Body and door/trunk/hood fitment question

[nucjd19]

Hello everyone
A quick question to the braintrust on here. So I have not yet place my kit order ( plan on ordering next month complete kit. Engine and transmission already ordered and being built by BluePrint engines). I would like to approach this build as best I can and I have been reading the manual and watching the factory five videos at length and multiple times. So the FFR video shows the guys doing the initial fitment of the doors, hood and trunk BEFORE they pull the body for the first time and before the start the actual build. I have the correct tools to do this step ( air compressor and air tools ) and a brother who builds and paints high end guitars and swears we can do the fitment without much problems. So.... did you folks do the fitment first then pull the body or did you pull the body and start the build with fitment by paint and body folks OR pull the body and build the car THEN install the the body and do fitment yourself? Thanks in advance!

[Papa]

I'm not sure there is any real advantage to do it in the order you're asking about unless you plan to have the body painted right away. In either approach, the position of the body will dictate the door fitment and to a lesser degree the hood and trunk. The real challenge will be knowing where the exhaust openings need to be trimmed without having the engine in and headers installed. The other thing to consider is that you will likely install and remove the body more than once during the build. It'll be interesting to hear what others think, but I'd stick to the more common build approach unless there is some significant advantage to changing it that works in your favor.

[nucjd19]

Thank you for the response Papa. I initially planned on fitting in the doors, trunk and hood but now I think it might be best to build it out and then do fitment once the frame and engine/ pipes are fitted.

[CDXXVII]

Hello everyone
A quick question to the braintrust on here. So I have not yet place my kit order ( plan on ordering next month complete kit. Engine and transmission already ordered and being built by BluePrint engines). I would like to approach this build as best I can and I have been reading the manual and watching the factory five videos at length and multiple times. So the FFR video shows the guys doing the initial fitment of the doors, hood and trunk BEFORE they pull the body for the first time and before the start the actual build. I have the correct tools to do this step ( air compressor and air tools ) and a brother who builds and paints high end guitars and swears we can do the fitment without much problems. So.... did you folks do the fitment first then pull the body or did you pull the body and start the build with fitment by paint and body folks OR pull the body and build the car THEN install the the body and do fitment yourself? Thanks in advance!

Other more experienced builder may chime in. This is only my opinion.

Unless you plan on doing your own paint and body work I would advise to not touch the body at all.

If you are planning on doing your own paint and body I would not recommend doing anything with regards to fitment until you are substantially finished with your build. There are many things that can impact how your panels fit. Installation of all aluminum panels, installation of bulb seal, elephant ears (splash panels), firewall (front and rear). There are tons of things that can get you out of alignment. I am quite surprised that FFR would instruct you to do any body trimming and or fitment prior to removing the body as delivered.

Do you have the assembly manual yet? I'm pretty sure that this is also not mentioned in the manual.

[rich grsc]

As someone who has built more than a couple, I would say no, don't waste your time. How the body ends up on the frame has a lot to do with proper fitting doors, hood and trunk. Once the body is in place, it's not too hard to get a "functional" fit for each of those. You just need them to fit close enough so they open and close with out binding. Let the painter do the final gap work. Oh, and keep the air tools away from the body, none of the rough fitting takes anything "air powered".

[j.miller]

I will say this....If you are doing your own trimming and fitting wait until you get to the go-cart stage without carpet. At this point you will know and understand more about your car and how it's going to fit. You will have more specific questions to ask that we can address. Some of us have done a few and are willing to help...da Bat

[GoDadGo]

I've only completed one car and it came out pretty good but I had an expanded group of friends who helped me through the bodywork and paint.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8m-MdRZvaH45Y6h4orIm7w/videos

My recommendation is to get one of the Jeff's to paint it.

[FFinisher]

Hello everyone
A quick question to the braintrust on here. So I have not yet place my kit order ( plan on ordering next month complete kit. Engine and transmission already ordered and being built by BluePrint engines). I would like to approach this build as best I can and I have been reading the manual and watching the factory five videos at length and multiple times. So the FFR video shows the guys doing the initial fitment of the doors, hood and trunk BEFORE they pull the body for the first time and before the start the actual build. I have the correct tools to do this step ( air compressor and air tools ) and a brother who builds and paints high end guitars and swears we can do the fitment without much problems. So.... did you folks do the fitment first then pull the body or did you pull the body and start the build with fitment by paint and body folks OR pull the body and build the car THEN install the the body and do fitment yourself? Thanks in advance!

I will reiterate what others have said. I have done it both ways. The ONLY advantage to doing it first is timing. You can have the body at the body shop while you do all the rest of the work.

If you do it before the motor is in knowing where to trim the body is nearly impossible for side pipes, I have trimmed them after paint, and can be done, but is hairy and scary and the final product it is not what you will like. .

I would strongly recommend doing it after the chassis is compete, except, as Jeff Miller has suggested before carpet.

Remember FFR was making in instructional video, not building a whole car. It was intended to show body fitment. Not necessarily the proper order for the build.

[Duster]

I agree with what everyone is telling you.

My hood sat on my body on the body buck waiting through the build. The passenger rear of the hood sat a little higher than the driver side, all untrimed. Placed the body on the go-cart and the hood sat flat at the rear but was up at the passenger front, again, untrimed. If I had trimmed it while on the buck no telling where I might come up short. Just the difference in how the support for the body is under what circumstances. Same applies for doors, trunk, pipes etc.

[nucjd19]

Thank you sooooo much everyone!!!!! I am a literal person with a bit of OCD so when I watch an instructional video and something is said I can latch onto it. I have been reading the manual and it said nothing of fitment at the beginning so when the FFR video showed them talking about doing that way first it was confusing. I would much rather put the body and panels off to the side and build the machine. I am unsure about doing anything to the body and might look into scheduling paint and body work with some of you awesome folks on here that offer the service. Body and paint is quite intimidating. Thanks again. Settles an issue for me :)