, with the use of a major transportation company, short-term storage at DVS Restorations, and another eight-hour trailer ride from DVS Restorations to KR Performance and Restorations. Now that our Roadster has arrived safely in Nebraska, it's time for KR's owners, Aaron Kester and Bob Roeder, to make our Roadster look its best.
The two men have their work cut out for them, as this is their first Factory Five body. It will be a bit of a learning experience, but they expressed much interest in the intricacies of the FFR body, and we had one in need of paint. It was Dave Stribling at DVS Restorations who put us in touch with Kester and Roeder at a trade show almost two years ago.
We've also enlisted the expertise of FFR bodyman extraordinaire, Dave Heidrich, from Worship One Customs in Charlotte, North Carolina. Also known as NCPainter on the ffcobra.com forums, Heidrich graciously offered to share some of his best Cobra body-prep secrets with Kester and Roeder. With all these talented guys working together, we'll have a great-looking Roadster when the sanding dust settles.
In the last installment on...
In the last installment on our Cobra replica build (July '07), Reliable Carriers loaded up the Roadster for the ride to DVS Restorations. It was a week-long trip as cars were picked up and dropped off during the northward run from Florida to Indiana. Once in Indiana, Reliable left our Roadster with Dave Stribling and DVS Restorations.
He will be helping us a bit...
He will be helping us a bit later with some final safety checks, bumpsteer measurements, and more, but for now he safely stored our project until KR's Aaron Kester and Bob Roeder could make the trip to pick up our Roadster.
Stribling has been working...
Stribling has been working with the guys from KR for a while now, and Kester and Roeder make trips about twice a month...
...from Nebraska to Indiana...
...from Nebraska to Indiana to transport customers' vehicles using KR's enclosed trailer. The Roadster made it safely to Nebraska the following week.
To prepare the body for filler...
To prepare the body for filler work and sanding, the virgin fiberglass and resin surfaces must be stripped of chemicals, as these agents, used to help release the fiberglass from the body molds, will cause problems during painting. A simple wax and grease removal product is a start, but then the body must be completely scrubbed with a cleanser and a scuffing pad per the build-manual's instructions.
After using the wax and grease...
After using the wax and grease remover, Kester and Roeder apply Comet cleanser to the body surface. To keep from ruining our hard work, the dash and engine compartment are taped off.
Using a bucket of water to...
Using a bucket of water to wet the Scotch Brite scuff pad, scrub the body with the cleanser that has already been applied. Notice the complete coverage. Don't be afraid to add more Comet and scrub hard. The body needs to be completely clean for the bodywork and paint to adhere properly.
Once the body is rinsed and...
Once the body is rinsed and dried, you can see the results of the deep scrubbing with the Scotch Brite pad and Comet cleanser. The surface finish is a flat sheen, and the fiberglass pores have been exposed. The body will need a few days in the sun at this point to air out everything.
While each body needs a different...
While each body needs a different amount of filler work in different places, every fiberglass body requires sanding of the body seams before final shaping of the body contours. Roeder uses a 90-degree sander with a 3-inch sanding disc attachment. Always remember to use a respirator/filter protection; you don't want to inhale all that fiberglass dust.
As you can see by this test...
As you can see by this test section, it takes only a few seconds to cut down the body seam. You can also see the large amount of dust a small section creates. This is why we stress wearing some sort of filtered air apparatus, even if it's simply a disposable particulate mask. Pay attention to the amount of material removed as well. While it can be built back up, it creates more work for you.
The finished body seams should...
The finished body seams should look something like this. These areas still require a small amount of filler to sand and shape properly, but for now, Roeder will hold off on any further work until all moving panels (trunk, doors, and hood) are aligned.
The trunk hinges included...
The trunk hinges included with the FFR kit are a chrome-plated, pot-metal assembly that mounts on the exterior of the car. While functional and easy to use, the original aluminum-bodied Cobras used internal or "hidden" hinges on the trunk. We like the look of a smooth posterior using a hidden hinge setup and purchased these FFR-specific hidden hinges that bolt to the trunk frame from Breeze Automotive [www.breezeautomotive.com; (508) 533-6455].
Roeder used a strip of painters...
Roeder used a strip of painters tape to help visualize placement of the hinge assembly on the trunk hoop and aid in marking the mounting holes.
A small section of wood is...
A small section of wood is used to lift the body, as the hinge assembly slips over the trunk hoop during mounting.
With a section of wood at...
With a section of wood at each end of the trunk hoop supporting the body, the two hinge-mounting brackets are slipped over the trunk hoop...
...and centered with the marks...
...and centered with the marks that Roeder already placed on the tape. The mounting holes are marked on the tape, and the hinge brackets are temporarily removed.
Once the holes are marked,...
Once the holes are marked, Roeder uses a small drill bit to create a pilot hole completely through the trunk hoop for each mounting location.
He then increases the bit...
He then increases the bit size and opens the holes to the indicated size in the installation instructions included with the hinge kit.
After the mounting holes are...
After the mounting holes are drilled to the proper size, the painters tape is removed and the two hinge brackets are slid into place and bolted down. (After everything is aligned we'll pull the brackets and paint or powdercoat them.)
The hinge itself is bolted...
The hinge itself is bolted to the mounting bracket. There's a vertical adjustment to the hinge through this mounting point, so the pivot bolts will be left loose for now until the trunk is aligned.
Using the original external...
Using the original external hinge-mounting hole as a starting point, Roeder marks up the body with more painters tape and measures the hinge-mounting pad to the body from the front and rear edges.
This measurement is used to...
This measurement is used to verify that the left and right hinges are in the same place on each side of the trunk opening and to locate the stud plates that require bonding to the underside of the trunk lid so that the trunk lid can be attached to the hinges (which is also another point of adjustment).
In future installments, we'll...
In future installments, we'll align the door assemblies, install the hood hinges, and continue with our Roadster's body prep. Stay tuned.