Fed-Ex showed up this morning on a nice -19F (air temp) day to deliver the 3rd brake light I ordered from Watson Streetworks.
Nice little unit, "supposed" to be super bright, I guess I'll find out once I wire it up. I'll send pics when I do.
As far as size and discreteness, I think this is going to work out great. Here are a couple pic of where I plan to mount it. It's paintable so if it's as bright as they advertise it is, it should blend into the body nicely and look like it was meant to be there verses looking like a bulky looking blob I added as an afterthought.
Is that the "Micro Billet Third Brake Light (EL-MB)"?
I ordered the "Retro Round Micro 3rd Brake Light (EL-MBRX)" this weekend. Was originally going to have a third brake light molded into the top and sealed with the clearcoat. The rodshop owner talked me out of it, said he cannot guarantee it would not leak and onec done there would be no way to access it. He suggested one that bolted in the rear window. Spent many hours looking at different ones and it was a toss up between Watson's "Small Billet Third brake light" and the "Retro Round Micro 3rd Brake Light (EL-MBRX)". Price of the billet version seamed excessive. After seeing your post I think it was the right solution.
If you have the EL-MB version, please provide the actual dimensions, they gave the dimensions of the EL-MBRX version but only showed the EL-MB beside a quarter.
Is that the "Micro Billet Third Brake Light (EL-MB)"?
I ordered the "Retro Round Micro 3rd Brake Light (EL-MBRX)" this weekend. Was originally going to have a third brake light molded into the top and sealed with the clearcoat. The rodshop owner talked me out of it, said he cannot guarantee it would not leak and onec done there would be no way to access it. He suggested one that bolted in the rear window. Spent many hours looking at different ones and it was a toss up between Watson's "Small Billet Third brake light" and the "Retro Round Micro 3rd Brake Light (EL-MBRX)". Price of the billet version seamed excessive. After seeing your post I think it was the right solution.
If you have the EL-MB version, please provide the actual dimensions, they gave the dimensions of the EL-MBRX version but only showed the EL-MB beside a quarter.
I didn't think paint color would be that hard to figure out but after a lot of back and forth with friends and family I am 99% sure I settled on 1968 Ford Lime Gold; paint code I. I may paint the belt line a different color as well, still deciding (if I do, maybe white, silver, gray or black).
Same problem here, what color to pick. Seems every few months I change my mind, black, blue, silver, oxford green, and now either 2019 or 2020 Corvette yellow.
'33 Hotrod, #1047 Gen 1, delivered on 2/27/18, go cart on 9/24/18.
LS3 w/Gearstar Level 3 4L65e Tranny, Yank converter, Lokar shifter, Electric PS, Vintage AC/Heat/Def, 8.8" 3.55
TorqThrust II Wheels w/Toyo Proxy T1 Sport Tires, F 235/45ZR17 R 295/35ZR18
Garage Built, Driveway Painted.
I didn't think paint color would be that hard to figure out but after a lot of back and forth with friends and family I am 99% sure I settled on 1968 Ford Lime Gold; paint code I. I may paint the belt line a different color as well, still deciding (if I do, maybe white, silver, gray or black).
Tonight I worked on the engine side covers by adding material to the edge by the grill to match the curve of the grill. Also found a hairline crack in the passenger engine side panel so I drilled a hole at the end of the crack (approached it like as if I were doing metal work) and then added two layers of glass over the crack.
On the outside I'll just vee the areas and use filler with short strand fiber glass reenforcement in it. So far so good, I guess we'll see when it's cured.
Well that worked out pretty well. After I got done laying the glass, I remembered that I forgot to put release agent on the aluminum backing I used form the curve I needed on the panel to match the grill. The aluminum also helped line up the fiber glass sections I was adding so both face surfaces (the panel & patch) were even. Without release agent I was thinking I was going to have fight it to pry off the aluminum.
Came out to the garage this morning expecting a fight to get the aluminum off but figured I'd do a quick look to see what I was in for, so I removed the rivets I used to attach the aluminum to the panel as well as the duct tape I used to seal the edges of the aluminum so resin didn't run everywhere, then took a thin tipped screw driver under the aluminum and it nicely popped off the panel leaving a nice clean, smooth surface. I just need to cleanup the edges and sand down the seam edge a bit.
I didn't do any grinding on the aluminum prior to installing on the panels so my best guess is due to the smooth surface of the aluminum there was no texture for the resin to grab on to.
I included a pic of the belly pan with just the aluminum attached so you can kind of see how I did the engine side panels. To get the right shape, I fitted / riveted / taped the aluminum to the engine side covers and belly panel prior to removing them off the car. After removed, on the side panels I sanded the surface that I was going to add the glass layers, blew off the area with an air hose and finally took wax / grease remover to clean up the area
This method seems to work pretty well for me, may be an easy option for others who will need to patch panels. The Belly panel will be a little more work since I do not have fiberglass scraps to use to extend the panel, I will just add multiple layers of glass on the aluminum to get my thickness needed but same concept.
Seat heaters are easy to install and relatively inexpensive. The ones I bought last year don't appear to be available now, but there are many options available from all the usual sources. If you are going without a top you might consider spending a few more bucks and getting the waterproof ones. Also look at what kind of controls you want - on/off or multi-level power.
Keith HR #894
Seat heaters are easy to install and relatively inexpensive. The ones I bought last year don't appear to be available now, but there are many options available from all the usual sources. If you are going without a top you might consider spending a few more bucks and getting the waterproof ones. Also look at what kind of controls you want - on/off or multi-level power.
Keith HR #894
Thanks Keith...no plans for seat heaters on mine ....when this thing gets cold enough where I would even think about seat heaters it will be parked for the winter. Our Spring, Summer and Fall are fairly nice around here.
Not only are seat heaters nice to have for those early morning coffee runs, but they really help my wonky back relax. I've been known to fire them up in the summer while I've got the A/C blasting cold air in my face...
Keith HR #894
Not only are seat heaters nice to have for those early morning coffee runs, but they really help my wonky back relax. I've been known to fire them up in the summer while I've got the A/C blasting cold air in my face...
Keith HR #894
I hear you Keith but personally I am not a fan of heated steering wheels or seats. My wife has a heated steering wheel in her Lincoln Nautilis and I turn it off everytime I jump in her vehicle to drive, I hate the feeling of a warm squishy steering wheel. On our Lincoln Navigator, I rarely use the heated seats, just not a huge fan. Put it this way, we did a stay-cation at a local hotel for valentines days this year and it was -26F (air temp) overnight, and the next morning when I went out to start the truck, I never put on the heated seats on my side....turned it on on my wife's side but not mine. Heated seats and especially cooled seats make me feel like I wet my pants.
I did use the heated seats last fall when we drove 11 hours to take our son back to Ft. Collins for college but that was because I pulled something in my back a few days prior to leaving and had a sore back. For that purpose I agree the heated seats were nice. To each their own I guess
Belly pan glassed earlier this morning. It set up nicely already. I'll remove the aluminum backing tomorrow morning (hopefully it pops off as easy as the side covers did).
Once it's cured, I will probably add a couple more layers on the inside for a little extra strength but overall it seems to be working out.
Removed the duct tape and then the aluminum backer this morning from the belly pan. Building up / extending the fiberglass on the belly pan turned out even better than I expected.
I'll definitely be using the aluminum sheeting as a backer for any other future fiberglass work....the aluminum was definitely stuck to the fiberglass once cured but once you get under it with a thin screw driver it pops right off.
Now I'll get it cleaned up (smooth the edges, remove the rivet knubs, etc.) and reinstalled on the car for final fitment / trimming before removing once more for final prep for paint.
Hey Jim, what's the deal with the two aluminum flanges on the center seam that you have bolted together? As the belly pan comes stock from FFR they aren't there , right? What do they do?
Hey Jim, what's the deal with the two aluminum flanges on the center seam that you have bolted together? As the belly pan comes stock from FFR they aren't there , right? What do they do?
Those are actually fiberglass from FFR, not aluminum.....My belly pan came in two pieces from FFR with those flanges molded in the entire length from the nose to the back. Originally I had the entire section bolted together but after I tried installing it on the car I had to remove the back portion of the flang cause it was hitting the lower radiator hose where it comes out of the radiator so I trimmed them off.
When I lengthened the belly pan the other day I also added a couple layers of glass for extra strength where I removed that flang. Just kept the front like it is now for a little extra support but on the outside I just literally got done putting 2 layers of glass over that whole seam to basically turn the belly pan into a single unit. I'll post pic later today / tomorrow after it's set.
....the aluminum was definitely stuck to the fiberglass once cured but once you get under it with a thin screw driver it pops right off.
in the past, I've used wax paper between epoxy/fiberglass and what ever I didn't want that to stick t since basically nothing sticks to wax paper.
The aluminum idea sounds good. It might be interesting to see if the aluminum would release even easier if we rubbed a bit of carnuba wax on it beforehand?
in the past, I've used wax paper between epoxy/fiberglass and what ever I didn't want that to stick t since basically nothing sticks to wax paper.
The aluminum idea sounds good. It might be interesting to see if the aluminum would release even easier if we rubbed a bit of carnuba wax on it beforehand?
I've used wax paper as well on straight pieces (works great) but with the engine side covers and the belly pan I needed to get the shape right, so the aluminum allowed me the ability to size it and shape it all at the same time and then I didn't lose the shape once I removed those pieces from the car to lay the glass. Jim
With regards to the Chin or Belly pieces, a significant portion of the inside or top of these are visible between the radiator and the grill from the front of the car. You may want to thank about prepping the inside as well or at least spraying a Rock Guard or something inside.
With regards to the Chin or Belly pieces, a significant portion of the inside or top of these are visible between the radiator and the grill from the front of the car. You may want to thank about prepping the inside as well or at least spraying a Rock Guard or something inside.
Cleaned up and test fit the engine side covers and belly pan last night...over all adding fiberglass material worked out pretty well, a little fitting / sanding to do but not too much.
Belly Pan fit (w/ some screws, still need to grind a little on the chin to be able to add the rest of the screws and pull it in a bit) 20210226_100003.jpg
I was probably waaaay too picky on it considering you're only going to see about 20% of it with the full fenders installed (unless your underneath the car), but I used it as practice / understanding for the rest of the body & panels that will be seen.
Front fender prepped....boy, these things are bigger / bulkier to prep then they first seemed...lots of sanding, lots of curves. The driver's side front fender mold must be getting pretty beat up, there was a lot more areas needing minor filler on the driver's fender compared to the passenger.
I "think" I now have the toughest panels done. These panels I just completed had a lot of areas requiring hand sanding verses block sanding.
Comparing Passenger (done) side to Driver's side (not done) 20210302_191530.jpg
Here is a brushed on color sample of the lime gold in the sun...kind of a bad sample since it's small (size of a quarter) and blotchy due the brush strokes (they mixed me a 2 oz bottle of touch up paint too so I used that).
Priming day for the belly pan, engine side covers and front fenders. Didn't turn out too bad, my cheap turbine HVLP system I've had for several years I use only for epoxy & primer took a dump about 3/4 of the way through so I limped it along spraying a little thicker / chunkier than I like, but I figured since everything needed to be finish sanded any way I'd just finish up spraying today and spend a little extra time finish sanding.
I ordered a new Q4 Fuji Spray HVLP system with 2 guns (one for epoxy / primer & the other for paint / clear)..... a buddy of mine had an Apollo system (very similar) which he let me spray a fender last summer and it was amazing. He's a body shop guy by trade though, so tons of experience but he shot primer / base / clear with this system on a 69 camaro and it was like glass...one of the smoothest (without cutting / buffing) finishes I've ever seen. These turbine systems are nice cause there is no worrying about air compressor or proper psi, they consume less paint since the atomize the spray more efficiently, and over spray is at a minimum.
Need to get these panels finish sanded tomorrow. next I move on to prepping the hood & cowl area and get those primed whenever my new HVLP system shows up. If it takes too long I'll borrow my buddy's system if he's not using it.
Looks good Jim. I spy 5 snow shovels, wow. Guess you must get a lot of snow!
'33 Hotrod, #1047 Gen 1, delivered on 2/27/18, go cart on 9/24/18.
LS3 w/Gearstar Level 3 4L65e Tranny, Yank converter, Lokar shifter, Electric PS, Vintage AC/Heat/Def, 8.8" 3.55
TorqThrust II Wheels w/Toyo Proxy T1 Sport Tires, F 235/45ZR17 R 295/35ZR18
Garage Built, Driveway Painted.
Which Fuji Q4 did you wind up purchasing, if you don't mind me asking?
33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
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Originally Posted by Tampa33Build
